All Employee Benefits articles in Web Issue – Page 489
-
Analysis
News analysis: Who pays for childcare?
Proposals for a new government-funded childcare scheme have fuelled a debate about the future of childcare vouchers.The National Childcare Contribution Scheme (NCCS), suggested in February by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) in its report A better beginning: Easing the cost of childcare, would allow working parents to borrow money from ...
-
Article
Childcare costs take up a third of annual salaries
Childcare costs now take up a third (35%) of average annual salaries, according to research by Hay Group.The PayNet UK salary tracker, which analyses salary movements across five different employee levels in more than 700 organisations, found that clerical-level workers in England will spend on average £103.19 per week on ...
-
Analysis
Financial Education: Back-to-basics guide to financial education
If you read nothing else, read this . . . Financial worries can reduce an employee's effectiveness at work. Employers need to be aware that different methods of communication suit different types of employee. Workplace financial education works best when it is focused on a particular event or financial concern. ...
-
Article
Employee Benefits financial education supplement
Download a PDF of the Employee Benefits financial education supplement 2012†Sponsor’s comment: Jonathan Watts-Lay of Wealth at WorkInterview: Stuart Bailey of the Money Advice ServiceBack-to-basics guide on financial educationThe employer’s role in financial educationWhat employers need to consider in terms of corporate branding
-
Article
EXCLUSIVE: Cisco extends flexible benefits to Spain and targets full European roll-out
Cisco has extended its flexible benefits scheme to its 350 employees in Spain, which included the introduction of a new pension plan and the country’s equivalent childcare voucher scheme.The company now intends to roll out the scheme, provided by Thomsons Online Benefits, to its other European sites in Norway, Italy, ...
-
Analysis
Financial Education: What employers need to consider in terms of brand
If you read nothing else, read this... Employer branding on financial education programmes helps to secure the trust and engagement of staff, which is vital when making changes to key financial benefits. Financial education is a partnership, and co-branding a programme to identify its origin from the employer and independence ...
-
Article
Buyer's guide to contract-based defined contribution pensions
Focus on factsWhat is a contract-based DC pension?Contract-based defined contribution (DC) schemes are based on contributions from employers and staff. Unlike defined benefit (DB) pensions, DC scheme benefits correlate to the investment fund built up over an employee’s working life, which is typically used to buy an annuity at retirement. ...
-
Article
Low take-up of salary sacrifice car schemes
Cars provided under a salary sacrifice scheme accounted for 5.5% of the combined fleet, according to research by ACFO.The ACFO salary sacrifice survey, which polled organisations collectively operating almost 27,000 company cars, found that 1,464 were being operated via a salary sacrifice arrangement.A fifth (20%) of respondents already have a ...
-
Analysis
Fuel-efficient cars pay off
If you read nothing else, read this... Manufacturers have been investing a lot of time and energy in developing eco-friendly cars, and most now offer hybrid ranges. When considering electric cars, it is important to look at journey type and access to recharging points. Selection should be about the efficiency ...
-
Case Studies
Case study: E.On empowers staff through financial education
Energy firm E.On has used the government-backed Money Advice Service (MAS) (see interview with Stuart Bailey of MAS) to provide various types of financial education for its workforce for around four years.Ant Donaldson, senior specialist employee benefits UK, says: “I think it is a great resource. It is very low ...
-
Article
Kent County Council closes PMI scheme for senior staff
EXCLUSIVE: Kent County Council is to withdraw its private medical insurance (PMI) scheme for senior staff in April to save costs.The PMI scheme, provided by Simplyhealth, is available to about 1% of the council’s 40,000 staff.The change is part of a more practical approach to health and wellbeing by the ...
-
Opinion
Financial Education: Sponsor's comment: Education holds the key to realising full value of savings
Employees need to be made aware of all their financial options in preparing for retirement, says Jonathan Watts-Lay, director of Wealth at WorkIn these challenging economic times, with the introduction of many new regulations such as pensions auto-enrolment, the removal of the default retirement age and enhanced options at retirement, ...
-
Case Studies
EB Summit: CSC grounds corporate wrap in financial education
CSC focused on financial education as the basis for its corporate wrap when it was launched two years ago.Speaking in a panel debate entitled ‘Holistic approaches to workplace saving – new era or false dawn?’ at the Employee Benefits Pensions and Workplace Savings Summit 2012 on 9 March, Jenny Davidson, ...
-
Analysis
Financial Education: The employer's role in financial education
If you read nothing else, read this... A combination of information, education and advice can be the most effective way to improve employees' financial awareness. Although most employees can benefit from financial education, only a small percentage will require additional financial advice.Organisational activities and events such as changing the pension ...
-
Article
Expacare introduces international PMI for small employers
Expacare has launched an international private medical insurance (PMI) product for small employers.The scheme, called Choices, is designed for organisations with between five and 29 employees.It is a fixed, core plan to which additional optional benefits can be added, allowing employees to tailor the plan to their needs.The core plan ...
-
Article
Less than half of respondents offer group income protection
Less than half (47%) of organisations offer group income protection to their staff, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.Conversely, the research found that life assurance was offered by 82% of respondents, even though employees are three times more likely to be off work with a long-term illness than die.Nearly ...
-
Article
Jelf launches online health and wellbeing service
Jelf Employee Benefits has partnered Health Assured to launch a health and wellbeing service that includes an interactive online assessment, employee assistance programme and absence management system.The service, Jelf Protect, provides support if staff or their family members are diagnosed with a serious health condition, a long-term disability or are ...
-
Article
Steria looks to improve online pensions platform
Steria is looking to improve its online pensions platform, to enable staff to view the total value of their defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) benefits.This would help deferred members of the IT-enabled business service provider’s DB scheme, which closed to future accrual in April 2010, get a more ...
-
Article
A third of employees do not have time for a proper lunch break
Almost a third of employees (30%) do not have time for a proper lunch break, and instead eat lunch at their desks while working, according to research by Canada Life.More than a quarter (27%) tend to eat at odd times due to the stresses of work, and one in five ...
-
Article
The Pensions Regulator publishes its approach to auto-enrolment
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published its approach to maximising employer compliance with auto-enrolment duties and supporting the pensions industry to deliver defined contribution (DC) schemes with the characteristics necessary for good outcomes. TPR’s strategy, Delivering successful automatic enrolment: The Pensions Regulator’s approach to the regulation of employers and schemes, ...