Workplace Connect

Everything you need to know about your new portal

We’re switching on your new pension scheme administration portal

The pensions landscape is constantly changing and it’s vital that we continuously invest in and improve our technology to meet your needs now, and in the future.

To help us deliver on our ambitions, we've partnered with global IT provider Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to evolve our technology ecosystem and have built Workplace Connect - our new scheme administration portal.

Using the latest technology and feedback from users like you, Workplace Connect is simple and secure. It introduces features and functionality that will make it easier for you to manage your scheme and stay on top of regular administration tasks.

Get ready for your switch on date

As we approach the switch on date later this year, please save this page in your favourites. You can then come back and get the latest information on the timeline, how you can prepare, and useful tips for using Workplace Connect.

If you have any questions about the new portal, we've drawn out some key information for you as well as FAQs to support you.

What are the benefits of Workplace Connect?

We’ve built our new portal based on user insight. It gives users a personalised dashboard and timeline, improved validation and enhanced journeys.

Easy to use

Real-time validation, fully automated processing, and downloadable records ensure that members’ details are always accurate and up to date.
Secure

Multi-factor authentication, tailored access, and encryption keep your members' data safe and secure. Plus, you can view real-time audit trails for total visibility.
Flexible

Workplace Connect gives users the flexibility to tailor access, control payments, and adapts to different scheme requirements such as auto-enrolment assessments and single or multiple payrolls.

Discover more about Workplace Connect

Watch our video to discover more about the features of our new portal.

Essential reading, please ensure you read this section below to help you prepare for a smooth transition to Workplace Connect based on existing users feedback.

Key information to help you prepare

You’ll be able to access the new portal in the same way as before – the web address and login details remain the same.

For a smooth journey, especially uploading files, we ask you to ensure you're using the most up to date version of your web browser. Internet Explorer is no longer supported, so you'll need to switch to a modern browser like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari.

When you log in for the first time you may need to:

Confirm the scheme payroll date and start of pay period. This ensures the personalised dashboard is set up correctly
Confirm the pensionable pay definition. This is required to validate contribution amounts. Visit our auto-enrolment contributions page for more information

When you use Workplace Connect for the first time, it’s a good idea to plan to complete your first assessment (if applicable) and payment a little earlier than normal. This will allow time to familiarise yourself with the new layout and resolve any data queries that the new validation may highlight.

Have a look at our video to see what to expect when you first log in.

You’ll be able to access the new portal in the same way as before – the web address and login details remain the same.

When you log in for the first time you may need to:

Confirm the scheme payroll date and start of pay period. This ensures the personalised dashboard is set up correctly
Confirm the pensionable pay definition. This is required to validate contribution amounts. Visit our auto-enrolment contributions page for more information

Have a look at our video to see what to expect when you first log in.

All new members must be joined before you submit a payment for them.

If you need to join new members, please do this first via the ‘Join Members’ tile. We’ll then include/recognise the new members in your payment file for the current pay period.

Watch a demonstration of the Join journey

All new members must be joined before you submit a payment for them.

If you need to join new members, please do this first via the ‘Join Members’ tile. We’ll then include/recognise the new members in your payment file for the current pay period.

Watch a demonstration of the Join journey

You can choose whether to update your payment online or upload a payment file in standard .csv format - we recommend using the update online option if there are only minimal changes from your last submission.

If you choose the upload option you can use your existing file or the template available in your current portal (i.e. Group Pension Zone or Workplace Hub). If you use your own file you need to include:

Pay period pensionable earnings
Regular employer payment in £
Regular employee payment in £

You can also tell us about any one-off contributions, leavers or contribution holidays in the file – remember to include the date of leaving.

You may find that you need to update the column headers in your file so that Workplace Connect recognises the data. We've created this Assess, Join, and Pay - top tips and column header guide that you can download, and for more information check out the portal help centre.

Watch a demonstration of the Pay journey

Pay period pensionable earnings
Regular employer payment in £
Regular employee payment in £

You can also tell us about any one-off contributions, leavers or contribution holidays in the file – remember to include the date of leaving.

Watch a demonstration of the Pay journey

Workplace Connect is designed to help ensure your scheme data is up to date and compliant with regulatory requirements. We’ll automatically check:

That payments are included for all active members
That member personal details on your pay file match our records
That percentages match the pay period earnings

We'll check that all contributions meet auto-enrolment minimums based on the pay definition provided and we'll highlight any which are below the minimum amount. You'll need to provide a reason for any underpayments as part of completing your payment.

