Opinion
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OpinionAndrea London: Is there is a real risk of ageism in our hybrid future?
New hybrid working models are quickly becoming the norm, with their constant requirement for online productivity, virtual working and remote meetings/presentations. However, are our older generation cognisant of these technological advances and are they able to keep up?We seem to be noting an increased polarisation of the labour market in ...
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OpinionDaisy Hooper: Cutting pay for hybrid workers is a risky strategy
After more than a year of adapting to Covid-19, we know from experience that remote and flexible working is not only possible, in many cases it’s desirable. Employees like it and the impact on business hasn’t been anywhere near as negative as some predicted at the beginning of the pandemic. ...
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OpinionStephen Perkins: Informed and thoughtful innovation is needed to keep benefits relevant
In an article published in autumn 2018, The overlooked essentials of employee wellbeing, McKinsey drew attention to what’s an often-overlooked form of ‘reward’ for employees - namely the benefit of giving people more influence over their work life. Flexibility in devolving control from employer to employee was said to foster ...
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OpinionProfessor Alex Bryson: All-employee share plans increase loyalty and productivity
Across Britain, around half of all listed organisations run some kind of all-employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), offering workers the opportunity to buy shares in the firm at discounted rates.In How does shared capitalism affect economic performance in the UK?, Bryson and Freeman, 2010, we found plan members behave differently ...
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OpinionAntonia Bello: Embracing benefits technology improves employee engagement
Benefits technology has developed in leaps and bounds in recent years, and what was once a yearly paper-pushing exercise is now an exciting chance to engage with employees more frequently.At Aspen, we have been careful to craft a benefits package that is not only suitable for the business and our ...
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OpinionDavid Enser: Flexibility is key to expat motivation and recognition schemes
Expatriate motivation and recognition schemes should not be rigid, but should instead offer flexibility within a controlled framework. Managers must have a toolkit of buttons to push to ensure engagement and motivation on the one hand, while also being able to respond to the unique needs of both the individual ...
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OpinionProfessor Dan Cable: A flexible benefits package is essential in the modern workplace
If you want your employees to be at their best, it makes sense for them to have a say on their reward package. As a result, I believe flexible benefits are fundamental.Importantly, flexible packages are a way for employers to show that they care about their employees by offering a ...
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OpinionTim Middleton: How should pensions communications be adapted for part-time and job-share employees?
Over the past decade, there has been a marked increase in the number of people working part-time. The need for flexibility in the workforce has seen many people take on more than one job and large employers can no longer assume that the majority of their employees are full-time. This ...
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OpinionSusan Ball: What do the changes to salary sacrifice mean for employers?
With publication of the Finance Bill, the final legislation around changes to salary sacrifice is now available, and considerably more pages have been added. Given the volume of additional legislative text, coupled with the short timeframe between publication and the 6 April 2017 effective date, employers face significant practical difficulties ...
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OpinionMichael Rose: Build flexible benefits slowly to tie in what employees value
It all starts with the aims of the flexible benefits plan. As an organisation, agree why flexible benefits are being introduced and what success will look like. By definition, providing choice is almost certainly one of the aims. But it does not mean that complete flexibility has to be provided ...
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OpinionPeter Reilly: How can employers build empowerment into their reward policies?
Empowering staff is an understandable objective for organisations operating in today’s knowledge and service economy. Releasing employees’ discretionary effort can lead to higher productivity and better customer service, and one key way of getting greater employee engagement is through giving colleagues more autonomy. This means offering them access to more ...
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OpinionDr Hugh Cook: The outcomes and complexities of flexible benefits schemes
Theoretically, the motivation for employers to offer flexible benefits schemes stems from their need to attract employees and reduce labour turnover. Both are key measures of labour market performance, which ought to be improved by offering benefits that are attractive to a wider range of workers. Given the increasing demographic ...
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OpinionPeter Roberts: Cutting costs not corners
Flexible benefits have long been seen as playing a vital role in employee engagement. It is arguably one of the keys to unlocking productivity, as well as attracting and retaining talent.The reduction in pension commission is coupled with continuing pressure on health insurance costs, an increasingly competitive market for talent ...
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OpinionPaul Brown: Fit-for-purpose and well-communicated benefits engage staff
Some 92% of our respondents reported an increased level of employee engagement as an outcome of flex. This is compelling evidence to back up the theory that flexible benefits are considered best practice and a necessary weapon in the continuing battle to retain key talent. The research suggests flex is ...