All articles by Nicola Sullivan – Page 21

  • Article

    Creative Benefits launches auto-enrolment services

    2011-06-14T23:00:00Z

    Creative Benefits has introduced services designed to assist employers with the auto-enrolment of staff into occupational pension schemes from 2012.The firm, formerly known as Creative Benefits Solutions, coincided the launch of five services with its rebrand and name change in May.Issues covered by its auto-enrolment services are: strategy and budget, ...

  • Article

    Hertfordshire County Council outsources pensions administration

    2011-06-13T08:59:28Z

    Hertfordshire County Council has appointed the London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) to look after pensions administration and payroll.The contract, expected to make savings of £1.6 million over eight years, covers both the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Services pension schemes.Mike Taylor, chief executive of LPFA, ...

  • Article

    Mercer extends workplace savings product with enhanced annuity terms

    2011-06-10T09:49:30Z

    Mercer has expanded its workplace savings product by offering enhanced annuity terms to scheme members through a partnership with The Open Market Annuity Service.Employees will be able to submit medical information online, by phone, or via a tailored questionnaire to identify the most appropriate annuity on the open market, based ...

  • Article

    Money laundering threatens payroll departments

    2011-06-10T09:17:00Z

    A typical payroll professional, perhaps known for their sobriety and sometimes obsessive attention to detail, will no doubt be intrigued by news that the unlawful actions of fraudster Bernie Madoff’s payroll manager Eric Lipkin has highlighted the threat that money laundering poses for payroll departments.The multi-billion-dollar fraud investigation saw Lipkin ...

  • Article

    Pointon York launches Sharia-compliant self invested personal pensions

    2011-06-09T09:10:27Z

    Pointon York has launched a range of Sharia-compliant self-invested personal pensions (Sipps) as part of efforts to meet a growing demand from Muslim savers for a suitable retirement plan.Pointon York, which has received accreditation for the Islamic Bank of Britain, will offer four Sipps, including a corporate Sipp, which is ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits Awards 2011 winners to be announced

    2011-06-09T08:42:53Z

    The Employee Benefits Awards will take place today to recognise and reward employers which have made a significant difference to their organisations through their reward strategies.The event, hosted by acclaimed actor Stephen Mangan, will take place at The Artillery Gardens at The HAC. Organisations that have been shortlisted for awards ...

  • Article

    Barnett Waddingham research: Funding level for FTSE 100 pension schemes increases

    2011-06-07T08:58:20Z

    The average funding level for FTSE 100 firms' pension schemes has increased due to strong equity market returns seen in the second half of 2010, according to research conducted by Barnett Waddingham.The average IAS19 funding level for the organisations surveyed increased to approximately 88% at 31 December 2010 compared with ...

  • Article

    Bluefin Corporate Consulting launches website on pension reforms

    2011-06-06T09:15:23Z

    Bluefin Corporate Consulting has launched a unique new website offering employers information, advice and free seminars about their obligations under the 2012 pension reforms, including auto-enrolment.The website offers technical information, as well as advice to save employers’ time wading through legislation. There is also a video guide to employer duties ...

  • Article

    News alanysis: Rising cost of workplace depression

    2011-06-06T08:00:00Z

    As workplace pressures continue, employers should take steps to safeguard the mental wellbeing of their employees, says Nicola SullivanAs employers and their workers continue to experience pressures from the economic climate and current government cuts, depression in the workplace is increasingly becoming more of an issue for compensation and benefits ...

  • Article

    Interview with Ian Hodson, reward and benefits manager at the University of Lincoln

    2011-06-05T23:00:00Z

    An enthusiastic approach rubs off on colleagues and helps to meet professional challenges, says Ian Hodson, reward and benefits manager at the University of Lincoln?Ian Hodson, reward and benefits manager at the University of Lincoln, is a great believer in the contagious effect of enthusiasm – a personal trait he ...

  • Case Studies

    Case study: BAE Systems reshapes bonus scheme

    2011-06-05T23:00:00Z

    Defence firm BAE Systems restructured its bonus scheme for executives as part of its efforts to reward those who contribute to its objectives, in order to follow recommendations set by Lord Woolf, the Lord Chief Justice, who started examining its business practices in 2007 when an investigation by the Serious ...

  • Analysis

    How does the Bribery Act affect employers?

    2011-06-05T23:00:00Z

    If you read nothing else, read this… Reward can be used to drive cultural change, whether it relates to the Bribery Act, an organisation’s carbon footprint, encouraging a high-performance culture, or reducing risk-taking in financial services. Employers need to ensure that their mission statements and values are backed up by ...

  • Article

    Nelsons increases take-up of group personal pension plan and introduces salary sacrifice

    2011-06-01T00:00:01Z

    Nelsons has increased the take-up of its group personal pension (GPP) scheme and introduced a salary sacrifice arrangement after an extensive communications campaign.The natural medicines provider, which re-launched its GPP between February and March, now has 67% of its employees saving into a pension, compared to 49% previously. Almost three ...

  • Article

    Willis launches insurance product for grey fleet drivers

    2011-06-01T00:00:01Z

    Willis has developed an insurance product that can be used in conjunction with Fleet Support Group's online risk management programme.Targeted at grey fleet drivers, the insurance product is underwritten by international insurer Catlin Group and uses HM Revenue and Customs' tax free approved mileage allowance payments (Amap) as its premium ...

  • Article

    Grove Corporate Pensions launches retirement options division

    2011-06-01T00:00:01Z

    Pensions consultant Grove Corporate Pensions has launched a new division, Grove Corporate Retirement Options, to help employees with their retirement options.The service will provide employers with their own information website to help employees understand their options.Mike Ormond, financial adviser and founder of Grove Corporate Pensions, said: “Like it or not, ...

  • Article

    NYSE Euronext Group launches salary sacrifice car scheme

    2011-06-01T00:00:01Z

    NYSE Euronext Group has launched a salary sacrifice car scheme for its 650 UK employees.Through the scheme, provided by Tusker, staff give up part of their gross salary in exchange for a car with CO2 emissions of 120g per km or below. So far, 2% of the workforce have joined ...

  • Article

    Heath Lambert and Wealth at Work team up to offer benefits consulting

    2011-06-01T00:00:01Z

    Heath Lambert and Wealth at Work have teamed up to offer benefits consulting supported by workplace financial education and advice.Employers that sign up for the joint services will have access to Heath Lambert’s new benefits platform, which includes online flexible benefits enrolment and communication of total reward. The platform also ...

  • Article

    Warwickshire County Council takes loan to plug pension cash shortfall

    2011-05-27T09:51:28Z

    Warwickshire County Council has taken a £5 million short-term loan to make up a cash shortfall in its pension scheme.The shortfall followed austerity measures, which resulted in redundancies and early retirement programmes at bodies associated with the local authority's pension fund.A spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council said: "The short-term loan ...

  • Article

    Supportive colleagues increase life expectancy

    2011-05-27T08:23:01Z

    Supportive colleagues could become an integral part of workplace health and wellbeing packages after researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel found that employees who had good relationships with co-workers were more likely to live longer.Although some employees may moan about their boss, the study showed that having a supportive ...

  • Article

    CIPD research: More than half of employers want to align reward with business strategy

    2011-05-26T09:05:54Z

    More than half of employers (59%) want to ensure that their reward package is closely aligned with the organisation's business strategy, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).The CIPD's Reward Management Survey 2011, produced in partnership with Benefex, also showed that employers wanted to make sure reward ...