advocate the magazine from the UK’s leading business advisory
cover feature
the advo awards who is the ‘best of the best’?
page 9.
new advo charity partner page 14. interview: talking finances with women page 16. Issue #32 winter 2020
Employee Benefits
HR & Training
Payroll
Private Clients
advogroup.co.uk | who we are
rebecca collins account support team
who we are & what we do... advocate magazine is produced by advo and published quarterly. advo is an award winning business advisory with a focus on people and technology. Our aim is to deliver essential services with added value, a philosophy to be different and invaluable. Our business technology platforms are standalone or linked, delivering corporate style benefit management and communication to SMEs and smaller corporates, a unique proposition. Our clients have dedicated account managers with smaller portfolios allowing active account management, and better understanding of client needs. As an IIP Gold employer we continually update staff knowledge to ensure we can integrate and apply the best of new thinking. For general information, and/or to join our online community, please follow http//issuu.com/advogroup. Speak to us for: • • • • • •
UK and overseas employee benefits employee benefit and payroll technology platforms staff wellbeing and wellness programmes HR consultancy and support payroll & auto-enrolment solutions private client protection insurance
t: 01622 769210 e: info@advogroup.co.uk w: advogroup.co.uk
advo supports
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advogroup.co.uk | what’s inside issue #32
what’s inside issue #32 With a new decade comes new challenges. advo has fortunately been successful over the previous years with the flexibility to adjust our approach to navigate the multitude of changes in business environments, legislation, technology and compliance while still delivering best advice and high levels of support for our clients. We believe the next 10 years will be no different with similar challenges which is why we plan to stay ahead, to stay ahead, of the game. This year will see advo bring new ways to use technology to make our offering even better. Much more on this over the coming months. In the latest edition of advocate we bring you up to date with all the latest advo news, including the results of the advo awards where we reveal who were voted ‘best of the best’.
We have an article written by Dr. Phil Sharples, Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare Global who outlines why mental health should be a top priority for Expats and their employers, We also feature a well respected protection consultant who gives guidance on controlling workplace absenteeism. In HR news we look at the year ahead for Employment Law changes and include a feature that looks closer at the scourge of workplace discrimination. Looking at employee benefits and protection we focus on the ‘must do’s when communicating staff benefits and explore the myths around serious medical conditions, their impact within the workplace and how employers can protect their business. While in medical news we take a look at the facts and effects of the rise in people living with cancer.
As always, we also take a closer look at some of the stand out issues Remember that all past editions that caught our eye over the last of our advocate magazine are few months. free to read online at issuu.com/advogroup.
meet the advo team
For more information visit www.advogroup.co.uk
larry bulmer
gill mateo
kevin crew
colin boxall
it director
commercial director
lucy pearce
Larry founded advo in 1997 and leads the group across all advo companies
Gill joined advo in 2006 becoming Operations Director in 2013 overseeing the smooth running of advo.
Kevin oversees our award winning online service and is further developing staff, HR and Payroll platforms.
Colin joined advo group’s board in 2008 and has over twenty five years sector business experience.
Lucy oversees advo’s connected proposition bringing together payroll, hr and employee benefits.
lbulmer @advogroup. co.uk
gmateo @advogroup. co.uk
kcrew @advogroup. co.uk
cboxall @advogroup. co.uk
lpearce @advogroup. co.uk
ceo
operations director
head of sales & development
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 03
advogroup.co.uk | contents
contents
ISSUE #32 | winter 2020
advo news Page 06
| advo news roundup
Page 08
| insurers congratulate advo
Page 10
| 2019 advonian awards
Page 12
| exhibitors & speaker at the business show
Page 13
| partnering with the Porchlight charity
Employee Benefits news Page 24
|
Page 26
| perception vs reality: employee health
advo news roundup page 6.
communicating staff benefits
Human Resources news Page 21
| employers to take ownership of employee mental, social and financial health
Page 22
| facts on workplace discrimination
Page 23
| employment law updates for 2020
Interviews and comment Page 16
|
Dr. Phil Sharples - mental health: top priority for expats
Page 18
|
stopping workplace absence
Health & other news Page 28
|
cancer cases soar: some facts
Dr. Phil Sharples mental health: top priority for expats page 16.
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 04
advogroup.co.uk | contents
cover feature:
advo staff ‘Oscars’ page 10.
advo partners with homeless charity Page 14.
perception vs reality: how to stop absenteeism in the workplace page 18.
rolling the dice on protecting employees? page 26.
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 05
advogroup.co.uk | advo news
award stal
real marathon At the end of last year Jamie Tuffield, who heads up advo’s employee benefits team, successfully ran the original marathon route starting in the Bay of Marathon and ending in the Athenian Stadium where the first modern Olympics was held in 1896. Jamie explained why “I wanted to run the original marathon route from Marathon itself for over 10 years. I studied Ancient History at University and read the story of the first marathon in my first year, but never thought it possible I would be able to run a full marathon at the time.” “Now I knew that I could run the distance I wanted to try and run the original route. It’s another one off of the bucket list.” Well done Jamie!
advo retains a GOLD standa
advo has been IIP accredited since 2004, mov and later Gold, which has just been renewed.
The report mentioned that “The advo Group is a great place to work. Staff were positive abou supportive and trusting work culture and the gr team working.”
One comment from a member of staff summe culture “They [advo] really care about us and l you”; “They have an open door and are appro and give good advice”; “very visible and supp a very trusting culture – the best place I have e
Lucy Irvine, advo’s Operations Manager (pictu advo has retained Investors in People Gold accreditation. The commenting on the news of again receiving th accreditation said “we [advo] were absolutely in-depth accreditation process involves auditing every part awarded gold status 3 years ago. To be award of a business encapsulating how staff are supported, trained, motivated and generally looked after with an organisation. In in what has been an incredibly busy and challe addition to written submissions and auditing of processes there is just brilliant.” are staff interviews over several days and an anonymous staff Colin Boxall advo’s Commercial Director comm online survey. the quality of advo’s staff adding “the Gold ac coming on top of last month’s industry awards Investors in People states that “Organisations that meet the world-recognised Investors in People Standard reflect the very highlighted us as the ‘best’ in a wide variety of quite simply bl**dy marvellous.” best in people management practices.”
