All articles by Clare Bettelley – Page 19
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Article
Buyer's guide to dental benefits
Focus on factsWhat are dental benefits?These provide financial assistance with some, or all, of the costs of visiting a dentist and dental treatment. Benefits can be delivered through a dental insurance scheme, of which there are two types. One has cover limits for broad areas such as routine examinations, hygiene ...
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Case Studies
Allianz ensures awareness of staff wellbeing needs
Allianz manages employee stress through a comprehensive wellbeing programme that was launched in 2007 to engage its staff and boost morale. Some 58 wellbeing champions across the insurer’s 24 UK sites are tasked, on a voluntary basis, to devise events based on the company’s quarterly themes.This year’s themes include improving ...
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Analysis
What employers should know about workplace stress
If you read nothing else, read this… The Health and Safety Executive defines stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work”. Symptoms of stress include inability to concentrate, memory lapses, negative thinking, panic attacks and tearfulness. Employers with ...
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Analysis
How retirement savings are impacting workforce planning
If you read nothing else, read this. . . The combined effect of the removal of the default retirement age and the increasing state pension retirement age means that many employees will seek to work for longer to increase their retirement savings. Employees may choose to work for longer for ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Cadbury made life sweeter for workers
Housing and education were key features of the employee benefits package at Cadbury Brothers in 1952, thanks to founder John Cadbury’s sons.In 1861, Richard and George Cadbury took over management of the Cadbury factory on Bridge Street, Birmingham, and began to take an interest in employees’ welfare. They created a ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Leeds builds on collaboration
Leeds Building Society's pay-setting process is a result of a collaborative process involving senior management and negotiations with its staff association.Becky Hewitt, head of HR at the mutual society, says: "The financial and economic context is key to the discussions and the remuneration committee and board are involved in the ...
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Analysis
How to set pay budgets
If you read nothing else, read this. . .Pay setting should consider collective versus individual pay awards, base pay versus total earnings, benefits links, pay policy, equality and segmentation.Segmentation, whereby different pay scales are created for different groups of employees, has been of increasing interest to employers seeking to make ...
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Case Studies
BT staff connect with sharesave and Sip
British Telecom Group (BT) runs both a sharesave and a share incentive plan (Sip).Some 46,000 (60%) of its staff belong to the sharesave scheme, administered by Equiniti, and invest an average of £150 a month, while 21,000 (28%) take part in the Sip, investing an average of just under £100 ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to voluntary benefits platforms
Focus on factsWhat are voluntary benefits platforms?These are IT systems through which staff can access voluntary benefits, ranging from high-street discounts to healthcare and bikes-for-work schemes. Systems are often run by third-party providers and paid for by the employer.Where can employers learn more?Read more on voluntary benefits platforms hereWho are ...
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Case Studies
B&Q aims to build loyalty
B&Q, part of Kingfisher Group, offers both a sharesave and a Sip to help build long-term staff loyalty. The sharesave scheme was first introduced in 1993, and the Sip in April 2011.Last December, Kingfisher’s three and five-year SAYE schemes matured. Staff in the three-year scheme, which started in 2008, gained ...
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Analysis
The evolution of reward and benefits since 1952
If you read nothing else, read this…Pay and set working hours were the core benefits for most working people when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952.The rise of employee benefits stems partly from employers’ attempts to circumnavigate pay increase demands from unions.Defined benefit (DB) pension schemes peaked in ...
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Analysis
Sharesave versus share incentive plans
If you read nothing else, read this …Sharesave and share incentive plans (Sips) offer income tax and NI exemptions, subject to certain terms.Sharesave schemes are savings vehicles to which employees can contribute between £5 and £250 a month out of net pay, with which they can buy shares after three, ...
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Article
EnergiseYou launches employee health and energy check
Employee wellbeing firm EnergiseYou has launched an online health questionnaire to help employees monitor and optimise their energy levels.The check focuses on EnergiseYou’s seven habits for health, energy, happiness and performance. It is based on an approach to mind management and resilience, nutrition, exercise, sleep, re-energising staff, smart computer use ...
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Article
Deloitte and FirstGroup sign employees up to national fitness campaign
Deloitte, FirstGroup, A&N Media and Affinion International are among the employers to sign up to a national fitness campaign to help their employees get fit.The Stay Active 2012 Challenge, which is being run by wellness provider iGlobalWellness comprises a series of 11-week fitness challenges, which will award employees points for ...
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Article
Most employees absent due to stress are able to return to work
Seven out of ten employees absent due to stress return to work within six months, according to research by Legal and General.This is an improvement on data from 2006, when fewer than 40% of employees were able to return to work within the same period.The figure has been steadily rising ...
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Analysis
Should more importance be placed on dental care?
If you read nothing else, read thisEmployers and employees both believe dental health helps overall wellbeing.Employers' interest in dental healthcare is increasing as they seek low-cost but desirable benefits.Employers can share the cost of dental benefits with staff.The increasing scarcity of NHS dentists, plus rising private dentistry costs, is expected ...
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Analysis
How forward-thinking HR departments are rethinking employee benefits
If you read nothing else, read thisHR professionals need to become educators rather than administrators, to help support employees in the correct use of benefits.Administrative HR functions should be outsourced to enable HR professionals to concentrate on strategy.Cost reviews will be ongoing, more proactive and more about value-added services than ...
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Article
Interview with Marie Jay, head of strategic HR at Countrywide Group
Q&A:How would you describe yourself? An optimist who enjoys new challenges.What management books do you read? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey is on my to-read list.What is your favourite benefit? Our discount scheme, because it offers something for everyone.Curriculum Vitae:2009-present head of strategic HR, ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to corporate eyecare
Key factsWhat is an eyecare benefit? Corporate eyecare comes in the form of eye and eyesight tests and contributions towards glasses, either in the form of cash, eyecare vouchers and, in some cases, via employees’ expense accounts.Where can employers get more information? Contact the Eyecare Trust on 0845 129 5001Who ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Lilly keen to educate staff
Auto-enrolment has motivated Lilly UK to improve its employee financial education programme in the last two years.Julie Osman, director of pensions and benefits at the firm, says: “We wanted people to make informedchoices about the benefits they had, to be able to maximise them and be a little more informed ...