All articles by System Administrator – Page 31

  • Article

    Kellogg’s to serve healthier options in on-site canteens

    2008-07-07T09:44:44Z

    Kellogg’s is making the meals in its on-site canteens healthier and raising awareness about the importance of healthy eating as part of a campaign to improve employees’ wellbeing.The company, which employs about 2,000 staff in the UK, has enlisted one of its in-house nutritionists to improve the nutritional value of ...

  • Case Studies

    Case study: McDonald's puts perks on the menu for all staff

    2008-07-07T09:22:00Z

    This affects its approach to benefits. Neal Blackshire, benefits and compensation manager, says: “Whenever we introduce a benefit we try to make it as applicable to as many as possible.” A prime example is its bike scheme. “The government’s cycle-to-work scheme is offered through salary sacrifice, so wouldn’t have been ...

  • Case Studies

    Case study: Mintel researches perks' spend

    2008-07-07T09:20:10Z

    As well as tapping staff for their views, Steve Charlton, director of HR, benchmarks Mintel against the benefits offered by other employers. "We continuously check that we are offering the benefits that our employees want through an annual employee survey, as well as reviewing lists of most admired companies to ...

  • Article

    Computacenter holds health and wellbeing fair

    2008-07-07T09:15:31Z

    Computacenter has staged a lunchtime health and wellbeing fair at its Hatfield office to encourage employees to think about their fitness levels both at work and at home. A smoking cessation stall was set up for employees to have their carbon monoxide levels monitored, and representatives from local gyms were ...

  • Case Studies

    Crawley Borough Council

    2008-07-07T09:15:31Z

    Sarah Barnes, the council's human resources manager, believes it is pointless spending out large sums of money on perks if employees don't use them."We recently produced our first personalised annual benefits statement for staff, which outlined the range of benefits of working for the council," she says.The statements set out ...

  • Article

    AkzoNobel appointment

    2008-07-07T09:15:31Z

    Following AkzoNobel’s takeover of ICI in January, Lisa Harrison has been made head of group benefits at AkzoNobel.†Harrison, formerly benefits manager at ICI, said: “In this more strategic position, I will be involved in dealing with the benefits of 60,000 people globally.”†After a restructure, Ralph Turner, director of benefits at ...

  • Case Studies

    Eden Project employees help cultivate their package

    2008-07-07T09:12:24Z

    Leah Brewer, people development manager at the ecological attraction, says: "A working party of employees drafts the proposed reward package for the forthcoming year, working alongside me." She adds that by talking to staff to find out what is important to them, the organisation can then look into the potential ...

  • Article

    Sips proposal reversed

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    The government has reversed plans to require companies operating share incentive plans (Sips) and sharesave schemes to offer them to all UK-resident employees even if they have no intention of living here long-term. The proposals were due to come into effect on 6 April, but the government has decided companies ...

  • Article

    Perks underestimated

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    The vast majority (98percent) of British workers underestimate the amount employers spend on benefits, according to research by Aon Consulting. Of the 1,300 adults who responded to the Employment benefits survey 2008, 69percent thought the amount employers spent on perks was no more than 10percent of their individual salary, almost ...

  • Article

    Pilots on leave should get usual pay

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    Flight crew should be paid their average weekly income while on annual leave, not just their basic salary.In the case of British Airways v Williams, an employment tribunal ruled in favour of BA pilots who argued that they should receive the same pay while on annual leave as they did ...

  • Article

    Pensions consultation

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a consultation paper asking for views on whether the government should amend pensions law to allow for new pensions that can share risk between employers and staff more evenly. The DWP is interested in how employers can maintain good occupational pension ...

  • Article

    Listed companies pay more

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    Accountants working for UK listed companies receive higher bonuses and bigger pay cheques than those who work for private organisations.The average basic salary for accountants working for UK listed companies is £81,700, compared with £76,000 for those in private organisations, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and ...

  • Article

    Equality Bill published

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    The Equality Bill, unveiled last month, will require employers to reveal details of the differences in salary between male and female staff. Harriet Harman, minister for equalities, said that it is hoped the bill will narrow the gender pay gap. She proposed five measures to help shrink the gender pay ...

  • Article

    Employers don't communicate benefits enough

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    More than one-third of employees (36percent) say their company does not do enough to communicate benefits, but 86percent of employers believe they promote perks effectively, according to research from AIG Benefits. Of the 500 employees surveyed for the AIG Benefits research report released in June, 30percent are confused by the ...

  • Article

    Aon launches annuity guidance

    2008-07-03T23:00:00Z

    Aon Consulting has launched an online annuity service that helps employees who are nearing retirement to make the correct choice of annuity provider.†The product has been designed to help employers meet concerns raised by the Pensions Regulator about pension scheme members making poor retirement decisions. The web-based Aon Annuity Finder ...

  • Article

    Employers likely to help staff with finances

    2008-07-01T00:00:01Z

    Employers are likely to take a greater role in the future in helping employees with their personal financial planning, according to research by Watson Wyatt. Of the 70 large UK private-sector employers surveyed for The future of retirement savings report, due to be released in full in July, almost three-quarters ...

  • Article

    Kent County Council offers financial tips

    2008-07-01T00:00:01Z

    Kent County Council has run a pilot financial education programme with a view to rolling out the service to all its 46,000-strong workforce.The seminars, held in Maidstone, were conducted by the Financial Services Authority and were attended by about 160 council staff.The council held the seminars to provide staff with ...

  • Case Studies

    Newcastle City Council scores with football imagery

    2008-07-01T00:00:01Z

    Newcastle City Council uses football-themed communication materials to promote its childcare voucher scheme to male staff.It revamped the way it promotes the benefit at the beginning of this year after the scheme, which launched in 2006, received a lower-than-average take-up. The HR team worked with its provider, Accor Services, to ...

  • Article

    Crawley Borough Council adds bikes and childcare vouchers

    2008-07-01T00:00:01Z

    Crawley Borough Council has launched a cycle-to-work scheme and plans to introduce childcare vouchers by the end of July. The council currently provides an on-site nursery but this has limited places and only takes children aged between two and five years. It hopes the childcare vouchers will supplement this service. ...

  • Article

    FDs flock to bulk pensions buyouts

    2008-06-22T23:00:00Z

    Finance directors are benefiting from current discounts of up to 10% on bulk pension buyouts.These have been driven by increased competition. Since the middle of 2006, the number of insurers offering buyout services has grown from two to 11. In addition, a rise in corporate bond rates has brought down ...