At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 13-19 September 2019

The headlines you might have missed between 13-19 September.

Flexible working ‘main factor in helping carers stay in work’
Health Insurance and Protection: Good flexible working arrangements are the most commonly cited factor in helping working carers to stay in work, a review has found. Read story

Jobseekers prefer 'woke' businesses, says survey
People Management: Research highlights importance of social awareness, with younger candidates most focused on making a positive impact. Read story

Cisco, Salesforce and SAS recognised among UK’s Best workplaces in tech 2019
Employee Benefits: Adobe, Cisco (pictured), Indeed, Kronos, Salesforce, SAS and Workday are among the technology organisations recognised in the UK’s Best workplaces in tech 2019 report, compiled by Great Place to Work. Read story

Daisy Corporate Services launches fitness discount benefit for 1,200 UK staff
Employee Benefits: IT and communications organisation Daisy Corporate Services (DCS) has launched a new gym and fitness discount benefit for its 1,200 UK-based staff. Read story

Recognition is a more powerful motivator than pay, survey concludes
Workplace Insight: Data from Engaging Works claims that recognition is a more powerful motivator than pay for employees. The data also suggests that a third of people feel they aren’t trusted to make decisions and have a poor relationship with their line manager. Read story

Progress on mental health ‘core standards’ lagging behind
Personnel Today: Only a fifth of employers have met the first of the “core standards” recommended by a government-commissioned report into improving the mental health of employees, it has been suggested. Read story

MPs concerned Arcadia rescue plan will fail
Pensions Age: The Work and Pensions Select Committee has written to The Pension Regulator (TPR) over concerns that the plan to rescue the Arcadia Group pension scheme will fail. Read story

How investing in a coffee machine for your office can benefit your employees
HR News: With Brits drinking around 70 million cups of coffee each day, it is unsurprising that many employers are deciding to invest in modern coffee machines for the office. Read story

DeVere Group expands employee benefits offering
Corporate Adviser: Global wealth managers the deVere Group is to expand its corporate business across Europe, by offering financial advice as part of an employee benefit programme. Read story

Mid-life MOTs run danger of 'shocking people into doing nothing at all’
Professional Pensions: Employees will be like “rabbits in the headlights” if they are awakened to their low levels of saving too late in their working lives, it has been warned. Read story

The DC Debate: How use of tech can deliver more personalised products
Pensions Expert: Technology permeates almost every facet of our lives, yet communications to pension scheme members are still not being targeted in many cases, and the industry relies on defaults as a broad brush. Five experts share their views on how the industry could do better. Read story

One in 20 workers report receiving no paid holiday entitlement
People Management: Labour market analysis also finds 9 per cent are not issued a payslip, as experts call for employees to be made aware of their rights. Read story

A third of employees at UK SMEs do not receive any workplace benefits
Employee Benefits: Just over a fifth (22%) of UK employees say that their employer does not provide any employee benefits; this increases to 34% for employees working at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to research by Moorepay. Read story

Capita to pay all UK employees at least the voluntary living wage
Employee Benefits: Professional services and business process outsourcing organisation Capita is to pay all UK employees at least the voluntary living wage from April 2020, improving base salaries for approximately 6,000 members of staff. Read story

Two-fifths of UK employees cite flexible hours as most important job element
Employee Benefits: More than two-fifths (44%) of UK employees cite the ability to work flexible hours as the most important element of a job, according to research by Jellyfish Training. Read story

How fintech is disrupting workplace health and wellbeing
Corporate Adviser: Fintech, healthtech, digital healthcare - call it what you will. Apps are the tools of the moment for tackling employee engagement, wellbeing and productivity. Sam Barrett checks out what’s new in this burgeoning sector. Read story

Alan Morahan: State pensions – 130 years and counting
Corporate Adviser: A structure developed more than a century ago will not be sustainable for future generations says Punter Southall Aspire managing director, EB consulting, Alan Morahan. Read story

Only one in seven job adverts offer flexible working
People Management: Experts say the absence of flexible options in recruitment processes leaves the majority of workers ‘applying in the dark’. Read story

Four-fifths of UK employees cite salary as important for their happiness at work
Employee Benefits: Around four-fifths (86%) of UK employees cite salary as the most important factor contributing to their happiness at work, according to research by Capita. Read story

Deloitte UK, KPMG UK and PWC UK pledge to support disability inclusion
Employee Benefits: Professional services firms Deloitte UK, KPMG UK and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) UK have signed a global disability inclusion commitment, The Valuable 500, operated by business campaign group #valuable. Read story

Employee gives herself hefty 7K salary rise
HR Grapevine: An employee’s salary is often determined by a person’s level of experience and education, the geographic location of the job and associated living costs and their overall performance. Pay is often a mutual arrangement that works for both the employer and the employee that can be reviewed throughout the employee’s tenure. Read story

