All Employee Benefits articles in Web Issue – Page 615
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Case Studies
Shire Pharmaceuticals focuses on pensions engagement
In the lead-up to its November 2013 staging date, Shire will not face the same compliance challenges as some other organisations. It already contractually enrols all UK staff into its group personal pension (GPP) plan, which has resulted in 98% of these 530 employees belonging to the scheme.Contribution levels into ...
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AnalysisGroup personal pensions in a master trust world
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Master trusts have a governance advantage over group personal pensions (GPPs) in terms of investment monitoring, default funds and annuitisation.They can also offer significant economies of scale and are cheaper than most GPPs.However, not all master trusts will survive the current demanding and low-margin ...
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Analysis
Is mobile technology suitable for share schemes?
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Employers are moving away from paper-based share plan applications.Share plan communications technology should be tailored to each employer.Mobile applications are gaining popularity.Perhaps the most tech-savvy tool to use is mobile technology, which enables staff to sign up to share schemes using SMS text messaging ...
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Article
Top 10 most visited stories on the web
1. Employee Benefits Awards 2013 shortlist announced2. GSK wants staff to plan their future3. Minimum wage to increase from 1 October 20134. Employer tax relief introduced on health benefits5. Government pledges to make savings through progression pay reforms6. Employers want default retirement age reinstated7. £2,000 national insurance allowance for employers8. ...
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Article
Top discussions from the Employee Benefits LinkedIn group
There’s a world of difference between being supportive of employees who wish to become more active (which I think we should) and putting pressure, however well-intentioned, on employees to take up activities that might not be suitable for their level of health and fitness.Maria Padley, reward manager, GetronicsFacilitating employees to ...
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Article
Employee Benefits Awards 2013 shortlist
View full Employee Benefits Awards 2013 shortlistFor more information and to book a place at the summer party
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Article
Government consults on pensions auto-enrolment legislation
Issues include streamlining the process for assessing which staff are eligible for pensions auto-enrolment. The government plans to allow employers to assess eligibility using information already collected by payroll systems.The government has also suggested lifting the requirement for staff to be auto-enrolled if they voluntarily left their workplace pension in ...
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Article
Real-time information reporting update and guidance
Ruth Owen, director general of personal tax at HMRC, said: “HMRC appreciates that some employers might be daunted by the change, but they don’t need to be. HMRC is on hand to offer help and support, and we are taking a pragmatic approach, which includes no in-year late filing penalties ...
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Article
Employers use technology platforms to engage staff with benefits
In April, KFC launched an online total reward platform, which includes total reward statements and online shopping discounts for all its 10,000 staff, as well as a flexible benefits scheme for its 1,000 salaried employees.It previously used a paper-based system, but was keen to offer a single platform to bring ...
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Article
Leading experts to speak at Employee Benefits Summit 2013
Stephen Gay, director of life, savings and protection at the Association of British Insurers, talking on: ‘Restoring confidence in pensions’.Panel with Deborah Hargreaves, director at the High Pay Centre; Roger Barker, head of corporate governance at the Institute of Directors and Claire Morland, head of compensation at Man Group, discussing: ...
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Article
Senior benefits managers invited to Employee Benefits Summit 2013
The Summit brings together senior benefits directors from organsations with more than 1,000 staff to network with each other and to discuss the future of the industry with the most influential suppliers, consultants and industry commentators.Now in its eighth year, this highly-regarded event will give the industry a chance to ...
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Article
Asda and BMW top shortlist for Employee Benefits Awards 2013
The panel of judges, comprising leading benefits and reward professionals, considered more than 20 categories filled with high-quality entries.“I was impressed with the quality of the entries,” said one judge. “The innovation of strategy, not only to the business objectives, but the needs of their employees, was strongly shown.”Another judge ...
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Article
Fit note guidance clears up outstanding issues
Getting the most out of the fit note: guidance for employers and line managers explains what employers should do if they are given a fit note by an employee, what different sections of the fit note mean, and how it can be used most effectively.Richard Baker, a solicitor at Shoosmiths, ...
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Article
Unison wins legal pay case against London Fire Brigade
The union was challenging the LFEPA’s decision not to honour the third year of a pay deal that would have given fire and rescue staff a 2.5% pay rise in April 2009. The claim could be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds because the increase is payable for four years ...
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Opinion
Phil Hall: Fight to stop 'shares for rights'
Regrettably, the government has now reintroduced the policy.Readers may ask: why do we oppose something that superficially creates more employee shareholders? The four key reasons are: it undermines existing employee share ownership plans by association; it unnecessarily removes employees’ rights; it is not wanted by the vast majority of businesses; ...
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Opinion
Jon Terry: Bonus caps remove flexibility to reward staff
This is a fundamental change and the unintended consequences should not be underestimated.Capping bonuses will reduce boards’ flexibility in managing a vital aspect of their cost base. Instead of being able to reward staff in good times, and limiting payouts and clawing back bonuses when needed, banks will almost certainly ...
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Opinion
Jill Cunnison: Judging Employee Benefits Awards was stimulating
The process began with reading in detail the entries and supporting documents that spanned numerous organisations of different sizes and complexity.As you may expect, many of the entries showcased innovative and leading-edge ideas, and a whole raft of supporting evidence was provided, from videos to photographs to literature given to ...
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Article
Workshops are key element of Employee Benefits Summit 2013
These ‘no-sell’ sessions allow for professional networking, exchanging of expertise and the chance to learn new techniques and strategies.Throughout the event delegates will be put in different groups for each workshop so people can meet as many others as possible.Discussions will cover a wide range of key current and future ...
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Opinion
Ellyn Karetnick: Global mobility vital in battle for talent
The war for talent is escalating as employers see signs of a global economic upturn, and there is an urgency to get top talent out into new or emerging markets.Long-term assignments remain, but employers are becoming more economical, and alternative arrangements continue to grow. Short-term, commuter and rotational assignments and ...
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Article
Breckon Jones: Can social media be used effectively for employee benefits?
@AmexUK joined the UK social media scene in 2010 with presences on Twitter and Facebook, focused on servicing our community of card members and merchants. Our official YouTube presence and LinkedIn profile then followed.At the same time, we created an internal social media strategy which mirrors how we communicate with ...