At a glance: reward and benefits highlights this week 28 September - 4 October 2018
The headlines you might have missed between 28 September - 4 October.
A fifth believe the pensions dashboard would most encourage them to save for retirement
Employee Benefits: A fifth (21%) of respondents believe that the pensions dashboard is the online technology that would most encourage retirement saving, according to research by pensions consultants Lane Clark and Peacock (LCP) and YouGov. Read story
Total E&P awards 15% pay increase
Employee Benefits: Oil and gas organisation Total E&P has agreed a 15% basic pay increase with the trade union Unite, in response to proposed strike action at its Alwyn, Dunbar and Elgin rigs. Read story
Steve Webb: A perfect storm for DB transfer complaints
Money Marketing: Complaints about DB transfers are currently low but claims management firms and a stockmarket downturn could create choppy conditions for advisers. Read story
Three pension companies wound up for 'misleading' clients
Professional Pensions: Three pension enrolment companies have been wound up by the High Court after the Insolvency Service found they had misled clients. Read story
Flexible workers battle 'work from home' stigma
HR Magazine: Almost half (46%) of UK employees feel the need to combat a perception that working from home is less productive than being in the office, according to LogMeIn. Read story
TUC study highlights low earnings and slams ‘sham’ self-employment
Personnel Today: Almost half of self-employed people aged over 25 are earning less than the minimum wage, according to new research. Read story
Gig economy: Uber drivers earn above the London Living Wage
Personnel Today: New research shows that Uber drivers are earning £11 an hour, 80p more than the London Living Wage. Read story
Nine out of ten employees came into work sick last year
HR Grapevine: Nine out of ten workers went into work while sick last year – with one in five worried they would appear weak if they took a day off to recover, according to research from Canada Life Group Insurance. Read story
30 master trusts leaving market as TPR's authorisation regime comes into force
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has confirmed that 30 master trusts have or will exit the market, leaving 58 which will either need to apply for authorisation or exit in the coming months. Read story
FTSE 100 pension schemes see small funding improvement
Professional Pensions: Defined benefit (DB) schemes sponsored by the UK's 100 largest listed companies saw their combined funding level improve by 10 basis points during September, according to JLT Employee Benefits. Read story
Master trust pension schemes now required to apply for TPR authorisation
Employee Benefits: Legislation now in force means all new and existing master trust pension schemes must apply to The Pensions Regulator (TPR) for authorisation to show they meet a revised set of safeguarding standards. Read story
A third of younger applicants worried to ask about employers’ flexible working policies
Employee Benefits: Nearly a third (30%) of 18 to 34-year-olds would be worried to ask about flexible working policies during a job interview, according to a survey commissioned by Direct Line Group. Read story
Two in three savers “sceptical” about robo-advice
Corporate Adviser: Despite concerns about technology, survey shows public remain positive about pensions dashboard. Read story
Plans to ban employers from taking staff tips announced
Personnel Today: New legislation to ensure that tips go to workers and not to their employers will be introduced in a crackdown on poor tipping practices. Read story
Thousands of Tesco staff join new equal pay claim
Personnel Today: More than 8,000 workers have signed up to a new equal pay claim being brought against Tesco, which has been formed in addition to the legal challenge already taking place. Read story
Striking a work-life balance ‘causing stress for working parents’
Health Insurance Daily: Striking a work-life balance is causing stress and anxiety for three quarters (75%) of working parents, a study has found. Read story
Nearly a third of employees say they are not motivated at work
Employee Benefits: The proportion of people saying they are not motivated at work rose to 29% in 2017, from 18% the previous year, according to a study by reward and recognition consultant Motivates. Read story
G Man Insulation to pay over $270,000 due to wage law violations
Employee Benefits: Insulation and drywall organisation G Man Insulation has been ordered to pay $272,253 (£208,413.76) in back wages, damages and penalties. Read story
47% cite mental health as major cause of sickness absence
Employee Benefits: Mental health issues have risen as a major cause of sickness absence in respondents’ organisations, from 39% to 47% over the past year, according to research by Employee Benefits and Health Shield. Read story
What to expect from the High Court decision on Lloyds' GMP equalisation
Professional Pensions: With the High Court's judgment expected imminently, Victoria Ticha examines the possible outcomes and what it could mean for schemes. Read story
Opperman: Dashboard, DB and CDC legislation 'in next Queen's Speech’
Professional Pensions: The government is aiming to legislate for the pensions dashboard, defined benefit (DB) reform, and collective defined contribution (CDC) schemes next year, Guy Opperman has said. Read story
Flexible and part-time workers outperform full-time counterparts
HR Magazine: The percentage of top performance ratings for part-time and reduced-hours workers is higher than across all staff, at 34% vs 14%, according to Working Families. Read story
Amazon increases minimum pay above voluntary Living Wage
Personnel Today: Amazon is to increase its minimum wage in excess of the level recommended by the Living Wage Foundation for almost 40,000 permanent and temporary staff. Read story
Getting staff to save for retirement
HR Magazine: The next pensions challenge is getting staff to save enough for a comfortable future. Here's five ways HR can engage them to do so. Read story