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 06
advogroup.co.uk |advo news
lking? great advo bake off Colin Boxall attended the 2019 Broker Innovation Awards where advo were finalists in ‘Best use of Technology’ category. The London Black-tie event was hosted by comedian Zoe Lyons who had a great reception from the audience of leading Broking companies. Although advo did not take the top spot on the night it was still a fantastic achievement to be recognised alongside global firms.
ard
At the tail end of last year advo had the final of their Charity Great advo Bake-off competition. Mirroring the challenges of the TV’s GBO. Over 8 weeks 8 competitors were pulled from the hat and produce a baked creation based on that week’s theme. From cakes, biscuits, pastries and puddings each competitor was judged by the Maidstone Office staff based on presentation and taste with each marked out of 10. The Winner was Bianca Le Fevre with her 1920’s week ‘Profiterole Tower’, comments included “‘Sensational, absolutely sensational. Handshake from me!’ and “OMG! Presentation amazing, the choux is melt in the mouth!”. Runner up was the Bread week contestant, Cecilia Herring.
and in local news...
ving to Silver
clearly ut the reat level of
ed up the look after oachable portive”; “It’s ever worked”.
ured left) he Gold y thrilled to be ded it again, enging time,
mended ccreditation which f disciplines is
Sue Smith, advo’s head of private clients, made the local Abingdon paper highlighting her success at the national Health & Protection Awards held at the end of last year where she was named as the UK’s ‘best’ intermediary.
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 07
advogroup.co.uk |insurer congratulations
insurers congrat
The Health & Protection ‘Oscars’ were held at the end of last year. adv of advice, the way they use technology and the continuous levels of s Sue Smith, advo’s Head of Private clients won the Best Advisor category for ‘Individual Healthcare’ clients for work advising on private medical insurance.
accolade in an increasingly importa Judging Panel adding that “the sub through people strategy”.
Health and Protection magazine commenting on the win said “The winning adviser in this category, in particular the firm’s Head of Private Clients, Sue Smith, “genuinely wants to do the best thing for the client.”
Lucy Pearce, who picked up the aw who has been instrumental in creat advo said “Winning the Best Advise acknowledgement of the hard wor The Judging Panel made up of industry experts said of Sue “The submission Benefits team, I’m over spilling with was an “excellent” case study which was “very much about the personal touch.” Sue, on picking up the award commented “I am thrilled to be Lucy added “We are celebrating th recognised by my peers in the industry for doing the work I love – looking the team as a joint effort. So proud after individual clients – dads, mums and children.” people!” The other big win was the advo’s employee benefits team, both advisors and administration support, winning the ‘Best Adviser Sales & Retention Team’ against stiff competition from much larger advisory firms. “A very strong, motivated and well-supported” sales team took the top
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 08
adding “It’s not every day you get passion and drive to fuel a rocket sh
advo was also recognised in other c
advogroup.co.uk | insurer congratulations
tulate advo
vo was singled out for praise for the quality of their people, the standard support given to their clients.
ant feature of the industry, with the bmission demonstrated a well thought
ward on behalf of the team, and ting structures and cultures within er Sales & Retention Team is a huge rk and dedication from the Employee pride!�
Online, their HR, Payroll and employee benefits linked technology proposition, the advice of group risk policies to corporate clients, which are one of the cornerstones of employee benefit advice and in addition for managing International health insurance contracts.
he success of the award across to lead such a wonderful group of
to be part of something with enough hip! Well done advo�
categories for Innovation, for advo
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advogroup.co.uk |advo ‘Oscars’
2019 advonian awards
At the close of 2019 advo held its annual ‘Oscars’ to recognise members of staff that have gone above and beyond the customary high standards. Recipients are mostly chosen by peers but the overall award, ‘Star of the Year’ is selected by the Management Team. This year resulted in broad recognition across the group highlighting the high people standard within advo. The results were announced at the end of year company meeting with the Advionian and Star of the Year receiving a cash prize in addition to well-deserved recognition.
a reliable and respected member supports her colleagues where of the team who will always offer needed including buddying and support to other people in the team mentoring new starters.” when needed.
The winners were:
All following Awards were voted by advo Group employees.
STAR OF THE YEAR
ADVONIAN OF THE YEAR
MOST INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
LUCY PEARCE BELLE HENNON
(Voted by Management Team). Belle’s Manager, Nic Draycott, commented “It’s been a challenging year for advo, and Belle has handled the pressures thrown at her admirably and with maturity. Despite the ongoing pressures she maintained high standards of accuracy whilst still offering a personable and professional service to her clients.” “Receiving praise across numerous areas of the business, this person is
ELLIE SULTANA This was a close-run category with a number of worthy runner-ups but Ellie was the one with the most votes.
This award was for the individual within advo who most inspires their co-workers. Comments from staff who voted for Lucy included:
“She truly is a superhero” “She’s Ellie’s Manager summed up her win: constantly busy but still manages to find time to help us all! She’s “Ellie works consistently hard to such a strong person and definitely offer the highest levels of service deserves this award.” “A true to her clients at all times. She has achiever; inspirational!” “Her a challenging portfolio and the work ethic, business imagination, relationships are stronger than ever. no nonsense pragmatism and Despite high workloads, she always professionalism.”
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advogroup.co.uk | advo ‘Oscars’ CHIEF CLOSER AWARD & POSITIVE ATTITUDE AWARD
GET INVOLVED AWARD
JACQUI SCHANZ Jacqui won two awards recognising her ability to deliver on targets and her positive attitude when working with her co-workers and clients. Comments included “Massive amounts of knowledge of advo’s benefits and services and always meets target.”
BIANCA LE FEVRE This was awarded to the member of staff who is seen to be always in the thick of it, getting involved with advo and its charity partners. Comments from those staff members that voted included “[Bianca is] always keen to take part in absolutely anything!” “Bianca has joined in so many activities and is always a fun person to be part of a team with.”
“Always positive, no matter what” & “Most positive and happy person I know, always smiling and never gives up despite a difficult job role.” “She doesn’t let anything phase her and always knows exactly whatto say to achieve her goals” “Jacqui is such a loving and caring person and you can always rely on her to ask how you’re doing.”
