Opinion – Page 7
-
OpinionBlair Adams and Kezia Daley: Brexit and the loss of EU nationals
Employers with European Union (EU) nationals in their workforce have a vested interest in actively helping and encouraging them to apply for settled status before 31 October 2019, in case free movement ends on that date in a no-deal Brexit scenario.EU nationals currently have two options to stay in the ...
-
OpinionLovewell's logic: Supporting staff through menopause
At the Labour party conference earlier this week, Dawn Butler, the shadow women and equalities minister, announced plans to require all organisations with more than 250 employees to introduce a menopause workplace policy.Under these measures, employers would be required to make various provision: allowing staff to work flexibly if needed, ...
-
OpinionBoma Adoki and Melanie Shone: Major change to the UK tax regime for contractors
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is continuing its quest to ensure that individuals who work like employees pay tax like employees, even when working via a personal service company (PSC). However, it has had mixed success recently, as a number of its determinations have been overturned in the Tax Tribunal.Set ...
-
OpinionAlexander Maki: Using employee benefits to combat climate change
As concern about climate change increases around the globe, many organisations are aiming to take action.There are many ways for employers to decrease their carbon footprints, such as buying renewable energy, improving energy and fuel efficiency in their operations, and exerting influence on their supply chain. However, one underappreciated strategy ...
-
OpinionOliver Topping: How to spot personal data breaches and when to report them
In 2018, new data protection laws brought in a requirement for data controllers, like employers and trustees of pension schemes, to make reports swiftly after certain types of personal data breaches occur.Before rushing to pick up the phone to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or emailing affected employees or pension ...
-
OpinionDr Mathew Donald: Managing employees through times of change
The business environment is full of ongoing change, characterised by uncertainty and risk. Employers may be wondering what will happen if Brexit occurs or not, or be concerned about latest trade wars; it is clear that disruption is not reducing.My paper, Resistance to change forms and effects in Greater Western ...
-
OpinionProfessor Shaun Tyson: How important are benefits for motivation and retention?
The relative importance of pay and benefits in the wider context of the full range of HR policies varies, according to changing organisational and economic environments.Recently, for example, the growth of the gig economy and the concept of ‘self-employment plus’ has raised questions about the significance of employee benefits. However, ...
-
OpinionLouise Allen: Aligning employees with business goals is a win-win situation
We have a lot of successes to shout about at BHP, from increasing turnover to more than £20 million to being recognised as one of the Sunday Times' Top 100 Best Companies to Work For.All of these successes are testament to one thing: putting our people first.BHP’s leading core value, ...
-
OpinionCharles Cotton: Maximising value when investing in employee benefits
The cost of some benefits is rising, driven in part by legislative changes. For instance, the minimum employer contribution to a workplace pension increased from 1% to 2% in April 2018, and to 3% a year later. While 3% may not seem much, for some employers, this rise, coupled ...
-
OpinionDr Rea Prouska: Non-financial strategies are viable alternatives to financial rewards
Total reward strategies include all types of financial and non-financial, direct and indirect, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and play a crucial role in attracting new employees, eliciting strong performance and maintaining engagement. The application of such strategies contributes to employee wellbeing, satisfaction and productivity.However, economic turbulence, such as the global ...
-
OpinionJo Moffatt: Benefits packages need engaging communications to be a success
Spending time and money setting up a great benefits package, designed with the needs of an employee audience in mind, is just the beginning. Fail to communicate it properly, and employers might as well not have bothered.Poor communications mean wasted money, wasted time, and not to mention a singularly wasted ...
-
OpinionMichael Brown: Online learning is an important tool for wellbeing and development
Wellbeing at work means a lot of different things, but the fact remains that, whether you are talking about someone’s physical wellness, mental health, or just simply whether they are happy and reaching their potential, wellbeing at work is now a top HR agenda item.Our awareness of what it means ...
-
OpinionAlison Argall: How to create the perfect benefit launch
Employers only get one chance to introduce a new benefit, so it is critical to get it right. When it comes to fine-tuning the perfect benefit launch, there are some key insights that can help organisations start with a bang.Clear goals for successPerhaps benchmarking or staff feedback has revealed a ...
-
OpinionSuzanne Peck: Understanding benefits can build engagement and productivity
Employees who are aware of the benefits on offer to them are more likely to be advocates for their employer, as well as being more engaged and more productive, staying with the business for longer, as well as taking less time off.Whether a pension scheme, paid leave for bereavement or ...
-
OpinionScott Cawood: Know the organisation before benchmarking total reward
How do top performing organisations attract the absolute best talent? It is never just the number on a pay stub; instead, the answer is complex and multi-layered.In a competitive employment market, it is critical to benchmark reward. This means not only looking outward at the rewards offered by competitors, but, ...
-
OpinionPhil Sproston: How can total reward strategies help create top employers?
Total reward strategies have come to be highly effective weapons for many top employers in the UK. To understand why, it is important to break down the words themselves.Organisations are becoming increasingly broad in their perspective regarding what reward really means, and so the word 'total' is key. While 'reward' ...
-
OpinionRichard Morgan: EVP should meet the needs of a multi-generational workforce
With factors such as technology and employee demographics reshaping the workplace, businesses are changing rapidly. Thanks to the removal of the default retirement age, employees are staying in work for longer, with some organisations now boasting workforces spanning five generations.While there are numerous benefits, such as greater diversity and more ...
-
OpinionJohn Forth: How have total reward trends developed?
A major feature of the reward landscape in recent years has been the prolonged period of wage stagnation; according to Employee earnings in the UK: 2018, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in October 2018, average wages are still below levels recorded in 2008, after adjusting for inflation.As ...
-
OpinionDanielle Crawford: What do employers need to watch out for with Christmas rewards?
Many employers offer their workforce some form of incentive or reward during the festive period. However, in order to minimise the risk of disgruntled employees, employers need to carefully consider their Christmas gestures of goodwill.First and foremost, organisations must ensure that their employees are treated fairly and consistently. People will ...
-
OpinionDavid Webb: What can employers do to support World Cup football fans at work?
Who would be a football manager? Well, like it or not, a lot of employees are planning to be one over the next few weeks during the World Cup, from 14 June to 15 July 2018.That includes employees being organised enough to ask their boss in good time for time ...