All articles by Louise Fordham – Page 4
-
ArticleLinkedIn US to introduce unlimited holiday
LinkedIn is introducing unlimited holiday for its US employees, from 1 November 2015.The social media organisation, which employs 8,700 full-time staff worldwide including some 6,000 in the US, is changing its holiday policy in line with one of its key values: ‘Act like an owner’.Its move to a new discretionary ...
-
ArticleRoyal Mail staff gifted 1% shareholding
Eligible UK employees at Royal Mail have been gifted a 1% share in the organisation as the government completes the sale of its remaining 13% stake.The government sold its remaining shareholding in Royal Mail, which employs some 143,000 staff, at the price of 455p per share. Proceeds raised from sales ...
-
ArticlePartnerships in Care sees 10% take up of car salary sacrifice
Healthcare organisation Partnerships in Care has seen a 10% take-up rate among staff who have registered an interest in its car salary sacrifice scheme, which launched in June 2015.The benefit was introduced after employee focus groups highlighted cars as a benefit that would be of interest to staff.Following consultations with ...
-
Article
15: Close Brothers Industry Insight: Getting the balance right for retirement savings
The combination of longer lifespans and new pension freedoms has turned the way we need to plan for retirement on its head.The freedom and choice reforms are now tearing up the traditional covenant between the government and savers. For generations, pensions have been structured as ‘a double-edged incentive’; in return ...
-
ArticleEmployee Benefits Awards 2016 open for entries
The Employee Benefits Awards 2016 are now open for entries.There are 23 categories to enter, ranging from pensions and healthcare to voluntary and motivational benefits, and everything in between.Employers can submit entries for as many categories as they would like, providing that entries are tailored to the particular category in ...
-
Article68% favour initial tax relief on pensions
More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents are in favour of retaining some level of initial tax relief for pension contributions, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.The 2015/16 Jelf Employee Benefits survey found that, from an employer perspective, 27% of respondents do not want to see any change to the ...
-
Article29% of women paid less than the living wage
More than a quarter (29%) of jobs for female employees in the UK paid less than the living wage in 2014, according to research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).This figure fell to 22% in London, but remains higher than the percentage of male employee jobs that paid less ...
-
AnalysisHow is employment tax simplification progressing?
No doubt some will be wondering: ”What has the OTS ever done for us?”The OTS has spent a good deal of time looking at employee benefits and expenses. The goal was to achieve both technical and administrative simplifications to the tax system, aiming to help employers and reduce their compliance ...
-
ArticleParadigm introduces salary sacrifice car scheme
Paradigm Housing Group has launched a salary sacrifice car scheme for its 440 staff.The scheme, provided by fleet management firm TCH Leasing, offers employees a fully managed car for a monthly fee. The salary sacrifice arrangement includes insurance, service, maintenance and repair costs.Through the TCH Salsa scheme, staff at the ...
-
ArticleBaker Tilly acquires Employer Services
Baker Tilly has acquired payroll, human resources solutions and business services firm Employer Services (ESL).The acquisition aims to expand on the services and expertise Baker Tilly offers to employers and enhance its existing outsourced payroll service.All 45 staff at ESL based in Brentwood, Essex, will join Baker Tilly. Stuart Hall, ...
-
Article55% do not receive a reward at Christmas
More than half (55%) of respondents do not receive a reward or gift from their employer at Christmas, according to research by Red Letter Days for Business.Its survey of 2,004 UK employees found that 40% of highly engaged respondents receive a gift to mark the festive season, dropping to 8% ...
-
Article39% of younger workers prioritise saving
More than a third (39%) of respondents aged 18-24 years old prioritise saving, with this group having saved the greatest percentage of their salary (10.9%) in the last year, according to research by Towers Watson.Its survey of 5,004 employees between the ages of 18 and 65 also found that 44% ...
-
ArticleFacebook pays £1.2m towards UK pension contributions
Facebook UK spent £1.2 million on contributions to its defined contribution pension scheme last year, according to its annual report for the year ending 31 December 2014.The social media giant also paid out £35.4 million for employee share-based payment plans in 2014, compared to £15.5 million in 2013.At the close ...
-
ArticleDanone sees 82% engagement with car salary sacrifice
EXCLUSIVE: Danone has reported a 82% engagement rate on emails communicating its new salary sacrifice car scheme, which was introduced in September.The organisation also saw 140 active users in the system and more than 50 quotes had been saved in the two weeks following the scheme’s launch.The new scheme aims ...
-
ArticleFriday Media Group introduces voluntary benefits
Friday Media Group has launched a voluntary benefits programme and motivational perks for its staff.The scheme, provided by Perkbox, will provide around 220 employees with access to over 100 benefits. This ranges from free spa days, Tastecards, and mobile phone insurance to discounted gym membership, cinema tickets, travel and savings ...
-
ArticleWillis completes PMI Health Group acquisition
Willis Group Holdings, the global risk advisory, re-insurance broking and human capital and benefits organisation, has completed its acquisition of healthcare adviser and broker PMI Health Group.The acquisition, which was initially announced in July 2015, aims to expand the organisations’ range of services and global coverage.PMI Health Group will operate ...
-
ArticleTop 10 most read stories this week
The top 10 most read stories on employeebenefits.co.uk on 1-7 October 2015:1. Costa increases barista pay.2. Government to introduce grandparents leave.3. EAT rules on pensions discrimination case.4. SurveyMonkey and Visa introduce genetic testing scheme.5. The benefits of working for the rich and famous.6. Tate and Lyle Sugars boosts pension contributions ...
-
ArticleFTSE 350 defined benefit pension deficit falls by £7bn
There was a £7 billion reduction in the accounting deficit of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes for the UK’s 350 largest listed organisations in September 2015, according to research by Mercer.Its Pensions risk survey, which is based on projections from reported financial statements and year-end accounts, found that the accounting ...
-
Opinion
Thinking differently
Remember the children’s poem ‘There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly’? There was a rather nice colourful book with holes in it that showed the strangely happy-looking woman munching her way from fly through spider through bird, cat, dog, cow and horse that ended, not surprisingly, in her ...
-
ArticleCourt rules on pensions discrimination case
The Court of Appeal has ruled against a retired worker in his bid to see his husband receive the same pay out from his pension scheme in the event of his death as a spouse of the opposite sex would be entitled to.In the case of Walker vs Innospec Ltd ...