Opinion – Page 4
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OpinionLovewell’s logic: Is the proposed US baby bonus enough to support working parents?
One proposal reportedly being considered by the Trump administration is the notion of paying all new mothers in the US a $5,000 bonus following the birth of a child.
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OpinionSarah Jackman: Shining a light on employees’ caring responsibilities
In the UK, the country’s changing demographics mean that care responsibilities now extend beyond childcare, with an increasing number of employees caring for elderly parents.
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OpinionPaul Harrison and Natasha Adom: Financial regulators roll back DEI proposals – a sign of things to come?
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) have announced that they will not be taking forward plans to introduce a new framework to promote diversity and inclusion in the financial sector.
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OpinionConfessions of a benefits manager: Candid looks at healthy workforce support
Candid explores options of how to help employees become healthier.
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OpinionKatie Rutter: How to support employees returning to work after an illness or accident
A work capability assessment can be incredibly helpful to demonstrate what an employee may or may not be capable of, as well as what adjustments may be required to facilitate the return to work.
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OpinionLovewell’s logic: Incentivising AI
Will more organisations follow Shoosmiths’ lead and linking the use of AI to bonus and incentive schemes?
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OpinionLee McIntyre-Hamilton: Implications of NIC and minimum wage increases on salary sacrifice
There is no doubt about it; the upcoming rise in employer national insurance contributions, the national minimum wage, and the national living wage will lead to substantial employment cost increases for many employers.
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OpinionPaul Gambon: Why digital health benefits are the future of workplace wellbeing
Paul Gambon explores the drivers behind the growth of digital health benefits, their impact on employee engagement and retention, and how HR professionals can integrate them into their benefits strategy.
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OpinionLovewell’s logic: Navigating the stresses of modern life
The unrelenting pace of modern life, and the challenges this brings, mean employers may find the provision of support becomes a point of differentiation for both prospective and existing employees.
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OpinionKevin Poulter: Paid leave sought for women who suffer miscarriage
A change in the law has been proposed that will provide women who suffer a miscarriage two weeks of paid leave to mourn their loss.
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OpinionPaul Robbins: The impact of rising employer national insurance contributions
Credit: Croner-i As announced in Chancellor’s Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget statement, the rate of employer’s national insurance contributions (NICs) will increase to 15% from 6 April, up by 1.2% from 13.8%. Simultaneously, the secondary threshold at which those contributions start to become payable is almost halved, down ...
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OpinionLovewell’s logic: A winning formula
Judging the Employee Benefits Awards 2025 highlighted many benefits professionals’ passion for the industry.
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OpinionJonathan Mansfield: How employers can prepare for the Employment Rights Bill
The latest changes to the Employment Rights Bill on 4 March strengthen the new rights.
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OpinionConfessions of a benefits manager: Candid dabbles with AI
Candid tries out her employer’s bespoke company artificial intelligence interface called Alan or Al for short.
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OpinionCaroline Harwood: Can employers use salary sacrifice schemes to mitigate Budget tax rises?
The Chancellor announced that the threshold at which employers start paying NICs for each employee would fall from £9,100 to £5,000.
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OpinionLovewell’s logic: Why is motherhood still so detrimental to a woman’s career?
This week, the charity Pregnant Then Screwed launched a live online career shredder, with the aim of virtually shredding 74,000 CVs in representation of the up to 74,000 women who experience losing their job as a result of pregnancy or maternity discrimination every year in the UK.
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OpinionJainika Patel: Impact of the Addison Lee tribunal judgment on workers’ rights
The January 2025 tribunal judgment that Addison Lee drivers should be classified as workers, is one of many cases in determining whether an individual is self-employed or a worker.
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OpinionLovewell’s logic: Making benefits memorable
How can employers build a benefits package that will be remembered by future generations?
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OpinionCharlotte Gunn: How can employers avoid costly litigation from an equal pay bill?
Asda has suffered another blow in the long-running equal pay litigation brought on behalf of thousands of employees.
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OpinionEwen MacPherson: Imagining the future world of work
A postcard from the future: Ewen MacPherson, group chief people officer at Havas UK, imagines what the world of work could look like in 30 years.