Pharmaceutical firm Novartis is preparing to implement a flexible benefits scheme early next year after carrying out a series of employee opinion surveys and focus group studies.
The company carried out the surveys to gauge staff opinion and ascertain what it could do to boost engagement. Jeanette Piorkowska (pictured), head of reward, said: "We want to engage people more and benefits are very important [in achieving this]."
The firm is in the process of signing off the design of the scheme and will then embark on a tendering process to select providers to administer it and provide the benefits.
Novartis is considering offering experience days, health screening and travel accounts to staff through the scheme. It plans to contribute towards the cost of some of these benefits, such as health screening.
"With benefits we want to be innovative and not to just go with what is out there in the market," said Piorkowska. Novartis is expected to communicate the flexible benefits scheme to its staff in the autumn.