All articles by Katrina McKeever
-
Analysis
Benefits for SMEs
Smaller employers may have certain advantages when it comes to introducing benefits, says Katrina McKeeverFour years ago, a small PR firm was set up and attempted to attract key talent from the top agencies. But as it could not compete with the benefits offered by bigger PR companies, it adopted ...
-
Article
Aviva improves reward provision ahead of rebranding
Insurance group Aviva has launched a benefits website, online total reward statements (TRS) and a recognition scheme ahead of the firm's rebranding in June.The firm will also move to a flexible benefits scheme to coincide with the rebrand.The website, My Aviva Reward, went live for its 27,000 employees last month, ...
-
Article
Trowers & Hamlins moves international flexible benefits scheme online and launches TRS
Law firm Trowers & Hamlins has moved its international flexible benefits scheme online and launched total reward statements.The scheme, called 'TH & me', is available to 800 staff, including equity partners, across the UK and Middle East. A mini paper version of the plan offering fewer perks was launched in ...
-
Article
Shepherds Bush Housing Group launches cash plan
Shepherds Bush Housing Group (SBHG) has launched an employer-paid healthcare cash plan for its 180 employees, in the first step towards having a total reward package in place by 2011.The plan was introduced in February after a staff survey showed employees were interested in health insurance. The scheme is provided ...
-
Article
Creative Agency And Partners invites volunteers
Creative Agency And Partners is offering its employees an extra day's paid leave a year to use to carry out volunteer work in the community.The Have a Good Day initiative, launched in January, allows employees to take their day at any time of year.Staff requests on ways to use the ...
-
Analysis
Pensions within flexible benefits schemes
Many employers have been reluctant to include pensions in their flex schemes, but there are advantages in doing so, says Katrina McKeeverOver the past two decades, as flexible benefits schemes have grown in popularity in the UK, employers have generally fought shy of including pensions within flex.Traditionally, they have cited ...
-
Article
Tusker promotes salary sacrifice car scheme
Tusker is to promote its salary sacrifice car scheme through You at Work's flexible benefits system. The Drive at Work product was launched on You at Work's flex system in February and is available to new and existing clients. The benefit makes low-cost cars available to staff who would not ...
-
Article
Red Letter Rewards launches motivational activities
Red Letter Rewards has launched a range of motivational activities and treat experiences that can take place in the workplace. Employers can choose from a range of events, including sushi making and beauty treatments, and activities can be tailored for an organisation.
-
Analysis
Calculating the value of pension funds
Putting a value on an employer's defined benefit pension scheme is a complicated matter and figures can vary widely according to the measure used and its intended purpose, says Katrina McKeever.An employer which wants to know how much its defined benefit (DB) pension scheme is worth on any given day ...
-
Article
Norwich Union launches interactive pension website
Norwich Union has launched an interactive pension website with a virtual online guide. The guide, similar to a television presenter, takes employees on a virtual online tour through their own pension. Along the way, 'she' explains how retirement savings work, and illustrates the impact of decisions such as increasing the ...
-
Article
Vebnet alliance will roll flex into Ceridian's pay platform
Payroll provider Ceridian has formed an alliance with flexible benefits provider Vebnet to deliver flexible benefits to Ceridian's payroll customers.Ceridian, which runs human resources (HR) and payroll services for one-in-eight UK employers, will offer Vebnet's branded flex services through Ceridian's payroll platform. Its clients will be able to access flex, ...
-
Article
Ace revamps flexible policies
Ace European Group has revamped its personal accident and holiday travel insurance policies to tailor them for flexible benefits schemes.Both products were relaunched in February with enhancements. For example, they allow employees to alter their cover part-way through the year in the event of lifestyle changes, such as marriage or ...
-
Analysis
Ensuring the safety of company car users
There is little legal compulsion for employers to ensure their company car users are sufficiently fit and healthy to drive, but there are plenty of good reasons why they should do so, says Katrina McKeeverThere is little in law to compel employers to check the health of their drivers when ...
-
Article
My Family Care extends range of childcare benefits
My Family Care has extended its range of childcare benefits to include cr¿che facilities, holiday clubs and onsite nurseries.This follows the provider's acquisition of Tinies UK in January, which brings 50 workplace childcare sites into its portfolio. My Family Care acquired clients including David Lloyd and GlaxoSmithKline in the deal ...
-
Article
Microsoft admits blunder over severance pay
Microsoft has admitted it made a mistake after asking 25 former employees to repay part of their redundancy pay.The software giant wrote to the US-based employees following a round of redundancies to say an accounting error meant they had been paid too much severance money.Despite initially asking for the cash ...
-
Article
Accor Services launches payroll-giving scheme for staff
Accor Services has launched a payroll-giving scheme and pledged to match its employees' contributions as part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).The perk enables employees to make donations to a charity of their choice tax-efficiently direct from salary. This means the charity receives the donation, as well as ...
-
Article
BOC offers discounts on company products
Specialist gas supplier BOC has launched a discount card for employees to use on its own products.Using the card, its 3,700 employees can purchase products, such as power tools and safety equipment, at a discount of up to 20%. Staff can apply for the card through the firm's voluntary benefits ...
-
Article
Atradius adds perks to voluntary benefits scheme
Credit management firm Atradius is to add experience days and private medical insurance (PMI) to its voluntary benefits scheme in March.The scheme has been structured so that staff can only select some benefits, such as PMI, during an annual election period, which will take place in March, before employees' choices ...
-
Article
Employers to cut travel and fringe benefits during recession says CIPD
Employers are reducing fringe benefits such as business travel and hospitality to cut costs during the recession.The latest quarterly research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development(CIPD) and KPMG shows that two-thirds of the 892 UK employers surveyed have either already experienced a budget cut or are about to.The ...
-
Article
Government launches back to work pilot scheme for long-term sick
The government has launched a new £13 million pilot scheme to help people on sick leave get back to work quicker.The Fit for Work pilot programme will test a range of back-to-work support to see what works best.Each pilot test will be personalised and include advice on a range of ...