Law firm Eversheds has been forced to postpone the launch of its flexible benefits scheme until April 2007, as other HR commitments have had to take precedence.

The company's 3,500 staff were due to select their benefits this month, but they have now been informed that a new date has had to be set.

Anna Patra, HR reward manager, said: "We simply got involved with more urgent stuff and have had to push the date back, but we still fully intend to launch and certainly haven't changed our minds on this one." Staff were given some input into the design of the new scheme in June, when they were quizzed about the benefits that they are currently offered and asked which perks they would like to see brought in.

"We selected a random cross-section of employees and talked to them about benefits. It will be interesting to see if they actually use the benefits they have asked for," said Patra.

The company intends to include a bikes-for-work scheme in the flex plan when it is launched next year.