The Peoplevalue Voice

According to the Happiness at Work Index by recruitment consultancy Badenoch & Clark, 94% of personnel managers are happy with their current roles, up from 76% from the last quarter.

This superficially sunny statement however belies the more revealing findings of the survey which polled 1,086 UK workers. 88% of personnel managers had seen their workloads increase, the highest increase of any profession with a quarter of those personnel managers adding that the extra work was the equivalent of one extra day per week. As a response to this increased workload, the delegation of tasks was one method used to share the additional burden while 29% of respondents went so far as to hand in their resignations as the workload became excessive.

That personnel professionals are resigning as a response to the increasing pressures they are facing, reveals the contradictory nature of the survey that those same people are proposed to be at their happiest since the Happiness Index Began. It also highlights how challenging the current employment situation is becoming in general with the “Credit Crunch” serving to be a financial noose on budgets.

“The results are particularly revealing for HR workers. It seems the job is becoming very labour intensive” said Allison Gray of Badenoch & Clark. “HR as a profession is facing some very serious challenges at the moment, and employers need to be seen to be tackling those challenges head on. If that doesn’t happen, employers leave themselves open to losing a lot of their best talent.”

This challenge for employers is universally relevant as in times of increased workloads and pressure; recognition is a key determining factor in retention. As pressures build, so too must an employee’s sense of recognition for the work they do. If this trend is to fail, they will inevitably begin to look to the door.

To create a correlation of recognition to increasing workload, Peoplevalue’s Excellence Awards allows an employer complete control over their employees’ reward and recognition, ensuring they feel appreciated and reimbursed in recognition terms for the additional work and responsibilities they are assuming as a result of their increased workloads.

A recent survey by management consultancy Hay Group of over one million people found that one in five (20%) of UK employees felt frustrated in their job.

In addition, 50% felt they lacked the authority to make decisions integral to their jobs and 35% felt their skills were being utilised to their full potential in their current roles.

Speaking of the survey’s findings, Ben Hubbard, regional director in the employee survey division of Hay Group said: “With fierce competition for the most talented employees, companies’ efforts to engage their people will be wasted if not backed by a supportive and enabling environment.”

A key factor in creating an “enabling environment” was highlighted to be the line managers’ reaction and response to underperformance and a lack of motivation. The survey found that only 48% of organisations dealt with underperformance effectively and a large portion of the blame was placed on line managers’ inability to create and promote a high-performance culture in the workplace. In fact, 40% of respondents believed that their line manager created a “demotivating” environment, something that if not controlled could be entirely counter-productive.

“Tolerating poor performers will only compound the frustration of productive colleagues to pick up the slack,” Hubbard concluded.

Peoplevalue’s innovative Excellence Awards are enabling for line managers who can determine the criteria for reward and use the technology to effectively promote the attitudes, behaviour and excellence that are the lynchpins of a high-performance culture.

“Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder” could see a slump in motivation and engagement at work in the summer months.

According to a poll by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) as reported by Mike Berry of PersonnelToday.com, this seasonal variation of the more publicised Seasonal Affective Disorder can have a series of negative impacts in the workplace.

1,148 employees responded to the survey and over 20% admitted to spending the summer months daydreaming out of the window. In addition, 7% spent the summer months looking for another job.

That the sunshine could have such a negative influence on employees is something that is rarely considered when speaking of the motivation and engagement of key employees. For the success of any business, it is imperative that high levels of productivity be maintained at all times. While it is understandable that some employees may be de-motivated by being stuck in an office with the sun taunting them from outside, it is of key importance that these dissonant voices be minimised by a flexible motivation mechanism such as Peoplevalue’s Excellence Awards and not be allowed to negatively influence the mind frames of other employees.

The flexibility of Excellence Awards allow the employer to set the criteria for reward. This means that in the summer months, they can tailor their motivation scheme by rewarding those employees who display targeted behaviour like a sense of urgency, attention to detail and working on their own initiative despite the sunny skies outside.

With Peoplevalue and Excellence Awards helping you to combat the effects of “Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder”, you could see a less of a slump and more of a surge in motivation and engagement at work in the summer months.

Vodafone’s Working Nation report, now in its sixth year revealed the mid-career slump that accompanies the pressures of the family-stage part of your life.