For Group Pension Zone Users

The new portal will need information in your payroll file to check that employees are getting the right contributions. You may already be providing this. For some Group Pension Zone users your file may not have everything that’s needed. To help you get your files ready, take a look at our guide.

Workplace Connect is designed to help ensure your scheme data is up to date and compliant with regulatory requirements. We’ll automatically check:

That payments are included for all active members
That member personal details on your pay file match our records
That percentages match the pay period earnings

For Group Pension Zone Users

The new portal will need information in your payroll file to check that employees are getting the right contributions. You may already be providing this. For some Group Pension Zone users your file may not have everything that’s needed. To help you get your files ready, take a look at our guide.

To make it easier for you to identify employees, Workplace Connect gives you the option of using a ‘unique employee identifier’ such as a staff number. If you wish to use this, you need to let us know the unique identifiers first by accessing the ‘Employees’ tab in Workplace Connect and selecting the ‘Bulk Unique ID’ option.

Please allow one working day for the system to be updated, then the unique identifier will be included if you download a payment template, or you can include this in your payment file going forward.

Please note this is optional, if you download a template and the column is blank you don’t need to add this information to your pay file

Please allow one working day for the system to be updated, then the unique identifier will be included if you download a payment template, or you can include this in your payment file going forward.

Please note this is optional, if you download a template and the column is blank you don’t need to add this information to your pay file

Workplace Connect allows you to tell us about someone who has left at the same time as you make the last contribution for them. If you include the leaving date in your file the system will automatically process the leaver.

Payment history going back 12 months will be available in Workplace Connect. If you need to know about payments that were made more than 12 months ago, please contact us to request this information.

Our digital applications, including existing Workplace portals and the Standard Life mobile app, will be unavailable over the weekend of the portal switch on to help make sure the changes are safe, secure and smooth. We'll also use messages on the portals and app in advance to notify users of any downtime.

Workplace Connect FAQs

As part of our work to evolve our technology ecosystem, we’re replacing the existing scheme portals, where routine tasks such as assess, join, and pay are carried out, with a new digital portal that’s powered by TCS.

Designed based on user insights, Workplace Connect utilises the latest technology to offer an intuitive and streamlined user experience.

It brings everything that you need to run your scheme together into one place, including a new dashboard that makes essential, routine tasks easier and faster to manage than ever before.

Designed based on user insights, Workplace Connect utilises the latest technology to offer an intuitive and streamlined user experience.

It brings everything that you need to run your scheme together into one place, including a new dashboard that makes essential, routine tasks easier and faster to manage than ever before.

In a nutshell, our new portal includes:

A personalised dashboard showing pay period, payroll date and number of members, plus a real-time summary of upcoming actions such as payments due.
The ability to assess and communicate with your workforce and add eligible employees as members.
The flexibility to add new members in bulk or one by one.
Full control of payments, collection dates, and amounts.
Data validation, with the ability to resolve any issues within the portal.
Fully automated processing that ensures member records are always up to date.
Ability to leave the portal at any time and resume the task where it left off.
An audit trail of who carried out which task and when. Historical submissions can be viewed and downloaded whenever you need them.
Step-by-step help guides, tooltips, and the ability to send secure messages to our customer operations team.

In a nutshell, our new portal includes:

A personalised dashboard showing pay period, payroll date and number of members, plus a real-time summary of upcoming actions such as payments due.
The ability to assess and communicate with your workforce and add eligible employees as members.
The flexibility to add new members in bulk or one by one.
Full control of payments, collection dates, and amounts.
Data validation, with the ability to resolve any issues within the portal.
Fully automated processing that ensures member records are always up to date.
Ability to leave the portal at any time and resume the task where it left off.
An audit trail of who carried out which task and when. Historical submissions can be viewed and downloaded whenever you need them.
Step-by-step help guides, tooltips, and the ability to send secure messages to our customer operations team.

We recently upgraded Group Pension Zone to give it a more modern look and feel – this is separate from the switch on of the new portal, although the new look is very similar to what you will see on Workplace Connect.

Our technology provider is ISO27001 certified. Plus, we use multi-factor authentication, tailored access, and encryption to keep scheme data safe and secure.

Yes, over 2,000 schemes are already using Workplace Connect. As of May 2025, we've successfully joined over 3,500 members and processed over 6,000 payment schedules. We're phasing the switch over and eventually all Workplace clients will use the new portal.

Our new portal has built-in user guides, tooltips, and a help centre to guide you through each step of the journey. Plus, you can access our secure messaging to get in touch with our team of experts.

