All articles by Robert Crawford – Page 30
-
Article53% offer a savings scheme through payroll
More than half (53%) of respondents offer a savings scheme to staff where deductions are made via payroll, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP).Its Policy research paper – saving through payroll, which surveyed employers as well as representatives from the payroll industry, found that 41% ...
-
ArticleInvestec Bank wins £6m bonus claim
Investec Bank has won a £6-million bonus claim against two former employees.The High Court rejected the claim by Andrew Brogden, former head, and Robert Reid, deputy head, of its structured equity desk.The pair had claimed that their 2010/11 bonus had been pre-agreed in an oral contract with the organisation and ...
-
ArticlePAYE tax code changes could adversely impact employers
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) tax code regulations could have an adverse impact on employers and employees, according to the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT).The professional body has expressed its concerns in writing to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).It stated that HMRC’s proposal to relax the timeframe in ...
-
Article42% expect to raise basic pay
Some 42% of respondents expect their organisation to raise basic pay, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).Its latest Labour market outlook survey, which questioned more than 1,000 employers, found that this expectation has fallen from 48% in the CIPD’s spring 2014 report.The research also ...
-
ArticleSpeedy Services launches wellness strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Speedy Services has launched an wellness programme aimed at improving the wellbeing of its 2,500 employees.Through the programme, which was launched in June and is provided by Optum, the tools, equipment and plant hire firm communicates a different health-related theme each month.Employees can also access a number of fact ...
-
ArticleQ Care launches car pool scheme
EXCLUSIVE: Q Care has launched a car pool scheme for its 600 employees. The domiciliary care organisation is offering staff a contract hire agreement with provider Lex Autolease, leasing 28 cars with plans to extend this to 100.Its previous travel arrangement meant employees had to use personal cars for business ...
-
ArticleBAE Systems redesigns pension website
BAE Systems has relaunched its pension website after redesigning it to improve the information available for employees.The organisation’s pension scheme members regularly use the online portal, which receives more than 5,000 visitors each month.However, its pensions helpline still received a large number of calls because employees could not find the ...
-
Article72% not prepared for pension reforms
Just under three-quarters (72%) of respondents say they are not fully prepared to deal with the consequences of the pension reforms announced in the March 2014 Budget, according to research by Aon Hewitt.Its research, which questioned more than 300 pension professionals, found that one in five (20%) respondents would need ...
-
Article66% of trustees to change DC pension default strategy
Two-thirds (66%) of trustee respondents are looking to change their pension scheme’s default strategy within the next 18 months as a result of the Budget changes to at-retirement options, according to research by asset management firm SEI.Its Defined contribution pensions survey, which surveyed trustees and employers about their current approach ...
-
ArticleInterview with Robert Drewell, head of reward and benefits at Hermes Europe
The move came as Drewell was nearing the end of an interim role as senior reward consultant at Brakes Group. He was approached by a friend of his, Caroline Foster, HR director at Hermes, to help her establish a new team.“I knew of Hermes’ business and was aware Caroline had ...
-
ArticleQuintessa launches employee ownership trust
Quintessa has launched an employee ownership trust.The scientific and mathematical consultancy is now 100% owned by its employees after it launched the trust on 17 July.Employee ownership is when employees own a significant stake in the organisation they work for.Employees in an employee ownership trust organisation can receive income-tax-free bonuses ...
-
ArticleWill sleeping pods boost Manchester United's productivity?
Something for the weekend…Everyone has felt the full force of a workplace shake up, be it office moves or restructured benefits packages.At Manchester United Football Club, it looks like new manager Louis Van Gaal is doing everything he can to motivate players to adapt to his regime with a new ...
-
ArticleTop 10 most read stories this week
The top 10 most read articles on employeebenefits.co.uk from 17-24 July:1. Government sets out plans for guidance guarantee 2. Obesity could be covered by anti-discimination law 3. Adidas and Nomura among healthiest employers 4. Sports Direct boss exits bonus share scheme 5. Southern Water triples bikes for work take up ...
-
ArticleJP Morgan launches global wellbeing challenge
EXCLUSIVE: More than 130,000 JP Morgan employees have signed up to take part in its global wellbeing initiative for 2014.The 12-week activity challenge, which was launched on 23 June, focuses on two areas: early detection and physical activity.It includes a step-up competition, where employees log their healthy activity to raise ...
-
ArticleGovernment proposes halving deferred state pension increase
The government has proposed halving the deferred state pension increase rates from 6 April 2016.Currently, UK workers who reach the state pension age before 6 April 2016 will be able to defer their state pension and benefit from an annual increase of 10.4% on the deferred income.Under the proposals, anyone ...
-
ArticleYachts, jewellery and clocks give rise to benefit in kind
The First-Tier Tax Tribunal has ruled that the use of yachts, jewellery and clocks ‘placed at the disposal’ of an employee gives rise to a benefit in kind.In the case, Gillian Rockall v HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Rockall and her husband were the directors and controlling shareholders of two ...
-
Case StudiesBibby Financial Services tailors flex communications
The organisation over-communicated the launch by sending out messages to staff and repeated emails reminding them that the deadline to sign up to the flexible benefits scheme was looming, despite a number having already done so.Following employee feedback, Bibby sent out targeted communications in 2013 and 2014 using a variety ...
-
AnalysisHow to segment flexible benefits communications
If you read nothing else, read this…Segmentation of communications is an approach largely used by retailer employers.41% of respondents to the Employee Benefits/Towers Watson Flexible benefits research 2014 send targeted messages to staff.Segmentation can be done by age, job role, salary or demographic.A main driver of workforce segmentation for ...
-
ArticleNetwork Rail faces equal pay claim
Network Rail is facing an equal pay claim after bonuses for senior male staff topped £1 million.More than 30 female managers have launched the claim, which is being backed by the union Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA).Female managers at the transport organisation are paid between £3,000 and £4,000 a year ...
-
ArticleBT Group pension guarantee upheld
The Court of Appeal has upheld a 2010 High Court judgement that the government would fund BT Group’s defined benefit pension obligations for all 313,000 members, regardless of whether an employee joined the organisation pre or post-privatisation.In 2010, the High Court ruled that the government would take responsibility for the ...