At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 19-25 May 2017

Your quick-read round up of the reward and benefits stories appearing in the press in the past seven days.

The headlines you might have missed between 19-25 May.

British Airways loses High Court battle over discretionary increase
Professional Pensions: British Airways (BA) has lost a landmark trial to block its pension trustees' decision to award a discretionary increase in 2013. Read story

Tory plan to water down state pension inflation protection divides industry
Professional Pensions: The Conservative Party's plan to replace the state pension triple lock with a double lock has provoked mixed responses. Read story

Asos and John Lewis Partnership named UK’s Top Companies for 2017
Employee Benefits: Arcadia Group, Asos, the BBC, John Lewis Partnership, and Virgin are among the organisations that have been recognised on the Top Companies 2017 list for the UK, compiled by LinkedIn. Read story

56% share funding of benefits with staff
Employee Benefits: More than half (56%) of employer respondents offer a benefits package that is part employer and part employee funded, according to research by Employee Benefits and Staffcare. Read story

24% experience back problems when working from home
Employee Benefits: Around a quarter (24%) of respondents that work from home experience back aches, according to research by Bupa. Read story

Organisations must rethink stress and pressure
HR Magazine: HR magazine and CABA's roundtable event on building a holistic wellbeing strategy explored the energising element of challenge. Read story

Accenture UK puts wellbeing at the forefront of its culture
Employee Benefits: Supporting the health and wellbeing of its more than 13,000 employees in the UK and Ireland is a key strategy for global professional services firm Accenture, with the employer aiming to be the most inclusive and diverse organisation in the world by 2020. Read story

Just 3% view Brexit as a key benefits strategy issue
Employee Benefits: Just 3% of employer respondents cite the vote for Brexit as an issue shaping their benefits strategies in 2017, according to research by Employee Benefits and Staffcare. Read story

The College of Law Pension and Assurance Scheme completes £28m buy-in
Employee Benefits: The College of Law Pension and Assurance Scheme has completed a £28 million pension buy-in transaction with Aviva. Read story

Lengthy commutes increase likelihood of depression, obesity and money worries
People Management: Employers urged to offer flexible working to combat stress and declining productivity. Read story

Investigate 'arrogant and abusive' TPR and privatise PPF, says paper
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator (TPR) should be investigated by a Royal Commission, according to a response to the government's green paper on defined benefit (DB) schemes. Read story

BBC scheme caps life payouts at LTA as Webb slams ‘absurd’ death tax
Corporate Adviser: Former pension minister Steve Webb is calling for death in service payouts to be made completely tax-free, as it has emerged that some employers are capping payouts entirely where the recipient would otherwise have exceeded the lifetime allowance. Read story

Employers – AE admin bigger challenge than cost
Corporate Adviser: Administration is a bigger challenge to firms implementing auto-enrolment than the cost of contributing to their employees’ pensions, a survey of 10,000 employers has found. Read story

BA judgment shows value of diligent minute-taking
Pensions Expert: British Airways has lost a legal battle against the Airways Pension Scheme involving the trustees' decision to introduce a 0.2 per cent discretionary increase, as experts have stressed the importance of carefully documenting all decision-making processes. Read story

The Wellcome Trust uses app to engage staff with physical activity
Employee Benefits: Medical research charity The Wellcome Trust has a large nine-storey building, as well as two floors below ground, at its main office in Euston, London. Read story

Green party pledges four day week
HR Magazine: Brexit referrendum and childcare also on the party's manifesto agenda. Read story

49% would leave an organisation due to a lack of recognition
Employee Benefits: Almost half (49%) of Australia, UK and US-based employee respondents would leave an organisation if they do not receive regular recognition, according to research by employee engagement organisation Reward Gateway. Read story

62% manage auto-enrolment administration in-house
Employee Benefits: Almost two-thirds (62%) of employer respondents manage the administration of pensions auto-enrolment in-house, according to research by Chase de Vere and Lightbulb. Read story

