At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 8-14 June 2018

The headlines you might have missed between 8-14 June.

Recruitment agency pleads guilty to illegally opting staff out of pensions
Professional Pensions: Senior staff at national recruitment agency Workchain have pleaded guilty to illegally opting temporary staff out of their workplace pension scheme, leading to The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) first criminal conviction under this offence. Read story

EU pensions watchdog: Improve DB funding by raising sponsor support or reducing benefits
Professional Pensions: Increasing sponsor support or lowering member benefits will ultimately improve the funding position of defined benefit (DB) schemes, according to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA). Read story

Yodel people director: 'Engagement against the odds' is possible
HR Magazine: Keeping employees engaged is still possible even in the “toughest” industries, according to Yodel’s people director Lynne Graham. Read story

The smoke and mirrors of the gender pay gap
HR Magazine: While there has been a lot of noise around the gender pay gap and inclusivity, the danger is that this noise is lulling us into a false sense of security. Read story

More than half of charity DB schemes are now closed to accrual
Pensions Expert: Charities are catching up with private sector employers as the number of defined benefit schemes closed to accrual jumped to 58 per cent at March 2017 from 43 per cent a year earlier, according to consultancy Hymans Robertson. Read story

Company support for final salary pensions has recovered from recession
People Management: But new analysis warns Brexit could trigger 'crisis mode' for retirement schemes. Read story

M&S Directors miss out on bonuses but staff feel more of a bite
HR Grapevine: High-street stalwart Marks & Spencer has revealed it will not be paying bonuses to any Directors this year. Read story

Employers inflate starting salaries to attract hard-to-find staff
Personnel Today: Employers are hiking up salaries in order to attract candidates amid severe staff shortages, according to the latest data from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. Read story

TfL tops league table of best organisations in UK for work-life balance
Personnel Today: London transport organisation TfL has a better “staff first” ethos than any other major business in the UK, according to a new survey by jobs site Indeed. Read story

FTSE 350 defined benefit pension deficit falls to £34bn
Employee Benefits: The accounting deficit for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes at the UK’s top 350 organisations has decreased by £16 billion in a single month, reaching £34 billion as of May 2018, according to research by Mercer. Read story

PepsiCo launches paid return-to-work programme
Employee Benefits: Multinational food and beverage organisation PepsiCo has launched a paid return-to-work programme to help individuals re-enter the workforce after taking a career break. Read story

Maternity attitudes affect return to work success
HR Magazine: How mothers' time away is viewed by line managers and the wider organisation has a significant impact on their treatment upon returning. Read story

Big businesses could be forced to explain executive pay gaps from 2020
People Management:  New legislation goes before parliament today, but critics warn pay ratios are a ‘blunt tool’. Read story

NHS staff from 14 unions vote to accept three-year pay deal
Employee Benefits: Every NHS worker in England will now be paid at least £8.93 per hour, or £17,460 per year if they work full time, as part of a three-year deal and changes to the pay structure of the organisation, collectively endorsed by NHS unions as of Friday 8 June 2018. Read story

Two-thirds of AE providers 'have no policy to prevent chemical weapon investments', says research
Professional Pensions: Six out of nine automatic enrolment (AE) providers have no policy to prevent investments in companies that profit from chemical and biological weapons, according to analysis by ShareAction. Read story

Unum extends online financial education to 130 Ireland-based staff
Employee Benefits: Employee benefits provider Unum has extended its online financial education programme to 130 employees based at its Carlow operating site in Ireland.

Ryanair recognises cabin crew trade union for collective pay bargaining 
Employee Benefits: Ryanair has signed a voluntary trade union recognition agreement with Unite to enable collective pay bargaining. Read story

Total pay increases by 0.1% in real terms since April 2017
Employee Benefits: Total pay for employees in Great Britain, including bonuses, increased by 0.1% in real terms between February to April 2017 and February to April 2018, according to research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Read story

How the UK's biggest DC default funds are performing
Professional Pensions: PP has teamed up with JLT Employee Benefits to launch 'AE Watch', an initiative that examines the investment performance of DC default funds. Maria Nazarova-Doyle takes a look at the findings. Read story

Origo successfully trials pensions dashboard for 15 million users
Professional Pensions: Tech provider Origo has run a successful pension dashboard test to accommodate 15 million active users of the service. Read story

Workers in North twice as likely to opt out – Now: Pensions
Corporate Adviser: Workers in parts of the North of England are more than twice as likely to opt out of auto-enrolment than those in the south and midlands, according to figures from Now: Pensions. Read story

BBC unions vote to accept pay deal and new terms and conditions
Employee Benefits: The BBC will introduce a new minimum salary of £20,000 from 1 August 2018, and will modernise its terms and conditions, in a new deal negotiated by The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu), the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Unite. Read story

ING Financial Markets expands global wellbeing programme
Employee Benefits: ING Financial Markets, part of global banking organisation ING, has expanded its global wellbeing programme, enabling employees to create and set personalised wellbeing plans and goals. Read story

Pimlico Plumbers’ employment status appeal dismissed by Supreme Court
Employee Benefits: The Supreme Court has ruled that, in Pimlico Plumbers and Charlie Mullins v Gary Smith, Smith qualifies as a worker, dismissing an appeal put forward by Pimlico Plumbers and its CEO and founder, Charlie Mullins. Read story

Heathrow bundles bespoke bond and £325m buy-in with L&G
Professional Pensions: Heathrow Airport's defined benefit (DB) plan has completed a £325m pensioner buy-in with Legal & General (L&G) financed by an innovative corporate bond. Read story

Government has ‘missed opportunity’ to reform workplace support for fathers, say MPs
People Management: Official report declines to reform shared parental leave or paternity pay as experts suggest a ‘revolution’ is needed. Read story

47% are motivated by pay and remuneration
Employee Benefits: Just under half (47%) of respondents are motivated and engaged by pay and remuneration, according to research by HR management software provider ADP. Read story

78% believe not enough is being done to support mental health at work
Employee Benefits: More than three-quarters (78%) of respondents feel that not enough is being done to support mental health at work, according to research by CV Library. Read story

LondonEnergy recognises trade union for collective pay bargaining
Employee Benefits: Energy organisation LondonEnergy has signed a voluntary trade union recognition agreement with Prospect, to enable collective pay bargaining. Read story