OUTSTANDING TEAM AWARD
ACCOUNT SUPPORT TEAM The winners of this category were chosen from the Employee benefits, SME, Telemarketing, Account Support, Private Clients, HR, Operations, Payroll and IT teams. Comments for the winning team, Account Support, included: “So much to deal with but still advo awards continue on page 12 .
delivering, our backbone.” “The accounts support team are always in the background doing the hard work that keeps it all going.” “Huge amounts of pressure lately and big workloads yet managing to keep on top of it and still smiling, all of them do an amazing job.”
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advogroup.co.uk |advo ‘Oscars’ 2019 awards. Continued from previous page. BEHIND THE SCENES AWARD & SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
MADE MY DAY AWARD
advo: e europe’ advo had a successful
The Business Show is the largest event Europe with over 20,000 visitors.
As exhibitors and speakers at the eve was there to connect with SMEs to ou approach of linking together the esse payroll, HR and employee benefits, u people and a single technology plat
CHARLENE RAMAN LUCY IRVINE The behind the scenes award recognises the person staff most believe added the most to the company working environment. Comments for this award included: “She organises so much to make advo a fun place to work with all the quizzes, trips, charity involvement and bake offs. It’s never boring here with Lucy around!”
“She never fails to make me laugh and smile. Every day is brighter by just having her in the office.” This final award is for the person who brings the most positivity to the office, the person who lifts everyone’s mood.
Lucy was also recognised by the Directors for a Special Recognition award. This was a one-off award this year as the Directors felt that her all-round contribution to helping take the company forward in 2019 deserved to be recognised and celebrated.
The many comments for the winner included:
HELPING HAND AWARD
“she can turn anyone’s bad mood around with laugh” “There have been a countless number of times when she has put a smile on my face when I’ve really needed it!” “Charlene - Without a doubt makes me laugh every single day”
JAMIE TUFFIELD This Award recognised the person to whom staff feel they can most rely on. Comments when voting included “[Jamie] always has the answer!” “Never says no to helping even when is he really busy, and takes the time to actually go through things properly”.
“She never fails to make me laugh and smile. Every day is brighter by just having her in the office.” “She is always helpful even when she is busy and goes the extra mile.”
Congratulations to all the winners & all the rest of the fantastic advo people.
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Colin Boxall, advo’s Commercial Dire visited the Exhibition commented “th Show was well attended and the adv very busy. As always our give away ‘a were a great success and very popu delegates, as was the message of pr essential support to SMEs.”
advo’s head of employee benefits, J was a speaker at the event. His prese entitled Making your mind up – Imple wellbeing to drive employee engage covered the full spectrum of wellbein typical causes and failures within org Jamie outlined where organisations c
advogroup.co.uk |advo at the business show
exhibitors & speakers at ’s biggest business show appearance at the Business Show held at London’s ExCel centre.
t of its kind in make immediate improvements and implement practical solutions.
ent advo utline the entials of using expert tform.
ector, who he Business vo stand armadillos’ ular with roviding
Jamie’s presentation was summed up by him saying employers should put it on the SHELF! and focus on: • S: Surroundings (work environment, parking & work access, local amenities & equipment; • H: Hours (Work/life balance, Overtime, Expectations vs reality and shifts); • E: Experience (Culture, Moral, communication and team relationships);
• L: Lifestyle (Health, stress, exercise, sleep and Jamie Tuffield relationships at home); entation, ementing • F: Finances (Salary & pay, debt, cost of living ement and planning for the future); ng, covering ganisations. Jamie then went on to discuss solutions and can to start ideas around each topic. Commenting on his presentation Jamie said that “It was great to talk to small businesses and help them to see how employee wellbeing is relevant to them without costing the earth.”
advo Account Manager, Ellie Sultana standing in front of Ellie and talking to business people on the advo stand. Marilyn (Mal) Tomlin, advo Business Development Manager and Bianca Le Fevre, advo Account Manager
advo’s Jamie Tuffield delivering a thought provoking presentation on how organisations can implement and benefit from a positive approach to employee wellbeing If you would like to know more about how advo supports businesses across the three areas of payroll employee benefits and HR contact your advo account manager or email advo on info@advogroup.co.uk
account managers Jag Dosanjh, Simon Friday, with Jess Hall, HR adviser
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advogroup.co.uk |partnering with Porchlight
advo partners with home
advo has partnered with Porchlight, the Kent based charity, which supports homele be running a series of events throughout the year to raise cash while staff plan to vo Launched in 1974, Porchlight was then was a single homeless hostel. Now they are a lifeline for thousands of homeless and vulnerable people across Kent and the South East. Last year their Helpline received nearly 27,500 calls and they helped over 700 people into safe accommodation, overall supporting over 7000 individuals and families. In addition to focussing on the Homeless they try to stop this happening through their Homeless Prevention Service which has had great success with 98% of the people they helped keeping their home and so stopping them becoming another homeless statistic.
Lucy Irvine, advo’s Operations manager were chosen as the group’s main charity have partnered with Porchlight. It’s so im where we feel we are really making a di an all-time high, we hope our fundraising impact on the local community.”
“advo chose Porchlight largely due to th to long-term support and care, namely t at advo can’t wait to get involved, start challenge – collecting warm clothing an and in Hostels.”
