All articles by Nick Martindale
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ArticleBuyer's guide to master trust pension schemes
Credit: elina.nova/ShutterstockWhat are master trust pension schemes?Master trusts are defined contribution pension schemes, set up under trust law, which allow multiple employers that are unconnected with one other to participate. Each employer can set its own employer and employee contribution rates and usually has its own named section of the ...
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AnalysisHow to help staff trace and consolidate small pension pots
Credit: Dilok Klaisataporn/ShutterstockNeed to know:Significant amounts of money are tied up in small pension pots, many of which may have been forgotten.The Pensions Tracing Service can help people reconnect with lost pensions.Employers can help staff with this process and engage with pensions more generally.The UK is sitting on a ticking ...
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Case StudiesNewcastle Building Society increases staff awareness of how to trace small pension pots
When Ben Thomas joined Newcastle Building Society as head of reward in 2023, one of his first priorities was to benchmark how the organisation performed against competitors.Central to this was its pension scheme. “We offered a competitive pension that was above the market median but a majority of colleagues weren’t ...
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AnalysisHow to boost the popularity of employee share schemes
Credit: Shutterstock/ YesPhotographersNeed to know:Employee share schemes can help organisations attract, retain and motivate staff.But these are not always as valued as they could be by employees.Effective communication is essential, including video, apps and presentations.In March this year, 9,200 Marks and Spencer staff who had been paying into a share ...
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Case StudiesBe.EV positions employee share schemes to retain top talent
National electric vehicle (EV) charging network Be.EV started up in 2020, and officially launched in April 2021. It has always placed the concept of employees sharing in its success at the heart of its model, initially by giving early hires an equity stake and more recently through two enterprise management ...
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Case StudiesHowdens provides staff with valuable retirement-planning tools
Following a review of its pension scheme and a consultation in 2020, kitchen furniture manufacturer Howdens chose to close its defined benefit (DB) scheme in 2021. Alongside this, it improved its offer to employees through the defined contribution (DC) scheme, including increasing the core employer contributions significantly and introducing additional ...
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AnalysisEducating staff about at-retirement choices
Credit: Andrii-Yalanskyi/ShutterstockNeed to know:Employees nearing retirement need to know if they can retire and what their options are.Employers can direct them to support from providers, send out newsmails or facilitate access to qualified financial advisers.It is important for employers not to be seen to be pushing people towards retirement or ...
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AnalysisHow to strike a balance between managing staff wellbeing and financial pressures
Credit: Andrey_Popov/ShutterstockNeed to know:The cost-of-living crisis is forcing more employees to take on additional work due to financial pressures, raising concerns around burnout.Pay strategies such as targeted pay increases, performance-related bonuses and earned wage access can help.Employers need to ensure there is a culture where people can discuss financial concerns.With ...
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ArticleGi Group ensures pay strategy and benefits support employees' wellbeing
Recruitment firm Gi Group has put measures in place to help its employees cope with the cost pressures they are under.Cindy Gunn, group head of people at Gi Group, says: “Recruitment isn’t the most profitable sector so we have to be a bit more creative to make sure our employees ...
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AnalysisWhat role does AI play in reward and benefits?
Credit: Looker/Studio-ShutterstockNeed to know:Artificial intelligence (AI) is already starting to impact the world of benefits and reward, in areas such as benefits selection, administration and modelling potential strategies.Employees can also gain through personalised recommendations and support with questions.But concerns remain over data security and the lack of emotional intelligence in ...
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Case StudiesLing uses AI to offer a personalised benefits experience
Edtech business Ling employs more than 40 people, with many working remotely and based in different parts of the globe.The gamified language app was launched in 2017, and initially offered its growing employee base what chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder Simon Bacher calls a traditional approach to benefits. “As ...
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AnalysisHow to structure a sustainable reward strategy
J.M. Image Factory/shutterstock_1864249615Need to know:Employee benefits can play an important role in helping organisations meet their sustainability goals, as well as helping to attract and retain staff.Travel-related benefits, pensions and carbon-offsetting schemes can all help employees make a difference to their carbon footprint, and that of their employer.It is vital ...
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Case StudiesOvo Energy aligns green benefits to company purpose
Ovo EnergyWhen Ovo Energy took over SSE Energy Services in 2020, it needed to harmonise benefits across the two organsiations. Employees would receive a flex pay arrangement, worth an additional 9% of salary. This would incorporate an employer pension contribution of 4%, and an extra 5% which could be used ...
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Case StudiesLeonardo unifies benefits offering with one platform for all staff
Having brought its various businesses across the UK under the one brand a few years previously, aerospace and defence firm Leonardo realised it needed to unify its benefits offering to attract and retain talent. Andrew Letton, vice president for people shared services, at Leonardo UK, says: “It was very disjointed, ...
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AnalysisHow to select benefits technology that is right for a business
Need to know Benefits technology can play a vital role in engaging employees and ensuring take up of benefits. Employers should start by working out what they want to end up with, and then work out how to get there. They should remember to ask questions ...
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AnalysisHow to address a toxic workplace culture
Need to know:Toxic workplace cultures exist in many UK oganisations, with leaders and managers often to blame.Creating a culture where employees can raise concerns is essential to overcoming such environments.Organisations need to think about how they react where examples of toxic behaviour do occur.Allegations of toxicity and harassment at the ...
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Case StudiesGo Up's benefits support a positive workplace culture
When Amber Wells, growth manager, joined Shoreditch-based digital marketing agency Go Up almost five years ago, one of the things she was looking for was a positive work environment. “I had previously worked at a lot of toxic places, and I knew that I wanted to go somewhere which had ...
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AnalysisHow much do employees value CSR initiatives?
Need to know:Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and volunteering can be highly valued by employees and used as an engagement and retention tool.Employers should consult staff to understand what causes matter most to them.Start with low-level commitments before extending these, and seek employee feedback on schemes.In recent years, organisations have ...
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Case StudiesTyler Grange's CSR culture strengthens employee engagement
Environmental consultancy and B Corp firm Tyler Grange operates a four-day work week with a difference: each employee must spend undertake at least some voluntary work to benefit the local community or wider causes.Simon Ursell, managing director, says: “When we started the business 13 years ago, one of the first ...
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Case StudiesHamilton Barnes' benefits strategy evolves as the business grows
Recruitment agency Hamilton Barnes started up in 2014 and now employs 100 people, having grown from 20 pre-pandemic. As it has grown, it has had to develop its benefits offering to ensure it can hold on to talented staff.George Barnes, chief executive officer (CEO) of Hamilton Barnes, says: “The number ...