At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 2-8 August 2019
The headlines you might have missed between 2-8 August.
Bruce Eaton: What Lego can teach us about group PMI
Corporate Adviser: By building on what is already there for free we can deliver sustainable better healthcare to workers says Medigo managing director UK, Bruce Eaton. Read story
TPR turns up the heat on 99% failing small schemes
Pensions Expert: The Pensions Regulator continued to press for consolidation on Thursday, after its annual survey found 99 per cent of small schemes are missing statutory governance requirements. Read story
Third of FTSE 100 firms fail to include LGBT+ in annual report
People Management: Despite progress for LGBT+ diversity and inclusion, experts say figure shows there is still ‘a long way to go’. Read story
Poll: 22% do not have the resources to offer life leave to employees
Employee Benefits: Around a fifth (22%) of Employee Benefits readers do not have the resources to offer a life leave benefit to their employees. Read story
Stansted-based Stobart Aviation Services check-in staff receive 10% pay rise
Employee Benefits: Passenger service staff based at Stansted Airport and employed by Stobart Aviation Services are to receive a 10% pay increase, in an effort to mitigate scheduled strike action. Read story
Lewisham Council proposes paid parental leave scheme for councillors
Employee Benefits: Local authority Lewisham Council is planning to amend its scheme of allowances for council members, in order to facilitate a paid parental leave scheme. Read story
Two-thirds of employers do not provide financial advice due to budget constraints
Employee Benefits: Almost two-thirds (64%) of employers do not provide financial advice for their employees because it is too expensive and they do not have the budget, according to independent research organisation Lightbulb. Read story
Seven in 10 offer life assurance to all employees
Employee Benefits: Nearly seven in 10 (68%) employers offer life assurance to all employees as part of a core package, according to research by Employee Benefits. Read story
Maternity leave progressing around the world
Workplace Insight: With studies claiming almost as many women with children (74.1 percent) participated in the labour force as women without, in 2014, women who are juggling careers and motherhood benefit from flexibility at work the most. Read story
Over half of employees are experiencing ‘burnout'
Cover: According to the second 'Wellbeing Index Report' from Westfield Health, which analyses the state of the nation's wellbeing at work and home. Read story
Home truths – making working from home work
Personnel Today: Homeworking is often thought as an easy solution to workplace stress, long hours and exhausting commutes. In fact, apart from the commute, the opposite can be the case if you don’t manage carefully how, where and when homeworkers are working, as Graham Bird explains. Read story
Brexit fears leads to FTSE 350 DB deficit rise
Pensions Age: The accounting deficit of defined benefit pension schemes for the UK’s 350 largest listed companies grew by £3bn in July, according to Mercer. Read story
Almost half of SME owners admit more should be done to support mental health
HR News: More than 1 in 4 small business owners admit they are too busy to think about how to improve mental health and almost half (48 per cent) of SME owners admit that they should be doing more to support mental health in the workplace. Read story
MPs slam pension transparency
Corporate Adviser: The Government is “complacent” about cost transparency failings in pensions industry and funds should be obliged to disclose costs in a uniform template, according to a report from the Work and Pensions Committee published today. Read story
Spend money on NHS staff, not just buildings, PM is told
People Management: Experts call for investment in recruitment and development, as government pledges £1.8bn for hospital buildings and equipment. Read story
Yorkshire-based Drax employees vote to accept two-year pay deal
Employee Benefits: Staff employed by energy organisation Drax, based at its Selby power station in Yorkshire, have voted to accept a two-year pay deal. Read story
Approximately 250,000 UPS staff receive back pay and wage increase
Employee Benefits: Approximately 250,000 full and part-time employees at American package delivery and supply chain management organisation United Parcel Service (UPS) are set to receive a pay increase and back pay as a result of a new collective bargaining agreement. Read story
Four-fifths offer counselling services or EAPs
Employee Benefits: Counselling or employee assistance programmes (EAPs) are offered by 82% of organisations, according to research by Employee Benefits. Read story
Scrap earnings trigger to close gender pension gap, urges union
Pensions Age: A 39 per cent gender pension differential between men and women could be reduced by changes to auto-enrolment, according to the trade union Prospect. Read story
Unlimited holiday offered by more companies
HR Magazine: There's been a large increase in firms offering unlimited holiday, but experts warn such schemes can lead to employees taking too little time off. Read story
Third of managers do not act on points raised by employees in 1-2-1 meetings
HR Review: A third of managers do not follow up on points that are raised by their employees when they have check-ins or one-to-one meetings. Read story
Large DC schemes are warming to target date funds
