At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 19-25 July 2019
The headlines you might have missed between 19 - 25 July.
UK SMEs workers losing £140 million a year in unclaimed work expenses
HR Review: UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employees are losing out on £140 million a year in unclaimed work expenses. This is mainly due to the fact their company takes too long to pay them back, so they do not bother. Read story
Why is a UK MP joining the worldwide protest against Amazon?
HR Review: Today (19th July 2019), the Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, Jack Dromey, is to attend the GMB Amazon Demonstration day to pledge his support to UK workers who are protesting over poor working conditions. Read story
Pension transfer volumes up 20pc
Corporate Adviser: Transfer volumes through the Origo Transfer Service increased by 20 per cent in the year to 30 June 2019, to over 680,000, while the time taken to execute transfers fell from an average of 9.3 to 9.2 calendar days. Read story
Employers ‘want earnings trigger removed’ – CBI/Widows research
Corporate Adviser: Three quarters of employers want to see the removal of the £10,000 earnings trigger, which excludes millions of low paid and part-time workers, a majority of which are women, from auto-enrolment, according to a survey from the CBI and Scottish Widows. Read story
TPR's use of frontline powers jumps by 32%, but four targets missed
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator (TPR) increased its use of frontline powers by 32% over the last year, it confirmed in its annual report and accounts. Read story
Government to consider neonatal leave and pay within parental leave consultation
Employee Benefits: The government has today (Friday 19 July 2019) launched a consultation to explore potential changes to parental leave entitlements, including the introduction of a new neonatal leave and pay benefit. Read story
BEIS to consult on workplace protections and flexible working, following Good work plan
Employee Benefits: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a consultation on workplace protections, aiming to tackle the issues identified in its Good work plan report, published in December 2018, including the introduction of a single labour market enforcement body. Read story
Half of construction, hospitality, logistics staff value benefits alongside pay rises
Employee Benefits: Almost half (47%) of employees working within sectors such as construction, hospitality and logistics value workplace benefits alongside a pay rise, according to research by Gumtree Jobs. Read story
'What is burnout?' spikes online
Cover: This April, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised ‘burnout' as an ‘occupational phenomenon' and, in January, a viral article on BuzzFeed entitled ‘How millennials became the Burnout Generation' also brought attention to the so-called epidemic. Read story
Colleague ‘Tipping’ Scheme could Backfire, Warns Employment Specialist
Employer News: With more than 250 UK-based firms using peer-to-peer recognition technology employers are being urged to think twice regarding the legal implications of allowing staff to ‘tip’ fellow colleagues with a ‘micro bonus’ for doing a good job. Read story
What workers want: 46% of Creative workers want Video Games at Work
Employer News: With many workers spending up to 40 hours a week in an office, it should come as no surprise that the office environment is vitally important to 21% of people. Happy workers are up to 20% more productive – so making sure the office is a positive place to be is in everyone’s interest. But what is it that makes an office space feel right? Read story
Cost of employing people unsustainable, firms warn
HR Magazine: Businesses have warned that their ability to develop staff and grow their companies has become difficult due to the increased cost burden of employment. Read story
UK employees are not receiving the right amount of holiday leave
HR Review: Two million UK workers are not receiving their legal holiday entitlement. Read story
Railways Pension Scheme on TPR's watchlist since 2016
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator (TPR) almost issued a warning notice against one of the firms involved in the Railways Pension Scheme (RPS) as sections of the scheme were placed on watch in 2016. Read story
Workers will be able to demand regular hours are written into contracts
People Management: Government plans legislation to address ‘one-sided flexibility’, forcing businesses to compensate for last-minute shift cancellations. Read story
Two-fifths used return-to-work support for mental health conditions in 2018
Employee Benefits: In 2018, almost two-fifths (39%) of employees made use of return-to-work support following time off for mental health conditions, such as stress and anxiety, according to research by employee benefits provider Unum. Read story
Raise the Wage Act aims to increase federal minimum wage for 33 million in the US
Employee Benefits: A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act 1938 (FLSA), to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 (£12.03) an hour by 2025, has been passed by the US House of Representatives. Read story
Action for Children launches new employee benefits platform
Employee Benefits: UK-based charity Action for Children has launched a new benefits platform for its 7,000 employees, carers and volunteers. Read story
GPPs are offered as the primary scheme at 66% of organisations
Employee Benefits: Group personal pensions (GPPs) are the most popular primary schemes for auto-enrolment purposes, offered by 66% of respondents, according to research by Employee Benefits. Read story
UK office workers wasting 1.8 billion hours a year due to mediocre technology, Insight research reveals
HR News: The survey of 2,000 UK office workers also showed that more than a third (34 percent) of employees said that not being equipped with the right technology makes remote and flexible working difficult and stressful. Read story
Jobs salaries reach a five-year high
HR Review: The average salary across the UK has reached a five-year high, just shy of £40,000 in the first half of 2019, however, this may be because businesses across the UK are increasing pay because they are struggling to fill roles. Read story
