All Case studies articles – Page 85

  • Case Studies

    Boots increases levels of communication around merger with Alliance Unichem

    2006-11-06T00:00:00Z

    High street chemist, Boots, merged with Alliance Unichem in August 2006.Stephen Lehane, director of HR and organisation development at the newly-formed Alliance Boots, explains that communication with all employees was key even though no redundancies were made as a result of the merger. "Human beings' normal behaviour is to be ...

  • Case Studies

    Consensus offers staff PMI after six months service

    2006-11-06T00:00:00Z

    London-based recruitment consultancy Consensus automatically provides staff with access to a private medical insurance (PMI) scheme after six months' service. Two years ago, its premium increased sharply. After looking around, managing director Martin Tyrrell, found a cheaper premium with extra health and wellbeing benefits added in. "Most PMI (policies) are ...

  • Case Studies

    Senior management support has helped City of York Council drive absence down

    2006-11-06T00:00:00Z

    The City of York Council cites an absence management system and support from senior management as the reasons behind its reduction in sickness absence levels from 13.5 days per employee recorded between 2004 and 2005 to 12.5 days between 2005 and 2006.Stephen Forrest, HR business development manager, explains: "The scheme ...

  • Case Studies

    AA revamps flexible benefits under new ownership

    2006-11-06T00:00:00Z

    The Automobile Association (AA) was in the opposite position to PwC when its owner, Centrica, sold the vehicle recovery organisation to two private equity firms in 2004.In its first year of operation, the AA stuck with the status quo and continued with the flexible benefits scheme (and provider) Centrica had ...

  • Case Studies

    Capgemini offers financial education to employees

    2006-11-01T00:00:01Z

    IT consultancy Capgemini decided to offer a financial education package to employees after its HR department received numerous requests for help with financial queries, especially about mortgages.Many of the firm's 6,500 employees are based at client sites spread throughout the UK. In order to fit in with their working patterns, ...

  • Case Studies

    Lloyds TSB tinkers with flex to meet age laws

    2006-10-05T16:12:47Z

    Case study: Lloyds TSBLloyds TSB is to increase the maximum age at which staff can obtain products offered through its flexible benefits scheme to ensure it complies with age discrimination legislation. Many products offered, including private medical insurance (PMI), health screening, life assurance and critical illness cover, currently have a ...

  • Case Studies

    Bestinvest critical of delays in group risk implementation

    2006-10-05T14:43:58Z

    Case Study: BestinvestAs a financial services organisation, intermediary Bestinvest was aware of the importance of allowing adequate time for the implementation of its flexible benefits scheme on 1 January 2006. The design process had therefore commenced five months previously.Most quotes for income protection, which is a core benefit, and critical ...

  • Case Studies

    AstraZeneca international flex allows for local variance

    2006-10-05T14:14:00Z

    Case study: AstraZenecaPharmaceutical company AstraZeneca offers flexible benefits plans in a number of the countries in which it has an employee presence including its three main locations: the US, Sweden and the UK.The company has a two-page document that outlines its global compensation and benefits aims, but doesn’t specify exactly ...

  • Case Studies

    Broadly similar international flex for Vanco

    2006-10-05T14:06:20Z

    Case study: VancoIn April 2003, virtual network operator Vanco simultaneously introduced its flexible benefits package, V:choice, across eight countries - the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, the US and Australia. In 2004, this was extended to cover Belgium, France and the Czech Republic,followed by Sweden, Switzerland and Poland at ...

  • Case Studies

    National Grid Wireless uses in-house know-how to launch flex

    2006-10-05T14:00:26Z

    Case study: National Grid WirelessWhen National Grid Wireless launched its flexible benefits scheme in December last year, it called on its in-house tax advisers for assistance.Their advice was particularly useful when identifying which benefits were tax-exempt because the flex scheme is based on salary sacrifice arrangements. Bruce Sayers, reward and ...

  • Case Studies

    Adecco provider relationship underpins admin success

    2006-10-05T13:54:09Z

    Case study: AdeccoKatie Ivie, head of HR business partnering for recruitment company Adecco,believes a strong relationship with providers is crucial to eliminating unintended costs of flexible benefits schemes.The firm, which introduced a flexible benefits package in June 2004 for its 3,500 staff in the UK, used the increased headcount made ...

  • Case Studies

    Finnforest UK underpins salary sacrifice with thorough comms

    2006-10-05T13:35:35Z

    Case study: Finnforest UKWhen timber supplier Finnforest UK introduced a salary sacrifice arrangement for bikes in September 2005, it was aware of the importance of communication.Sue Culverhouse, HR administrator, found that filtering information through line managers was the most effective communication process."Although leaflets were produced, we found that educating management ...

  • Case Studies

    Gap opts for stakeholder pension

    2006-10-05T13:31:44Z

    Case study: GapGap employs 6,500 staff in the UK, predominately in stores across 140 locations, with 90% working on a part-time basis across a variety of shift patterns and days. Sue Hayes, HR consultant, says: "Effective and consistent messaging to this group is one of the biggest challenges we face. ...

  • Case Studies

    Airbus Deutschland runs innovative scheme to fund pensions

    2006-10-05T13:29:16Z

    Case study: Airbus Deutschland†Hamburg-based Airbus Deutschland runs an innovative scheme funding pensions for its 18,000 employees in return for overtime credits.The aircraft maker developed the concept with Invesco, which manages the investment and admin of the scheme, as a response to discussions about raising the retirement age.A portion of employees' ...

  • Case Studies

    United Utilities helps staff make most of finances

    2006-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Case study: United UtilitiesOffering employees financial advice and education may not be a common benefit in the utilities sector but at United Utilities, it's seen as part of the company's responsibilites.Julie McGowan, secretariat administrator, explains: "It does surprise our employees but we believe we should offer them [education] to help ...

  • Case Studies

    Qinetiq chooses own providers in outsourced scheme

    2006-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Case study: QinetiqWhen Qinetiq, the defence technology and security company, revamped its benefits package in November 2004 it added home computers, childcare vouchers and bicycles on a salary sacrifice basis.Delivering the best possible scheme for its 9,500 UK-based employees meant looking carefully at potential suppliers. Qinetiq's group head of reward ...

  • Case Studies

    Chard fleet goes greener

    2006-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Case Study: ChardWest London estate agency and lettings firm Chard has taken a greener route when ferrying potential buyers and tenants around available properties in Notting Hill, Kensington, Brook Green and Fulham.The company has plans to eventually replace about 50 Toyota Rav4 vehicles with petrol-electric Toyota Prius cars.Jim Pike, fleet ...

  • Case Studies

    Whitbread focuses on company cars

    2006-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Case Study: WhitbreadHospitality and leisure firm Whitbread runs 600 company cars and has reduced the number of cash alternatives it offers.The company has two fleet systems, a car benefit scheme for status and perk drivers, and the company car scheme for business drivers.Nigel Trotman, business relationship manager, believes retaining company ...

  • Case Studies

    McDonald's staff eye cash for cars

    2006-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Case Study: McDonald'sMcDonald's offers a cash allowance scheme to its 1,300 employees who are entitled to a company car.The split between employees taking a company car and the cash option is reasonably even. The fleet department calculates the cash allowance by grading employees, with each grade being entitled to a ...

  • Case Studies

    Capita Group offers financial education on share schemes

    2006-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Case study: Capita GroupProfessional services and outsourcing company Capita Group has offered a sharesave scheme since 2000 and a share incentive plan since 2002. It uses a range of methods to educate its employees about its share schemes, including mailing booklets to their home addresses, hosting presentations and putting information ...