Anna, a Porchlight employment adviser outlines how public attitudes need to change. “There is a myth that if you have been homeless, you’re probably low skilled, but that’s not true. Bankers, lecturers and film industry Jo Skelton, Corporate Fundraiser for Porc professionals are just some of the people we’ve supported. There’s such a contact expressed her thanks for the pa wide range of expertise.” really grateful to advo for joining us in th support will help keep our team on the s
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advogroup.co.uk | partnering with Porchlight
advo’s Porchlight contact, Jo Skelton
eless charity, Porchlight
ess and vulnerable people helping them to make a fresh start in life. advo will olunteer their time giving practical support.
r summed up the reasons why they y partner “advo are thrilled to mportant for us to support a charity ifference. With Homelessness at g efforts will have an immediate
heir unconditional approach their Housing First scheme. Staff ting with our December advent nd supplies for those on the streets
it most, and ensure our helpline continues to be there for people with nowhere else to turn. When it comes to tackling homelessness, we’re all in it together and the support of businesses like advo is so important to doing this.” Colin Boxall advo’s Commercial Director added “this is a charity that does a brilliant job in supporting those in desperate need. Our staff have in the past risen to the challenge and got involved in not only raising large amounts of money but also donating their own time in volunteering. We are keen to get started and give our support.” advo will be organising a series of events throughout the year with the aim of raising at least £5,000 in 2020. More details on this soon.
chlight and advo’s charity partner artnership commenting “We’re If you would like to know more about the great work Porchlight undertakes he fight against homelessness. Their then visit Porchlight.org.uk. and to donate to this great cause then either streets helping those who need call 0800 567 7699 or visit https://www.porchlight.org.uk/donate.
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advogroup.co.uk | expat mental health
mental health: top priority
Dr. Phil Sharples, Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare Global o should be a top priority for Expats and their employers giving prac In recent years, conversations around mental health have become more open. Once barely discussed, people now feel more empowered to talk about their own experiences and speak up when help is needed. This open dialogue is a positive step forward. However, given one in four people in the UK will suffer from a mental health problem at some point in their life, it’s important that we continue to make progress in this area. One group that can be particularly vulnerable to mental health issues are expatriates. Whilst being offered an overseas assignment is an exciting opportunity for many, the challenges of working abroad can put pressure on an individual’s mental health. There are several things employers can do to help protect the mental health of their expatriate employees.
Preparation Is Key
understanding of their new environment. It is important to include all family members in any pre- preparation – ensuring spouses and children enjoy a positive relocation experience is critical to overall assignment success. Preparation helps keep culture shock to a minimum, allowing employees and their families’ time to explore their new home at ease. Culturally specific training is offered by external agencies, but a more cost-effective option for many companies is to provide support and advice from people within the organisation who have previously lived in those countries. If possible, employers should facilitate medical pre-screening for the employee and their family members. For example, UnitedHealthcare Global offers pre- assignment medical screening to ensure that potential health concerns are identified at an early stage and specific plans can be put in place to mitigate any risks or stress points.
Preparing for the unknown is crucial for those Employer Support transferring to unfamiliar environments. Employers should help educate employees and their families One of the most common times to experience anxiety about cultural differences to ensure they have a good is when starting a new job. Often this is just part of the
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advogroup.co.uk | expat mental health Building New Relationships Nearly half a million people in the UK suffer from work related stress (2) and workers experiencing these problems could find that feelings are exacerbated by an overseas move. Moving to unfamiliar lands can feel daunting and being physically separated from a network of friends and family can lead to homesickness. Fortunately, modern technology makes it easier than ever to connect with loved ones. [For example] UnitedHealthcare Global’s Optum My Wellbeing app allows individuals to engage and stay connected with colleagues, friends and family regardless of location. The app also monitors a person’s mood to ensure his or her mental wellbeing is being tracked. This data is integrated with the Employee Assistance programme, asking the member if he or she would like to talk to someone if his or her mood is recorded as low.
y for expats
outlines why mental health ctical advice and solutions. process and will quickly subside once the initial nerves have settled. Expatriates face many more challenges than simply a new commute and different colleagues. Even if an employee is staying within the same company, the cultural differences between offices in different parts of the world can make an overseas job more complex. Employers that reduce the emotional stress caused by relocation can increase the likelihood of a successful assignment. Given that nearly 40% (1) of overseas assignments fail, providing adequate mental health support is key to giving them the best chance of success. To help reduce the emotional stress caused by relocation, employers should establish clear lines of communication, so employees feel comfortable asking for support. UnitedHealthcare Global’s employee assistance programme [as with many other international health insurers] offers employees face-to-face, online or telephone counselling so that no matter where a person is in the world, they have a strong support system to assist them.
Another way employees can feel better connected is by participating in online employee forums. These are a great space for expats to forge relationships and seek advice from those that already work overseas. Employers should consider educating existing employees in various countries on how to welcome new team members. Employers make a significant financial investment in sending an employee abroad and it’s important that the assignment is a success. Focusing on mental health and making it a key part of any health and well-being strategy helps ensure a positive experience for the employee, his or her family, and the employer. After all, the investment you make in sending your employee and their family abroad should also mean an investment in their health – both physical and mental. If you wish to find out more about how United Healthcare Global can support your organisation then speak to you advo account manager, email our head of employee benefits Jamie Tuffield on jtuffield@ advogroup.co.uk or visit: www.uhcglobal.eu. Notes & references: https://insights.learnlight.com/en/articles/overseas-assignments/ www.nhsemployers.org/news/2018/05/new-stress-report-from-themental-health- foundation.
Dr Phil Sharples is UnitedHealthcare Global’s Chief Medical Officer for Global Solutions. He has broad experience having served in the British Army, NHS General Practice, furthering his interest in occupational health, and travel medicine and was part of the international medical team within the oil and gas industry. Phil has a keen interest in professional development of healthcare practitioners and serves on the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Remote and Rural Healthcare launched by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
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advogroup.co.uk |workplace absenteeism
how to stop absent in the workplace
Renowned health and protection consultant, Bruce Eaton, has outlined where em better, and make improvements to their staff absenteeism Absenteeism is accepted as part of a healthy workplace ecosystem. There are the employees who are often unwell, the employees who get the odd cold a couple of times a year, and the trooper employees who will be at their desk every day, rain or shine, sick or healthy.
reasons employees take sick days, and offer targeted support, we can also minimise the impact of absenteeism in our workplaces.