Why you should encourage more flexible working
People Management: Legal expert Amanda Jones explains the organisational benefits of alternative work arrangements, and how HR can implement them effectively. Read story

Lloyds coalition files for GMP equalisation ruling in High Court
Professional Pensions: Lloyds Bank has launched a joint legal bid with its pension trustees and unions to equalise guaranteed minimum pensions (GMPs) in a move which could cost the industry £20bn. Read story

Retirees worry they will outlive their pension pots
Professional Pensions: A quarter of retirees do not believe they have a large enough nest egg to fund their retirement, research has revealed. Read story

Deficits drain workers' wages by £2bn a year
Professional Pensions: Sponsors of defined benefit (DB) schemes have squeezed their workers' wages by around £200 compared to companies without these funds, a think tank has revealed. Read story

Walmart US extends military leave and pay policy
Employee Benefits: Walmart is to extend its military leave of absence policy to offer differential pay to US employees undergoing basic training for the US armed forces. Read story

Slush Puppie gains living wage accreditation
Employee Benefits: Frozen drinks manufacturer Slush Puppie has been accredited as a living wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation. Read story

73% to address benefits challenges through targeted communication
Employee Benefits: Almost three-quarters (73%) of employer respondents anticipate they will require better or more targeted communication of benefits in order to adapt to future challenges within the industry, according to research by Employee Benefits and Staffcare. Read story

Right to request fixed hours welcome, but enforcement will be key
HR Magazine: The Taylor inquiry will likely call for those on zero-hours contracts to be given the right to request fixed hours. Read story

Veolia UK Pension Trustees hires Schroders for £880m fiduciary management mandate
Professional Pensions: Veolia UK Pension Trustees has announced it has appointed Schroders to be the fiduciary manager for its largest defined benefit schemes, which have a combined asset value of £880m. Read story

LGPS takes a big leap towards cost transparency
Professional Pensions: As a transparency code is launched for the Local Government Pension Scheme, Stephanie Baxter looks at how it could set a gold standard across the industry. Read story

Immediate AE staging deadline looms
Corporate Adviser: New employers that establish PAYE schemes after October 1st will have to automatically enrol their staff into a pension scheme four months earlier than those set up in September, TPR has confirmed. Read story

Claire Finn: It’s all about the contributions
Corporate Adviser: The DWP’s review of auto-enrolment should not forget that contribution levels are the biggest influence on retirement outcomes says Claire Finn, head of DC & strategic partnerships, BlackRock EMEA. Read story

Volvo keeps track of employees’ health and wellbeing through workplace study
Employee Benefits: Global car manufacturer Volvo participated in Britain’s Healthiest Workplace study, run by VitalityHealth, in 2016. Read story

Employee wellbeing: making the connections
Employee Benefits: There is plenty of buzz around employee wellbeing, with everything from fresh fruit and fitness challenges to mindfulness sessions and financial education being promoted as key to employee happiness. Read story

Employees want more recognition at work
HR Magazine: More than half (52%) of the workers polled felt their boss could do more to appreciate them. Read story

UPDATED: BA to appeal High Court ruling on discretionary increases
Professional Pensions: British Airways (BA) will appeal a High Court decision which allowed trustees of one of its defined benefit (DB) schemes to grant a 0.2% increase to pensioners. Read story

EPC-UK launches wellbeing programme and issues fitness devices
Employee Benefits: EPC-UK has launched a wellbeing programme for its 250-strong workforce. Read story

17% reviewing benefits strategy in light of salary sacrifice changes
Employee Benefits: Less than one-fifth (17%) of employer respondents either have, or will, review their benefits strategy in light of the changes to salary sacrifice, according to research by Employee Benefits and Staffcare. Read story

51% reward staff to increase motivation
Employee Benefits: Half (51%) of employer respondents at small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that reward employees do so to increase motivation, according to research by American Express. Read story

Poll: 73% to offer summer perks
Employee Benefits: Employee Benefits poll: Almost three-quarters (73%) of employer respondents plan to offer summer perks to employees this year. Read story

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