All Analysis articles – Page 96
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: What is the new vision for employee benefits?
This promises to be a big year for change in the benefits world, not least because of the general election, says Sam BarrettAfter a year of sitting tight and waiting for the recession to end, change is set to be the main theme of 2010. Some changes are already known, ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Make sure DB members have the facts
Key PointsAn economic upturn may make employers reconsider their future commitments to defined benefit (DB) schemesEmployers may look again at derisking strategies that were popular two years agoOther employers might consider offering enhanced transfer values to deferred pensionersEmployee communication is vital for employers that still offer DB plans†Employers with a ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: SBC Systems insight: Brave new world still beckons for benefits
Benefits management has been lagging behind in adopting the latest technology, but there are moves to bring it up to speed, says James Markham, managing director of SBC SystemsGlobal climate change is the headline topic of today, and technology will no doubt help to find a solution. In the area ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Channel-hopping gets the message across at IBM
Key PointsHigh take-up for benefits schemes is down to good communication using the latest technologyEmployee engagement can be achieved more effectively through multi-media channels than traditional mediaUsing media such as SMS (texting) and Twitter forces benefits managers to create short, clear messagesUsing all the latest communication channels boosts engagement, says ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: YBS Share Plans insight: Sharing the challenges of a changing workplace
The post-recession landscape will be very different for many employers, and share plans are a benefit that must adapt to new requirements, says Jill Evans, head of YBS Share PlansThis year, YBS Share Plans celebrates '30 years of sharing'. During that time, we have seen many changes in customer expectations, ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Build valued extras onto reward basics
Key PointsEmployers need to get the reward basics, such as pay, right before a voluntary benefits package can be effectiveVoluntary benefits packages give employers a good opportunity to offer perks that make a real difference to staffThe key aim is then to build an association between this value and the ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Changing times will bring flexible benefits to the fore
Key PointsIn the absence of pay rises and bonuses, flexible benefits can act as a mechanism to engage staff through difficult timesFlex enables staff to choose benefits relevant and valuable to them, but this needs to be considered in conjunction with their overall employment dealEmployers need to consider how greater ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Aviva UK Health insight: A healthy workforce is good for business
Investing in a health and wellbeing programme for employees can pay off in many ways for employers, says Dr Doug Wright, principal clinical consultant at Aviva UK HealthAviva's annual Health of the workplace research showed that the current economic climate is affecting not only the financial health of businesses, but ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Growing interest in wellbeing strategies
Key PointsBusinesses have realised that investing in employees' health should be a crucial component of their business strategyOne-third of businesses have a wellbeing strategy in place – and that figure is likely to increaseMeasuring the effectiveness of your wellness programme is essential to help guarantee its long-term success†Employee health is ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Simplyhealth insight: Togetherness is the key to a happy workforce
Effective engagement can play a significant role in helping employers and employees recover from the recession, says Simplyhealth’s head of people, Helen DickinsonDuring recessions, we generally assume that employee attrition will be low, with fewer vacancies and employees seeking to retain their redundancy entitlements. Although there has been evidence of ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Communication must maximise reward
Key PointsCommunication is a key way to maximise employee engagement through reward during the coming 12 monthsEmployers will need to focus on developing creative solutions with meaningful stakeholder input to increase engagement across the organisationOrganisations need to be responsive to their employees' needs and issues, which are constantly changingInvolving staff ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Hymans Robertson insight: Green lesson for retirement savings message
Too many employees are still unaware of the importance of saving for retirement, says Helen McArthur, head of communications and engagement at Hymans RobertsonYou will have heard the good news: as a nation, our health is improving and people are living longer.Children born today have a strong chance of living ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Targeted media will boost engagement
Key PointsThe current economic climate presents a perfect opportunity for organisations to re-evaluate their benefits strategies and ensure their employees know what they are getting as part of the employment dealSegmenting the workforce for communication will achieve better results than adopting a one-sizefits- all approachThe work environment will dictate which ...
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Analysis
Employer profile: Capital One
Capital One is using employee inertia on pensions to automatically increase the contributions staff make to their retirement pot, says Nicola SullivanFew organisations will emerge from the recession unscathed, particularly those in the financial services industry. Banks and lenders will find it challenging to reposition themselves after the economic downturn, ...
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Analysis
Wellbeing events get staff on track for fitness
Wellbeing events can be an effective way to get staff interested in health issues, and for employers to promote existing perks, says Nicola SullivanHealth and wellbeing events are often hailed as an effective way for an employer to launch a new healthcare initiative, promote existing benefits or boost the wellbeing ...
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Analysis
Company share option plans can boost executive reward
Company share option plans can be a useful tax-efficient ingredient of executive reward, says Peta HodgeEver since last April’s Budget, when Chancellor Alistair Darling announced a new 50% tax band for those earning over £150,000 a year from 2010-11, there has been renewed interest in benefits with the potential to ...
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Analysis
Pension decumulation's role in employee retirement planning
Employers are paying more attention to pension decumulation to help staff understand the options in the run up to retirement, says Matthew CraigEnsuring pension scheme members save enough for their retirement may be the main concern for employers and pension trustees, but there is also growing interest in pension decumulation ...
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Analysis
Financial education: Likely effects of the retail distribution review
The retail distribution review planned by the Financial Services Authority could have major repercussions for financial education, says Georgina FullerThe days of benefits consultants and advisers having commission remunerated by pensions providers will come to an end if the Financial Services Authority's proposals for the retail distribution review (RDR) are ...
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Analysis
Fuel cards are a winner for company car fleets
If you read nothing else, read this….Fuel cards are effective for capturing employee mileage and fuel consumption data more accuratelyFuel cards can simplify administration and the burden on payroll processesFuel cards are often confused with offering staff free fuelThe tax advantages of offering free fuel for private use have been ...
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Analysis
Financial education: How to build a business case
Improved staff retention and productivity are among the reasons for providing financial education, says Liz MorrellMost employers offer a range of benefits to help staff make the most of their money, but few do enough to ensure employees get the best value from what is on offer, assuming they will ...