All Analysis articles – Page 104

  • Analysis

    Managing fleet risk in the public sector

    2009-01-01T00:00:01Z

    New health and safety legislation will have a significant impact on fleet managers, particularly in the public sector if an organisation’s employees use their own cars for work travel, says Nic PatonMuch has been said about the need for employers to manage risk more closely after the Corporate Manslaughter and ...

  • Analysis

    The new year will present benefits practitioners with many challenges

    2008-12-01T11:55:07Z

    The new year will present many challenges for benefits practitioners, says Tom WashingtonA new year normally represents a fresh start and a time of opportunity. But as 2009 gets closer and the threat of recession draws ever nearer, employers are preparing themselves for a tough year. The past 12 months ...

  • Analysis

    Employers must avoid Big Brother approach to employee health

    2008-12-01T11:54:29Z

    Employers should try to look after employees' health, but must not seem like Big Brother, says Katrina McKeeverFrom lunchtime weight-loss clinics to smoking cessation sessions and blood-pressure monitors linked to computers, some employers have expanded their health and wellbeing benefits far beyond the traditional approach of providing private medical insurance ...

  • Analysis

    Employers should inform staff of pension investment options amid stock market volatility

    2008-12-01T11:44:14Z

    Stock market volatility may be cause for concern for member of DC†pension schemes, so employers must ensure that they are kept informed about their investment options, says Katrina McKeeverA common gripe among employers is that staff often fail to engage with their defined contribution (DC) pensions provision, particularly when it ...

  • Analysis

    Employee Benefits Voluntary Benefits and Salary Sacrifice Supplement 2008

    2008-12-01T11:15:49Z

    Maximising return on investment with voluntary benefitsWhat to consider when selecting a voluntary benefits providerAligning voluntary benefits with a corporate social responsibility strategyThe benefits of salary sacrifice around pension contributionsSponsor’s comment by LogBuy: Voluntary perks step out of the shadow of flexible benefits schemesSponsored byGet clued up on voluntary benefits. ...

  • Analysis

    How multinational pooling of insured risk benefits can deliver savings

    2008-12-01T10:18:36Z

    Multinational pooling of insured risk benefits can bring savings for employers, but due diligence is essential to make sure all insurers in the network are financially stable, says Amanda WilkinsonMultinational pooling, the mechanism whereby employers are effectively offered a profit share in their expenditure on insured risk benefits across multiple ...

  • Analysis

    Employers should maximise employee assistance programmes in downturn

    2008-12-01T10:14:47Z

    The economic crisis is highlighting the importance of employee assistance programmes, and Christmas is a key time for employers to offer their workforce access to support, says Tom WashingtonWaking up to anything but bad news about the economy seems like a distant memory now, and the cloud of depression hovering ...

  • Analysis

    Employers look to identify savings on pay and benefits

    2008-12-01T09:19:47Z

    The looming recession has prompted employers to look into identifying savings on pay and benefitsAS THE COUNTRY heads towards recession, the need to reduce or control costs has prompted many organisations to examine areas where cutbacks can be made and a number are now reviewing their pay and reward structures. ...

  • Analysis

    Lloyds TSB's proposed merger with HBOS could create fleet giant

    2008-12-01T00:00:01Z

    Lloyds TSB's proposed merger with HBOS would create the country's biggest fleet management player and rationalisation is inevitable, but there should still be plenty of competition, says Nic PatonOne of the less remarked-upon aspects of the agreed £12bn merger of Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), has been ...

  • Analysis

    The pros and cons of bundled healthcare products

    2008-11-20T01:59:00Z

    Finance directors and healthcare insurance providers are thinking along the same lines. Both are looking for where costs can be saved: FD's in what they pay out for healthcare insurances and insurers for what they pay in claims.This thinking is leading both parties to look to the advantages of 'bundling' ...

  • Analysis

    The rise of healthcare cash plans

    2008-11-20T01:52:38Z

    Executive summary Healthcare cash plans are popular among employees and employers alike during tough economic times because they give access to key health services for a low cost. They can cover dental, eyecare, physiotherapy, osteopathy, counselling, stress helpline, specialist consultations and diagnostic tests - exactly what they cover can be ...

  • Analysis

    Special report: Defined contribution pensions

    2008-11-20T01:03:29Z

    Executive Summary: Employees need to be educated about the importance of investments in contract-based DC plans. The introduction of auto-enrolment in 2012 will increase take up of pension schemes to around 80% or 90%. This means that pension costs could jump dramatically for most employers. Planning for personal accounts should ...

  • Analysis

    Good sales incentive management boosts profits

    2008-11-20T00:46:53Z

    Executive Summary Incentivisation compensation management (ICM) software allows employers to administer variable pay in order maximise profit by tracking the right type of selling and customer service. Most employers still use 'homegrown' systems based on Excel spreadsheets but these often cannot handle complexity such as multi-country systems and so are ...

  • Analysis

    Update on pensions accounting standards

    2008-11-20T00:44:30Z

    Pension fund accounting - what's going on?UK: Accounting Standards BoardFinancial Reporting of Pensions discussion paper issued 31 January 2008, written with European standard-setters to influence the debate on accounting for pensions.The paper proposed: Using a risk-free rate to value liabilities The use of actual, not expected, returns in pension fund ...

  • Analysis

    Maximise tax breaks by transferring Sips to Sipps

    2008-11-20T00:31:01Z

    Executive Summary When linked with employee share plans, a self invested personal pension (Sipp) can boost pension pots by thousands of pounds because shares from approved schemes can be rolled over into the pension, tax-free. Employees in share incentive plans (Sip) can move their shares tax free into a Sipp ...

  • Analysis

    Measure return on investment on benefits

    2008-11-20T00:27:09Z

    Executive summary Benefits are notoriously difficult to slot into a pure ROI model. So a variety of alternatives have been developed to measure the ROI on different benefits. One of the most common ways is to measure the perceived value staff place on their benefits. An advantage of this approach, ...

  • Analysis

    Employee Benefits Health and Wellbeing Supplement 2008

    2008-11-03T11:21:26Z

    Interview with Will Cavendish, director of health and wellbeing at the Department of HealthBalancing the need for both health and wellbeing perksMake sure there are no gaps in group riskWays to cut the cost of healthcare and wellbeing benefitsDealing with stress and mental health problems in the workplaceHow to cut ...

  • Analysis

    Bonuses in financial services sector come under scrutiny

    2008-11-01T15:58:29Z

    Executive bonuses in the financial sector have come under scrutiny in the wake of the global banking crisis. Both the government and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) have been quick to condemn some top-level remuneration practices in the City on the grounds that these encouraged excessive risk-taking in the banking ...

  • Analysis

    Model the benefits package around total reward

    2008-11-01T15:48:00Z

    Take the chance to redesign a benefits package using a total reward approach, says Jenny KeefeWhen you are late for a meeting in London, racing around a higgledy-piggledy rabbit warren of streets , it’s easy to long for Manhattan’s straightforward and neatly-planned grid system that means it takes less time ...

  • Analysis

    Benefits for staff in Croatia

    2008-11-01T15:43:20Z

    Croatian employees regard performance-related pay and opportunities for professional training as being more valuable than benefits such as pensions or healthcare, says Katrina McKeeverThe Republic of Croatia is gearing up for entry into the European Union in 2010 and its labour force is readying itself for fresh opportunities. International companies ...