All articles by Nicola Sullivan – Page 46
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Article
Gordon Brown responds to concerns over childcare vouchers
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has responded to concerns over his decision to abolish tax relief on childcare vouchers.During a question and answer with Mumsnet, a global online parenting network, the Prime Minister acknowledged that his plans to carry out a phased withdrawal of tax and national insurance breaks on childcare ...
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Article
Axa is to launch online pensions video
Axa Corporate Benefits is launching a new online video programme designed to engage younger employees with their corporate pension arrangement.Pensions TV is designed to overcome inertia around pensions and any difficulties employees, particularly younger staff members, might have discussing the benefit.The programmes available follow three employees who demonstrate varying approaches ...
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Article
Resistance mounts against plans to axe tax relief on childcare vouchers
Resistance against the government’s decision to scrap tax relief on childcare vouchers is mounting and a petition set up against the plans has received thousands of signatures.Childcare providers such as KiddiVouchers are urging employers and parents to sign the official Downing Street petition, which will be open until 29 September ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Live: Wellbeing among Unilever staff saves £300k
Unilever made savings of £300,000 over the last two years after as a result of a health and wellbeing programme that was designed to improve nutrition and fitness of employees.Addressing delegates today at Employee Benefits Live 2009, held at the Business and Design Centre in London, Breckon Jones, health and ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Live: Employers must have clear plan for total reward
Employers should underpin their total reward strategy with clear business objectives, according to Professor Shaun Tyson of Cranfield School of Management.Addressing delegates in a master class on total reward at Employee Benefits Live 2009, held at the Business Design Centre in London today, Professor Tyson said organisations should decide whether ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Live: Employers must adopt moral and fair approach to reward
Duncan Brown, director of reward services at the Institute of Employment Studies emphasised to employers the importance of ensuring they adopted a moral and fair approach to reward during the tough economic climate.Addressing delegates attending the opening keynote session at Employee Benefits Live, held at the Business Design Centre in ...
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Case Studies
Employer profile: Pret A Manger
With a fun culture and a bonus system that rewards good customer service, staff at Pret A Manger seem a pretty happy bunch, reports Nicola SullivanA basement office deep in the bowels of a Pret A Manger store on Baker Street in London is probably not where you would expect ...
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Analysis
The pensions buyout market
The pensions buyout market is starting to recover after a sharp decline, but employers are keen to find the right de-risking options, says Nicola SullivanThe pensions buyout market is in a state of flux. It reached its peak as the economy headed towards recession, gobbling up the risk associated with ...
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Article
BSM launches GPP scheme
BSM has launched a new group personal pension (GPP) scheme for its 370 retail and head office staff.Under the scheme, which went live in September, staff will be required to contribute a minimum of 3% of salary to receive a matched employer contribution. For most employees, BSM will match up ...
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Article
Hewitt and Benefex link up to to deliver reward services
Hewitt Associates and Benefex are teaming up to deliver reward and benefits services across the UK and globally.The partnership, launched at Employee Benefits Live this month, will enable employers to purchase consulting, technology and benefits delivery services relating to total reward, voluntary benefits and flexible benefits schemes.Organisations will also be ...
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Article
Amey boosts flexible benefits take-up
Public services provider Amey has increased take-up of its flexible benefits scheme and boosted staff engagement, while reducing absence levels.New benefitsAfter revamping its flex plan, 15% of staff are now taking part, compared with 2% when the plan was launched three years ago. New benefits include life assurance, dental insurance, ...
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Article
Curvy girls are a 'perk of the job'
In an environment where reward and benefits budgets are likely to have shrunk, employers can comfort themselves with the fact some employees may find workplace perks that blossom in the most unlikely of placesDr Terence Kealey from Buckingham University, for instance, finds curvy female students an attractive element of his ...
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Article
Daily Mail and General Trust closes final salary pension to new joiners
Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) is closing its final salary defined benefit (DB) pension scheme to employees that join the firm from October.The media group said the changes had been prompted by future projections of increased life expectancy and other cost pressures.Around 4,000 employees who are already in the ...
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Article
Executive pay rises despite falls in company performance
Executive pay has risen despite a fall in company performance, according to research carried out by government body Pirc and investment firm Railpen.The Say on Pay: Six Years On report said that total remuneration has continued to grow even when markets had fallen.The report suggested that some shareholders have not ...
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Article
ABM University NHS Trust to launch staff rostering and absence system
ABM University NHS Trust has appointed Kronos to manage employee rostering and time and attendance across three main hospital sites. The system will cover clinical, administrative and nursing staff.The staff rostering system, to be used by nearly 5,000 employees, will enable the Trust to improve the utilisation of clinical staff ...
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Article
Bupa employees volunteer in Ecuador
Healthcare company Bupa will launch its largest ever staff volunteering challenge in a remote village in Ecuador this month.Around 120 Bupa employees from across the globe will travel to Ecuador between September and November to build essential health facilities for the small agricultural community of Miraflores, where a doctor only ...
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Case Studies
Case Study: Computacenter
Honesty is the best policy for ComputacenterComputacenter is reviewing its benefits package with the aim of helping staff until better times arrive.Barry Hoffman, director of human resources, says: "In the current climate, staff value job security more than gimmicky perks. We are undertaking a review of all our benefits, working ...
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Case Studies
Case Study: Mace Group
Mace Group builds employee engagementConstruction group Mace is planning for recovery by building up its reward schemes, despite gloom in the sector.HR director Kath Knight explains: "Unlike many in our industry, Mace Group has not taken any action to reduce employee benefits during these challenging times. In fact, we have ...
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Case Studies
Case Study: B&Q updates staff recognition scheme
B&Q tools up to reward achievementIn March, DIY retailer B&Q updated its ‘thank-you’ scheme to incorporate its new corporate giftcard product. The scheme is a way for B&Q’s 34,000 staff to recognise colleagues’ achievements at work.The new scheme includes a website, which employees visit to send electronic thank-you messages. Then, ...
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Article
Humberside Police to extend bonus scheme
Humberside Police is looking to extend its bonus scheme and raise staff understanding of perks.The force is taking steps to widen its bonus plan to include office-based staff and recognise contributions that save it money or enhance police work in the community. Under the current scheme, bonuses are mainly awarded ...