All Employee Benefits articles in Web Issue – Page 651
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Article
The Pensions Regulator appoints interim chief executive
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has appointed Stephen Soper (pictured) as interim chief executive, with effect from 1 August.Soper, who was previously executive director for defined benefit (DB) regulation, will take charge of TPR until a permanent replacement is found for Bill Galvin, who left his position as chief executive at ...
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Article
Howden acquires Workplace Pension Solutions
Howden Insurance Brokers has acquired employee benefits consultancy and insurance broking service provider Workplace Pension Solutions (WPS).WPS was set up in 2012 by Jon Francis and Robbie Weston, both of whom have experience as independent financial advisers.Weston (pictured), managing director of WPS, said: “Howden is the perfect place for us ...
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Article38% due to auto- enrol will use postponement
Respondents that have yet to auto-enrol their staff say they are less likely to use postponement than those that have already auto-enrolled.According to the Employee Benefits/Capita Pensions Research 2013, which surveyed 370 HR and benefits managers, 38% of those that have yet to auto-enrol staff plan to use postponement.Two-thirds (67%) ...
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Article
Recommendations published on benefits tax rules
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has published an interim report as part of its review of the tax rules around employee benefits and expenses.The overall aim of the review, which was announced in January 2013, is to look at opportunities for simplification.The first stage of the review, which covers ...
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Opinion
Tim Roberts: The connection between HR and sustainability
The connection between HR and sustainability might appear intangible. Does ‘employer of choice’ equal sustainable HR? The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development stresses that embedding sustainability requires us to link vision and values to the environmental contribution required from every employee. Yes, HR’s critical contribution is embedding transformational change. ...
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Case Studies
Accenture UK and Ireland offers green benefits through flex
Camilla Drejer, corporate citizenship lead for Accenture, UK and Ireland, says these benefits are tied to ensuring the sustainable growth of the business.“Fostering environmentally sustainable growth for our organisation and our stakeholders is at the heart of our environmental strategy,” she says. “As a people-based business, all this is underpinned ...
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Case Studies
Withers aims to raise CSR profile with green benefits
When it launched its flexible benefits scheme in April 2013, it included a section called Ethics and Sustainability, which is the entry point into its payroll-giving, bikes-for-work and carbon-offsetting schemes.The carbon-offsetting benefit, provided by Pure the Clean Planet Trust, allows staff to enter the details of their carbon footprint online ...
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AnalysisHow to green a flexible benefits scheme
If you read nothing else, read this …In October 2013, for the first time, UK quoted companies will have to report their greenhouse gas emissions in their annual accounts.Sustainable and green benefits include bikes-for-work schemes, low-emission company cars, environmental pension investments and opportunities to eco-volunteer.These perks, as part of a ...
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Analysis
Interview with Neil Morrison, group HR director, UK and international, Penguin Random House
The University of Sheffield graduate wanted a change from the theoretical and research-orientated world of academia, and so moved into the role of personnel services officer at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.Morrison explains: “I really wanted to do something that was applied, and I really enjoyed doing something where you ...
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Opinion
Mark Forato: Align group risk with need to boost productivity
The key point is the extent to which group risk benefits align with the need to boost productivity and growth in the current environment.Our research with Cass Business School shows that the UK workforce has changed dramatically in the past 30 years. However, many employers’ approach to staff benefits has ...
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Article
Employees would consider using dental plans if available
Just under two-thirds (63%) of employee respondents without a dental plan would consider taking up one if their employer offered it, according to research by Denplan.Its 2013 Dental benefit survey, which questioned 503 benefits professionals and more than 4,000 UK adults, found that 42% of employer respondents in the process ...
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Article
Goldman Sachs to sell stake in pension insurer
Goldman Sach is to sell a majority stake in pension insurer Rothesay Life in the next year.Rothesay Life mitigates the financial and longevity risk of UK organisations’ defined benefit (DB) pension schemes.It was established by the investment banking and securities firm in 2007.A spokesperson from Goldman Sachs said: “The firm ...
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ArticleIn-house support more prevalent in auto-enrolled organisations
Employers that have auto-enrolled staff relied more on in-house resources than respondents that have still to auto-enrol staff plan to do so.According to the Employee Benefits/Capita Pensions Research 2013, which surveyed 370 HR and benefits professionals, 52% of those that have auto-enrolled staff used in-house advice, 60% had in-house help ...
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Article
Royal Mail reduces DB pension liabilities
Royal Mail Group has reduced the liabilities of its defined benefit (DB) pension scheme from a deficit of £2.7 billion in March 2012 to a surplus of £825 million at March 2013.The group’s Annual report and special purpose financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2013 showed that this ...
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Article
UK bucks global trend for wellbeing dip
Employee owners are the happiest workers in the UK, according to research by global workplace provider Regus.Its annual Work-life balance report, which is based on a poll of 26,000 professionals across the globe, reveals a worldwide dip in wellbeing over the last year, but the UK bucks this trend, up ...
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Article
UK employers not proactive on health issues
Almost half (42%) of respondents do not have, or do not know if they have, a programme in place to help employees maintain their health, according to research by consultancy JLT Employee Benefits.Its 250 Club report, which questioned 250 private sector employers with at least 500 full-time employees, also found ...
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Article
Barclays Cycle Hire staff strike over pay
Employees of the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme have begun 48 hours of strike action in a row over pay.The employees, who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) trade union, have cited the imposition of a 2% pay increase for 2013 and an end to overtime as reasons ...
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Article
Birmingham Council staff save £187,000 via discounts plan
EXCLUSIVE: Birmingham City Council employees have made savings of £187,000 through the organisation’s online employee discounts scheme.The programme, which was introduced in November 2011, is used by 8,300 of the council’s 48,000 employees.Since its launch, employees have spent £3 million on purchases through the scheme.Raffaela Goodby, head of organisational development, ...
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Opinion
Tom Bray: European Court rules against collective pay negotiations
The ECJ found that employees cannot continue to benefit from collectively agreed pay rises once they have transferred to a new employer which is neither party or privy to the pay negotiations.This case has very real implications for employers that have acquired, or will acquire, employees to whom industry- or ...
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ArticleBenefits and pay equality more common in the public sector
Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents in the public sector provide employees with equal benefits, compared with 40% of respondents in the private sector, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).Its Labour market outlook for summer 2013, which surveyed 1,034 private and public sector employers, found ...