VAT changes could threaten salary sacrifice schemes
From January 1 2012, companies will have to pay VAT on non-cash goods and services provided to employees in exchange for some of their salary, HMRC has announced. According to Nick Huber, writing for our sister site www.AccountingWeb.co.uk, the change to the VAT treatment of salary sacrifice schemes, which often include such as bikes, […]
Whither employee benefits?
Has the provision of employee benefits passed its peak? The answer to the question depends on the reasons why benefits were offered in the first place. If they were constructed as part of a package to attract and retain employees, the recession and public sector spending cuts have probably stalled the momentum in benefits provision. […]
You need to insulate your car scheme from supply chain risks
Experts are warning that businesses face greater risks from complex service supply arrangements than they may realise. The issue isn’t confined to manufacturing: these days, almost everything from payroll processing to company cars reaches the end-user business at the end of an intricate supply chain. Everyone wants last-minute ordering and delivery because minimising slack means […]
Case in point: The importance of pay in lieu of notice clauses
The recent case of Societe General v Geys [2011] EWCA Civ 307 has highlighted the need for companies to check the existence of ‘pay in lieu of notice clauses’ (‘PILON’) in employment contracts and the effects they have on both the employer and employee on termination of a contract – the effects can be substantial. […]
Work smarter: Welcome to the office of the future
You probably didn’t think the office of the future would be in Wootton Bassett, but one tech company have made themselves a workspace that would leave Marty McFly in a spin… Plantronics have all the gadgets. They make headsets and other work-related electronics which turn workplaces into mobile work-anywhere spaces, and help mobile workers stay […]
Smartworking: the future of work
Do you spend your working day on conference calls? Are you a member of a couple of dozen LinkedIn groups, and several different teams? If it feels as though project working, and dispersed team membership, are becoming more common and more complex, it’s because they are. There has been a three-fold increase in the number […]
Payroll giving encouraged in ‘Big Society’ re-launch
The coalition government has unveiled a year-long awareness campaign to encourage employers to support payroll giving among their staff as part of the latest re-launch of its ‘Big Society’ concept. At an Every Business Commits Forum event in Milton Keynes yesterday, Prime Minister David Cameron said that the aim was to make it easier for […]
A guide to benefits: the basics
Employee benefits are an important part of the employee package for recruiting and retaining employees. When it is difficult to recruit suitable skilled people, having a benefits package can often give an organisation the competitive edge. Andrew Walker, Head of Business Development at Croner looks at the different ways of incentivising staff and the key […]
Fleet life: Tackling the fuel price problem
Despite experiencing “pump shock” from soaring fuel prices, businesses can take practical steps to minimise the pain at the pumps and strengthen the appeal of car benefits, says Paul Hollick of multi-marque car leasing company Alphabet. The sharp increase in pump prices – fuel prices have increased by 40% in real terms over the last […]
The guide to… rewarding staff when salary increases and promotion are frozen
Recent economic data has revealed low levels of wage inflation, indicating that many organisations are implementing low or no pay increases for the coming year. In addition, headcount freezes are reducing opportunities for promotion. Vincent Belliveau, EMEA General Manager for Cornerstone OnDemand, outlines how businesses can motivate their employees in this challenging environment. Pay raises […]
Wellbeing – can it work with flex?
In recent years ‘wellbeing’ has become a bit of a benefits buzz-word with many employers now feeling that they have some level of responsibility for looking after their employees. The reasons are varying, including factors such as commercial benefit, legislative requirements or the desire to be seen as an employer of choice. A typical wellbeing […]
Bonus and salary review season
…is upon us and it’s time to consider retention, as well as the cost – where does HR stand and what should we do? Charlie Waters offers this advice. Old news!In the turmoil of the past three years, financial markets chaos has made employees more cautious and therefore less likely to leave their current employer. […]
Wellbeing at work: Ease employees’ money worries
Financial issues affect all types of employees yet it’s a subject that’s often ignored in the workplace. However when this type of issue gets out of hand it can have serious repercussions for employee performance and productivity, not to mention attendance and engagement. Eugene Farrell, Immediate Past Chair UK Employee Assistance Professionals Association (www.eapa.org.uk), looks […]
A step change in benefits delivery: the future for flex
How did we get here? The road to flex was paved with good intentions, explains George Farrow, from the paternalistic Victorian idea to today’s austerity. Flexible benefits were born in the mid 90s out of the necessity to take a fresh look at core benefits. The paternalistic industrialists of the Victorian era built homes and […]
Reward management – where do we go from here?
Whether you are considering overhauling your reward structure or not, it’s clear that reward has changed. Could your remuneration strategy be more effective? Denis Crowe gives some tips. How far is the culture of bonuses in banks to blame for the financial crisis? Vince Cable has gone on the record to say that: “there is […]
Pension age change will ‘hit women and disadvantaged hardest’
Coalition government plans to save £38 billion by bringing forward the age at which workers can claim a state pension will hit women and the most disadvantaged in society hardest, a charity has warned. A new Pensions Bill, which was introduced into Parliament yesterday, will see the State Pension Age for women rise from 60 […]
Finance Bill 2011: Childcare voucher schemes
It has been confirmed that there will be changes to the tax laws regarding the childcare voucher schemes in 2011. The government view that there are too many well-off parents benefitting from this (including tax-free music lessons through certain schemes) has led to a change in the way the system will work. This is the […]
Government u-turn on pension rates makes schemes more expensive
A pensions fund body has criticised the coalition government’s decision to backtrack on moves intended to slash the costs for employers of providing workplace pensions. Ministers had suggested in July that they would introduce legislation to enable private sector organisations to use the lower Consumers Prices Index rather than the traditional Retail Prices Index in […]
What staff really want… a better pension contribution
The most popular benefit that European employers can provide staff in order to improve retention rates is a higher pension contribution, with nearly half of workers even prepared to sacrifice pay in return. These are the findings of a survey undertaken among 7,500 workers in Europe’s 10 leading economies, including the UK, by human capital […]
Get reward and recognition right; or don’t do it at all
Many companies have a reward and recognition scheme in place, but a programme is only as good as the communication and execution of it. Glenn Elliot considers how you can boost the value in your R&R. If not personally, most of us probably have a friend or family member who would identify with this employee’s […]