Skipper
Every of best or t have a Who takes sick days, and why? after a b Catapult found that nearly a quarter of UK firms a holida report “non-genuine absence” as the number employe Absenteeism is usually seen as something one cause of short term absence for their so much uncontrollable and even unimportant, a fact of workers.3 Let’s take a look at some of the common human life, like the weather. It can be inconvenient and absence ‘types’ you’ll find in a workplace. annoying when projects are delayed, but it can Aside fro be heart-breaking when a colleague deals with a that ma Work until you drop chronic illness. people The Work Until You Drop type could break their arm and still only be fifteen minutes late for work. skip a d The everyday, unexciting nature of absenteeism the skipp A determined work ethic coupled with some is exactly what makes it so insidious. Any good employe good luck or a very high pain tolerance means employer understands that sometimes people reasons that this person rarely takes a day off. Instead, get ill and they shouldn’t be punished for it. As a problem result, we tend not to look at the underlying issues she’ll be there first in the morning and last in the evening. You can count on her to bring down causing absenteeism, let alone for any solutions. The car the whole office’s average sick leave rate. Beyond workplace jokes and gossip, employers No matt often don’t understand the reasons why someone It’s important to keep her inspired: you don’t want much th might choose not to come to work. an office drone, and her high work ethic shouldn’t respons be taken advantage of but instead appreciated more wo The cost of absenteeism and shaped so she can achieve her professional a paren Absenteeism is costing the British economy £100 ambitions. And make sure she takes all her holiday relative. billion every year. A study in 2016 conducted by allowance – she needs the break. the Offic the on-demand hiring platform Catapult found million p that chronic absenteeism costs the average UK Genera Out the door at the first sign business £554 per employee, per year1. In 2018 XpertHR found that the average loss to employers It would be unkind to call him a hypochondriac, You can but this employee is always in touch with his was more like £570 per year2. health. A tickle at the back of his throat will have by offer a childc This isn’t just the cost of salaries. Companies often him examining his tonsils; a mild cold will have him employe in bed. The good news is this employee will never fail to take into account other losses beyond in touch be Patient Zero in a flu that works its way around direct salary when calculating the financial the office, and part of his attentiveness is certainly carers fi impact of sick leave. Xpert HR recommends courtesy for his colleagues. And he’s not a liar: this that companies also look at the cost of employee is almost definitely ill, or on the brink of The onreduced customer service and missed business it, by his own definition. This emp opportunities. This explains why, according to but they Xpert HR’s research, even though the median The best thing to do is support this employee, or sick leav number of days lost to sickness absence fell in find ways for him to look after his health in ways be back 2017, the cost to employers has increased. that lessen the impact upon work. Subsidised gym right tre Absenteeism is a real issue that employers need to memberships, home office options, and some kind can’t af of medical benefit are all good starting points. face head on. If we work to understand the
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advogroup.co.uk |workplace absenteeism
teeism
mployers can understand
rs
ffice has at least one. They could be the the worst worker in your team, and they suspicious habit of falling ill on a Monday big weekend, or on a Friday just before ay. This is the non-genuine absence ers point to, and unfortunately, it’s not h a workplace issue as it is a part of the condition.
om fostering the kind of workplace culture akes people want to come to work – who enjoy their jobs are much less likely to day – there’s not much to be done about per. But reducing the amount of absence ees take for genuine albeit preventable s means that the skippers will be less a real m, and more a loveable nuisance.
rer
ter how healthy a carer is or how hey want to be at the office, external sibilities mean that the carer has to miss ork than they’d like. The carer might be nt, or someone looking after an elderly . Increasingly, the carer might be both: ce for National Statistics estimates that 1.3 people in the UK are part of the “Sandwich ation”.4
n help support your carer employees ring benefits such as home office or care option. If you think one of your ees is struggling, make sure to put them h with Carers UK, a charity that supports financially, logistically and emotionally.
-and-off chronic
ployee isn’t paranoid about their health, y take more than the average amount of ve because of ongoing problems. It might k pain that they’re struggling to find the eatment for, or an ongoing toothache they fford to fix. ....CONTINUED ON PAGE 20.
Bruce Eaton
consultant on health & protection on behalf of insurers and healthcare administrators
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advogroup.co.uk |workplace absenteeism
how to stop absenteeism in the workplace continued from page 25
Sometimes this employee is fine for months at a time, and then a bad turn will see them in bed for a week. For a variety of reasons, this employee is struggling to get the healthcare they need, and it’s impacting not just their work but their quality of life.
healthier and more productive way to fix the situation is to empower employees to take better care of their health.
A good stable of medical benefits can genuinely transform this person’s life.
• Home office: Being more flexible about where employees work and offering the option of working from home can Here are a few ideas to kickstart benefit everyone. Someone your staff benefits strategy: who doesn’t want to spread their cold can negate the issue • Gym memberships: by staying home; parents with Appealing to employees (like sick kids can look after their the Out The Door) who are children without falling behind concerned about their health; in work; even a Skipper with a also useful to foster great mild hangover might be more employee culture and keep inclined to “show up” for work the Skippers from skipping too if they don’t have to get out of often. their pyjamas.
The common factor What’s notable about all of these employee types is the root cause for their absence: happiness and well-being. In the end, all absenteeism is about happiness and what a person needs to feel secure in their health. There are those – like the out the door at the first sign type – who need a lot of security. There are those – like the carer – whose happiness is dependent upon the health of their family. The skipper takes happiness in the form of escaping the office, while the chronic’s happiness is being directly impacted by a health problem they need help to solve. The different types of absence can feel overwhelming, or like a natural part of life that can’t be fixed. But if we look at this underlying thread of happiness, it becomes clear that there are very real solutions. And if we approach workplaces with a culture of flexibility and transparency, the solutions are simple and productive.
How can employers reduce absenteeism? A lot of conversation around absenteeism puts the onus on employees. If they weren’t so sickly, or lazy, perhaps absenteeism wouldn’t cost companies so much. But a
One of the best ways to improve health and happiness in a workplace is to invest in a good stable of employee health benefits. Health benefits start at a very inexpensive level and can make a huge difference in employees’ lives.
• Second medical opinions: Expand your employees’ options and access and empower them to take control of their own health. Second opinions are a great option for employees like the Chronic, who might be struggling to solve their medical issues.
concierge service makes finding healthcare at home and abroad accessible. Medical concierge assists when choosing a medical provider, comparing treatment costs, and navigating all of the logistics of booking and travelling for medical care.
The goal of all your benefits should be to empower employees to think actively about their health. By shifting the focus to keeping employees healthy and happy, rather than preventing absenteeism, you might find that absenteeism is a symptom of larger problems than an issue in its own right. This opportunity to generate employee health and happiness is ripe.
