At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 9-15 March 2018
The headlines you might have missed between 9-15 March.
Make Collective offers bonuses to employees who cycle to work
Employee Benefits: New Zealand-based advertising and creative agency Make Collective offers its six employees a financial year-end bonus if they cycle to and from work. Read story
Calls for auto-enrolment to rise above 12%
Money Marketing: Nearly a third of financial advisers think auto-enrolment contributions should be set at 12 per cent or higher, a Money Marketing poll suggests. Read story
Marriott Hotels and Wagamama named on minimum wage non-compliance list
Employee Benefits: Asian restaurant chain Wagamama and international hotel group Marriott Hotels (pictured) are among the 179 employers named by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for failure to pay employees the national minimum wage and the national living wage. Read story
John Lewis Partnership to give 5% bonus to staff
Employee Benefits: The John Lewis Partnership is to pay 85,500 employees across John Lewis and Waitrose a bonus worth 5% of their salary, totalling £74 million. Read story
TPR met with Carillion trustees 45 times over eight years
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has revealed it has had a total of 24 meetings with Carillion, and 45 meetings with the trustees since 2008. Read story
Preparing for the closure of childcare vouchers
HR Magazine: The closure of childcare vouchers to new entrants in April 2018 marks a significant change to financial support for working parents. Read story
Keeping benefits fit for purpose
Reward: A reward strategy more aligned with staff health has been the aim of the IT services firm, writes Peter Crush. Read story
Gender pay gap: Carlsberg pays women more than men
Personnel Today: Carlsberg paid women on average 3.3% more than men in 2017, despite there being an under-representation of women in its more senior roles. Read story
Next faces £30m equal pay claim from shop assistants
Personnel Today: Fashion retailer Next is facing an equal pay claim from more than 300 shop floor staff, which could total £30m. Read story
Deloitte and EY announce gender pay gap data inclusive of partners
Personnel Today: Accountancy and consulting giant Deloitte has reported figures revealing women at the firm earn 43% less than men on average. Read story
High street firms’ minimum wage breaches may be ‘tip of iceberg’
People management: Confusion over uniforms and other expenses blamed as 179 employers accused of underpayment. Read story
Leigh Day: the law firm taking on the giants over equal pay
Personnel Today: Leigh Day has represented thousands of workers in employment claims they might not otherwise have been able to fight. But how does it balance the risks of doing this with no guarantee of reward? Read story
Every little helps? Tesco workers awarded £1.52 voucher for battling snow
HR Grapevine: Tesco workers were left feeling insulted after they were awarded a voucher worth £1.52 as a thank you for working through the recent treacherous conditions. Read story
32% of US Companies Will Use Tax Savings on Employee Reward Programmes
Incentive and Motivation: A new poll from Mercer says 32 percent of the employers it surveyed will be putting portions of their income tax savings into employee reward programs. This news comes as some well-known brands also announced they will be sharing their windfall in the form pay raises and bonuses for their employees. Read story
Long-term gender pay solutions could create short-term reporting problems
HR Magazine: Many companies are yet to disclose their gender pay gap despite the deadline being April. Read story
A&O gender pay figures: The problem lies in the senior ranks
The Lawyer: Men at Allen & Overy received bonuses that were 42 per cent higher than their female counterparts in the second announcement to be made by the magic circle. Read story
Target to increase minimum hourly pay to $12
Employee Benefits: US-based retail organisation Target is to increase its minimum hourly wage from $11 (£7.94) to $12 (£8.66). Read story
43% feel more appreciated when offered additional annual leave
Employee Benefits: More than two-fifths (43%) of respondents select additional annual leave as the work-related benefit that would make them feel most appreciated at work, according to research by Xexec. Read story
BT Group reports a 7% mean gender pay gap
Employee Benefits: Telecommunications organisation BT Group has reported a 7% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay as at 5 April 2017 across its seven legal entities. Read story
Spring Statement to be a damp squib as Brexit 'paralysis' continues
Professional Pensions: Do not expect any substantial pensions policy measures, if anything, in this week's Spring Statement, industry commentators have predicted. Read story
High Court judgment dismisses pension concerns over Barclays ring-fencing transfer
Professional Pensions: Barclays has received final approval for its ring-fencing plans, which controversially involve moving its DB scheme to its investment banking division. Stephanie Baxter considers the judgment. Read story
University pension strike nears end after deal struck
Money Marketing: A new deal has been reached between union leaders and university employers as strikes continue over threatened pension cuts. Read story
Are scheme rules holding back pension transfer advice?
