All articles by Jennifer Paterson – Page 112

  • Article

    More than one million DB members will have benefits provided by insurance firms

    2012-04-05T09:55:00Z

    More than a million members of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes will have their pension benefits provided by insurance firms by 2017, as increasing numbers of organisations and trustees de-risk their pension liabilities using insurance, according to research by Lane, Clark and Peacock (LCP).The fifth annual LCP Pension buy-ins, buy-outs ...

  • Article

    Towers Watson launches iPad application for HR management

    2012-04-05T09:53:00Z

    Towers Watson has launched a human capital metrics (HCM) iPad application.The HCM app can be used by employers to measure and compare the cost and effectiveness of their HR programmes, as well as managing retention, turnover and labour costs.The app includes:Access to benchmarking data developed using Towers Watsons’ HCM database.The ...

  • Article

    48% of respondents are saving into a workplace pension

    2012-04-05T09:50:00Z

    Less than half (48%) of respondents make regular contributions into a workplace pension scheme, according to research by Friends Life.The research also found that 19% do not have a pension at all, 11% do not know how much they contribute in their pension, and 35% save less than £100 a ...

  • Article

    Savills’ employees share £111m in profit share and commission

    2012-04-04T09:46:10Z

    Employees at property agency Savills shared £111 million in profit share and commission payments in 2011.This is the first payout through the firm’s performance share plan, which replaced its previous executive share plan in May 2011.Awards under the performance share plan are made on a discretionary basis, to executive directors, ...

  • Article

    Capita Hartshead to acquire Bluefin Corporate Consulting

    2012-04-04T09:44:05Z

    Capita Hartshead is to acquire employee benefits firm, Bluefin Corporate Consulting, from Axa.The deal, worth £50 million, will see Capita Hartshead and Bluefin Corporate Consulting merge.Axa will retain the Bluefin trading name. Its other operations, including Bluefin Insurance Group and Bluefin Personal Consulting, do not form part of the transaction.Mike ...

  • Article

    Staffcare to launch auto-enrolment software

    2012-04-04T09:39:28Z

    Staffcare is to launch an auto-enrolment platform.The product will manage the administration, compliance and reporting of employer's auto-enrolment requirements.It is available as a standalone product or can be used as an integrated suite of products, including total reward, flexible benefits and HR self-service.The product also:Allows users to gauge the financial ...

  • Article

    Salary increase levels remain constant

    2012-04-03T09:44:00Z

    Salary increase levels have stayed constant throughout the winter, according to research by Aon Hewitt.The consultancy’s latest Salary survey, which polled more than 440 organisations in 39 countries across Europe in January and February 2012, found that salary increase levels in the UK have remained unchanged at 3.2% over the ...

  • Article

    Cyclescheme and British Cycling partner to promote bikes for work

    2012-04-03T09:42:35Z

    Bikes-for-work scheme provider Cyclescheme and the national governing body for cycling, British Cycling, have partnered to promote cycling and its benefits, increase cycling knowledge, and encourage UK workers to cycle to work.The two organisations are also aiming to build on the popularity of cycling to support government targets to reduce ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: Ocado launches second sharesave scheme

    2012-04-02T08:25:00Z

    Ocado has launched its second sharesave scheme, using targeted communications to reach its diverse, mainly weekly-paid, workforce.The online grocery retailer has 22% monthly-paid, office-based staff, and 78% weekly-paid workers, including drivers. Its 2012 sharesave scheme, effective from this month, has achieved a 31% take-up by monthly-paid staff and a 10% ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: Standard Life engages staff with GB basketball sponsorship

    2012-04-02T08:20:00Z

    Standard Life is using its sponsorship of the British men’s, women’s and wheelchair basketball teams as the focus for a staff motivation and engagement programme in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.Laura Laidlaw, sponsorship manager at Standard Life, said: “We felt it was important to hook ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: BNP Paribas focuses on staff wellbeing

    2012-04-02T08:15:00Z

    BNP Paribas has expanded its focus on employee wellness by appointing an onsite health and wellbeing manager and onsite physiotherapist, and hosting regular health and wellbeing events.This is all part of the bank’s ‘Help yourself to health’ programme, which was rolled out earlier this year.The firm has appointed the manager ...

  • Article

    HMRC rethink on tax rules for smartphones

    2012-04-02T08:00:00Z

    Employees could be disadvantaged after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) changed its definition of mobile phones for tax purposes to include smartphones and personal digital assistants.Previously, HMRC had said a mobile could be offered as a tax-efficient benefit to staff, but to be classified as such, its primary purpose had ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: Vodafone updates reward website with mobile version

    2012-04-02T08:00:00Z

    Vodafone Group is to launch a mobile version of its reward website to modernise communication of its sharesave scheme, share incentive plan (Sip) and executive bonus plans to its 10,000 UK employees.Since 2011, staff have received a personalised Reward Talk email giving reminders and links to third-party providers.Bob Costa, head ...

  • Article

    Staff pick bikes-for-work for cost savings

    2012-04-02T08:00:00Z

    More than 80% of respondents to Evans Cycles’ annual Ride2Work survey said joining a bikes-for-work scheme was very appealing in the current economic climate.The survey polled over 300 staff, who have used a bike scheme in the last six months.It found the main reasons for joining a scheme are: to ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: Personal Group aligns charity activities with Olympics

    2012-04-02T08:00:00Z

    Personal Group is to align its staff charity fundraising activities with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.The benefits provider will host a team fitness challenge, Wii Olympics and skydiving. All proceeds will go to local charity Willen Hospice.Since it chose the palliative care and support charity in July 2011, ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: EB Summit: Veolia aims to educate all employees about saving

    2012-04-02T07:55:00Z

    Financial education is needed throughout organisations, from low-paid workers right up to senior executives, according to Mike Sullivan, head of employee benefits and pensions at Veolia Environnement UK.During a panel session at the Employee Benefits Pensions and Workplace Savings Summit 2012, entitled 'Holistic approaches to workplace saving - new era ...

  • Article

    Informa offers three-tiered workplace savings strategy

    2012-04-01T23:00:00Z

    Media firm Informa has developed a three-tiered workplace savings strategy to cater for its diverse, 3,200-strong UK workforce.The strategy is divided into short-, medium- and long-term savings options.The short-term savings vehicle is a stocks and shares individual savings account (Isa), which will be introduced in April 2012. Informa had planned ...

  • Article

    Workplace Savings News: Employers are favouring corporate platforms

    2012-04-01T23:00:00Z

    One-third (33%) of delegates who attended the Employee Benefits Pensions and Workplace Savings Summit 2012 will be bringing their financial benefits together in a corporate platform this year, according to a flash poll conducted at the event.During the panel debate 'Holistic approaches to workplace savings - new era or false ...

  • Case Studies

    Oracle promotes personal choice for employees

    2012-04-01T23:00:00Z

    Vance Kearney, vice-president for HR, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Oracle, is a champion of tough love, hence his creation of an employee benefits package based on personal responsibility, rather than a welfare state-esque dependency, at the technology firm.Kearney has worked hard during his 20-year tenure to evolve ...

  • Article

    EXCLUSIVE: Grass Roots staff to take part in charity bike ride

    2012-04-01T23:00:00Z

    Grass Roots Group staff are to take part in its second annual charity bike ride to raise money for Marie Curie.The bike ride, which will take place on 25 May, is a 106-mile journey from Bath to the organisation’s head office in Tring.Daniel Gillborn, head of commercial operations at Grass ...