• Counselling: A good counselling service linked to your workplace can help everyone, but especially Carers, who are under a lot of pressure Do these reasons for employee and need support. absenteeism ring true to you? What are you doing to create • Medical concierge: Every a culture of caring about year, more Brits are looking for health and happiness into your accessible alternatives to long workplace? waiting lists and unaffordable Notes treatment. One solution is to 1 Absenteeism costing average UK travel to European destinations business £554 per employee, finds where procedures are more research, Recruitment International, May 2016. affordable; another is finding 2 Employees taking less time off sick, the right clinic in the UK for yet costing employers more, Personnel their needs. But navigating Today, July 2018. 3 Absenteeism costing average UK healthcare systems can be business £554 per employee, finds overwhelming and confusing. research, Recruitment International, Investing in a benefits partner May 2016. who provide a medical 4 Office of National Statistics, 2019
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advogroup.co.uk |taking ownership
mployers need to take ownership of their mployees’ mental, social and financial health
ernment’s expectations are for more responsibility on employee mental, social and financial th by their employers. GRiD, the industry body for the group risk protection sector has highlights e key staff welfare themes that employers should focus on in 2020.
arine Moxham, spokesperson RiD, said “Our workplaces are st unrecognisable from the tions they were at the start of ecade, including greater focus ow employers should contribute pporting the health of the orce.
ast decade has seen great towards parity for mental and cal health and we now also have ch better awareness of how dividual’s mental state is often tly affected by their physical ess. 2020 will see Government’s ctations that employers take an e role in supporting the physical, al, social and financial health of employees gathering momentum ouraging and coercing oyers in rising to the challenge aking our workplaces ever more ortive and inclusive.”
need to submit medical evidence. Through 2020 and beyond, the group risk market will be working with Government to make it easier for more employers (especially SMEs) to protect their people against the financial devastation that households experience following a loss of earnings as a result of death, disability, illness or accident.
Statement of Written Particulars Following the Taylor Review, there are legislative changes under the government’s Good Work Plan coming into force in April 2020. This means that employers must give employees access to a written statement of various particulars of their employment on day one or before and, amongst other things, this now needs to include their entitlement to sick pay.
Over time, this change means that employees will have a better grasp of ross-industry Access to Insurance what, if any, sick pay they are entitled ng Group (which is now reporting to from their employer which, in some he Cabinet Office) has a priority cases, will eliminate the assumption prove consumer access to that their employer will take care of ction insurance, particularly for them. with long-term health conditions disabilities, thus improving Ultimately the legislation will help omes and financial resilience for employees make a better-informed K’s population. decision about their own provision, encouraging them either to take out workplace is key to this aim. Group their own protection insurance or ask oducts (employer-sponsored life their employer to provide a group ance, income protection and scheme, if they do not currently go al illness) are inclusive in nature beyond Statutory Sick Pay. a generous level of cover can Due to the period of purdah around rally be offered to all employees, the election, the final guidance for ut the complicated and tedious employers hasn’t yet been issued and
oving financial resilience
so, when it is published, employers will need to grasp the changes and take action quickly.
Equality & Diversity The recently published CII/Scope good practice guidance for employers Achieving an inclusive working environment for disabled people lays down five challenges to employers to ensure they continue to meet the needs of their ever-evolving and increasingly diverse workforce. Measures range from signing up to the DWP Disability Confident scheme, to celebrating achievement and progress made in supporting employees with disability. Moxham concluded: ““For those [employers ] that find themselves falling short, or for whom managing employee wellbeing is an uphill struggle, now is the time to review how staff are supported, and consider what processes and benefits will help. advo, as employee benefit specialists are able to guide employers to the right solution for their staff. If you would like to understand how group risk fits into a well-managed employee benefit programme then in the first instance email advo’s Jamie Tuffield, who heads up the employee benefit team, on jtuffield@advogroup.co.uk. advo also guides SMEs on HR solutions which can help companies better understand and manage their responsibilities to staff. If you would like to know more email advo hr on hrexperts@advogroup.co.uk.
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advogroup.co.uk | workplace discrimination
advo hr feature: workplace discrimination: some facts
A new survey finds half of UK employees experienced or witnessed discrimination based on age, race, gender or LGBTQ identity at work. We take a closer look at the figures and what they reveal. One of the world’s largest job and recruiting sites, Glassdoor, today released its 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Study covering the UK, USA, France and Germany.
witnessed gender discrimination and a quarter (25%) having experienced or witnessed LGBTQ discrimination at work. The figures across all categories are the highest in the US and lowest in Germany.
opportunities, dignity at work, code of conduct, family friendly, equal pay, training and development.
Commenting on an employers’ internal approach Carly added “They [employers] should have fundamental policies covering equal
You can find out morel by visiting http:/ news.advogroup.co.uk/workplacediscrimination-the-facts/ Source: Glassdoor 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Survey conducted by The Harris Poll
Companies should also consider whether any length of service As part of the study, a new awards discriminate from an age Glassdoor survey1 found that about advo hr’s Carly Gregory is clear on perspective and should avoid three in five (61%) of U.S. employees the action companies should adopt a substantial length of service have witnessed or experienced stating that “Employers should adopt requirement to reduce the risk of discrimination based on age, race, an inclusive culture at all levels of discriminating. gender or LGBTQ identity in the the business.” and adding “to help workplace. In the UK it was 55%. prevent discrimination, companies It is good practice for a company should review their recruitment to monitor diversity in the workplac The survey also reveals the process to make sure it does not so they can identify any issues in thi occurrences of discrimination across discriminate against candidates with area and resolve them.” each of the four categories. In protected characteristics.” addition, while the study finds that employees have faced or witnessed discrimination at work, hiring for jobs to improve corporate diversity and inclusion efforts is up 30% year-overyear, according to Glassdoor’s jobs data2, indicating that employers may be responding to the call for more diverse and inclusive work environments. When it comes to the specific types of discrimination UK employees are facing, nearly over a third (39%) report having experienced or witnessed ageism, 31% having experienced or witnessed racism, another 37% having experienced or
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advogroup.co.uk |employment law update
advo hr gives an overview of upcoming changes in legislation which are due to take place in April 2020. Outlined below is a summary all the employment legislation due to come into force this year. More detailed information on each will be available closer to implementation.
