All articles by Alison Coleman – Page 4
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Case StudiesKarma uses regular communications to align benefits strategy with employee needs
Karma is a free app that connects people to restaurants and grocery stores with surplus food for sale. The organisation operates out of London, Stockholm, and Paris, with 75 employees based across the three locations.Like many high-growth businesses, Karma’s team is integral to its development and success. Employees not only ...
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AnalysisHow can high-profile figures create a culture of openness around mental wellbeing?
Need to know:High-profile figures can create a public and wide-reaching forum for discussion of a topic that is still hindered by harmful stereotypes and taboos, such as mental health.Employers enlisting, for example, sports personalities to help instigate discussion can also draw parallels with topics such as teamwork, resilience, wellness and ...
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Case StudiesMediacom uses high-profile internal champion to promote mental health
As Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) chief executive officer of global media agency Mediacom, Josh Krichefski leads 4,400 employees across 37 offices, including the UK, Germany, Italy and Portugal. He is a vocal supporter of mental health in the workplace, both in his own organisation and beyond.In May 2019, ...
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AnalysisEnhanced engagement: Positioning pensions within an employee value proposition
Need to know:Pension scheme positioning does not just enhance the employee value proposition (EVP) at the point of recruitment, but should be a factor in the entire employment life cycle.For a pension scheme to attract and retain talent, its contributions need to be more generous than the minimum set by ...
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AnalysisHow can employers create a culture of care for working parents?
Need to know:The foundation for a caring culture is a sense of flexibility, empathy and understanding, particularly when unexpected issues arise.Offering enhanced maternity and paternity leave and pay can help support new parents, as can access to childcare facilities or financial schemes.Benefits such as life insurance and critical illness cover ...
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Case StudiesThe Audit Lab creates culture of flexibility for working parents
Providing support for working parents while maintaining operational efficiency can be particularly challenging for employers with small teams. Bolton-based marketing agency The Audit Lab understands this particularly well, because it employs nine people, four of whom have young children.Sometimes, the secret to creating the right culture is trial and error, ...
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AnalysisHow can employers tackle in-work poverty?
Need to know:Identifying employees struggling with in-work poverty is difficult, but offering universal solutions can ensure that financial wellbeing initiatives benefit all those in need.Simple measures, such as exploring how to best manage overtime or introducing flexible working, can help staff improve their finances more effectively.A financial wellbeing strategy that ...
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Case StudiesB+A creates a supportive culture to address financial wellbeing
Establishing a supportive business culture in which staff feel able to openly discuss money can be the first step in helping employees avoid financial problems. This is a strategy used by creative management consultancy B+A when it comes to promoting financial wellness among its 20 employees.Andrew Missingham, chief executive officer ...
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Case StudiesDynamo uses its working environment to improve employees' mental wellbeing
Creating the right physical work environment for people with different needs can be challenging, but digital communications firm Dynamo proves that sometimes all it takes is simple touches and a culture of care.When it comes to considering how the physical space can affect wellness, Emma Cross, operations director at Dynamo, ...
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AnalysisWhat impact can the physical workplace have on mental health?
Need to know:Employers should consider a wide range of factors, from lighting to floorplan, when considering the impact of the workplace on mental health. Above all, it is important to provide employees with variety and choice.On-site wellness initiatives and dedicated wellbeing rooms can be helpful, but should be provided as ...
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AnalysisHow can employers stay on top of the changing pensions landscape?
Need to know:Staying informed about regulatory changes around pensions ensures employers can respond quickly and in an educated fashion.The multitude of regulatory changes in recent years mean that employers and trustees may be focusing more on keeping pace than developing effective long-term strategies.Organisations can engage their employees in managing pensions ...
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Case StudiesEvoluted uses a local accountancy firm to keep abreast of pensions change
Sheffield-based digital marketing organisation Evoluted specialises in bespoke web development and digital design. It was founded in 2006 and currently employs 27 staff.The organisation originally implemented a group stakeholder pension scheme for employees, but with the introduction of auto-enrolment in October 2012 came a slew of challenges revolving around communication ...
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Case StudiesBullingberg implements a fatigue management plan to support mental wellbeing
Two years ago, male cosmetics brand Bullingberg implemented a plan to address the issue of fatigue and improve the mental wellbeing of its 11 employees.HR manager Georgina Rodrigez says: “We see a direct correlation between the finalisation of a big project or a tight deadline and a dip immediately afterwards ...
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AnalysisHow to address fatigue management in a health and wellbeing strategy
Need to know:Fatigue can have a major effect on productivity in the workplace, reducing an employee's ability to think clearly and make informed decisions.Many solutions to addressing fatigue are already present in employers' healthcare and wellbeing strategies.Workplace interventions and wearable technology are examples of cost-effective methods of improving habits and ...
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AnalysisThe role of occupational health in a holistic wellbeing strategy
Need to know: Occupational health services support the physical and mental health of employees, and provide organisations with insight into and methods of reducing sickness absence.The services work well alongside initiatives such as vocational rehabilitation and employee assistance programmes (EAPs).While the world is shifting towards holistic wellness, organisations should keep ...
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Case StudiesSilverbean uses occupational health to support its wellbeing strategy
Digital marketing agency Silverbean has offices in Newcastle and Teesside, employing a team of 65 people, and growing. Since launching in 2002, the organisation has made occupational health a key focus of its overall employee wellbeing strategy.Chief operating officer Damian Hall says: “As a fast-growing agency, wellbeing has always been ...
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Case StudiesDCB Group offers employees health initiatives to start the year right
DCB Group is a communications specialist in Manchester, employing 52 people across three business centres. The organisation offers health and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year, but the power of supporting employees’ resolutions became apparent more than 10 years ago.David Beale, chief executive officer at DCB Group, says: “I gave up ...
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Case StudiesPrezzybox adopts holistic approach to total reward
Since its launch in 2000, online gift retailer Prezzybox has taken a holistic approach to reward, believing that culture and working environment are as important as traditional benefits.Zak Edwards, managing director at Prezzybox, says: “Too many employers see fiscal rewards as the be all and end all, which is shortsighted. ...
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AnalysisHow to tailor a total reward proposition for a modern workforce
Need to know:A successful total reward proposition should reflect employee needs on an individual basis, rather than simply being segmented by demographics such as age.An employer's core culture and values should underpin and align with its total reward strategy.A social contract can help build transparency, ensuring that employees know what ...
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AnalysisBudget-friendly benefits to boost happiness
Need to know:Employers do not need to spend excessively in order to bolster employee happiness and engagement; flexible working arrangements, employee discounts and recognition schemes can all do this.Employers should consider the wants and needs of their specific workforce demographics, to ensure that reward initiatives will be valued.Implementing an employee ...