Fertility benefits call from millennial workers
Corporate Adviser: More than 3 out of 10 young workers aged 18 to 34 believe fertility benefits, such as egg freezing or subsidised IVF, should be offered by employers. Read story
Pension schemes falling short of TPR's expectations, finds XP
Professional Pensions: A large number of pension schemes are falling short of The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) governance and trusteeship expectations, according to research by XPS Pensions. Read story
Employers’ training spend has stagnated under apprenticeship levy, says CIPD survey
People Management: Report suggests levy was ‘never going to close the gap’ left by declining investment in workplace learning. Read story
Nearly two million UK employees do not receive their minimum paid leave entitlement
Employee Benefits: Nearly two million (1.96 million) UK employees do not receive the minimum entitlement of paid annual leave, according to research conducted by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Read story
Nationwide Building Society signs charter to support parents of premature babies
Employee Benefits: Financial institution Nationwide Building Society has signed the Employers with Heart charter, introducing extended maternity leave and a new hospital leave benefit, to better support parents of premature babies. Read story
Facebook workers juggle several jobs to survive
HR Grapevine: Motivational theorists say that we are not intrinsically motivated to go to work which is why we get paid. Read story
The Best ‘Work Perks’ Revealed
Employer News: Finishing early on a Friday and casual office attire are work perks which are all too familiar to employees today – but are all ‘work perks’ really this predictable? Read story
Johnson urged not to ‘neglect’ pensions following victory
Pensions Age: The pensions industry has reacted to the election of Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party, with one expert asking him not to 'neglect' the domestic pensions agenda in the UK. Read story
Why debt shouldn’t be a taboo subject in the workplace
HR News: Did you know? UK adults are concealing more than £96 billion worth of debt Money Advice Service. Many people hide their debt problems from family and friends, and, even worse, try and ignore it themselves. Why? Because debt is often treated like a dark secret. People can feel embarrassed, ashamed and unable to acknowledge that they’re in a problematic situation. Read story
Amber Rudd to remain work and pensions secretary
Corporate Adviser: Amber Rudd has not been moved out of her job as secretary of state for work and pensions amid concerns the pensions industry could have had its seventh politician in that office since the 2015 general election. Read story
Employees receiving taxable job perks falls to 12-year low
Health Insurance and Protection: The number of employees receiving major job perks has fallen to a 12-year low amid corporate cost-cutting and increasing taxes, research shows. Read story
Increases to public sector wages include highest pay award for armed forces since 2007
Employee Benefits: Secretaries of State have this week (Monday 22 July 2019) confirmed pay increases for public sector staff, including hospital doctors, teachers and military personnel. Read story
Secret Escapes sees 26% of UK staff engage with financial coaching
Employee Benefits: Luxury travel organisation Secret Escapes has seen 26% of its 350 UK-based staff engage with financial coaching since the benefit was implemented in June 2018. Read story
Anglia Ruskin University rolls out wellbeing and sustainability scheme for 1,900 staff
Employee Benefits: Educational institution Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has rolled out a wellbeing and sustainability programme for its 1,900 employees after the completion of a successful six-month pilot. Read story
Nine in 10 see price as key when choosing health benefits providers
Employee Benefits: Almost nine in 10 (87%) organisations see price as the most influential factor when deciding on health benefit providers, according to research by Employee Benefits. Read story
Aon Benefits & Trends Survey 2019: Flexible benefits programmes continue to rise in popularity
Employer News: New research from Aon, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions (NYSE: AON), shows that flexible benefits programmes continue to be popular within organisations, despite communication challenges and a potential impact from 2018’s OpRA regulations. Read story
Investment banking analyst is UK’s highest paid entry-level role for 2019
Employee Benefits: The position of investment banking analyst is the highest-paying entry-level job role in the UK for 2019, with a median base salary of £50,752 a year, according to research by Glassdoor. Read story
GatenbySanderson trains mental health first aiders to support staff wellbeing
Employee Benefits: Executive search organisation GatenbySanderson has trained 10 of its 140 employees to be mental health first aiders. Read story
Penguin Random House reports a 9.1% gender pay gap for 2019
Employee Benefits: Publishing organisation Penguin Random House has reported a 9.1% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay as at April 2019; this compares to a 9.3% mean gender pay gap the organisation reported for April 2018. Read story
Five pension priorities for the new government
Professional Pensions: While Amber Rudd will remain in her job as secretary of state for work and pensions, the rest of Boris Johnson's cabinet has experienced a major shake-up. Read story
Surge in employer people analytics teams
Corporate Adviser: A report by Thomsons has found that 70 per cent of organisations surveyed have upskilled existing HR team members to develop people analytics teams, while 23 per cent have hired in external talent. Read story
Healthcare employees’ wellbeing level substantially lower than other professions
HR Review: Those who work in healthcare in the UK rate their wellbeing poorly, as on average those who work in the legal services nearly double their wellbeing level. Read story