Pensions Expert: Data crunch: Target date funds have seen widespread adoption in the US defined contribution market, but the UK has so far resisted change with schemes overwhelmingly using lifestyle approaches. However, an increasing proportion of schemes are gravitating towards this structure, says Broadridge Financial Solutions' Jonathan Libre. Read story
How employers are missing the mark with employee benefits
HR Review: According to new research by Group Risk Development (GRiD), the group risk protection industry body, 42 per cent of companies do not measure staff appreciation of benefits. Read story
Railways Pension Scheme and Aon DC master trusts receive authorisation
Professional Pensions: The Railways Pension Scheme's Industry Wide Defined Contribution (IWDC) Section and the Aon Master Trust have become the 12th and 13th master trusts to be authorised by The Pensions Regulator (TPR). Read story
TPR to prosecute recruitment agency over AE duty failure suspicions
Professional Pensions: A recruitment agency and its managing director are to be prosecuted by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) on suspicion of trying to avoid providing staff with a workplace pension. Read story
Suez enhances paid parental leave for 2,800 staff in Australia
Employee Benefits: Resource management organisation Suez has enhanced its paid parental leave benefits for 2,800 employees based in Australia. Read story
Lineside Logistics staff at Ford’s Dagenham plant vote to accept one-year pay deal
Employee Benefits: Approximately 300 contract staff employed by on-site logistics organisation Lineside Logistics, based at car manufacturer Ford’s plant in Dagenham, have voted to accept a one-year pay deal. Read story
A third of UK employees believe their employer is supportive of shared parental leave
Employee Benefits: Around a third (34%) of UK employee respondents believe their organisation is supportive of shared parental leave, according to research by Ipsos Mori. Read story
Gig economy worker rights demand a global approach
Workplace Insight: The domestic gig economy has seen the number of workers more than double in number since 2016, according to a recent report from the TUC and the University of Hertfordshire (conducted with Ipsos MORI). Read story
Does the ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme actually work?
Incentive and Motivation: From health improvements to a reduced carbon footprint, we all know the benefits of cycling. However, is it enough to convince you to give up the car and commute to work on a bike instead? Read story
Government to review tapered pension tax rules for NHS doctors
Professional Pensions: The government has put forward proposals to review pensions tax relief rules in order to give senior NHS clinicians full flexibility over the amount that they contribute to their pensions. Read story
Flexible work improves mental health, study suggests
People Management: Employees say greater control over hours leads to better work-life balance, but managers still struggle with concept. Read story
BD Network introduces wellbeing credit accounts for all staff
Employee Benefits: Marketing agency BD Network has launched a new wellbeing benefit for its 50 London-based employees, aiming to support staff wellness and facilitate fitness opportunities. Read story
Lincolnshire County Council health visitors continue industrial action in pay dispute
Employee Benefits: Health visitors, trained nurses who attend patients at home, employed by Lincolnshire County Council and who are members of the trade union Unite, are hosting demonstrations over the next three days, in relation to an ongoing pay dispute. Read story
Only 10% do not currently offer mental wellbeing support to employees
Employee Benefits: Only 10% of respondents do not currently offer any form of mental wellbeing education or support, according to research by Employee Benefits. Read story
Best cities for work-life balance
HR Grapevine: Work-life balance is one of the most important factors for employees, as more staff members seek to work with businesses who promote a healthy balance between the two. Read story
Employee productivity and engagement linked to financial wellbeing
HR Review: Almost seven-tenths of employers believe their employees’ financial wellbeing has a direct impact on their productivity and engagement. Read story
Businesses receive record amount in Access to Work grants for disabled employees
People Management: But experts say employers still lack awareness about support available to make work accessible. Read story
HSBC completes pension longevity swap transaction worth £7 billion
Employee Benefits: Banking organisation HSBC has completed a longevity swap transaction with The Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA), to insure approximately £7 billion worth of pensioner liabilities. Read story
Court of Appeal dismisses holiday pay case in support of teacher
Employee Benefits: The Court of Appeal has dismissed a case brought forward by the Harpur Trust on behalf of Bedford Girls School concerning the holiday pay of a music teacher on a zero-hours contract. Read story
Changing nature of work revealed in official data
Workplace Insight: Many aspects of the changing nature of work in the UK are highlighted in a new official report into the number of hours worked in the country. Read story
What motivates millennials in the workplace?
HR News: Although it’s important to treat each employee as an individual regardless of their generation, a report by American Express found some common themes when it came to what millennials wanted from their work. Read story