All Analysis articles – Page 123
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Analysis
Perks improve employee engagement
Benefits buzzwords come and go, but employers are finding that perks can play their part in boosting employee engagement, leaving a lasting imprint on motivation, says Jenny KeefeArticle in fullThe buzzword of the moment, “engagement” has become an HR obsession. In the 1960s we had commitment, in the 1990s there ...
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Analysis
Recruitment and retention hard in emerging markets
Recruitment in emerging markets is difficult and employers find cash is a stronger motivator than other perks, says Victoria FurnessArticle in fullIf you read nothing else, read this ...Competition for talent in the emerging markets of China and India means that employers are fighting over the same labour pool. Employers ...
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Analysis
Flexible benefits schemes for SMEs
The growing availability of flexible benefits products for small- and medium-sized employers means they can better tailor perks to suit their workforce, says Alison ColemanArticle in fullIn the war for talent, it is no longer just larger organisations that use flexible benefits plans to attract and retain the best candidates.Until ...
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Analysis
The future of flexible benefits
Nick Golding asks whether flex will still be relevant in the future despite changing workforce demographics and working practicesArticle in fullCase study: Standard LifeWorking practices in the UK are constantly evolving. We only need to be reminded of life before emails, the internet and mobile phones to wonder how we ...
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Analysis
New flexible working laws
Benefits SurgeryEmployer's query: I've heard that there are new rights coming in to request flexible working, what will our obligations be?Since April 2003, the parents of children under the age of six years (or 18 years if disabled) have had the right to request to work flexibly to enable them ...
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Analysis
Telematics devices for your fleet
Telematics equipment can help employers manage duty of care requirements, but might be viewed with suspicion by staff, says Curtis HutchinsonArticle in fullIf you read nothing else, read this ... Telematics is an emerging technology that can provide a plethora of management information on vehicle location and use.The volume of ...
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Analysis
Emergency childcare: the options
Emergency childcare can have tangible benefits for both employers and staff, explains Vicki TaylorArticle in fullEmergency childcare is one of those perks where the advantages are just as tangible for employers, if not more so, than for employees.The services that can be offered to staff range from providing childcare at ...
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Analysis
Reinvest using national insurance savings
Increasing employer pension contributions at no additional cost to the business sounds too good to be true. But that is the position that many employers will find themselves in after introducing a salary sacrifice pension arrangement and deciding to invest the national insurance (NI) savings made in the company pension. ...
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Analysis
The future for mobile phones
Key pointsThere remains a certain level of scepticism around the salary sacrifice of mobile phones.The boundaries of what constitutes a mobile phone for tax purposes are not clear as technology evolves and handsets become more complicated.Some employers believe the tax breaks behind such schemes could eventually be scrapped as they ...
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Analysis
Setting employer contributions for defined contribution schemes
Setting employer contributions for defined contribution schemes is a complex business, and organisations will need to consider a range of factors, says Vicki TaylorIf you read nothing else, read this ...On average, medium-to-large organisations make contributions of 6% to defined contribution (DC) schemes.Factors to consider when setting contribution levels include ...
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Analysis
Getting the best from a share scheme
Share schemes can be highly rewarding, but are not low maintenance, due to tax timetables and rollercoaster stock prices, says Vicki TaylorArticle in fullA share scheme is like a garden. Simply sowing the seeds and leaving it to its own devices won't produce the best results as aftercare is always ...
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Analysis
Netherlands begins to change attitude towards benefits
The Netherlands’ laissez-faire attitude to benefits is quickly changing with mandatory health contributions and childcare provision affecting employers, says Vicki TaylorIf you read nothing else, read this …Until recently, there were few mandatory requirements around benefits for employers in the Netherlands.Lately, however, this has changed with the introduction of compulsory ...
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Analysis
Where's the sacrifice if everybody wins?
Childcare vouchers and bikes for work are standard benefits offered through salary sacrifice, but there are plenty more perks that deliver tax and NI savings, says Jamin RobertsonArticle in fullFor employers operating in a tight labour market, the thought of asking employees to take a pay cut might be considered ...
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Analysis
Measuring employee empowerment can be tricky
Measuring employee empowerment can be a tricky business, but employers that successfully achieve this may have happier staff, lower rates of absence and increased productivity levels, says Nick GoldingArticle in fullEmployee empowerment is created by a loosening of the reins by employers and the passing of trust onto employees. In ...
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Analysis
Do childcare vouchers work for all parents?
Fuelled by expemptions within the 2004 Budget and a furhter lifting of the cap up to £55 a week, Jamin Robertson asks if childcare vouchers are having growing pains.Article in fullTwo years ago the childcare voucher market was buzzing as organisations clamoured to take advantage of new tax efficiencies that ...
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Analysis
Affinity schemes offer employers vehicle buying power
Through affinity schemes, employers can use their bulk purchasing power to negotiate discounts from manufacturers or through leasing companies, says Vicki TaylorIf you read nothing else, read this ...Affinity car schemes allow employees to purchase discounted cars through their organisation or a leasing company.Deals come at little cost to bosses ...
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Analysis
On course for growth?
It's often difficult for employers to determine what they expect from personal development allowances, says Vicki Taylor.Article in fullPaying for an employee to take a bungee jump, learn how to deep sea dive or play the piano might seem like a bizarre thing to do, yet employers are increasingly offering ...
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Analysis
Mortgages as a benefit
Giving staff access to mortgage advice can provide employers with a high-impact low-cost perk, says Laverne Hadaway.Buying a house is probably the biggest purchase decision most people will ever make during their lives. Finding the right mortgage deal, let alone choosing a property and moving can be a worrying and ...
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Analysis
Silver clouds line CO2 tale?
Carbon emission offsetting schemes are taking hold as organisations realise there's respect from staff for environmentally-conscious employers, says Vicki Taylor.If you read nothing else, read this ...Employers could come under pressure to incoporate carbon emission offsetting schemes within their corporate social responsibillity strategies.Some organisations have seen success with schemes that ...
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Analysis
Keep spending levels in trim
To the uninitiated, providing a comprehensive wellbeing programme for staff may seem like an expensive business, but there are a whole host of low-cost options available, says Jamin RobertsonArticle in fullIn July this year, Tony Blair delivered a speech from a series entitled 'Our Nation's Future', in which he stated ...