All articles by Debbie Lovewell-Tuck – Page 58
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Article
Canada Life extends one-time underwriting
Canada Life has introduced one-time underwriting to its group life schemes, after launching the process for its group income protection schemes last year.The approach means members requiring underwriting need only be medically underwritten once, and if accepted, no further underwriting will be required, regardless of increases in salary or benefits. ...
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Article
Budget 2009: Vehicle excise duty reformed
The government has announced a series of measures in this year's Budget to reform vehicle excise duty in a bid to incentivise the purchase of lower-emission cars.From May 2009, it will increase the number of vehicle excise duty bands from seven to 13 in order to provide drivers with a ...
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Article
Budget 2009: Tax relief abolished on some alternative fuel cars
The government is to abolish the company car tax relief available on some diesel and alternative fuel cars.Under changes announced in this year's Budget, the discounts on company car tax that are currently available for Euro 4-standard diesel cars registered before 1 January 2006, higher-emitting hybrid cars and alternative fuel ...
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Article
Budget 2009: Fuel duty increased
Fuel duty will increase by two pence per litre on 1 September and subsequently by one pence per litre in real terms on 1 April each year between 2010 and 2013.The change was announced by Chancellor Alastair Darling in this year's Budget report in order to support fiscal consolidation.
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Article
Budget 2009: Car tax changes intended to encourage greener fleets
The government has announced changes to company car tax that are intended to encourage take-up of more fuel-efficient cars in company fleets.The company car tax changes will take effect from 2011.The CO2 threshold at which the 15% company car tax applies will be reduced by five grams of CO2 per ...
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Article
Research: alternatives to flexible benefits plans
Voluntary benefits and total reward statements can pave the way for employers to introduce a flexible benefits plan, says Debbie LovewellThere are several commonly accepted steps employers can take to test the water before launching a flexible benefits scheme. Voluntary benefits, for example, enable employers to introduce staff to the ...
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Article
Research: Salary sacrifice in flexible benefits
Benefits that yield tax/national insurance savings can be invaluable, but salary sacrifice may not suit all employees, says Debbie LovewellSuch a high number of employers now offer benefits with tax and/or national insurance (NI) breaks through a flexible benefits scheme, it is perhaps not surprising that the percentage doing so ...
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Article
Research: Structure of flexible benefits schemes
How flexible benefits plans are structured has altered in recent years, but the perks on offer are largely unchanged, says Debbie LovewellOver the past few years, the industry’s view of what exactly constitutes flexible benefits has shifted and evolved. Several years ago, the widely accepted definition of a flexible benefits ...
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Article
Research: Attitudes to flexible benefits
Tax-efficiencies, staff engagement, pension reforms and the recession are all shaping employers' attitudes to flex, says Debbie LovewellTax and national insurance efficiencies on employer-paid benefits appeal because of the savings on offer. Where employer-paid benefits are not on offer, these efficiencies can be accessed via salary sacrifice. Some 46% of ...
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Article
East Midlands Trains launches recognition scheme
East Midlands Trains has launched a new recognition scheme for employees.Through its Stars programme, managers can issue thank you cards to staff who are seen to support the company's values of respect, professionalism, teamwork, honesty and communication.In the second phase of the scheme, employees will be able to nominate colleagues ...
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Article
Nominet holds wellbeing week
Nominet has held a wellbeing week for employees, which was designed to improve their performance at work by boosting health and fitness levels.The organisation, which is the registry for .uk domain names, themed the week around new year's resolutions with activities focused on typical goals such as losing weight and ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Nationwide looks to choice
Case study: Nationwide looks to choiceNationwide Building Society optimises the value of its benefits package by keeping its offering fresh for staff and promoting certain perks at key times.When communicating benefits during its flex enrolment period at the end of last year, for example, it focused attention on the discounted ...
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Analysis
Optimising the value of benefits
In tough times, optimising the value of benefits will boost staff appreciation and engagement, but does not have to cost the earth, says Debbie LovewellAs the recession takes a stronger grip across the UK, cash-strapped consumers fearful for their jobs are on the hunt for whatever bargains they can find. ...
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Article
Sony Pictures Entertainment offers will service to employees
Sony Pictures Entertainment is to offer a will service to employees at its London office.The firm is planning to hold a seminar on wills and probate for all employees, with the option for them to have a will drafted at a discounted rate.It is also promoting a review of employees' ...
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Article
N Brown Group launches profit-share scheme to reward entire workforce
N Brown Group has launched a profit-share scheme for 2,200 employees who are not eligible for its management bonus plan.The mail-order retailer introduced the scheme following an employee survey in March this year, which indicated that staff did not feel they were being rewarded fairly for the contribution they made ...
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Article
Centrica extends total reward statements
Centrica has extended total reward statements to 1,800 more employees and moved them online for the first time.The company previously offered paper-based statements to 200 managers, but this year rolled them out to a further level of management, and plans to extend them to the whole workforce, where possible, in ...
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Case Studies
Employer profile: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment looks to perks to boost employee engagement with the business and its culture, says Debbie LovewellMaking movies is a big, but risky business. A blockbuster can be highly profitable for the production company and distributor, but if a film bombs at the box office and fails to ...
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Article
Interview with Bruce Sayers, head of reward and recognition at DHL Express
Bruce Sayers, head of reward and recognition at DHL†Express, believes strongly in using data to manage reward, particularly in a difficult economic climateNot many benefits professionals can say they developed their expertise in reward while representing employees as a senior trade union rep. But that is how Bruce Sayers, head ...
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Article
Interview with Michael Newstead, head of reward and HR information at Ceridian
Michael Newstead, head of reward and HR information at Ceridian, says the advantages of building reward packages to suit workforce profiles are now understood.During a career that has spanned more than 30 years and several continents Michael Newstead, head of reward and HR information at Ceridian, has seen the HR ...
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Case Studies
Employer Profile: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has revamped its benefits package to help keep it at the top of the profession, says Debbie LovewellWhatever the state of the economy, law firms stand to benefit in some way. The credit crunch and economic downturn may have dampened merger and acquisition activity ...