Almost half (44%) of employees now prefer hybrid working arrangements over office-based and remote models, according to research by communications agency Marco. Its third annual Global Marco new consumer report, which was conducted in partnership with research technology organisation Cint, and surveyed more than 7,300 participants in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the UK and USA, also found that almost two-thirds (64%) of employees would work for an organisation that does not offer hybrid work options, A similar proportion (63%) of British resp ..read more

Supermarket chain Lidl GB is to increase pay for its UK hourly-paid employees from 1 June. The organisation, which has more than 32,000 employees in Britain, will increase pay from £12 an hour to a minimum of £12.40 for staff based outside of London. Employees based in London will see their entry level pay rise from £13.55 to £13.65. Lidl GB’s hourly pay rates also increase with length of service, reaching £13 per hour nationally and £14 an hour within London. This latest increase represents an investment of more than £2.5 million, following a £37 million investment in March and an £8 mil ..read more

International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12th to acknowledge and honour the invaluable contributions of nurses worldwide. Despite the significant support nurses provide to others, recent findings from the NHS Staff Survey have highlighted the challenges they face. Shockingly, two in five NHS staff members report experiencing work-related stress (1), significantly impacting their wellbeing. Additionally, only 56% of staff feel that their workplace offers fair opportunities for career progression within the NHS (1). These statistics underscore the pressing need for improvements in various ..read more

Workplace benefits and services provider Personal Group has launched a paid carer’s leave policy to reflect its ongoing commitment to prioritising the health and wellbeing of its 266 employees. Under the organisation’s new policy, which it has affectionately named Marie Carey’s carers policy after a long-serving employee advocated for the requirement due to her own challenging circumstances, caregivers will be entitled to up to five days of paid leave within a rolling 12-month period from day one of employment. Last month, new statutory regulations mandated unpaid leave for caregivers. Persona ..read more

Many companies in the UK operate a Save As You Earn (SAYE) share plan, which offers employees a tax efficient way to invest in their company’s shares.  Many of these are due to mature in the coming months and years, with some people likely to have doubled, or even tripled the amount of money they saved due to favourable market conditions since the pandemic. However, without expert guidance, many participants may not understand their options once their share plan matures and could be at risk of paying unnecessary tax. Jonathan Watts-Lay, Director, WEALTH at work, comments; “Save As You Ea ..read more

The top 10 most read articles between 3 – 9 May 2024 on employeebenefits.co.uk were: Tesco and Lidl GB shortlisted for Best healthcare and wellbeing benefits – large employer Sackers launches carer’s leave policy and commits to support neurodiversity Tribunal strikes equal pay from BBC presenter claims Virgin Media O2 rolls out staff volunteering buddy programme to tackle loneliness Southampton City Council to cut redundancy pay 59% of employees have not called in sick when they needed to Abercrombie and Kent Travel Group launches paid global parental leave policy FinanceBuzz seeks Star Wars ..read more

Stress is an inevitable part of life. In the workplace it can build resilience, pushing individuals to adapt and perform under pressure, which leads to personal growth. However, when stress becomes overwhelming it leads to decreased productivity, burnout and debilitating health problems. Recognising and managing employee stress levels is crucial for maintaining good staff wellbeing and productivity. Promoting wellbeing fosters a positive work environment conducive to creativity and innovation. When employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated, which lea ..read more

Following on from last week’s Maternal Mental Health Campaign, we’re keeping the focus on working parents. We say working parents, but there will be a specific focus on working mums for reasons we’ll delve into during this blog. Work-life balance isn’t just about time; it’s about having the energy – physical and mental – and finances to get the most from life. Read on to discover more. To understand more about maternal mental health – the laws and ways to support mothers during maternity leave and returning to work – take a read of our blog – An Employer’s Guide to Maternal Mental Health ..read more

Showtown Blackpool, which is operated by the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust, has introduced quarterly play days and monthly feel better circles to create a workplace culture of success for its employees. Through the creation of a cultural programme that reflected its values as part of a year-long partnership with consultancy Laugh Think Play, the museum has invested in employees’ personal and professional development by giving them the opportunity to come together and check in. The play days will focus on communication and relationships to ensure that internal challenges can be resolved w ..read more

Of the 1.8 million employees who accessed healthcare services through health or protection insurance in 2022, 1.3 million (75%) relied on workplace-provided schemes to do so, according to research by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Its Growing demand – increased use of health and protection services in 2022 report also found that almost 600,000 (87%) of the 700,000 people included in the research who used virtual GPs in 2022 did so through their employer’s scheme. The number of virtual GP appointments made also grew to 1.4 million appointments across the year, a 92% increase on 2021 ..read more