All articles by Sam Barrett – Page 14
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Case Studies
Case Study: Informa
Publishing company Informa employs 8,500 people worldwide and has been recognised as one of Britain’s top employers by the CRF Institute for three years running, scoring full marks for its pay and benefits package.Thomas Humphris, head office HR and UK reward director at Informa, says: “Our benefits strategy focuses on ...
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Analysis
Benefits keep employees working well
Employees need physical and psychological maintenance to keep them performing effectively and benefits can be the best tools, says Sam BarrettRegular services, maintenance schedules and instruction manuals go along with everything from the office air conditioning system and photocopier to forklift trucks in the warehouse. But when it comes to ...
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Analysis
The importance of measuring the success of benefits
If you read nothing else, read this…Identifying measurables of success can be tricky, but there are a number of advantages for employers in measuring the success of their benefits package.Statistics that can be used to determine the success of a package include: benefits take-up, engagement, absence levels and the national ...
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Analysis
How is executive reward decided?
Executive reward has come under scrutiny in the downturn. Sam Barrett looks at how remuneration committees decide what to apportion the high-fliersScan the newspapers and you are certain to come across a story about a top executive receiving a fat pay packet. Such remuneration packages often comprise annual salaries in ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: What is the new vision for employee benefits?
This promises to be a big year for change in the benefits world, not least because of the general election, says Sam BarrettAfter a year of sitting tight and waiting for the recession to end, change is set to be the main theme of 2010. Some changes are already known, ...
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Analysis
Offering employee benefits to families of staff boosts employee engagement
Benefits for employees’ dependants are under pressure, but their contribution to staff engagement is clear, says Sam BarrettExtending benefits to family members has a long tradition, going back to the days when the likes of Cadbury provided employees and their families with housing, education, healthcare and sports facilities. Today, although ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to flexible benefits administration systems (February 2010)
Administration systems for flexible benefits schemes can take various forms, and suppliers are targeting employers of all sizes to offer the functionality they need, says Sam BarrettFlexible benefits plans have many advantages for employers, including greater employee engagement and improved performance. But to maximise these advantages, organisations must make sure ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to employee assistance programmes (January 2010)
It is a good time to strike a cheaper deal for an employee assistance programme, but employers must make sure they are getting the services they require, says Sam BarrettPrices are tumbling in the employee assistance programme (EAP) market. As providers team up with insurers to offer freebie EAPs and ...
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Analysis
Calculating the right reward package for expatriate employees
Many factors must be taken into account for employers to calculate the right reward package for expatriate employees, says Sam BarrettLower taxes and prices abroad are great for a two-week holiday, but such differences can have serious consequences for employers looking to place staff overseas on assignments. While some expatriates ...
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Article
Using a broker will aid procurement
If employers use a broker to find benefit providers, a good relationship is essential, says Sam BarrettA broker can offer significant advantages when it comes to arranging employee benefits. But although their experience, support and access to the most competitive terms and prices can be invaluable, employers need to ensure ...
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Article
Pensions and insurance procurement must not be hurried
Pensions and insurance are key elements of most benefits packages, and procurement requires adequate time and great care, says Sam BarrettA benefits package speaks volumes about a business. It can help to motivate staff, demonstrate an employer's commitment to customers and competitors, and attract the best recruits. Because of this, ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to motivation vouchers (November 2009)
Vouchers are a cost-effective and popular way to motivate employees, especially in tricky economic times, and the variety of formats available is widening, says Sam BarrettTough times generally put a squeeze on benefits spend, but when it comes to motivation vouchers, demand remains strong as employers look for ways to ...
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Article
Health & Wellbeing: How to prove perks' cost-effectiveness
The benefits of staff health and wellbeing programmes may seem obvious, but finance directors will want bottom-line proof of their effectiveness, says Sam BarrettJamie Barnes, client services director at benefits consultancy Enrich, says: "It is an age-old problem. Although common sense suggests health and wellbeing initiatives can deliver significant benefits, ...
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Article
Sony Pictures puts pensions in spotlight to boost take-up
Sony Pictures Entertainment is promoting its pension schemes to help employees understand the benefits and increase take-up of its stakeholder scheme.The firm runs a final salary scheme, which closed to new employees in April 2007, as well as the stakeholder plan. It matches employee contributions to its stakeholder plan on ...
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Article
Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education launches voluntary benefits
The Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education has introduced a new voluntary benefits package for its 1,500 members of staff.The package, branded Dragon Benefits, provides retail discounts and cash-back offers. As well as deals from more than 800 national retailers, it also offers discounts with local companies.Claire Ward, personnel ...
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Article
Expatriate workers need support from employer
If you read nothing else, read this...A pre-assignment briefing on what the employee can expect in their new country will help them settle more quickly.Health screenings can highlight problems, but employers could be accused of discrimination if they use this information to cancel an assignment.A support framework will help identify ...
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Article
Friends Provident redesigns pensions literature
Friends Provident has redesigned its pensions literature to make it easier for employees to understand the benefits of joining their employer’s scheme.The redesign, which sees the number of pages in the booklet drop from 40 to 16, was based on feedback from members and focus groups. David Millar, manager of ...
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Article
Lloyds TSB Autolease launches tool to check on mileage
Lloyds TSB Autolease has launched a mileage capture tool to help employers offering an employee car ownership scheme control fuel, maintenance and taxation costs. Mileage Logger gives drivers remote access to an online portal where they can record their business mileage, fuel costs and details such as whether they shared ...
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Article
Pensions funding deficits set to balloon
Pension funding levels are far worse than the already poor accounting figures suggest and many companies will need to increase future pension contributions to meet their liabilities, according to Barclays Capital.Its research found that deficits had increased significantly over the last year as a result of depressed asset values and ...
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Article
Aon research: Pension schemes seek greater risk management
Pension schemes are beginning to adopt broader risk management practices to help achieve strategic goals during the volatile times, according to Aon Consulting.The risk management and employee benefits consultant is employing enterprise risk management (ERM) within a growing number of pension schemes. Rather than focusing solely on the financial risks ...