All Employee Benefits articles in Web Issue – Page 446

  • Article

    Japanese employees to adopt energy-saving hair cuts

    2011-09-02T09:10:48Z

    Some organisations ask their staff to take part in carbon-offsetting programmes or to switch off their computers as part of efforts to protect the environment and boost their corporate social responsibility (CSR) credentials.However, Japanese construction firm Maeda Corporation is getting staff to use their heads to save energy.In response to ...

  • Article

    Wood Mackenzie switches flexible benefits provider

    2011-09-02T09:20:11Z

    Wood Mackenzie, a research and consultancy firm in the energy, mining and metals sector, has switched its flexible benefits provider.The organisation will now use Bluefin’s online reward portal Orbit to offer its flexible benefits plan to employees.Hollie Smith, senior reward and benefits specialist at Wood Mackenzie, said: “Our flex scheme ...

  • Article

    Company and employee attitudes to dentistry

    2011-09-02T09:20:13Z

    Key points:✓✓ Up to 78% of companies are aware of issues regarding access to dentistry✓✓ Over 85% of large companies agree that their employees would consider dental as a tangible, usable benefit✓✓ Up to 87% of employees agreed that dentistry supported their overall health and wellbeingThe 2011 Dental Benefits Survey ...

  • Article

    Reabur research: Employees prepared to pay for longer weekends

    2011-09-02T09:30:00Z

    Over half (52%) of British employees would be prepared to sacrifice a day’s pay for a three-day weekend, according to research by Reabur.The study, conducted among 1,283 full-time workers, also found that 14% would willingly sacrifice half a day’s wages to finish work at lunchtime on a Friday.A further 4% ...

  • Article

    Logica partners SuperChoice to launch auto-enrolment product

    2011-09-02T09:49:29Z

    Business and technology firm Logica has partnered with Australian superannuation exchange SuperChoice to launch an auto-enrolment product to help employers meet the legislative requirements of the 2012 pension reforms.The product is based on the SuperChoice technology platform, which provides online contribution processing systems to around 40% of Australia’s largest pension ...

  • Article

    Virgin Media streamlines benefits and payroll administration

    2011-09-02T09:51:08Z

    Virgin Media has launched a platform called Employee Services to effectively communicate with all its employees.RightNow centralises the organisation’s various HR departments – the people team, employee benefits and payroll – into a single resource for staff. Its aim is to expedite employee access to benefits and payroll information.The platform ...

  • Article

    Advanced Business Solutions research: Employers divided as to where payroll function should sit

    2011-09-05T09:28:28Z

    Organisations are divided as to where the payroll function sits within the business, according to research by management and information systems provider Advanced Business Solutions.The research, conducted among HR and payroll professionals in the UK and USA, found that 36% believe the payroll function should sit between the HR and ...

  • Article

    Morris Ashby enters into pension insurance buyout agreement

    2011-09-05T09:55:29Z

    The trustees of the Morris Ashby pension scheme have entered into a pension insurance buyout agreement with the Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC).The pension fund, which has 480 members and liabilities of £38 million, after its former sponsor JL French UK entered into insolvency in 2006.Following the insolvency, the pension fund ...

  • Article

    High Pay Commission research: Bonuses for FTSE 350 directors have increased by 187% over 10 years

    2011-09-05T10:09:52Z

    The average total earnings of all FTSE 350 directors have increased by 108% and their annual bonus went up by 187% over the last decade, according to research conducted by the High Pay Commission.The rise in remuneration, outlined in the report What are we paying for? Exploring executive pay and ...

  • Article

    Punter Southall acquires Brewin Dolphin’s corporate pensions business

    2011-09-06T09:31:00Z

    Punter Southall has acquired the occupational pensions business of Brewin Dolphin.Brewin Dolphin has been a Punter Southall actuarial and pension administration client for 19 years.Upon completion of the transaction on 1 October, the team at Brewin Dolphin team will move to Punter Southall’s Newcastle offices, bringing over 100 corporate pension ...

