All articles by Nicola Sullivan – Page 47
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Article
Arla Foods pleased with voluntary benefits take-up
Arla Foods has seen 18% of its 2,800 employees register for its new voluntary benefits scheme in its first three weeks.The dairy firm, known for brands such as Lurpak, Anchor and Cravendale, launched a voluntary benefits plan last month to enable staff to obtain discounts from a variety of retailers, ...
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Article
Group risk providers still have room for improvement
Service levels among group risk providers have improved, but some issues remain over the accuracy of quotations given to employers, and account management.Mercer's bi-annual Group Risk Survey, based on data taken between November 2008 and May 2009 to analyse the performance of 11 group risk insurers, showed progress had been ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to private medical insurance (September 2009)
Many employers have been amending their PMI provision, but the perk is surviving the downturn, says Nicola SullivanAlthough the private medical insurance (PMI) market seems to be weathering the economic storm, this is mainly because it has been propped up by a rise in the number of individual policyholders, which ...
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Guide Dogs for the Blind Association to launch voluntary benefits
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is to launch a voluntary benefits scheme and seek staff feedback about perks as a precursor to introducing flexible benefits.When the voluntary scheme goes live this month, the organisation's 1,050 employees will be invited to say, via surveys and focus groups, what benefits ...
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Case Studies
Case Study: Munich Re's business objectives for flexible benefits
Reinsurer Munich Re had specific business objectives in mind when it set up its flexible benefits scheme in 2007.The organisation had been operating as three distinct divisions, each with its own culture, workforce profile and benefits package. But employee engagement levels were generally low, and staff turnover in one of ...
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Article
Flexible benefits: Interview with Marianne Huggett of The Work Foundation
Flexible benefits can make a big difference to the working environment and are good for business, says The Work Foundation’s Marianne Huggett. Nicola Sullivan reportsAs associate director of The Work Foundation, Marianne Huggett is well versed in the business benefits employers can gain by offering their staff choice through a ...
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Article
Thomson Regional Newspapers' pension fund in bulk annuity contract deal
The Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) will insure the remainder of the Thomson Regional Newspapers (TRN) pension fund, sponsored by Citigroup.The trustee directors of the TRN pension fund purchased a bulk annuity contract from PIC, the regulated insurance arm of Pension Corporation that is authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). ...
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Article
Center Parcs launches payroll giving scheme
Center Parcs has joined the Geared for Giving Campaign and launched a workplace giving scheme for its 6000 employees.†The payroll giving scheme enables employees based in the firm's head office and its four main locations across the UK to give to a charity of their choice tax efficiently. Employees make ...
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Article
Employers use team sport instead of beer to motivate staff
It appears that the age-old tradition of swilling pints after work is being cast aside, as employees are increasingly getting involved in team sport events with other colleagues.Perhaps this change in culture will reduce hangover rates in the workforce, while also minimising staff absences on a Monday triggered by the ...
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Article
Anglian Water Group replaces pension governance system
Anglian Water Group is replacing its existing pension governance model with a bespoke, online solution from eShare.The deal will see eShare technology managing the Scheme’s document library and risk register as well as streamlining decision-making processes with its eDecisions application.Prior to implementing eShare’s governance software, the pensions team relied mainly ...
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Article
Shareholders at DSG International back controversial executive salary sacrifice plan
Shareholders at DSG International voted in favour of a controversial salary sacrifice arrangement which will allow its chief executive sacrifice 25% of his salary in return for share options.The electrical goods retailer won the backing of shareholders despite the fact that The Association of British (ABI) Insurers has issued an ...
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Article
DSG International puts CEO salary sacrifice plan to vote
Shareholders at DSG International are due to vote today on a controversial salary sacrifice arrangement which would see its chief executive sacrifice 25% of his salary in return for share options.The Association of British Insurers (ABI) issued an 'amber-top' report, highlighting that the proposal constitutes a breach of its guidelines ...
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Article
Most final salary pension schemes are closed to new joiners
The first report of the Association of Consulting Actuaries’ (ACA) survey on pension trends has found that 87% of defined benefit (DB)†schemes are now closed to new entrants.The ACA pensions trends survey, of 309 employers with assets exceeding £138 billion, also found that 18% of those schemes closed to new ...
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Article
Lorica Online teams up with Sodexo
Employee benefits consultancy Lorica Online has teamed up with voucher provider Sodexo.The partnership will see Sodexo’s online vouchers, which are used by employees to make savings on products and services, such as childcare vouchers, integrated into Lorica’s flexible benefits portal, the Cube.Matt Duffy, partnerships manager at Lorica Online, said: “We ...
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Article
Government goes ahead with plans to extend paternity leave rights
The government has announced today that it will go ahead with its plans to make the second six months of maternity leave transferable between parents.The new right, announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, would allow women who have had a child and return to work after six months to ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to emergency childcare (September 2009)
It's worth having services in place to head off short-notice staff absence because of childcare problems, says Nicola SullivanIn their efforts to reduce staff absence or the likelihood of leave being taken at short notice, employers can add emergency childcare services to their package of family-friendly benefits. This perk is ...
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Article
Trainee managers at McDonalds get better benefits than journalists
A-level students that have studied media or other so-called 'micky mouse' subjects may have been told they can only expect to get a job flipping burgers.The hopeful youngsters, however may be better off at McDonalds, which boasts a far meatier benefits package than many journalists get on business-to-business magazines.†Apparently, Formula ...
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Article
X Factor star entertains Kwik Fit Insurance employees
X Factor star Laura White helped employees at Kwik Fit Insurance mark 10 years with the company at a celebration night at the Turnberry golf resort.A total of 52 employees from the Lanarkshire-based insurance intermediary attended the event, which was hosted by Clyde 1 radio presenter Suzie McGuire.During their overnight ...
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Article
Costain could close final salary pension scheme
Construction and engineering group Costain has proposed to close its final salary pension scheme to current members amid fears that it has become too risky and costly run.The firm, which was involved in the redevelopment of St Pancras station in London, is coming to the end of a consultation with ...
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Article
Michael C. Fina launches new instant rewards offering
Michael C. Fina has launched a new employee rewards package that can be used to instantly recognise staffs' achievements in the workplace.Available as either a gift card or as voucher cheques, Spark rewards have been designed to provide organisations with a simple and effective means of offering their staff instant ...