Big Business Insights: The neuroscience behind Two-Pot personas with Michelle Acton & Dr Charlene Heynes-Nell

For many South Africans, life is a balancing act. The Competition Commission’s September 2025 Cost of Living report found that the average worker spends over 57% of their income on transport and electricity. It’s easy to see why financial planning and saving may feel like luxuries.  The Two-Pot system has been a step in the right direction: it gives South Africans access to a portion of their savings in case of emergency, while preserving the retirement pot and thereby help South Africans save more. So, what have we learnt a year in? How can employers help improve preservation rates? And what can neuroscience offer when it comes to understanding why people make the choices they make? This episode of Big Business Insights, brought to you by Old Mutual Corporate, has some answers. Host Blessing Utete, the Commercial Executive Head at Old Mutual Corporate, is joined by neuroscience change specialist and CEO of the Neuroscience Institute for Business, Dr Charlene Heyns-Nell. Also joining the discussion is Michelle Acton, Chief Customer Officer at Old Mutual Corporate, whose work involves research and insights, customer engagement, education, data and reporting.   Together, they help us better understand what drives employees’ decisions around retirement contributions. We delve into the complex emotional and cognitive parts of the process, and what kinds of rewards drive certain behaviours depending on the individual’s personality type.     We also hear what successful communication looks like in a local context – what kind of messaging by employers inspires positive action by employees.   Tune in to understand more about how behavioural science and retirement policy intersect, while looking at what can be done from the top down to encourage better financial preservation.  Follow the Old Mutual Employee Benefits page on LinkedIn and visit the Old Mutual Corporate Resource Hub for more insights, research and analysis to help you make the best decisions for your business, your employees and yourself.   Resources used in this episode: Michelle Acton on LinkedIn Dr Charlene Heyns-Nell on LinkedIn   The Neuroscience Institute for Business StatsSA report on monthly earnings in SA The cost of living crisis in SA – Daily Maverick Salaries in South Africa – half of all workers earn less than you think – BusinessTechLooking back on six months of Two-Pot Helping you understand the Two-Pot Retirement System