Behavioural insights can be of great value for social security institutions in their endeavours to improve programme design and implementation. The International Social Security Association (ISSA) has developed a new framework to assist members institutions along this path.
Understanding the conscious and unconscious behaviour of clients can be of crucial importance when adjusting, improving, designing or implementing social security benefits and services. Money, time and effort can be saved, clients made more satisfied and social welfare improved. It is therefore only natural that social security institutions are increasingly turning their attention to this area, and through its Behavioural insights and social security project, the ISSA has developed a new framework that can help them on their way.
The new ISSA framework on behavioural insights report requires institutional maturity in governance, service quality and information and communication technology. It is grounded on the principles of transparency and ethics, and is underpinned by seven core ethical considerations summarized by the FORGOOD framework, which stands for:
| Fairness | Does the behavioural policy have undesired redistributive effects? |
| Openness | Is the behavioural policy open, or hidden and manipulative? |
| Respect | Does the policy respect people’s autonomy, dignity, freedom of choice and privacy? |
| Goals | Does the behavioural policy serve good and legitimate goals? |
| Opinions | Do people accept the means and the ends of the behavioural policy? |
| Options | Do better policies exist and are they warranted? |
| Delegation | Do the policymakers have the right and the ability to nudge using the power delegated to them? |
Through its focus on social security administration, the ISSA plays a unique role when it comes to institutional learning and sharing. Over the last year, the Association has organized a number of webinars and virtual events that have helped bring forward institutional good practices in this area, providing knowledge that has helped with the development of the new framework.
A webinar to present and discuss the framework was organized in November 2021, in collaboration with the ISSA Technical Commission on Organization, Management and Innovation. In this webinar, Sartika Kooshanafiah, Assistant Deputy Director at the National Social Security Administering Body for Employment (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) of Indonesia presented the use of behavioural insights in a pilot project aimed at encouraging companies to pay contributions on time. From the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB) in Singapore, Jeffrey Png, Director, Service & Learning Excellence, explained how behavioural nudging techniques have been applied to boost the participation of self-employed persons in a “Contribute-As-You-Earn” pilot project, and to encourage members on the Retirement Sum Scheme to join CPF LIFE, a scheme for lifelong pay-outs.
The ISSA will continue its focus on behavioural insights in upcoming events and activities and work with member institutions on the basis of this new framework.