All articles by Louise Farrand – Page 4
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AnalysisHow will the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) affect pay and benefits?
Need to know:Technology has changed how organisations share and store personal data. It is no wonder that the General Data Protection Regulation seeks to bring data privacy into the 21st century.Employers should not underestimate the complexity of the regulation and should start preparing now.Employment contracts and agreements with benefits providers ...
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Case StudiesHow the University of Lincoln is preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Ian Hodson, head of reward at the University of Lincoln, is acutely aware of the amount of work that will be needed in order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). “We are at the stage of coming up with an action plan and a workplan of trying ...
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Case StudiesPWC leads by example as an early adopter of gender pay gap reporting
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) decided to lead by example on gender pay gap reporting. The organisation first reported its pay gap in 2014, and was looking at the issue prior to that.So why did PWC first decided to reveal its pay gap to the world? Ed Stacey, partner and head of employment ...
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OpinionSamantha Mann: Employers can learn from others that have reported gender pay gap details
The 2017-18 fiscal year introduced a new obligation for employers in the private and voluntary sector requiring those with a headcount of 250 or more ‘relevant employees’ as at the snapshot date of 5 April 2017, and each subsequent year, to calculate statistics to demonstrate the gender pay gap that ...
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AnalysisCommunicating the gender pay gap
Need to know:Since the BBC revealed the salaries of its highest-paid employees, pay has dominated the national debate. Pressure is growing for organisations with more than 250 employees to reveal their gender pay gap data before the government’s deadline of April 2018.Some organisations may encounter hurdles when assembling their data, ...
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AnalysisHow can employers do more to support eldercare in the workplace?
Need to know:Employers are increasingly finding ways to support workers who are juggling jobs, children, and looking after elderly parents.A new era of flexible working is making life easier for carers. For employers that want to do more, concierge-style support programmes are an avenue to explore.The government has mooted a ...
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OpinionSally Hulston: Support for working carers will ensure employers retain the best talent
An ageing population and the fact that we are all working for longer means that more people are likely to become working carers than ever before. This includes a growing sandwich generation tasked with juggling the care of both children and elderly relatives.Increasingly, employers are offering varying degrees of specialised ...
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Case StudiesShell embraces eldercare with flexible working and consultancy service
At Shell, a flexible workplace is already a reality. Eleanor Silverio, the oil giant’s UK benefits policy lead, says: “I don’t sense any kind of stigma for those choosing eldercare initiatives. People in our [organisation] are used to balancing challenging home and work demands, supported by the flexible workplace environment ...
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AnalysisHow does workforce mobility impact financial wellbeing?
Need to know:The workforce is becoming more nomadic. But any employee who changes address regularly can see their credit rating drop.Broader financial wellbeing issues can arise for employees that move jobs regularly, such as the risk of reduced pension contributions or not being able to access longer-term employee benefits.Employers can ...
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Case StudiesUK Power Networks counters employees’ financial struggles with benefits
UK Power Networks has just over 6,000 employees, including electricians and engineers who work across London and the east of England. The organisation’s employees cover affluent areas of London where even the country’s top earners struggle to get a foothold on the property ladder.It is an issue that Steve Remnant, ...
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OpinionJo Thresher: Tackle common money issues to support employees’ short- and long-term finances
The fact that there is not a job for life anymore means an inability to plan the very long term, which means employers now need to help employees think differently. A lack of financial awareness coupled with a more changeable work life means a significant impact on an employee’s short-, ...
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Case StudiesUber court ruling puts 'self-employed' status in the spotlight
Uber drivers are workers, not self-employed contractors, a UK employment court found in October 2016. The ruling in the case Aslam and Farra v Uber means the app could have to pay its drivers holiday pay, the minimum wage, and pensions, among other benefits.The employment tribunal decision found that the ...
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AnalysisHow will the gig economy affect employee benefits?
Need to know:Gig workers are revolutionising the service economy. However, employers must tread carefully when offering them benefits or risk legal action and costly reclassification exercises.Arm’s-length benefits arrangements are evolving, where employers act as facilitators, rather than directly contributing financially.The government is currently investigating how the law treats gig workers, ...
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Case StudiesTSB channels inspiring leadership to engage employees
TSB has built its employee engagement strategy on the values of directness, honesty and authenticity. Hari Miller, head of internal communications and community engagement, works closely with Paul Pester, TSB’s chief executive, to keep employees informed and engaged with the organisation.TSB has seen some tumultuous times. It separated from Lloyds ...
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AnalysisHow successful are employee engagement strategies?
Need to know:Employees are increasingly swamped by communications so employers need to think carefully about engagement strategies.Successful engagement strategies are built on solid foundations. Employers should start by engaging with staff to work out where they are, then work on their weak areas.A clear sense of purpose and inspiring leaders ...
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AnalysisHow can gamification be utilised in a benefits communication strategy?
Need to knowGamification is not necessarily just about playing games; it is all about using game principles, such as competition, to engage with employees.It can be used as a tool to educate a workforce about pensions, health and wealth.Gamification also includes wearable technology.Employers can use gaming to communicate with their ...
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Case Studies3 Monkeys Zeno uses gift vouchers to recognise staff
PR firm 3 Monkeys Zeno has been awarding gift vouchers to staff for eight years. Christine Jewell, managing director, says: “We surveyed our staff and asked what sort of reward they would value: would they like dinner for two, for instance? Vouchers were what most people said they wanted. Cash ...
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AnalysisWhat are the latest trends in the corporate gift card market?
Need to knowGift cards can be a great way to reward staff, but reward and benefits managers should think carefully about how they present the vouchers to maximise their impact.Keeping a wide-ranging workforce engaged can be a challenge; gift cards are a great way to keep everyone happy.E-codes are a ...
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Case StudiesB&CE grows benefits package in line with its culture
B&CE was founded in 1942 as a simple way to help construction workers build up holiday pay. It branched out into offering other financial products, such as pensions. However, it is in the last few years that the business has seen its workforce grow, fast.When the government decided to introduce ...
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Case StudiesCurzon PR develops benefits offering based on employee feedback
Farzana Baduel, managing director at Curzon PR, has always been entrepreneurial. She founded her PR firm, Curzon, in 2009, in part because with a one-year-old child, she wanted the flexibility to balance work with the school run.Baduel’s business grew slowly for the first two to three years. She had previously ...