Housebuilder Barratt Redrow ensures its workforce is aware of, and values, group protection benefits through regular communication and roadshows.
With its three brands Barratt, David Wilson and Redrow, the organisation operates across England, Wales and Scotland and employs 8,000 employees.
All Barratt Redrow employees have access to a life assurance scheme in the event of their death in service. In addition, management-level employees are eligible for group income protection to protect their salaries if they are unable to work long-term.
Management-level workers are also eligible for private medical insurance (PMI), which provides an annual health assessment and access to private medical treatment through a specific hub. This includes a range of benefits such as health tools, gym membership and fitness tracker discounts, as well as rewards for staying active. There is also an option for private dental cover as part of the employer’s flexible benefits scheme.
Lea Arrowsmith, interim head of reward and policy at Barratt Redrow, says: “Looking after the physical and mental health of employees is vitally important and we offer support through several schemes. Additionally, we support employee health and wellbeing through other initiatives such as an employee assistance programme, mental health first aiders, and partnerships with charities such as Lighthouse, which provides 24/7 support to construction workers and their families.”
Barratt Redrow ensures staff understand what their protection benefits are by providing information about its benefits package to new starters as part of their welcome pack and induction. For existing employees, it has a benefits portal which details all available benefits and their value.
As its workforce is spread across a number of sites and offices, the organisation holds roadshows to talk about its benefits to ensure that everyone knows what is available and can take advantage of them.
The organisation’s medical cover also has an app, so employees can access detailed information about the benefit and easily utilise it, adds Arrowsmith.
“Our partners are also an important part of promoting benefits and we collaborate with them to communicate offerings. Our private medical provider sends regular emails to employees on various themes such as mental health, getting active or the menopause and [it] invites our people to seek further information via [its] hub or to join a webinar,” she says.
