![Skip to main content [Access key C]](../../../siteware/shim.gif){kind=small}
Life at work
Standard Life has seen some major changes over the past few years. This has had an important effect on our people and engaging them is essential to the future success of our business. We will continue to harness and develop their unique blend of talents.
Harnessing talent and leadership
As we focus on delivery, efficiency and growth opportunities, we need effective leadership to realise our ambitions. During 2007, we put significant effort into engaging our senior leaders in our Group's long-term direction and development - so they can go on to lead and inspire all our people.Working together
We worked with our staff associations to make necessary changes to the UK defined benefit staff pension scheme. After a period of consultation, our people were able to make an active choice about their future pension provision. At that time there were 5,842 active members of the defined benefit pension scheme. 98.4% made an active election and with 96% choosing the revalued career average salary option.Investing in our people
Our people are at the heart of everything that we do, so we invest in them and their future. We want to highlight and unleash their talent, so they can make a real difference to our business.We want our people to understand our shareholders' interests and we believe owning shares helps them to do this. We've seen an excellent take-up of the Standard Life Share Plan, which enables employees to buy shares directly from their salary. By the end of the year, 96% of employees were Standard Life shareholders and 63% of eligible UK employees were making an average monthly contribution of around £45. A similar tax-approved plan in Ireland had a 53% take-up. And even though the plan doesn't offer tax benefits in Canada, Germany and Austria, more than 750 employees in these countries buy shares each month.
