Informa adds RSS feed to upgraded benefits portal

Informa has overhauled its employee benefits portal with a series of technological enhancements to maintain and improve staff engagement.

The media firm, which has 3,000 UK staff, will reveal the updated portal when its benefits election window opens in November. The portal is being rebranded to match the booklet Informa sends out each year, which is split into three areas: lifestyle perks, financial perks and voluntary benefits.

Really simple syndication

The firm will also launch a really simple syndication (RSS) feed on the site to continuously update information for staff. Thomas Humphris, head office HR and UK reward director, said: “Being a media company, we have RSS technology. For example, we offer deals with Virgin Holidays and they give us last-minute deals. On the RSS feed, holiday offers could come through all the time, so staff can make the most of them.”

Total reward statements

Informa has also redesigned its online total reward statements (TRS), moving from a standard list format to an interactive pie chart, which is updated through regular links to payroll. This is intended “to remove any complexity and boredom”, said Humphris.

The firm has also struck a deal with Trainline.com to include a hyperlink on the portal home page linking to an Informa-branded site where staff can apply for interest-free travel loans. “Employees have to access this site to book their holiday, select their benefits and also to log sickness,” said Humphris. “The portal is regularly used, so if we can make it interactive, it can be a fantastic platform to project the benefits offering even further.”

Informa is looking to launch online pay slips in the new year and is currently testing the concept.

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