Have a read through the information we've provided and take a look at our instructional videos, that are in the first 3 answers above under Key Information to help you prepare. We'll let you know when Workplace Connect has been switched on for you. Please allow some extra time the first time you use the new portal so that you can familiarise yourself with the new system. The improved validation may raise some additional queries when you process your first payment.

Yes, the regulatory timescales for contribution payments remain the same. Payment files must be submitted in time for payments to be received by the 22nd of the month following payroll deductions, e.g. contributions deducted from July payroll must be paid by 22nd August. When you first use the new portal, please try to complete your first assessment (if applicable) and payment earlier than normal. This will allow time to resolve any data queries that the new validation may highlight and time to familiarise yourself with the new layout.

Yes, existing scheme terms and conditions apply.

: Our purpose at Standard Life is to help people secure a life of possibilities. Combining data and insights with state-of-the-art technology, we’re focussed on continuing to deliver even better experiences across all our key touchpoints, while maintaining value for money.

Key to this success is having the right technology and administration solutions in place. To help us deliver on our ambitions and improve member outcomes, we’ve chosen to partner more closely with TCS.

Whilst our existing infrastructure is fit for purpose, it’s vital that we future proof. Using TCS technology and expertise, we’ll enhance our development efficiency across all of our propositions and services. We want to be at the forefront of the latest technology and the greatest innovation, so we can continue to provide solutions that meet the evolving needs and expectations of our members, clients, and advisers.
: TCS is one of the world's largest IT, Consulting, and Business Process Services companies. They employ 600,000 people worldwide in 55 countries – including c4,000 in Scotland. They operate across multiple sectors including insurance, wealth management, and banking.

Their specialisms include digital transformation, business process services, and analytics. Globally, TCS works with over 1000+ clients. And in the UK, they provide services for 200 leading UK organisations – including around half of the FTSE 100 Companies.
: We’ve already successfully moved 80% of our digital journeys onto new TCS technology, and seamlessly transitioned over 740,000 customers and over 8,000 schemes to the BaNCS system. We also worked with TCS to deliver our award-winning Client Analytics platform, market-leading Innovation Lab, and Adviser Dash platform – and we’ll continue to work with them on new and innovative solutions.
: Our programme of work involves updating the existing technology that currently supports employers and scheme members. This removes the limitations of maintaining multiple legacy systems, making it easier to integrate with new and innovative products and partners. Enhancing our technology ecosystem enables us to be more responsive to the evolving needs of employers and scheme members.
: Yes, all plan and scheme numbers will remain the same.
: At Standard Life we’re committed to protecting the personal information of members and the systems that data is held on. In order to meet this obligation, we have robust Information Security and Data Protection policies in place. These policies set the appropriate safeguards and are embedded and tested through our assurance and due diligence model. Furthermore, external audit and specialist third-party consultants conduct regular, independent assurance and benchmarking exercises across our business to ascertain the effectiveness of our security control environment and our security strategy.

Our security controls also apply to our third-party suppliers and are aligned to industry standards and good practice. This provides a controlled environment that effectively manages risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. We have a robust and thorough due diligence process prior to appointing any third-party providers, along with ongoing oversight and monitoring.

All member data is stored in the UK. We use some third parties that may process data outside the EEA and the material ones are listed on the sub processor website (https://www.standardlifeworkplace.co.uk/employer/third-party-providers.page). Where we appoint a sub processor that processes data outside the EEA, we ensure that processing is compliant with Data Protection Legislation and that all of the relevant standard contractual clauses are in place.

Workplace Connect

We’re switching on your new pension scheme administration portal

Get ready for your switch on date

What are the benefits of Workplace Connect?

Easy to use

Secure

Flexible

Discover more about Workplace Connect

Key information to help you prepare

Logging in for the first time

Before you make your first payment

Making your first payment

Payment validation

New feature – unique employee identifier

Leaver processing

Payment history

Important note

Workplace Connect FAQs

What’s happening to the scheme administration portal?

What are Workplace Connect's key features?

Group Pension Zone recently changed its look and feel - is this the new portal?

How is data within Workplace Connect kept secure?

Are any schemes using Workplace Connect already?

Where can I get support using Workplace Connect?

Do I need to do anything before using Workplace Connect?

Will the 22nd of every month still be the last date for making payment contributions?

Will fees/charges stay the same?

TCS partnership FAQs

Why are you partnering with TCS?

Who are TCS?

What experience do you have working with TCS?

What are the benefits of these changes to Workplace employers/members?

Will plan/scheme numbers remain the same?

How will data be protected?