In the ‘Good work plan’, published in December 2018, the Government made a commitment to abolish a legal loophole known as the ‘Swedish derogation’ in the rules governing the use of agency workers. This 6th April 2020 – Taxation on allowed agencies to opt out of termination payments: equalising the pay of agency staff The Government’s plans to with the permanent workforce make any part of a termination when they had been with the payment over £30,000 subject to same employer for more than employer NICs is due to become 12 weeks, provided they paid law on this date. This change was the agency workers between delayed from April 2018. assignments. The opt-out will cease on 6 April 2020 when the 6th April 2020 – Extension of Agency Workers (Amendment) IR35 to private sector: Regulations 2019 come into force. IR35 tax rules would be extended to the private sector from April The government is also 2020. The rules are aimed at lengthening the reference period reducing tax avoidance for for determining an average off-payroll contractors working week’s pay from 12 weeks to through personal service 52 weeks from 6 April 2020. The companies (PSC). Since April reform is intended to improve the 2017, public sector employers holiday pay for seasonal workers, have been responsible for who tend to lose out over the way deciding whether IR35 applies, it is currently calculated. and for deducting tax and NICs from contractors’ fees A third change will extend paid through PSCs when it does the entitlement to receive a not. From 6 April 2020, the new statement of ‘written particulars’ rules will also apply to private (on basic employment terms and sector businesses with an annual conditions) to include workers turnover of over £10.2 million or 50 as well as employees and make or more employees. it a day one right. Currently employers have up to two months 6th April 2020 – Good work to issue the statement to any plan: agency workers, annual employee working for them for leave and statement of terms more than a month.
Parental bereavement provision:
The Bill, which became the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act on 13 September 2018, will entitle employees who lose a child under the age of 18, or suffer a stillbirth from the 24th week of pregnancy, to two weeks’ unpaid leave, as a right from day one of their employment. The leave will be paid at the statutory rate if the employee has 26 weeks’ service. The government is aiming for the new law to be in force in 2020. Employed parents are already entitled to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to deal with an emergency involving a dependant, including dealing with a dependant’s death, as a day one right.
Statutory rates:
Statutory rates are usually increased in April each year. These will be communicated via our Key Facts brochure in April. If you would like to know more about how the changes impact your organisation or need support on any people-related work issue then you can contact advo hr. In the first instance email one of the experts on hrexperts@advogroup. co.uk.
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advogroup.co.uk | lessons in healthcare
Employers need to do more to c
New research highlights that UK companies need to do more to commun making a point of updating staff on a regular basis. The research*, from Group Risk Development (GRiD), the industry body for the group risk protection sector, shows that only a quarter (25%) of employers make a point of issuing regular communication on their benefits package. 22% do so just once a year. Others use specific events as a prompt: for instance, 36% will communicate benefits when there’s a change in the terms and conditions, such as if pension contributions or terms of cover are set to change. 29% will do so at performance reviews. GRiD, warns that this isn’t enough. Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD said: ‘It’s understandable that employers use key events to communicate their benefits, but what an employer sees as a key event may not coincide with what an employee sees as a key event.’ Illness, disability, injury, death, bereavement, are all largely unpredictable in nature so can affect an employee at any time. The support that can be offered by employee benefits, such as group risk, can be necessary any day of the year.”
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It’s crucial that benefits are communica needed, they’re front of mind.” Some benefits are more relevant to peo Some benefits will resonate more depe situation or whether they have depend over at the mention of retirement plann or life assurance may suddenly be muc to their stage of life.
Further, some benefits can be utilised d sense to communicate them regularly a example, many group risk benefits com programme, early intervention support to counselling, and legal support for issu and parking fines. Frequent communica utilisation and gives more value to both
advogroup.co.uk | lessons in healthcare
wwwhat is that?
communicate their staff benefits
nicate the value of employee benefits with only a quarter of companies
ated regularly so that when they are advo’s Commercial Director, Colin Boxall agrees “staff benefits play an essential part in the lives of employees from supporting health to ople depending on their life stage. safeguarding financial independence. If communicated correctly there is ending on an employee’s financial a greater appreciation of staff for their employer generating loyalty leading dants. Employees whose eyes glazed to better productivity and retention.” ning, health and wellbeing benefits ch more attentive when it’s relevant Boxall continues “At advo we recognise that clients often need help with communication which is why we invest heavily in technology solutions backed by great people.” daily, at no extra cost, so it makes and encourage their use. For If you would like to know more about how advo supports employers email me with an employee assistance Jamie Tuffield, who heads up the employee benefits team on jtuffield@ for health and wellbeing, access advogroup.co.uk. ues such as neighbour disputes ation of such benefits encourages h employer and employee. *Research undertaken by Opinium on behalf of GRiD amongst 500 HR Decision makers.
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advogroup.co.uk |perception vs reality
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advogroup.co.uk | perception vs reality
perception vs reality: are businesses rolling the dice on protecting employees? Many UK businesses do not protect their staff through a group income protection policy. But why is the take up so comparatively low? Cost to a smaller businesses may be a factor but according to latest research it might be the blinkered view of how likely it is that organisations will need to deal with serious employee health issues. Latest research from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk protection sector, highlights a gap between the reality of the health issue’s businesses have faced in the 12 months, versus the perception of how likely they think it is that they’ll have to deal with something similar in the coming 12 months. Some of the figures showing likelihood of needing support are outlined below: Given the gap between reality and perception, it’s not surprising that protecting employees isn’t always top of the list. advo’s employee benefit’s team can help businesses better understand the risk faced and the wider prevention benefits associated with a group risk policy, and then help to select the best provider suited to your business. You can email Jamie Tuffield, who heads up advo’s employee benefit’s team on jtuffield@advogroup.co.uk Figures provided by GRiD. You can find out more about GRiD by visiting https://grouprisk.org.uk/
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advogroup.co.uk |men ‘drop the ball’
cancer in the UK: some facts • An estimated 1.3 million men and 1.6 million women will be living with cancer in the UK in 2020. • This represents an increase of around 500,000 cases (18%) from 2015. • In England alone around 2.4 million people (1.1 million men and 1.3 million women) will be living with cancer in 2020. • Of these nearly 3 million people in the UK, over 250,000 (110,000 men and 150,000 women) will be living with cancer in Scotland, 170,000 in Wales (70,000 men and 90,000 women and 82,000 (35,000 men and 47,000 women) in Northern Ireland. • In 2025, Macmillan estimates that nearly 3.5 million people, of whom 1.5 million men and 1.9 million women, will be living with cancer in the UK. • This figure is likely to grow to 4 million people within the next decade (2030). • Breast (800,000 women) and prostate (500,000 men) are the two most common cancer types in the UK in 2020. • There are also 340,000 people living with colorectal and 90,000 living with lung cancer.
