All articles by Tom Washington – Page 20
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Article
Incentives play big part in motivation during recession
Incentive schemes remain important to employers for motivating employees during the recession.According to Grass Roots' Corporate faith in the power of incentives report, almost two-thirds (61%) of employers agree or strongly agree that, in times of economic uncertainty, there is a greater need to motivate staff with incentives.The report, which ...
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Article
Employers see return on investment in dental perks
More than one-third (37%) of employers believe offering dental perks gives a clear return in terms of staff productivity and health.A further third feel dental perks are especially important during an economic slowdown, according to Simplyhealth's Annual dental survey. Eight out of 10 (84%) respondents said they were concerned staff ...
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Article
Pension confidence low among UK workers
Less than half (43%) of UK employees consider their occupational pension fund to be safe. According to the Personal accounts research published by JLT Benefit Solutions, staff who belong to a final salary pension have the highest levels of confidence, with 51% saying they feel safe. This compares with 32% ...
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Article
Employees face financial concerns
Just under one-third (30%) of employees are concerned about their financial wellbeing, and almost 10% feel this has a negative impact on their work performance. Only one-third feel positive about their financial future and just 29% think they will have sufficient savings for retirement, according to the Financial wellbeing in ...
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Article
Charities disappointed in pension take-up
One-third (32%) of charities are disappointed with the take-up rate of their pension schemes, according to research published by the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and Foster Denovo. The Employee benefits survey 2008/09 showed 82% offered some form of pension arrangement. Three-quarters of respondents said take-up was low ...
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Article
Interview with Alison Dalley, head of reward at Fujitsu Services
Alison Dalley, head of reward at Fujitsu Services, has a wealth of reward experience and is now keen to tackle the pension challenges thrown up by the recession.For Alison Dalley, head of reward at Fujitsu Services, HR is in the blood. Her father pursued an HR career in the cosmetics ...
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Analysis
Employers have a number of options to offer optical or eyecare benefits
Optical benefits can be valued by staff and employers have a number of options that they can offer to their workforce above and beyond their legal obligations, says Tom WashingtonIf you read nothing else, read this...Employers are required by law to cover the cost of an eye test and glasses ...
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Case Studies
Case Study: Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council sees the management of sickness absence as a key business driver and keeps a close eye on its strategy to ensure it is as effective as possible.Involvement of line managers was identified as key. The council decided that sickness absence management information should be provided to line ...
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Case Studies
Case Study: Aunt Bessie's
Food manufacturer Aunt Bessie's employs 500 staff and, until 2004, had struggled to achieve a return on investment with a manually-administered absence management system.It now uses a system in which staff call in to an automated voice-prompted line if they are going to be absent. The system removes the need ...
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Article
BA looks to reduce cabin crew employment costs
British Airways (BA) has held talks with its cabin crew and unions in order to try and reduce employment costs.The airline has offered a list of 32 cost-cutting proposals to the cabin crew including a temporary pay freeze, a reduction in annual leave and a reduction in bonuses for working ...
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Article
Trustees face tough test with pension scheme recovery plans
Pension scheme trustees are on the verge of what may be the most trying period of their career as the first major wave of recovery plans of this recession are due to be submitted to the Pensions Regulator in June and July, says Trustee GAAPS, the trustee search and selection ...
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Article
The right to request flexible working is extended to an extra 4.5 million parents
The right to request flexible working has been extended to an extra 4.5 million parents with children aged 16 and under.The right to ask employers for flexible working hours previously only applied to parents of children up to the age of six or disabled children aged up to 18.Pat McFadden, ...
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Article
Russian staff perform synchronised swimming routine at work
A group of female Russian employees have put their lunch breaks to good use by performing a synchronised swimming routine at their desks.The five leggy office workers, who work for an architects' firm, reportedly filmed their routine in the office for an Olympic-themed competition. Anyone working through their lunch hour ...
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Article
Shaw Trust extends voluntary benefits scheme
Shaw Trust has extended its voluntary benefits scheme in order to help improve employee health and wellbeing.The charity, which employs 1,400 staff in the UK, has added discounted gym membership to the scheme along with health and wellbeing-related perks, such as vouchers for Halfords, discounted holidays with Thomas Cook and ...
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Article
Employers use inexpensive perks to motivate staff
Organisations are using inexpensive employee benefits to tackle retention difficulties and the drop in year-on-year earning power, according to research published by Chartered Management Institute and Computer Economics Limited and Remuneration Economics (CELRE).The research, published today (1 April), revealed an increase in holiday allowances, time off in lieu of work ...
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Analysis
Getting the most out of absence management systems
Absence can be an expensive business for employers, but are reporting tools designed to tackle the problem always worth the investment, asks Tom WashingtonFor organisations struggling to navigate the current economic turbulence, it is essential to ensure key staff are present and productive. Absence is a thorny issue for many ...
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Article
Busy Bees Childcare Vouchers invests GBP3million in new technology
Busy Bees Childcare Vouchers is planning to enhance its customer experience through a major technology investment programme costing more than £3 million.The Staffordshire-based company, which manages childcare voucher schemes for more than 100,000 working parents via 14,000 organisations, has pledged to invest in a brand new operating system, telephony solution ...
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Article
Rexam Pension Plan opens new final salary scheme
The Rexam Pension Plan is closing two of its defined benefit (DB) schemes to new members will introduce another final salary arrangement as a replacement with effect from April 6.The pension provider, which names its plans after planets, is to close its Jupiter and Saturn levels and open a new ...
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Article
Executive pay trends in the US point to frozen salaries in the UK
UK executives are likely to be subject to frozen salaries and clawback policies to their pay packages if trends in the US flow across the Atlantic, according to research conducted by Watson Wyatt.The survey found that the number of US companies that froze salaries and added clawback policies to their ...
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Article
NHS boardroom pay outpaces 2% public sector pay cap
National Health Service (NHS) Trust directors in England received an average pay rise of 6.4% last year, ahead of the government’s 2% target for public sector pay increases, according to the latest NHS Boardroom pay report 2009 by Incomes Data Services (IDS).The report also highlighted the growing gap between the ...