At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 30 August-5 September 2019
The headlines you might have missed between 30 August - 5 September.
New rehab centre opens to help people deal with workplace burnout
HR Review: In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially recognised burnout as a medical condition for the first time. Read story
Workplace wellbeing and protection roundtable: are we asking too much of EAPs?
Corporate Adviser: They’ve gone from helping employers tick the duty of care box to being seen as a fix all for anything and everything mental health-related. But, as speakers at a round table on the Corporate Adviser Workplace Protection & Wellbeing Report discussed, are they being stretched too far? Suzanne Clarkson. Read story
Zappos.com launches music-based wellbeing programme
Employee Benefits: Online retailer and customer service business Zappos.com has launched a new music-based wellbeing programme for its Las Vegas-based employees, encouraging staff to learn an instrument as a means to reduce stress. Read story
Babcock Airport staff at Heathrow vote to accept two-year pay deal
Employee Benefits: Staff employed by engineering services business Babcock Airport, based at Heathrow, have voted to accept a two-year pay deal, averting potential strike action. Read story
London has the UK’s largest gender pay gap at 30.4%
Employee Benefits: London has been found to have the largest gender pay gap in the UK, with women earning 30.4% less than men, according to research by Paymentsense. Read story
More than a third of UK workers actively looking for job with flexible working
Workplace Insight: New research among more than 2,000 UK adults, all in full-time or part-time work, commissioned by KnowYourMoney.co.uk claims to have uncovered the importance of flexible working practices to employees today. Read story
Mid-life support is 'crucial' for both employers and employees
Cover: Mid-life support for employees can be a win-win scenario for both employees and employers, according to the Centre for Ageing Better. Read story
One in three flexible working requests turned down
HR News: One in three (30%) requests for flexible working are being turned down, according to a new TUC poll published today (Monday). Read story
Employees take four mental health days a year
HR Magazine: Workers are taking an average of four mental health days a year but tell employers they are for physical ailments, according to research. Read story
UK employees leaving their job due to poor relationship with boss
HR Review: Just under half of UK employees have quit their job due to the negative relationship they have with their boss. Read story
Donald Trump increases federal pay by 2.6% but leaves locality rates at 2019 levels
Employee Benefits: The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump (pictured), has confirmed that federal employees will receive a 2.6% base-pay increase across the board. However, locality rates will remain at the current 2019 levels. Read story
Department for Education to increase teacher starting salary and pension contributions
Employee Benefits: The Department for Education has announced today (Monday 2 September 2019) that starting salaries for new teachers will increase to £30,000 a year by the 2022-2023 financial year, and that employer pension contributions will rise to 23.6%. Read story
UK-based Ryanair pilots undertake three-day strike
Employee Benefits: UK-based pilots employed by airline Ryanair who are members of The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), are undertaking three days of strike action, starting today (Monday 2 September 2019). Read story
Three quarters of people want to work for a firm with a good reputation
Workplace Insight: Over three quarters of people (76 percent) want to work for firms with a good reputation, according to the latest business reputation survey “Everyone’s Business” by the CBI, in collaboration with Porter Novelli and Opinium. Read story
Record number of staff receiving mental health first aid training
Personnel Today: Organisations are training record numbers of employees in mental health first aid in order to combat rising reports of stress, depression and other conditions. Read story
TPR to prosecute businessman for failing to divulge information about his companies
Pensions Age: The regulator is investigating allegations that Vincent Bootes, 56, has not paid staff that work for his companies their workplace pension contributions. The companies are registered at an address in Station Road, Liphook, Hampshire, or at an address in Anyards Road, Cobham, Surrey. Read story
Why the traditional staff survey is no longer fit for purpose
HR News: The average response rate for staff surveys is 30-40%. But one firm, Acacia Training, received a 100% employee engagement rate when it piloted a new assessment tool to improve mental health in the UK workforce – and it has already had a positive impact on its team. Read story
Employees’ workplace savings choices governed by age of decision-maker at employer, new research shows
HR News: Data from 500 UK employers shows that individual priorities of those setting the employee benefits agenda is impacting how and when people save for life events, including home purchase and retirement. Older decision-makers are far more likely to view pension schemes as a priority for employees than their younger counterparts, according to the new research from Smarterly. Read story
Two more master trusts authorised
Corporate Adviser: Autoenrolment.co.uk Master Trust (Smart Pension) and the Lewis Workplace Pension Trust are the latest two master trusts to achieve authorisation, the Pensions Regulator has confirmed. Read story
NHS Employers publishes pension tax guidance
Professional Pensions: Annual allowance rules are a particular problem for NHS staff, especially the tapered annual allowance - which restricts the annual allowance of those earning over £150,000. Read story
Most workers feel automation has ‘made work life better’
People Management: Survey finds increasing support for technology in the workplace, but experts fear organisations are still not prepared. Read story
Deloitte doubles paid parental leave for non-birth parents
Employee Benefits: Professional services firm Deloitte, which has more than 16,000 employees, has doubled its paid parental leave benefit for non-birth parents, offering four weeks of fully paid leave. Read story
Delta Air Lines awards 4% pay increase for 80,000 global staff
Employee Benefits: US-based Delta Air Lines has awarded a 4% base pay increase for its 80,000 global employees, effective from 1 October 2019. Read story
