Hutchison extends flex to entire workforce

Hutchison 3G has extended its flexible benefits scheme to cover its entire workforce, launched a total reward website, and extended its voluntary benefits scheme.

The telecoms company, which operates mobile phone network 3, previously provided flex to more than 2,500 staff in its call centre and retail operations. It has now extended this to include its 700 head office staff.

Within the scheme, employees can trade down or sell an existing benefit, such as holiday, in order to buy another. Senior staff at the company’s head office also receive a flex allowance, which has been created by reducing their core level of private medical insurance (PMI) from family to single cover. However, employees can use the cash balance generated from this to buy back their previous level of family cover if desired.

The flex scheme, provided by Orbit, also includes perks such as charitable giving, bikes for work, mobile phones, dental cover, life assurance, childcare vouchers, travel insurance, health assessments and a healthcare cash plan.

To date, 96% of Hutchison’s head office staff and 55% of its store-based employees have looked into taking up flex by accessing the new company-branded total reward website. The site enables staff to access personalised online total reward statements, outlining the total value of their benefits package.

Seth Russell, director of reward at Hutchison 3G, said: “We introduced holiday trading last year. That was very popular with staff and reinforced that they were looking for the ability to make choices. The overall design objective was to make sure everything is available to everyone.”

Through the firm’s new voluntary benefits scheme, provided by Asperity, staff can access a range of discounts from a variety of retailers.