All articles by Louise Farrand
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AnalysisWhat does the government's pots-for-life plan mean for employers?
Credit: P Maxwell Photography/Shutterstock The pension pots-for-life plan takes the onus off of employees to keep track of their pensions as they move jobs. Clarification is needed on how employers would manage the process of putting employees’ contributions into many different pension pots. Pots for life ...
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AnalysisHow are rising costs influencing employers' benefits strategies?
Credit: Eviart / Shutterstock.comNeed to know:Despite the tough economic climate, evidence suggests that employers are not slashing their benefits budgets. Instead, they are making the most of what they already have, and thinking outside the box about inexpensive benefits that they could offer.Employers can make benefits feel personal and relevant ...
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Case StudiesHousing 21 refreshes benefits in the cost-of-living crisis
Credit: Housing 21Now that many workplaces are au fait with talking about mental health and the menopause, is money management the last stigma?Ian Hodson, director of people and culture at Housing 21, says: “It is the last taboo. People still won’t talk about their finances.”In a cost-of-living crisis, this stigma ...
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AnalysisHow to sell pensions change into an organisation
Need to know:Change will happen when it comes to employers’ pensions plans. Whatever the change, some universal principles remain true.Stakeholders should be involved early, to ensure they can voice any objections and feel involved in the process. Avoid legalese; be honest, clear and concise. If it is bad news, upfront ...
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Case StudiesRoadshows were secret to success when Ford moved to pensions master trust
When Ford Motor Company moved to a master trust in April 2022, explaining the changes to people at pensions roadshows was a priority.Oliver Payne, international pensions and data analytics manager at Ford and founder of the Reinventing Pensions event, explains: “The reason for that is you get people’s focused attention. ...
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AnalysisWhat is the current state of play with pensions dashboards?
Need to know:The Department for Work and Pensions announced a delay to the delivery of the pensions dashboard programme in March 2023.Employers should use this additional time to make sure they have their data up-to-date, in order and correct.Employers should also consider their communications and resources; once the dashboard project ...
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AnalysisWhat are the benefits of educating employees around pensions investments?
Need to know:There are plenty of benefits to getting employees engaged with their pensions investments, but employers should to be clear about what behaviour they want to encourage.Investments can be made meaningful by using layman's terms to explain the funds, and what they mean for employees.Bringing environmental, social, and corporate ...
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Case StudiesIngenuity starts with the basics of pension scheme investment communication
When it comes to communicating to employees about pension scheme investing, Gary Douglas, finance director of new business agency Ingenuity, is of the firm belief that you must get the basics right first.Ingenuity, which employs just under 80 people, has historically had quite a young staff body. Accordingly, pensions were ...
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AnalysisWhat does the collective defined contribution (CDC) code of practice include?
Need to know: The Pensions Regulator has published a new code of practice for employers that would like to introduce collective defined contribution (CDC) pension schemes. The code lays out the detailed and extensive process employers will need to go through to receive authorisation. It is ...
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Case StudiesVirgin Money firmly embeds financial wellbeing into employee experience
When Virgin Money introduced its new employment package, A Life More Virgin, in early 2022, financial wellbeing was one important piece in the jigsaw.Post-pandemic, flexibility and choice are key themes which run through the employee experience at Virgin Money. Accordingly, the bank wanted each of its 7,500 employees to find ...
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AnalysisHow to create a targeted financial wellbeing strategy
Need to know:Many employers already have great financial wellbeing tools in place, they just need to be promoted more effectively.Any benefits introduced to support financial wellbeing should be underpinned with education.Employers should plan to measure the effectiveness of any financial wellbeing support and be prepared to amend this if situations ...
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Case StudiesLove Energy Savings quickly adapted to hybrid ways of working
When the Covid-19 pandemic first started, the team at Love Energy Savings, a price comparison website for businesses, was concerned. As an organisation which in large part consists of call centre employees, how could it possibly embrace remote working?These days, the 289-strong organisation sees hybrid working as a superpower. How ...
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AnalysisHow to build a hybrid-working model that is right for an organisation
Need to know:Hybrid-working arrangements have become the norm; employees now favour organisations that offer it over those that do not.Creating a sense of fairness around flexible working is a challenge for employers, especially for those whose staff are not able to work remotely at all.Employers are now focusing on creating ...
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Case StudiesRaven Housing Association provides working carers with comprehensive wellbeing support
Raven Housing Association is one employer which has thought hard about how to better support carers within its workforce. Why? “We understand that to create a great customer experience, you have to create a great employee experience,” summarises Gayle Hunt, senior HR business partner at Raven, which employs around 300 ...
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AnalysisWhat targeted support can employers offer to meet the wellbeing needs of carers?
Need to know:The pandemic has triggered a cultural shift in how we work, with a newfound openness alongside a wider acceptance of flexible working. These are both welcome developments for working carers.However, we shouldn’t underestimate how challenging working life can be for carers. Employers should seek to address carers’ emotional, ...
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AnalysisHow can Covid-19 benefits survive and thrive in the long term?
Need to know:Benefits have evolved during the pandemic, with the initial care packages morphing into more structured benefits propositions. But what will we keep and what will fade away?For the employers that can offer it, flexible working is here to stay. The genie’s out the bottle and employers should realise ...
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Case StudiesHow Essex County Council is reimagining benefits post-pandemic
Essex County Council is thinking hard about what benefits look like after the pandemic, concentrating its efforts on flexible working and wellbeing for its employees.Pam Parkes, Essex County Council’s director of organisational development and people, says: “I think there is going to be more structured hybrid working, which is what ...
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AnalysisHas workplace menopause support improved in recent years?
Need to know:The menopause is one of very few issues in the workplace that people still feel awkward talking about.In the past five years, there has been a significant improvement in the support that’s available to women. Employers increasingly understand the many reasons why it’s so critical to help women ...
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Case StudiesHow Santander UK supports its people through the menopause
Santander UK started supporting its colleagues through the menopause in 2019. It began by raising awareness of the menopause and its implications among its 21,900-strong employee base.The financial services company updated its communications with menopause key facts and sources of support and conducted a survey to better understand the needs ...
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Case StudiesHachette is working to close the book on its gender pay gap
Hachette UK is a publisher which includes well-known divisions such as Hodder and Stoughton, Headline Publishing Group, and Quercus, with 1,700 employees spread across the UK. It has been working steadily to close its gender pay gap.Saskia Bewley, head of diversity and inclusion at Hachette UK, explains: “Before the pandemic, ...