All articles by Robert Crawford – Page 18
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Case Studies
Kronos staff rewarded for using wearable technology
These rewards include lower insurance premiums for US-based staff and wellness prizes, which could include wearable devices themselves. Staff simply have to upload their recent activity from their devices to the organisation’s wellness portal, where each employee has a personalised profile to accumulate the points required for rewards. Greater engagement ...
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Opinion
Richard Kandler: Taxation of death benefits and changes from April 2015
In broad terms, this can be regarded as an extension of tax relaxations recently announced in relation to lump-sum death benefits. Those changes do not affect either the inheritance tax or lifetime allowance (LTA) positions, but they do ease the burden of the current 55% ’special tax charge’.For payments made ...
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Article
Benefits market consolidates
According to Aviva chairman John McFarlane, the deal will consolidate the organisation’s market-leading position in the UK and allow a much stronger dividend flow and balance sheet position than would have been possible otherwise. Also in December, Sodexo acquired incentive and recognition provider Motivcom, which owns brands including P&MM Employee ...
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Analysis
How could wearable technology change workplace health?
If you read nothing else, read this…Wearable technology can enable staff to measure their daily activity levels and pulse rates and manage their health risks.Wearable devices can capture vast amounts of biometric data. Concerns about data protection could hamper market growth. The list of wearable technology is long and growing. ...
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Article
TalkTalk implements total reward statements
EXCLUSIVE: TalkTalk has implemented total reward statements for employees to use on the go.The move, which is part of the launch of a new HR system, Workday, for the employer’s 2,200 employees towards the back end of 2014, allows staff to view their total remuneration package that includes: pay, allowances, ...
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Article
Pension reforms increase retirement engagement
The new pension flexibilities, which are due to come into effect in April, are resulting in more people becoming switched on to retirement planning, according to research by the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest).Its Nest insight 2015 report, which surveyed a representative sample of 2,000 workers, found that approximately a ...
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Article
Male employees unlikely to take shared parental leave
Male employees are unlikely to take advantage of the new shared parental leave legislation because of a fear of being judged, according to research by Ramsdens Solicitors.Its research, which questioned 520 employees, found that a third (33%) of male respondents at micro employers (with 10 employees or less) believe that ...
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Article
UK retirement savings hit by economic downturn
More than two fifths (41%) of UK employee respondents stopped or reduced their retirement savings during the economic downturn, according to research by HSBC.The bank’s survey of more than 16,000 people globally found that despite signs of recovery, retirement saving has been, and continues to be, significantly impacted by the ...
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Article
Pensions minister sets out pot follows member change
Pensions minister Steve Webb has confirmed changes to the government’s plans for automatic transfer reforms for its pot follows member project, which will see it initially rolled out on an opt-in basis.This is a short-term rethink of the government’s original long-term plan that relevant pension pots will be automatically transferred ...
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Article
Center Parcs incentivises financial education take up
EXCLUSIVE: More than 500 employees attended financial education seminars after Center Parcs introduced an incentive scheme to help boost take up. The leisure resort firm, which has a workforce spread across six sites, encouraged staff to attend by offering the chance to enter a prize draw to win an iPad.The ...
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Article
Coventry City Council introduces salary sacrifice cars
Coventry City Council has launched a salary sacrifice car scheme for more than 7,700 eligible employees. More than 30 orders were made within the first 10 days of launch.Roadshows around the council’s premises and a website were used to help communicate and promote the scheme, which aims to help reduce ...
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Article
Ramsay Health Care launches salary sacrifice car scheme
Ramsay Health Care UK has launched a salary sacrifice car scheme for 3,000 eligible employees. The provider of independent hospital services in England will offer the scheme to staff working in 36 of its private facilities.It added the scheme to its existing benefits package to assist with attracting new employees, ...
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Article
Manchester Airports prepares for pension flexibilities
Manchester Airports Group has updated its defined contribution (DC) pensions administration to address the ongoing freedom and choice pension reforms. The organisation will now offer member administration and member technology services to engage employees with the new pension changes, which come into force in April 2015.The programme will also include ...
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Article
Citizens Advice names guidance delivery sites
The Citizens Advice Bureau has named its first 44 sites that will deliver face-to-face sessions as part of the government’s guidance guarantee, Pension Wise. People will be able to book guidance appointments at any Citizen Advice office but will have to travel to a designated delivery centre for the session ...
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Article
Employers yet to take action on pension reforms
Nearly three-quarters (70%) of employer respondents have yet to take ation around the pension reforms that come into force from April 2015, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.Its research, which surveyed 250 employers, also found that only 7% of respondents have both reviewed their offering and sent employee communications ...
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Article
70% want to use pension pot as retirement income
The majority of employees approaching retirement want to use their pension pots to deliver a secure guaranteed income, according to research by the International Longevity Centre.Its Making the system fit for purpose report, which surveyed 5,000 people aged 55 to 70, found that 70% of respondents with a defined contribution ...
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Article
40% to introduce financial education
EXCLUSIVE: Just under 40% of employers are ready to implement a financial education strategy in 2015, according to research by Hargreaves Lansdown.The investment firm’s report HL corporate pensions, based on a survey of 250 respondents, also found that almost half are concerned about whether their employees will be able to ...
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Article
23% take advantage of flexible working arrangements
Less than a quarter (23%) of employees have taken advantage of the option to obtain flexible working arrangements since its extension in June 2014, according to research from O2 Business.Its research of more than 2,000 employees found that a lack of trust (31%) was the main barrier preventing more widespread ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Awards entry deadline extended
The Employee Benefits Awards 2015 entry deadline has been extended to Monday 12 January, so there is still plenty of time to submit your entry. Entries will not be accepted beyond this date, so make sure you do not miss out on the chance to win an industry-leading award for ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Connect offers new insights
The event, which will taken place at London’s Lancaster Hotel on 4 March 2015 offers the perfect opportunity for HR, benefits and global reward managers to think ahead and make long-term plans to deliver the best benefits packages and strategies for their organisations.Inspiring keynote sessions, led by minister for pensions ...