Three-fifths of UK employees do not receive time off to volunteer
Employee Benefits: More than three-fifths (63%) of UK employees do not receive any paid days off from their employer in order to volunteer, according to research by employee experience organisation Perkbox. Read story
PM's adviser offers 'probably illegal' cash bonus to staff
HR Grapevine: As the UK Government prepares for its departure from the European Union (EU) on October 31 2019, it seems that all hands are on deck to ensure that Britain leaves as smoothly as possible. Read story
Alzheimer’s is a working age issue: employers urged to support staff both living with dementia and those working with caring responsibilities
Employers News: With at least 1 in 20 people diagnosed with dementia under age 65, the chance of developing the disease whilst of working age has become increasingly likely. This poses one of the greatest challenges for employing those dealing with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, or who have eldercare responsibilities, of any generation to date, says Towergate Health & Protection. Read story
One in five Brits has quit job over poor payroll experience, says new research
HR News: According to new research commissioned by Zellis and conducted by an independent research firm, one in five Brits (21%) has changed jobs after being paid late or inaccurately by their employer, equivalent on a national scale to nearly seven million employees. Read story
Executive pay: Pensions aren't the point
HR Magazine: Focusing on aligning executives' pension contribution levels with the wider workforce will not solve ongoing issues with executive pay. Read story
How flexible working can save your company thousands of pounds
HR Review: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), could save tens of thousands of pounds a year by allowing flexible working and downsizing due to a lower number of staff in the workplace. Read story
UCU 'confident' universities will strike over pensions
Pensions Expert: The majority of university staff will vote for strike action on pensions unless their employers concede to lowering contributions to the Universities Superannuation Scheme closer to 8 per cent, the University and College Union has said. Read story
Two-thirds of global staff think off-cycle pay would impact decision to accept new job
Employee Benefits: Nearly two-thirds (62%) of global employee respondents think that off-cycle pay options, such as the ability to choose their pay frequency, would make a difference when considering a job offer, according to research by ADP. Read story
One in 10 employees at Community Medical Centers utilise payroll loans
Employee Benefits: Approximately 10% of the 6,800 US-based staff employed by private, non-profit healthcare network Community Medical Centers (CMC) have utilised the organisation’s payroll loan benefit since its introduction in July 2018. Read story
Wellbeing depends on workplace basics more than trivial features
Workplace Insight: According to the Workplace Wellness Study published by Future Workplace, a New York-based research firm, and office technology provider View, the most highly prized features of an office are good air quality, access to natural light, and an ability to personalise immediate workspace. Read story
Pension funds face £31bn cost under Labour’s bid to give staff 10% of shares
Pensions Age: A plan by the Labour Party to introduce inclusive ownership funds (IOF), giving 10 per cent of shares in large UK companies to employees, will cost pension funds £31bn, according to Clifford Chance. Read story
Payday millionaires no more: Brits are opting to increase savings and budget better
HR News: New research by pensions advice specialist1, Portafina, has investigated the spending habits of the country; unveiling that Brits in full-time work spend a fifth (21%) of their disposable income within 24 hours of being paid. Read story
Four-day week popular with three-quarters of UK workers
HR Magazine: While research shows employees are in favour of a four-day week and increased flexibility, most firms still only offer traditional working hours. Read story
Almost half of UK plan to leave their job after summer holidays
HR Review: Nearly half of UK employees intend to leave their job after their summer holidays, due to a desire to travel or work flexibly. Read story
Under a third of UK employees want to move to a new job within the next year
HR Review: Less than a third of office workers are looking to change jobs within the next year as they desire an improved work-life balance, flexible working hours and a higher salary. Read story
Nest, Smart, People’s and USS back costs initiative
Corporate Adviser: Nest, Smart Pension, The People’s Pension and Universities Superannuation Scheme have all publicly backed the Cost Transparency Initiative as a means for improving costs and charges measurement. Read story
Britvic reaches interim agreement on CPI/RPI linking
Pensions Expert: Soft drinks manufacturer Britvic has reached an interim agreement with the trustees of its defined benefit pension scheme over controversial plans to switch pension increases based on the retail prices index to the lower consumer prices index. Read story
Length of employees’ commutes ‘fuelling gender pay gap’
People Management: ONS suggests women are sacrificing salary in exchange for shorter journeys to work, increasing pay disparity. Read story
Medirest staff at Northwick Park Hospital protest in pay and bullying dispute
Employee Benefits: Staff employed by healthcare facility management organisation Medirest, based at Northwick Park Hospital, are conducting a protest today (Thursday 5 September 2019) in a dispute over pay, bullying complaints and high workloads. Read story
Governor of North Carolina increases pay for state staff
Employee Benefits: The governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper (pictured), has legislated to provide pay increases for state employees, adult correction staff and state Highway Patrol employees, effective from July 2019 and July 2020. Read story
Pension freedoms leaving savers vulnerable to scammers – FCA
Pensions Age: Pension scam victims are being caught out by fraudsters when exercising their pension freedoms when it may not be in their best interest, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned. Read story
62% employees demand off-cycle pay options
HR News: 62% of employees say off-cycle pay options such as the ability to choose pay frequency, would make a difference when considering a job offer. Read story