The temptation to switch funds could wipe 15 per cent off a person's final retirement benefit, according to global consulting firm Watson Wyatt.
As super funds are set to deliver the worst returns in 20 years, members may be tempted to change investment options, Watson Wyatt managing director Andrew Boal said.
"Now is not the time for a knee-jerk reaction of switching out of your current investment option or fund," Boal said.
"What is more important is that super fund members take a long-term view of their retirement savings, and are not tempted to react to short-term results
"Sometimes the wisest choice is not to do anything."
During the past 20 years a typical balanced option of a super fund outperformed a conservative investment option by 1.6 per cent. However, during that period there were seven years when the conservation option outperformed the balanced option, according to Watson Wyatt.
A person could risk a loss of 0.7 per cent a year in performance if they switched their account balance to a better-performing option from the previous year.
Such a move would result in ten years of switching, ultimately wiping 15 per cent off a person's final retirement over a 40 year period of saving.
For the average superannuation fund member, this would mean that they would have to access the age pension three to four years earlier than planned.
