All Research news articles – Page 25

  • Article

    Towers Watson research: Quarter of FTSE 100 firms offer only DC pensions

    2011-03-21T10:45:33Z

    Defined contribution (DC) pension plans are the predominant form of pension scheme among FTSE100 employers.According to the Towers Watson FTSE 100 Defined Contribution Pension Scheme Survey, a quarter (25%) noly offer DC schemes to all employees, an increase from 15% last year.Around 90% of these employers offer a DC scheme ...

  • Article

    Giant Group research: Healthcare contractors expect pay rise this year

    2011-03-16T10:37:55Z

    The majority (70%) of healthcare contractors expect to see their pay rise in 2011, up from 65% last year.According to research by contractor services provider Giant Group, contractors are not likely to be affected by the public sector pay freeze that will hit other public sector healthcare professionals.Matthew Brown, managing ...

  • Article

    Alexander Forbes research: DC pension members are not saving enough

    2011-03-15T09:42:35Z

    Employees in the private sector who are saving into a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme need to pay in much more to avoid poverty in retirement, according to research conducted by Alexander Forbes.The Alexander Forbes National Pension Index showed that in Britain the average employee in such schemes has lost ...

  • Article

    Demos research: Squeezed middle most at risk from financial loss when sick

    2011-03-14T11:07:00Z

    The squeezed middle, those earning between £16,000 and £50,000 per annum, are most at risk to suffer financially if they are unable to work due to sickness or disability, according to a new report from think-tank Demos.The Of Mutual Benefit report stated that as this group of workers would not ...

  • Article

    Shilling research: Employees do not regularly monitor pensions funds

    2011-03-09T10:29:50Z

    Seven out of 10 employees (70%) do not monitor or make changes to their defined contribution (DC) pension fund on a regular basis, according to new research from Shilling Communications.The Shilling Communications: Pension Snapshot, carried out by YouGov, found that of the employees that do not monitor their pension, almost ...

  • Article

    NAPF research: Record numbers of final salary plans closed to existing members

    2011-03-09T10:06:18Z

    A record number of final salary schemes have closed to future contributions from existing members, according to the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).The NAPF's Annual Survey showed that one in five (17%) schemes have shut their final salary pension to both new and existing members, representing a rise of ...

  • Article

    Close Asset Management research: Staff unaware of pension tax change

    2011-03-07T09:50:00Z

    Most employees are unaware of next month’s changes to pensions tax relief, according to research by Close Asset Management.†Of the 2,000 employees who responded to the Close Asset Management Pensions Tax Relief Survey, 77% said they did not know the annual tax-free allowance for pension contributions would be reduced from ...

  • Article

    Buck Consultants research: Health incentives are popular

    2011-03-07T09:40:00Z

    Incentive rewards for taking part in health and wellness schemes are increasing in popularity among UK employers, according to research by Buck Consultants.Working Well: A Global Survey of Health Promotion and Workplace Wellness Strategies found health risk appraisals are the most common benefit for which incentives are offered, as cited ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Alternatives to flex

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    A quarter of employers do not think they have enough benefits to bring in flex, and standalone tax-efficient perks via salary sacrifice are popular, says Nicola SullivanOne-fifth (20%) of employers that have not yet considered implementing flexible benefits say they will do so in the future. This has changed little ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Administration

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    More employers are outsourcing the administration of flex, and measuring the success of their scheme is becoming a greater priority, says Nicola SullivanAlthough the proportion of respondents that manage their flex plan fully in-house has continued to fall, it is still the most popular way to administer a scheme. Six ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Impact of legislation

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    Forthcoming pension reforms and changes to high earners pensions tax relief have affected attitudes to flex, but some employers are still unsure, says Jennifer PatersonA significant number of employers still do not know how the 2012 pension reforms have affected the way they view pensions in relation to flex. In ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Tax-efficient benefits

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    With government tax changes on the way, more and more employers are keen to cash in on tax and NI breaks through flexible benefits, says Jennifer PatersonOffering perks with tax- and national insurance (NI) breaks has become a popular way to redirect cash back into a flexible benefits scheme. Popular ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Benefits on offer

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    Voluntary benefits are increasing as the main precursor to flex, while childcare vouchers and bikes for work continue their rise in popularity, says Jennifer PatersonMaking the transition to flexible benefits requires a change in how staff think about their perks. The manner in which benefits are offered or communicated before ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Structure

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    The trend for employees to be able to trade their benefits up or down continues, and many staff are active in making changes to their package, says Nicola SullivanHow flexible benefits schemes are structured has remained fairly consistent in recent years, although the definition of flex has changed quite a ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Employee Benefits Research 2011: Attitudes

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    As the recession is replaced by the age of austerity, many employers are looking to flex as a cost-efficient way to keep employees motivated, says Jennifer PatersonOnce again, the most commonly cited advantage of running a flex scheme is that it enables staff to tailor benefits to suit their needs ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Key findings

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    The survey, carried out in January 2011, is based on 379 responses from Employee Benefits' readers and users of www.employeebenefits.co.ukKEY FINDINGS38% see flexible benefits schemes being integrated into wider reward platforms in the future36% will consider introducing salary sacrifice around pensions within flexible benefits as a result of the incoming ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    Download a PDF of the Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011†Key findingsAttitudesStructureBenefits on offerTax-efficient benefitsImpact of legislationAdministrationAlternatives to flex†Editor's commentWill flexible benefits schemes as we know them still exist in years to come? This question is currently the subject of much debate as product and provider evolution in the ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible Benefits Research 2011: Sponsor's comment: Adapting to a world of change

    2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

    Jacqueline Otten, director of flexible benefits consulting at Towers Watson, says flex can play an important role in the changing benefits landscapeRecently, I have often had the feeling that everything is on the move, changing, transitioning around us - and the benefits world is no exception. New legislation and changes ...

  • Article

    PensionsFirst research: Funding deficits of FTSE 100 pension schemes have fallen

    2011-03-03T10:37:20Z

    The funding deficits of FTSE 100 pension schemes have reduced, according to research conducted PensionsFirst(PF).The latest PF Risk Report, a monthly analysis of defined benefit (DB) pension risk for UK FTSE 100 firms, found that the proxy funding deficit now stands at £84 billion, compared to £134 billion in August.†Despite ...

  • Article

    Randstad research: Few employers have assessed impact of Agency Workers Regulations

    2011-03-01T10:51:44Z

    Only 7% of UK employers have conducted an assessment into how they will be impacted by the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), according to Randstad’s Shifting Sands report.Over a third (37%) of respondents admit they are unfamiliar with the regulations.The AWR, which will come into force on 1 October 2011, will ...