All Employee Benefits articles in Web Issue – Page 738
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Article43% of new fathers take half paternity leave entitlement
Nearly half (43%) of new fathers take five days or less paternity leave, which is only half of their two-week entitlement, according to research by HR software provider Octopus HR.Its research, Dads at work: a report into the paternity leave trends and working habits of the modern working father, analysed ...
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Article47% believe employer should play role in retirement planning
Nearly half (47%) of employees believe their employer should play a role in helping them to prepare for retirement, according to research by Barclays Corporate and Employer Solutions (C&ES).Its Steps towards a living pension report, which surveyed 2,000 employees who are paying into a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme, found ...
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Article63% believe pre-retirement information needs improvement
Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents believe that pre-retirement information needs improvement and should be an urgent priority for the next six months, according to research by Equiniti.Its research, which surveyed 40 annuity providers and pensions experts, found that a further 26% believe it needs to be improved within a year.Nearly ...
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Article66% manage sickness absence as business risk
Two-thirds (66%) of respondents proactively manage sickness absence as a business risk, according to research by EEF and Jelf Employee Benefits.The eleventh 2014 Sickness absence survey, which surveyed 335 manufacturing organisations, found that nearly two-fifths (39%) of respondents do not set a sickness absence target.Of those that did set a ...
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ArticleJust 7% would take pension pot as lump sum
Just 7% of respondents would take 100% of their pension savings as a lump sum, according to research by Friends Life.Its research, which surveyed 2,000 UK employees, found that the average amount respondents would release at retirement is 33%.Pension reforms announced in the 2014 Budget allow greater flexibility in the ...
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Article72% expect staff to pay more into pensions
Nearly three quarters (72%) of respondents are anticipating an increase in defined contribution (DC) pension contributions from employees who are close to retirement, according to research by Towers Watson.Its Post-Budget DC pension strategy survey, which questioned 74 UK employers, found that one in five (20%) of respondents anticipate younger employees ...
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ArticleABI and NAPF call for guidance guarantee details
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) have written to the government urging it to make some quick decisions to ensure its financial guidance guarantee, part of the pension reforms announced in this year’s Budget, can be delivered in time to meet the ...
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ArticleBrowne Jacobson adds new perks to flexible benefits
EXCLUSIVE: Browne Jacobson is to add a range of new perks to its flexible benefits scheme, including an online healthy eating programme called Body Chef, and life assurance and critical illness insurance for employees’ partners.It will also increase the limit for staff up to which flex their own life assurance. ...
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ArticleGovernment sets out support for ageing workforces
The government has set out a framework for action to support employers in keeping an ageing workforce in employment.Its action plan, Fuller working lives – A framework for action, found that the UK economy could have been boosted by £18 billion in 2013 if the employment gap between people in ...
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ArticleSiemens and Asda shortlisted for total reward statements
Siemens and Unilever are among the employers that have been shortlisted for the award ‘Best total reward statements’ at the Employee Benefits Awards 2014.This award recognises employers that have successfully integrated total reward statements into their benefits communications strategy, whether the statements are online or paper-based.The full category shortlist is:Asda ...
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ArticleAshurst launches pensions e-newsletter
EXCLUSIVE: Ashurst has launched an annual pensions e-newsletter, share news with employees about pensions-related issues in the workplace.The publication is the first initiative to come out of the law firm’s internal pensions governance committee, which held its first meeting in October 2013.The Pensions Monitoring Committee (PMC) is chaired by Ashurst’s ...
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VideoVIDEO: Neil Morrison: Award winners connect benefits to business needs
Successful finalists in the Employee Benefits Awards demonstrated a connection between their benefits initiatives and their business needs, said Neil Morrison, group HR director at Penguin Random House Group, in an interview with Debi O’Donovan, editor of Employee Benefits.He added that the standout entries were very clear about the needs ...
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Barclays and Centrica are top employers for working families
Barclays, Centrica and Islington Council are among the winners of the 2014 Top Employers for Working Families Special Awards.The awards, which were founded by Working Families in partnership with the Institute for Employment Studies and are sponsored by Computershare Voucher Services, recognise employers that support parents, carers and flexible workers ...
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VideoVIDEO: Bob Hughes: The new psychological contract to engage employees
A new psychological contract has to come in to engage a developing workforce, said Bob Hughes, director of the Engage for Success Foundation, in an interview with Debbie Lovewell-Tuck, deputy editor of Employee Benefits.He said: ”Things have changed so much in the workplace, the whole world of work is changing.“Companies ...
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ArticleIncisive Media boosts GPP take up
EXCLUSIVE: Incisive Media has seen a quarter (25%) of its 200 eligible employees opt out of the pension scheme it introduced for auto-enrolment purposes.However, 20% of this 25% have subsequently opted to enrol in the media organisation’s pre-existing group personal pension (GPP) plan.The GPP has a minimum employee contribution of ...
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ArticleKFC launches salary sacrifice car scheme
EXCLUSIVE: KFC has launched a salary sacrifice car scheme for more than 950 eligible employees.The restaurant chain has included an emissions cap at 130g/km to help improve the organisation’s green credentials and help employees to make tax savings.The current lowest tax band, of 5%, is applied to all cars emitting ...
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VideoVIDEO: Wendy Cartwright: Leading-edge employers embrace wellbeing
Leading-edge employers are embracing wellbeing as something incredibly important for the business, said Wendy Cartwright, former HR director at the Olympic Delivery Authority, in an interview with Debi O’Donovan, editor of Employee Benefits.“Organisations are trying to get more upstream, and trying to focus on being more positive and proactive in ...
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ArticleNew tax-free childcare scheme confirmed
The Queen has confirmed that the government’s new tax-free childcare scheme, first announced in the 2013 Budget, will take effect from autumn 2015.The Childcare Payments Bill will introduce the new tax-free childcare scheme to support working parents by giving support equivalent to basic-rate tax relief on money spent on childcare, ...
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ArticleExtended right to request flexible working comes into effect
The right to request flexible working has been extended to every employee on 30 June.The legislation was due to take effect on 6 April, but was postponed because of a delay in the Children and Families Bill’s progress through Parliament.Previously, the right was only available for carers or people who ...
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ArticleQueen confirms greater flexibility on DC pension savings
The Queen has confirmed legislation announced in the 2014 Budget to offer greater flexibility to pensions in the way retiring defined contribution (DC) pension members can take their savings.The Pensions Tax Bill will remove previous restrictions to the way individuals can access their DC pension savings, and allow them to ...