  • Article

    The Equiniti Group acquires employee services division of NatWest Stockbrokers

    2011-09-06T09:37:50Z

    The Equiniti Group has acquired the corporate and employee services division of NatWest Stockbrokers.The division will form part of the share scheme provider’s investment services business.Wayne Story, chief executive officer at the Equiniti Group, said: "The addition of corporate and employee services will build upon our existing service offering. "The ...

  • Article

    STV reduces pension deficit by £5 million following mortality review

    2011-09-06T09:40:43Z

    Broadcaster STV has reduced its pension scheme by £5 million following a mortality review.The 12-month review, by independent financial advisers LEBC Group, involved the development of software that will predict the average life expectancy and health profile of members of the broadcaster’s Caledonian Publishing pension scheme.The scheme’s 800 pensioners and ...

  • Article

    The London Pensions Fund Authority publishes proposals for local government pensions reform

    2011-09-06T09:41:11Z

    The London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) has published proposals for the reform of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LPGS).The proposals are intended to stimulate debate around the reformed LGPS, which is to be implemented from 2015.These cover scheme design, cost mechanism, structure, and practical ideas on implementation.The key proposals include:Accepting ...

  • Article

    P&MM launches online travel portal

    2011-09-07T08:53:07Z

    P&MM added an online travel portal to its voluntary benefits offer.Employers can offer the perk to staff to help them save on holidays and travel bookings.The Lifestyle Travel Club offers discounts from operators such as Thomas Cook, Virgin, Airtours, Club 18-30, Thomsons and First Choice.The portal will be integrated into ...

  • Article

    Unum adds new perks to flexible benefits scheme

    2011-09-07T08:59:43Z

    Unum has introduced new perks to its flexible benefits scheme, including financial education with the Money Advice Service, annual health screening, Tastecard membership, and employee discounts.The insurance firm has offered a flex scheme, provided by Enrich Employee Benefits, for three years. It added the new perks during its annual enrolment ...

  • Article

    TUC research: Pension pots for FTSE 100 directors worth an average of £3.9 million

    2011-09-07T09:29:45Z

    Directors of the FTSE 100 firms have amassed pension pots worth an average of £3.9 million, according to research conducted by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).The national trade union body’s ninth annual PensionsWatch survey, which analyses the pension arrangements of 362 directors from FTSE 100 organisations, shows that the average ...

  • Article

    Nest Corporation announces employer and member panels

    2011-09-07T09:30:50Z

    Nest Corporation has announced the appointees to its employer and member panels.The panels will provide a forum for employers and employees to give their perspectives on the national employment savings trust (Nest), and contribute to a range of issues and activities that may affect them now and in the future.Each ...

  • Article

    Pensions minister Steve Webb calls for short-service refunds to be scrapped

    2011-09-08T09:22:00Z

    Short-service refunds do not fit in with the government’s aim of getting more people to save for their retirement, according to pensions minister Steve Webb speaking at the annual LCP pensions conference. Short-service refunds allow employees that leave their job in less than two years to receive a default refund ...

  • Article

    Aberdeen Asset Management rolls out payroll-giving scheme to staff

    2011-09-08T09:34:57Z

    Aberdeen Asset Management has introduced a payroll-giving scheme that allows staff to round down their net pay to the nearest pound and donate the remaining pennies to charity.The scheme, Pennies for Promise, was launched by Activpayroll on 5 September at the beginning of National Payroll Week, and is open to ...

  • Article

    ONS research: Recession causes fall in pension scheme contributions

    2011-09-08T09:47:01Z

    Total contributions to pension schemes fell from £20.9 billion in 2007/08 to £18.7 billion in 2009/10, largely due to a fall in the number of people contributing during the recession, according to figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).ONS' report Pensions trends chapter eight: Pension contributions considers the following:The ...