number of people living with cancer s advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 28
advogroup.co.uk | cancer soars
As number of people living with cancer soars by 20% in just five years, a leading cancer charity warns there must be a priority on NHS staffing by the new Government. The number of people living with cancer in the UK has soared to nearly three million, new research by Macmillan Cancer Support reveals today.
storm which needs to be is, a problem that will only taken seriously as a day-one increase as the numbers of priority by party leaders. people living with cancer, and complex social care “I constantly hear heartneeds as a result, continue breaking stories from to rise. Party leaders patients who are so cannot underestimate The charity predicts this grateful for their healthcare the importance of number will continue to professionals but often ensuring there are enough steadily rise to almost 3.5 don’t want to add to their healthcare professionals million people in the UK by workload with their needs with the right skills to provide 2025. or concerns. these people, who form a significant portion of The new analysis, which We need decision makers the population, with the uses national cancer registry across the UK to prioritise vital care they need and data, also shows that funding and put in place deserve.” someone is diagnosed with the right plans, to ensure we cancer on average every have a cancer workforce fit The cancer charity warns 90 seconds. Macmillan for purpose both now and that while cancer isn’t estimates that 35,000 in the future.” always life-threatening, it is people will receive the always life-changing. life-changing news that Recent research by they have cancer in last Macmillan also shows more year’s five-week election than two thirds (68%) of period, alone. newly diagnosed cancer patients are already not Macmillan says this new getting all the help they data highlights the need need with issues related to for political parties to their cancer. tackle the ‘perfect storm’ Macmillan does all it can of rising numbers of people This includes feelings of to help people living with living with cancer amid pain, fatigue, anxiety cancer live their lives as fully staffing shortages and and depression. Patients as they can, but it cannot unprecedented pressures who felt their healthcare do it alone. The charity is on NHS and social care professionals had funded almost entirely by professionals as a unmanageable workloads generous public donations, ‘day-one priority’. (one in five) were also and so it continues to call nearly a third more likely to for donations to help its Lynda Thomas, say they are not getting this services be there for more Macmillan Cancer support. people affected by cancer Support’s Chief and calls on governments Executive, said: Macmillan’s specialist across the UK to address the “More and more advisor for workforce Nikki staffing challenges facing people are hearing Cannon, who has more the NHS and social care. the life-changing news that than 20 years’ experience they have cancer, at a time working as an NHS You can find out more when the NHS desperately nurse, said: about the great work needs additional doctors Macmillan Cancer support and nurses. Ultimately, this “NHS and care staff are by visiting https://www. is whipping up a perfect rushed off their feet as it macmillan.org.uk/
soars
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advogroup.co.uk | thanks for reading
find every copy of advocate magazine online at issuu.com/advogroup issue #31 autumn 2019 2019 was a fantastic year for advo winning awards at two of the most prestigious industry events. In non-advo news we feature the second instalment of our look at outsourcing vital parts of the business. advo hr, in a second feature, looks at the grey between professional and personal lives in relation to the use of social media and gives tips for businesses. advo’s Colin Boxall compares UK and Chinese healthcare systems and any lessons to be learned. We also take a closer look at pension scandals and include an exclusive interview with United Healthcare Global’s Chief Medical Officer looking at why four in ten international placements fail. In health news we feature the ‘drop the ball’ campaign raising the awareness of testicular cancer.
advocate the magazine from the UK’s leading business advisory
cover feature
claudia helps advo celebrate page 9. lessons in healthcare from China page 18.
avoiding overseas placement failure page 24.
outsourcing HR page 14. Issue #31 autumn 2019
Employee Benefits
HR & Training
Payroll
Private Clients
issue #30 summer 2019 In this summer edition we have two interviews, firstly with Adam Henderson who outlines why today’s businesses should take a fresh view on how they support their staff. Also Caroline Pain of International health insurer, Aetna, who outlines her thoughts on the current and future use of their members’ genetic profile following the launch of their new DNA testing kit that links to the management of an individual’s health. In advo features we look at employee childcare issues and why organisations should consider outsourcing vital services such as payroll. Other features include an update on the Pensions Dashboard and articles on charity fundraising. We also look at a recent CIPD report on the effects of presenteeism and the success of group risk benefits in managing unwell staff back into work.
issue #29 spring 2019 In the spring 2019 edition we have a feature on our new absence management system available to all advo clients and an interview with Lucy Pearce who now heads up our Sales and Development team which now spans hr, payroll and employee benefits. We have a special feature with Bupa Global’s CEO who talks about why mental health is ‘everyones’ business’. We also include a special feature on transgender and gender identification. In HR news we take a closer look at finding the best fit of candidate for your business and update you on employment law changes. In health news we have an interesting look at the medical innovations making waves in 2019.
don’t miss a copy, subscribe to our issuu channel... its 100% free! advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 30
advogroup.co.uk | the advo group
advogroup empowering people solutions
advo: solutions for the future, delivered today, protecting tomorrow. an award winning advisory delivering linked services
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advo online simple and secure advo online gives small to medium-sized employers a useful tool to manage and communicate employee benefits effectively
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advo has a reputation for cost control, innovation and customer service excellence. Having been recognised as the UK’s ‘best’ advisory firm by our peers on numerous occasions we have the best people supported by linked technology that gives control.
advocate winter 2020 | advogroup.co.uk | 31
advogroup empowering people solutions
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