EAPs justify investment according to new benchmark
Personnel Today: Employee assistance programmes (EAPs) deliver return on investment according to data suggesting that employers can typically save more than £12 for every pound spent. Read story
Employer accused of ruining child's birthday after withholding worker pay
HR Grapevine: A mother has accused her employer of ruining her young son’s birthday plans after they withheld her wages - Hull Live reports. Read story
How HR Can Support Workers Burdened by Debt
Incentive and Motivation: With workers across all salary bands relying on high cost credit at a cost to business productivity, James Herbert, CEO and co-founder of Hastee Pay, outlines how financial wellbeing can become part of your company culture. Read story
Employers need to be aware that “transitioning is a journey”
Employee Benefits: Employers need to be aware that gender “transitioning is a journey; it doesn’t necessarily have a prescribed end” when considering strategies around diversity and inclusion and employee wellbeing. Read story
Diageo aligns internal and external branding to boost its EVP
Employee Benefits: Multi-national beverage organisation Diageo focuses on aligning its internal and external branding, to help ensure that its image as an employer is linked directly with the factors that make it successful as a business. Read story
Google uses data to inform mental health approach for 52,000 global staff
Employee Benefits: Technology organisation Google uses industry data and employee feedback to help inform its approach to mental health supports, and ensure its health and wellbeing provision is tailored to employee need. Read story
Investment Association urges FCA to drop 'flawed' DC cost disclosure methodology
Professional Pensions: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must ditch the methodology used to calculate transaction costs incurred by investment of defined contribution (DC) funds as a matter of urgency, the Investment Association (IA) says. Read story
Opposite-sex civil partnerships will have 'limited impact' on scheme liabilities
Professional Pensions: Legislation allowing opposite-sex couples to register as civil partners is unlikely to have a significant impact on pension scheme liabilities, industry experts say. Read story
Feeling the pinch: UK inflation on the rise
Professional Pensions: UK inflation hit a six-month high of 2.7% in September, having held steady earlier this year. The rise is not good news for consumers - slowing the recovery in spending power. Read story
RBS’ Cowan says changing workplace requires individual pensions approach
Employee Benefits: Changes to the workforce mean the days of a one-size-fits-all approach to lifetime savings are over. Read story
Unilever chatbot to transform HR services in 106 countries
Employee Benefits: Unilever has reimagined HR services using artificial intelligence (AI), with a chatbot to go live in 106 countries. Read story
Addison Lee’s Mat Davies describes the future of HR as “heavy metal HR”
Employee Benefits: Mat Davies (pictured), HR director at premier taxi organisation Addison Lee, has described the future of human resources as “heavy metal HR”, stating that the HR industry needs to mirror the music genre in challenging norms and authority, as well as in creating change, if it is to successfully navigate the current world of work. Read story
DWP calls for HR professionals to act as workplace pensions advocates
Employee Benefits: HR professionals and employers can help the Department for Work and Pensions communicate the benefits of saving into a workplace pension. Read story
Paralympic athlete Marc Woods says pay cannot be sole reason why employees do their jobs
Employee Benefits: Paralympic gold medallist, BBC commentator and author Marc Woods (pictured) explained that pay cannot be the sole motivator for employees to do their jobs, in his closing keynote address at Employee Benefits Live 2018 on Wednesday 3 October. Read story
TPR urged to name master trusts exiting the market
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator (TPR) should reveal the names of master trusts that will not apply for authorisation and take a measured approach, industry experts have said. Read story
FCA delays decision on DB transfer contingent charging ban
Professional Pensions: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has held back from making any changes to its rules on contingent charging for defined benefit (DB) transfers in its latest policy paper on the subject. Read story
Industry sceptical about benefits of CDCs
Corporate Adviser: Delegates at the Corporate Adviser 2018 Summit were unpersuaded as to the merits of collective defined contribution schemes. Read story
Mental health support for male employees
HR Magazine: Men are often described as a ‘hard to help’ group in relation to engagement with health issues. Read story
Lessons on flexible working from the Working Families conference
HR Magazine: Speakers at Working Families’ National Work Life Week Conference 2018 shared best practice for changing organisational culture to be family-friendly and flexible. Read story
Hospitality workers strike over pay and union recognition
Personnel Today: Workers at McDonald’s, TGI Fridays, JD Wetherspoon, Deliveroo and Uber Eats are staging a 24-hour walk out today, in separate disputes over pay and union recognition. Read story
Amazon workers on minimum wage to get pay rise
HR Grapevine: Amazon has announced plans to raise its minimum wages for UK and US employees, following campaigns pushing for pay increases to tackle rising levels of poverty and inequality. Read story
Employers ‘should help staff forge work friendships’
People Management: Tackling loneliness can be key to improving retention, workplace behaviour expert tells Glassdoor Recruit UK Conference. Read story
Childcare voucher schemes close as working parents reach record highs
People Management: Experts also warn lack of flexible working options limiting mothers’ options. Read story