Opinion – Page 17
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OpinionJoanne Frew: Open communication is key as employees given more flexibility
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published the government's response to the consultation ‘Making Flexible Working the Default’, confirming that millions of employees will receive a day one right to request flexible working, empowering them to have a greater say over when, where and how they ...
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OpinionMax Ballad: Forfeiture rules should allow trustees discretion to pay benefits to pensioners
Imagine you go into a shop to buy an item for 95 pence and hand over £1. You wait for your change. After a short while the shopkeeper closes the till and wishes you a good day. “No change?” “Sorry sir, in this shop if you don’t ask for your ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: An own goal or winning formula?
Last Sunday saw the Fifa World Cup 2022 kick off in Qatar. With many matches scheduled to take place during the working day, this year’s tournament poses something of a challenge for employers.According to research published by bookmaker Paddy Power last week, 47% of the 2,002 football fans surveyed said ...
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OpinionPaul Kelly: The importance of gender pay gap reporting for businesses
The government’s latest pay gap report, HMRC gender pay gap report 2021, which was published on 27 January 2022, revealed that in 2021, women earned 90 pence for every £1 earned by a man. Following this, there is increasing pressure for employers not just to report the numbers but instead ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Should Elon Musk retain home working at Twitter?
Elon Musk has certainly made an impression – and headlines – during his first few weeks as owner of Twitter. After letting approximately half of the workforce go, this week he announced that employees must return to the office to work if they are able to do so. Those who ...
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OpinionEmily Whitelock: Can pensions auto-enrolment adjustments increase saver engagement?
In its blog published 4 November, AE has come a long way, but we all have further to go, the Pensions Regulator (TPR) recognises the successes of automatic-enrolment in encouraging retirement saving. It also acknowledges that it could do more to enforce employer compliance with AE obligations.Is there scope, 10 ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: What more can be done to support male mental health?
Sometimes a press release lands in my inbox containing facts and figures that really stick in my head. This week, a release focusing on male mental health from mental health and wellbeing support services provider Wellbeing Partners did just that.This highlighted several key statistics pertaining to male mental health in ...
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OpinionTom Moyes: The importance of supporting and managing stress in the workplace
International Stress Awareness Week (7 - 11 November 2022) was founded in 2018 by the International Stress Management Association, and focuses on managing stress and running campaigns against the stigma associated with stress and mental health.Research published on 3 March 2022 by the London School of Economics and Political Science ...
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OpinionRhiannon Barnsley: Auto-enrolment reform gives employees a choice
Nobody is thinking about pension auto-enrolment reform at the moment. Quite frankly, people are more concerned about how they are going to afford to put the heating on this winter, or how they are going to pay their mortgage. Understandably, of course. However, this should not be used as an ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Supporting employees' fertility journey
Next week (31 October to 4 November) marks National Fertility Awareness Week. Fertility and trying to conceive often remains a hidden topic, particularly in the workplace, with many employees choosing to keep their journey to themselves. Yet, with fertility issues now facing more than 3.5 million people in the UK, ...
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OpinionHina Belitz: Are working mothers a symptom of economic downturn?
Fewer women are leaving work after having children. While some see this increased workforce participation as a step towards equality, as inflation surges, many mothers now work out of economic necessity.Although the Equality Act 2010 legally protects women from discrimination in the workplace, inequality and discrimination still remain far too ...
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OpinionBethan Jones: What do employers need to consider following the Forstater ruling?
In the Forstater v CGD Europe and ors case, the employment appeal tribunal (EAT) decided that gender-critical opinions amounted to a philosophical belief, and were worthy of protection from discrimination. Forstater openly communicated her belief that sex is immutable and not to be conflated with gender identity. She considered that ...
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OpinionPaul Gilshan: Salary sacrifice car schemes are a highly-valued benefit
With the current challenges for employers around the recruitment and retention of staff, and research showing that wage increases alone are not enough to combat these challenges, it is widely accepted that employers can instead focus on benefits packages that provide real-world benefits. Packages that employees genuinely value are what ...
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OpinionJason Green: Employee data helps create a valuable benefits proposition
Data is now king.In a time where we are all struggling with gender pay gaps, pension shortfalls and a cost-of-living crisis, now more than ever employees should be fully utilising their benefits and reward packages to ensure they are getting the most from their employers. But are these benefits and ...
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OpinionSyma Spanjers: What support should employers provide for menopause in the workplace?
There is growing momentum among employers to support employees affected by the menopause in the workplace.In July 2022, the government produced its response to the Independent report on menopause and the workplace. For employers, the key recommendations include promoting open conversations and training line managers to recognise symptoms of the ...
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OpinionAndrew Krawczyk: Good data is vital in building an employee-led health strategy
Organisations have a wealth of employee data, almost at their fingertips: from basic demographical information to more in-depth personal data such as health and fitness, absence records, or health insurance and group risk claims. This data plays an important role in improving employee wellbeing and resilience, providing strategic direction based ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Supporting staff through baby loss
This week marks Baby Loss Awareness Week, between 9-15 October. While other awareness days or weeks are widely discussed in the corporate space, this one appears to be less so. Baby or pregnancy loss is often a hidden subject in the workplace, with many employees perhaps preferring not to disclose ...
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OpinionLaura Tracey: How employers can support staff with the loss of a child
Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October) is when many who are affected by the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or termination for medical reasons, come together in remembrance and support in both their personal and working lives.Employees who suffer from a miscarriage before 24 weeks do ...
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OpinionLauren Wilkinson: Collective defined contribution pensions offer employers greater control
As UK pension provision shifts increasingly away from defined benefit (DB) schemes, collective defined contribution (CDC) plans could be an attractive option for employers looking at closing existing DB schemes in order to have greater certainty and control over costs.It could also appeal to employers currently providing DC arrangements which ...
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OpinionConfessions of a benefits manager: Candid integrates a new location
As part of the Higher Being’s strategy for world domination, we have bought out an organisation in east Germany. We have several locations in Germany already, but apparently this firm brings a unique blend of synergies to our niche technology. That is what we always say about random acquisitions, so ...