Salary Sacrifice Pensions Contributions: 2029 NIC Cap Impact
From 6 April 2029, the National Insurance treatment of salary sacrifice pension contributions will change. The cap alters the cost structure of salary exchange arrangements that many organisations have embedded into their reward strategy. HR, finance and payroll functions will need to understand the financial exposure, the system implications and the contractual risks now, not […]
New Menopause Guidance for Employers
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published new menopause guidelines for employers, setting out possible support options and the consequences for employers failing to meet their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. The new guidelines have been designed to help employers create supportive and inclusive workplaces for women experiencing menopause symptoms, while ensuring […]
Menopause in the workplace: employer advice
Menopause in the workplace: employer advice Supporting employees experiencing the menopause has become increasingly important for employers. The changing demographic of our working population means that there are 3.5 million women over the age of 50 in the workforce, and this number is set to rise. With nearly 8 out of 10 menopausal women in […]
Reasonable adjustments for mental health disabilities
Employees are protected from discrimination at work if they have a qualifying disability under the Equality Act 2010. The obligation on employers to prevent unlawful disability discrimination extends not only to employees’ physical health and visible conditions but also to their mental health and well-being. Section 20 of the Act, in particular, gives eligible employees […]
Coaching vs mentoring: what’s the difference?
Investing in and supporting the personal and professional development of your people is shown to be beneficial for an organisation as a whole. Coaching and mentoring, for example, offer ways to develop, support and retain your staff, both in the short and long-term, ensuring the necessary skills for the organisation’s objectives to be achieved. While […]
Objective Setting (Is SMART Best?)
Many employers rely on objective setting frameworks such as the SMART system as part of their performance management process. While such frameworks can be useful tools, real impact only comes when they are implemented effectively. Focus on the purpose of performance management The purpose of performance management is to help individual employees perform to […]
Equal Opportunities Policy Guide
With a formal equal opportunities policy, you can help to ensure that all members of your workforce are treated fairly and in accordance with the law. In this guide, we look at the importance of implementing an equal opportunities policy, and what this should contain, as well as what the law says about employers’ obligations […]
How to Support Repatriating Employees
While an overseas assignment demands investment for the initial relocation and through ongoing support, there are common risks and challenges associated with repatriating employees as they return to their old workplace and lives. There are many reasons for high employee attrition rates following overseas assignment, and HR and mobility teams should take proactive steps to […]
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA Guide)
Establishing a salary package for expatriates on international assignments can be done in a number of different ways. There is not necessarily any right or wrong approach. However, the package should incorporate, where relevant, any adjustments to reflect the cost of living in the assignee’s host country. In this guide for employers, we look at […]
Staff Handbook Template (What to Include?)
An effective staff handbook plays an important role for employers. Its contents are usually binding, unless the handbook specifically says otherwise, which makes it important for employers to get the information right. The handbook should act as a helpful and reliable resource for employees, alleviating the pressure on HR to deal with everyday queries from […]