Mistakes employers make with Gen Z and how to avoid them
Employers News: In 2018, on average 48% of employees left a role because it wasn’t what they thought it would be, this figure is even higher for Gen Z workers with three-quarters (73%) quitting as a role did not meet their expectation: a clear warning for businesses that Gen Zers are more likely to switch jobs if they’re not happy. Read story

USS 'pushing regulator limits' as it submits 2018 valuation
Professional Pensions: The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is expected to submit its 2018 valuation to The Pensions Regulator in the coming days, despite admitting it is “pushing their limits” in terms of acceptable risk. Read story

DC schemes not aligned with member values but ESG shift could boost contributions by £1.2bn a year
Professional Pensions: Over three quarters (78%) of defined contribution (DC) members feel their pension scheme is not aligned with their values, latest research by Franklin Templeton shows. Read story

Two-fifths do not know cost of providing healthcare benefits
Employee Benefits: Two-fifths (41%) of employers do not know how much providing healthcare benefits is estimated to cost their organisation; this proportion has risen gradually over the past few years, having stood at 30% in 2017, according to research by Employee Benefits. Read story

Roadchef launches flexible pay benefit for 3,300 UK employees
Employee Benefits: Motorway service area operator Roadchef has launched a benefit allowing its 3,300 UK employees to access their wages throughout the month, in an effort to reduce reliance on overdrafts and payday loans. Read story

Hachette UK enhances parental benefits for 1,500 members of staff
Employee Benefits: Publishing organisation Hachette UK is enhancing its benefits offering for working parents among its approximately 1,500-strong workforce. Read story

Betfred employees underpaid for overtime
HR Grapevine: A whistleblower told The Guardian that Betfred has underpaid staff for overtime work. The source alleged that the bookmaker, which employs more than 7,000 people, didn’t let employees know that they may be owed money even after the payment problem had been identified. Read story

More than half of female professionals have never negotiated a pay rise
Workplace Insight: More than half of all female professionals – 57 percent – have never attempted to negotiate a pay rise, according to a new report from professional recruitment firm Robert Walters. Read story

ASDA Heads to Supreme Court over Equal Pay Dispute
Employer News: Employment Law Solicitor, Simon Thomas, Partner at Hutchinson Thomas Solicitors discusses the challenges of equal pay legislation & the high-profile ASDA case. Read story

UK employees see social wellbeing as top priority
HR Review: Out of the different types of wellbeing such as mental, physical and financial, social has taken the lead in importance to UK employees. Read story

Eight out of 10 businesses feel economic impact of staff absences
Corporate Adviser: New research shows how widely companies are affected by employee ill-heath — and the economic effects this has on their businesses. Read story

UK retirement system sticks at world's 17th best as Iceland takes top spot
Professional Pensions: The UK continues to lag behind its global counterparts for retirement security, ranking 17th out of 44 nations in Natixis Investment Managers’ global retirement index. Read story

Soaring executive pay ‘sends the wrong message to staff’
People Management: Employees believe leaders are more valued than them, says CIPD adviser, questioning the need for complex reward mechanisms. Read story

Half of UK employees believe their employer should support work-life balance
Employee Benefits: Almost half (49%) of UK employees believe that their employer should support their work-life balance, according to research by Thomsons Online Benefits. Read story

Medirest employees stage second protest over pay at Northwick Park Hospital
Employee Benefits: Employees of healthcare catering and facility management services provider Medirest, who are members of trade union GMB and work at Northwick Park Hospital, are undertaking a protest today (19 Septmeber 2019) in reaction to complaints over pay, management practices and heavy workloads. Read story

Medical and dental staff in Wales to receive 2.5% pay increase
Employee Benefits: Medical and dental staff working for the National Health Service (NHS) in Wales have been awarded a 2.5% increase to basic pay, backdated to April 2019. Read story

Flexible working becoming preserve of the well paid
Workplace Insight: The number of highly paid workers offered some form of flexible working has trebled in the past four years, according to the latest Flexible Jobs Index from flexible work consultancy Timewise. Read story

L&G completes £930m Tate & Lyle scheme buy-in
Pensions Age: Legal & General has completed a £930m full buy-in for members of the Tate & Lyle pension scheme. Read story

What employees really want – and no, it’s not money
HR News: Today’s perception of a happy workplace is littered with fun extras designed to motivate employees – from table tennis to napping pods, and everything in between. But it seems the key to a happier workplace – and workforce – is much simpler than Insta-worthy #workperks; just invest in their development. Read story

Employee recognition strategies falling short
HR Magazine: Speakers at an HR magazine and Achievers webinar discussed how sophisticated recognition strategies are today and how organisations can get this area right. Read story