Money Marketing: Pension trustees are voicing increased concerns that scheme rules are stopping them signposting financial advice to members. Read story
DB deficits rise £21bn over February, says PPF
Professional Pensions: Defined benefit (DB) schemes saw a £21.1bn growth in their funding shortfall last month as both gilt yields and equities suffered falls, according to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). Read story
50% will use workplace pension for retirement income
Employee Benefits: Half (50%) of respondents who are approaching retirement in the next 10 years plan to use their workplace pension for their retirement income, according to research by Age Partnership. Read story
Hermes Investment Management reports a 30.2% mean gender pay gap
Employee Benefits: Asset management organisation Hermes Investment Management has reported a 30.2% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay as at April 2017. Read story
Spring Statement empty but economic projections good news for contributions
Professional Pensions: Philip Hammond's financial update was empty of any direct pensions impacts as the chancellor sought to trim down the fiscal statement. Read story
Spring Statement: Pension scheme collapses present ‘risk’ to forecasts
Money Marketing: The Government says it expects pension deficits built up before companies collapse to hit its coffers, but is still unable to predict how much is likely to fall on the Pension Protection Fund. Read story
Mineworkers receive tax demands after admin error
Pensions Expert: Members of the £11.4bn Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme have received notices from HM Revenue & Customs incorrectly telling them that they owe thousands of pounds in tax. Read story
Employee Reward and Recognition
Reward: Annual leave and public recognition top the list of most loved work-related awards. Read story
CEO outed as earning 900 times more than employees
HR Grapevine: If there is ever a topic to annoy the average employee, it’s the remuneration and bonus packages of CEOs – especially when it outstrips their own pay hundreds of times over. Read story
Westminster Abbey reports a 2% mean gender pay gap
Employee Benefits: Westminster Abbey has reported a 2% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay. Read story
EnergyAustralia invests $1.2m to close gender pay gap
Employee Benefits: Energy retail organisation EnergyAustralia is investing $1.2 million (£678,309.21) in pay increases in order to close its 2% gender pay gap. Read story
Government agrees six-month childcare voucher extension
Employee Benefits: The government has agreed to delay the closure of the workplace childcare voucher system for six months. Read story
British Steel passes funding level test for new scheme following RAA
Professional Pensions: The initial funding level test criterion for the new British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) have been "comfortably met", according to the trustee. Read story
A new route to tackling financial education
Reward: Pensions scheme members are paralysed by choice, but new comms solutions can help them make the right choices. Read story
Guardian News and Media reports an 11.3% mean gender pay gap
Employee Benefits: Media organisation Guardian News and Media has reported an 11.3% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay as at 5 April 2017. Read story
Cyber security professionals earn 17% more in Germany than in the UK
Employee Benefits: Employees who work in the cyber security sector can earn 17% more if they are based in Germany compared to if they work in the UK, according to research by Willis Towers Watson. Read story
ITN reports a 19.6% mean gender pay gap
Employee Benefits: Media organisation ITN has reported a 19.6% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay. Read story
AE contributions to eat a fifth of disposable income from 2019
Professional Pensions: The rise in auto-enrolment (AE) contributions over the next 13 months will have a "severe impact" on the average worker's disposable income, according to independent analysis. Read story
BT pension compromise with CWU possible by end of next week
Professional Pensions: BT and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are said to be close to a deal over the closure of the telecoms company's defined benefit (DB) scheme. Read story
Govt 'tempted' by latest Royal Mail CDC proposals
Pensions Expert: The Department for Work and Pensions is “tempted” to lay regulations facilitating the creation of collective defined contribution schemes, following a recent breakthrough by the team drafting proposals on behalf of Royal Mail. Read story
What are the best ways to reward employees?
Incentive and Motivation: The success of an organization depends on the employees it has. Top employees are hard to find and expensive to hire. Organizations are therefore keen on keeping the acquired top talent. Read story
The perks your employees really want, according to research
HR Grapevine: A recent survey by Hiscox found that only 49% of women and 51% of men are satisfied with the perks their company offers, with those in the North West the least happy in the UK. Read story
Employers need clarity on government childcare voucher scheme
Cover: Government decision to keep salary sacrifice open for further six months causing HMRC confusion. Read story
EAT says part-time teacher is entitled to same statutory holiday pay as full-time staff
People Management: Employers must be aware of law protecting part-time workers from less favourable treatment. Read story