All articles by Debbie Lovewell-Tuck – Page 39
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Google opens onsite wellness centre in Ireland
Google has opened an onsite wellness centre for employees at its Irish office.The wellness centre supports the technology firm’s Optimise Your Life strategy, which is aimed at creating the happiest, healthiest employees, explained Oli Husemeyer, international benefits project manager at Google, during a session entitled The impact of stress on ...
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ArticleSuppliers do not give value for money for pension plans
Nearly three-quarters (71%) of delegates at the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) Investment Conference do not believe pension funds are getting value for money from consultants, providers and active asset managers.During a panel debate, which followed the poll, Robert Brown, chairman of the Global Investment Committee at Towers Watson, ...
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ArticlePension charges cap could stifle industry
A cap on pension charges could stifle the innovation and creativity needed in pensions to provide better retirement outcomes for employees.Speaking in a session titled Does cheap mean low quality? at the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) Investment Conference on 6 March, James Churcher, pensions manager at Abbott Laboratories, ...
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AnalysisGuy Roberts: Cars are the biggest benefit, but can be the trickiest
After a house, a car is typically the biggest purchase a person makes. So it is no surprise that cars are quickly becoming an essential part of a competitive benefits package.However, company cars have always posed challenges. Balancing issues such as the choice of cars, recharges and ex-employees leaving cars ...
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ArticleGovernment to ban public sector pension transfers
The government is to ban employees from transferring out of public sector defined benefit (DB) pension schemes under proposals announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the Budget 2014.This coincides with the government’s announcement of a radical overhaul of defined contribution (DC) pensions in the UK, which will enable anyone aged ...
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ArticleCompulsory pensions annuitisation scrapped
Employees will no longer have to purchase an annuity to convert their pension pot into retirement income, under new measures announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the 2014 Budget.From April 2015, DC members will have the choice of taking their pension wealth as a lump sum, drawdown, or an annuity.In ...
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ArticlePersonal allowance increase could impact auto-enrolment eligibility
The increase in the personal allowance to £10,500 a year could mean fewer employees are automatically enrolled into a workplace pension scheme.The increase, announced in the Budget 2014 by Chancellor George Osborne, will take effect from April 2015.Consequently, the average basic-rate taxpayer will pay £805 less income tax per year ...
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OpinionChris Coyne: Learning to deliver total reward
My view is yes, there is something missing in most organisations from true total reward that drives performance.Whichever total reward model employers use, it is likely that it can be broken down into four blocks: base pay, variable pay, employee benefits and non-cash reward.Theory suggests investment in each of these ...
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ArticleGrow your career with the Employee Benefits Academy
Reward and benefits managers looking to develop their career or grow their compensation and benefits knowledge could benefit from 2014’s training courses from the Employee Benefits Academy.A joint venture between Employee Benefits magazine and Total Reward Academy, the Employee Benefits Academy provides expert, practical training in benefits and compensation management.The ...
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OpinionCarl Redondo: Reaping the rewards of global benefits governance
Corporate governance of employee benefits is becoming increasingly important for multinational organisations.The key drivers and enablers of this governance focus are: better access to global data and information about the organisation; the increasing significance of non-domestic businesses; the desire to optimise the cost of providing employee benefits; and minimising the ...
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Article
How has auto-enrolment impacted benefits priorities?
Employee Benefits is carrying out a short poll to identify employers’ main priorities around pensions and benefits post auto-enrolment?This comprises just four questions, which we would really appreciate you sparing a few minutes to answer.Your responses will help us to tailor future content to really meet your needs.Take the short ...
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ArticleNominate your Employee Benefits Professional of the Year
Employee Benefits is searching for this year’s Employee Benefits Professional of the Year.We have received a number of nominations for this Employee Benefits award, but are certain that there are many more unsung heroes of the benefits world who are equally deserving of this title.So, we want to hear about ...
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Article
Debbie Lovewell-Tuck: Good deeds pay dividends
Although the same time parameters do not apply, this sense of altruism is extending into the workplace. In the first few weeks of this year alone, we reported on several large employers’ charitable or green initiatives linked to their benefits or reward schemes.Reinsurer Swiss Re, for example, extended its financial ...
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Article
Get up to date on tax compliance at Employee Benefits Connect
To help attendees stay on the right side of the tax man, Lesley Fidler, associate director at Baker Tilly, will give an update on the latest tax issues around salary sacrifice arrangements.She will:recap why salary sacrifice provides tax and/or national insurance contribution (NIC) savingsexplain what is expected to happen to ...
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OpinionMatthew Webb: The joy of DC investment loss
But is positive return really the zenith of DC investing? In the long term, perhaps, but in the short term, especially in the early years of DC build-up, there is a strong case to suggest a DC investor should look for funds with a decreasing unit price. Why?First rule of ...
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Article
Gain recognition for pension auto-enrolment strategies
Pensions auto-enrolment has also been a huge area of focus for many employers over the past year and this looks set to continue into 2014.To reward and recognise all the hard work employers have invested in this, we have introduced the category ’Best pensions auto-enrolment strategy’.Employers are encouraged to enter ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Awards celebrate total reward
Does your organisation’s benefits strategy go far beyond simply offering a package of perks to employees?The Employee Benefits Awards category ‘Best total reward strategy’ will be looking to recognise an entrant which has successfully integrated its reward offerings into a single total reward strategy.A total reward strategy can include: pay ...
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Debbie Lovewell-Tuck: Wellbeing can fight the blues
All too often, good intentions around exercise and healthy eating go out of the window with the promise that we will be good when the weather starts to improve.With this in mind, the winter months might not seem like the most appropriate time to launch or promote health and wellbeing ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Awards go global
The Employee Benefits Awards 2014 will recognise the ongoing globalisation of business by awarding one employer the title Best international or expatriate benefits.The winning organisation will have used its global reward strategy effectively to help drive its business goals. It must operate its reward strategy across two or more countries ...
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Employee Benefits Awards support mental wellbeing
For the second year, the Employee Benefits Awards will recognise an employer that is excelling in how it manages employee stress and mental wellbeing.The award for Best stress management strategy will recognise employers that have put measures in place to actively identify stress in the workplace or employees that are ...