All articles by Jessica Bird – Page 19
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: The majority of organisations do not offer personal insurance benefits
EXCLUSIVE: Most organisations do not provide personal insurance benefits, and few plan to begin, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019, which was published in May 2019 and canvassed the views of 290 HR decision-makers, also found that of those personal insurance benefits offered by employers, travel insurance ...
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ArticleBird's brainstorm: Perks pale when staff still fight for fair pay
At Employee Benefits, we spend much of our time considering the balance of importance between financial rewards, exciting perks, and the deeper culture of an organisation. The argument increasingly lands on the side of saying that, while pay is an important hygiene factor, it is not the be all and ...
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Article
Alice Honeywill: Will a bonus for new mothers sufficiently address the gender pensions gap?
I read with interest the June 2019 report that consumer association Which? published in collaboration with the Pension Policy Institute (PPI) entitled Top up the pots: Achieving adequate retirement incomes with automatic-enrolment.The reports looks at a variety of different areas, with one suggestion in particular that the state should award ...
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ArticleTim Pike: Will a bonus for new mothers sufficiently address the gender pensions gap?
Gender inequality in pension saving leads to an imbalance of finances within families and risks leaving women vulnerable at particularly sensitive times.Mothers who have not worked, but have instead taken time to raise a family, rate their financial wellbeing worse than any other group, according to the Wellbeing, health, retirement ...
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ArticleGareth Shaw: Will a bonus for new mothers sufficiently address the gender pensions gap?
The gender pension gap, which sees women retiring with less money than men, is rooted in a number of different issues. One of the main driving forces behind this, though, is the motherhood pension penalty.Automatic-enrolment into workplace pension schemes has been hugely effective in encouraging people to save for later ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Only 10% do not currently offer mental wellbeing support to employees
EXCLUSIVE: Only 10% of respondents do not currently offer any form of mental wellbeing education or support, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019, which surveyed 290 HR decision-makers and was published in May 2019, found that the number of organisations that do not offer mental wellbeing support ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Four-fifths offer counselling services or EAPs
EXCLUSIVE: Counselling or employee assistance programmes (EAPs) are offered by 82% of organisations, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019, which surveyed 290 HR decision-makers and was published in May 2019, also found that this is a considerable rise from the 69% that used EAPs in 2018, demonstrating ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Seven in 10 offer life assurance to all employees
EXCLUSIVE: Nearly seven in 10 (68%) employers offer life assurance to all employees as part of a core package, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019 surveyed 290 HR decision-makers and was published in May 2019. It also found that, overall, 86% provide life assurance in some form; ...
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OpinionDr Mathew Donald: Managing employees through times of change
The business environment is full of ongoing change, characterised by uncertainty and risk. Employers may be wondering what will happen if Brexit occurs or not, or be concerned about latest trade wars; it is clear that disruption is not reducing.My paper, Resistance to change forms and effects in Greater Western ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Access to on-site physio and massage therapy has increased by a quarter
EXCLUSIVE: Access to an on-site physiotherapist or massage therapist increased by 24 percentage points between 2018 and 2019, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019 report, which surveyed 290 HR decision-makers and was published in May 2019, also found that access to subsidised catering has risen by 16 ...
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OpinionProfessor Shaun Tyson: How important are benefits for motivation and retention?
The relative importance of pay and benefits in the wider context of the full range of HR policies varies, according to changing organisational and economic environments.Recently, for example, the growth of the gig economy and the concept of ‘self-employment plus’ has raised questions about the significance of employee benefits. However, ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Seven in 10 respondents offer benefits through optional remuneration
EXCLUSIVE: Seven in 10 (70%) respondents in 2019 offer benefits through optional remuneration arrangements for all staff, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019, which surveyed 290 respondents and was published in May 2019, also found that the proportion of organisations offering benefits through optional remuneration has only ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Budget is the main barrier to introducing new benefits
EXCLUSIVE: Budget is the main barrier to organisations implementing new benefits, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019, which surveyed 290 HR decision-makers and was published in May 2019, found that budget (86%) and time (40%) continue to stand as the largest barriers to implementing new benefits, having ...
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Case StudiesShop Direct uses evolving recognition platform to embed and grow core values
In 2014, online retailer Shop Direct went through a rebrand, focusing its people strategy on the idea of creating a values-led culture. To bring its new approach to life, the organisation launched a recognition programme for its 4,000 employees.Shop Direct's new strategy centred around five key values: together, ambitious, pride, ...
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AnalysisTop tips to increase the effectiveness of an employee recognition scheme
Need to know: Effective strategies will vary from one employer to another, but embedding a culture of appreciation will make a solid foundation for any recognition scheme.Employers should consider introducing peer-to-peer recognition, as well as using a scheme to link specific behaviours to core values.Monetary incentives may help gain employee ...
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OpinionDr Monica Franco-Santos: Beware the peer-to-peer bonus
Recently, we have seen a new management practice taking centre stage: peer-to-peer bonuses. This type of scheme is a new motivation tool in which peers, rather than managers, proactively recognise the good performance of their colleagues by rewarding them with money or points.At first sight, peer-to-peer bonuses are useful, simple ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Nine in 10 see price as key when choosing health benefits providers
EXCLUSIVE: Almost nine in 10 (87%) organisations see price as the most influential factor when deciding on health benefit providers, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019 surveyed 290 HR and benefits professionals and was published in May 2019. In a new question for this year, the research ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: GPPs are offered as the primary scheme at 66% of organisations
EXCLUSIVE: Group personal pensions (GPPs) are the most popular primary schemes for auto-enrolment purposes, offered by 66% of respondents, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019, published in May 2019, surveyed 290 HR professionals, and found that GPPs have remained the most popular choice for a number of ...
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ArticleDeb Oxley: The employee ownership sector is growing
When I talk about the reasons for becoming employee-owned, I like to use an analogy: who washes a hire car? There is a mental change that happens when you own something; it drives behaviours that relate to what needs to be done, rather than what you want to do.Evidence shows ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: More than half provide season ticket travel loans
EXCLUSIVE: The most common workplace savings benefit is the season ticket travel loan, provided by 52% of organisations, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Benefits research 2019 report, which surveyed 290 HR professionals, was published in May 2019. It found that, of those that provide season ticket travel loans, 30% ...