More than a third (38%) of respondents say they have difficulty in providing a flexible global benefits strategy for different employee demographics, according to research by Thomsons Online Benefits.
Its Global employee benefits watch 2014, which surveyed more than 150 HR professionals across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and the US, found 41% of respondents offer no benefits option for employees caring for an elderly parent and 37% of respondents offer flexible working across all locations.
The research also found:
- Only 4% of respondents offer on-site facilities, such as changing stations and on-site childcare.
- Only a third provide a retirement plan option.
- 30% use some form of software to administer and communicate their benefits globally.
- 49% take a different approach with a mix of manual processes and online systems in each country.
More than half (55%) of respondents feel that the biggest people challenge facing their HR team is helping their organisation attract and retain talent. Other pressing challenges include: improving internal communications, aligning employee behaviours to business goals and their engagement with values, increasing retention and the need for greater succession planning.
Chris Wakely, senior vice president of enterprise accounts at Thomsons Online Benefits, said: “Many organisations are being challenged by the different demands of an age-diverse workforce, which is only set to increase.
“There is a pressing need for international employers to create one unified system for their benefits and reward strategy, offering a consistent global programme yet tailored to employees locally, dependent on legislative and cultural requirements, whether they are starting their first job or close to retirement.
“This is what will dramatically help to impact engagement, productivity and retention levels across all regions.”