Joe Howard: helping companies build a happier workplace

Interestingly, if it wasn’t for a candid conversation with a local solicitor, Joe might have taken a completely different career path.

“When I was at school, I wanted to become a solicitor,” Joe recalls. “But during work experience at a local law practice, I saw first-hand just how difficult and stressful the job could be. On my first day, one of the partners told me how challenging it was to be a solicitor, saying ‘It’s tough sometimes. Don’t do it!’

“That conversation made me re-evaluate my career options.”

After leaving school, Joe went on to study History at Nottingham University, though he still wasn’t sure what career path to take. One thing was for certain, it wouldn’t be law.

“I grew up in Henley-on-Thames, and after I graduated, the first job that came up was with the Prudential, one of the largest employers in the area at the time. I worked in the executive pensions team for around 18 months, dealing with legacy schemes from the 1970s and ‘80s. While pensions weren’t necessarily my calling, I found the work interesting enough to stick with it.”

In 2004, Joe joined a wealth management firm based in Henley-on-Thames, and within a year, he was heading up their employee benefits division, focusing primarily on advising trustee boards of final salary pensions. He stayed with that company for 17 years.

Final salary pension schemes are rare these days, but the few that remain need careful management. “Running a final salary scheme can be a huge drain on a smaller company’s time and resources,” Joe explains.

“The complex nature of these schemes means trustees need advice and support from multiple sources over long periods. We positioned ourselves in the heart of those relationships to ensure the schemes were run efficiently and stayed compliant.”

Joe joined Amber River Premier, based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, in February 2022. As Head of Employee Benefits, one of his key tasks was modernising the business’s technology. A recent advancement has been the launch of a flexible benefits platform that allows employers to offer a more tailored range of benefits.

The system also gives employees better visibility into what’s available and the true value of the benefits. “It can be difficult for employees to put a monetary figure on something like income protection insurance, which they don’t fully understand,” Joe says. “Our platform helps address that issue. Plus, it automates a lot of the process, saving HR and finance teams’ time on admin.”

“Companies are always looking for ways to get the best return on their investments when it comes to employee benefits,” Joe explains. “I’m having lots of conversations with employers about how they can make sure they’re getting the best ‘bang for their buck’. They want to offer a broad range of benefits, but they also want those benefits to be valued by their employees.

“Employers can struggle to figure out what their employees really want, especially with such a broad demographic in the workforce. Gone are the days when an employer simply set up a pension and perhaps some life assurance and that’s it. Part of my role is helping companies figure out what benefits they should offer to stay competitive in a tight labour market, and then communicating the value of those benefits to their employees.

“The final step is making sure employees understand what’s available and to make informed decisions about what will benefit them the most.”

Joe says that, due to his profession, he’s often asked for financial advice, even in social settings.

“It’s an occupational hazard, I guess, but pensions seem to be the one thing people really struggle with. Very few people I talk to have any clear idea of how pensions work, so it’s no surprise they struggle to make informed decisions. We have one of the most complicated pension systems in the world. Lack of understanding leads to lack of engagement. People want to understand, and do the right thing, but there are just so many barriers.”

That’s why Joe sees financial education as a key part of his role at Amber River Premier. “We run regular seminars for both employers and employees, tailoring the topics to what will be most valuable to them,” he explains.

“For example, in 2022/23 the cost-of-living was top of everyone’s minds and became a key theme at our seminars. Ultimately, our goal is to help companies deliver top-notch support to their employees, helping them attract and retain the best talent. My job is incredibly rewarding, especially now, as companies are recognising the need to do more for their workforce and be more creative in their approach.”

Since joining Amber River Premier, developing the platform has kept Joe busy, but outside of work, he enjoys staying active too. Travel is a big passion of his, as is golf. But he admits, that when it comes to golf, there’s plenty of room for improvement!

“I enjoy the game, but I prefer to play with people who are as terrible at it as I am – which, unfortunately, is a very small group. So, I don’t get to play as much as I’d like to!”.