Entitled “The Nature of Work“, the sixth volume of the report aimed to explore the key meaning of work in 2008. It concluded that of all the age ranges, the 31-35 year old age bracket topped every poll of topics involving negative feelings towards work. In the 31-35 year old category,

• 59% felt undervalued
• 49% felt unfulfilled
• 43% were de-motivated

The survey clearly revealed the “shifting landscape of employee expectations and motivations” which saw a scope for disillusionment in the traditionally optimistic “Generation Y” (those born between 1980 and 1990). Speaking of the group, Nick Rand of Opinion Leader, one of the companies behind the research revealed that “this young cohort is indeed highly ambitious and wants to succeed in a shorter time span than ever. But with these new, higher expectations comes the risk of greater disappointment.”

Suprisingly, the findings of the survey of 3,800 people, and the inter-generational focus groups that followed showed that employee satisfaction and motivation was highest in the older generations.

• 7 in 10 workers aged 50 or over said they were fulfilled compared to just 5 in 10 25-31 year olds.
• Employee Satisfaction was highest at 90% in the older age group of 65 and over.

With new generations come new technologies, new cultures and attitudes. What the survey succinctly showed was that with these generational variances, come variations of attitudes and variations of these attitudes when applied to the world of work.

To hit the moving targets of expectations and motivations, any reward solution must be flexible, adaptable and forward-thinking in its design.

Peoplevalue’s Excellence Awards are an innovative reward solution for the modern business. Their flexible design embraces technology to provide a bespoke, branded reward solution suitable for the vast variations of attitude and motivation in the modern workforce.

To find out more about Excellence Awards, please click here.

Recent research by AIG UK Benefits found key contrasts between the perceptions of employers and employees over the take up and effectiveness of Voluntary Employee Benefits (VEB).

The most striking gaps in perception were;

• While 86% of employers feel they communicate their VEBs effectively, only 36% of employees feel their employers are doing enough to promote the benefits available.
• 87% of employers claimed to consult employees and use their feedback to decide benefits selection though only 23% of employees claimed to have been consulted.

Other key findings of the research were that;

• 80% of employees found the concept of VEBs appealing though 36% admitted to not actually using them and 38% stated they didn’t intend to use them in the near future.
• 75% of employees saw the employer’s benefits package as a deciding factor when selecting employment and furthermore, 76% felt that a benefits package could directly influence their decision to stay with their employer.

Worryingly, the research also found that;

• 32% of respondents didn’t feel their current VEBs worked in motivating them or their colleagues, 33% didn’t think they improved loyalty and 28% feeling they didn’t attract staff and aid in their retention.

The overriding theme of the findings were that communication is key, and that it is an absolute must in reconciling the differences of perception between employers and employees when it comes to VEBs.

Employers seem to be overestimating the interest and take up of VEBs, but this is caused in large by employees underestimating the VEBs they receive and not getting the full extent of personal benefit.

Communication is crucial in ensuring the effectiveness and take up of VEBs. Employers need to put in place a full communications strategy that promotes the VEB scheme and allows the employees to get the most out of their VEB package and the employer to get the maximum return on investment.

In Peoplevalue’s case, we will manage a scheme’s communications on a client’s behalf as part of a comprehensive communications package, driving awareness and informing employees fully of the benefits they receive.

In this communications package, clarity is also a driving factor. Peoplevalue go to great lengths to maintain a clear communication of the advantages of their VEB solution. The flexible communications strategy allows for contemporary issues to be included alongside the generic, increasing the schemes effectiveness and take up overall.

For more information on how Peoplevalue’s communications can be tailored to include contemporary issues, please download our “credit crunch” collateral here

A recent survey has revealed just how influential non-monetary rewards can be over an employer’s rates of retention - those who offer non-monetary rewards to employees have higher rates than those who don’t.

Reported by Nicola Sullivan of Employee Benefits Magazine, the survey by market research organisation GfK NOP polled 1000 and found that of those respondents who were planning to leave their jobs within the year, 44% worked under line managers who didn’t employ non-monetary rewards to motivate their staff and only 25% worked for line managers who did.

Confirming the influence non-monetary rewards have over rates of retention, the survey also found that over half (51%) of those employees who were the recipients on non-monetary rewards intended to stay in their job indefinitely. Just 24% of staff who do not receive non-monetary rewards claim to be satisfied in their job with 49% stating they would not be in their current role if given the choice.

Speaking of the survey’s finding, Sukhi Ghatore, associate director of GfK NOP stated “It is well documented that non-monetary reward is an important motivator for staff, but the effect on employee retention of failing to embrace such recognition is quite startling.”

It seems clear that for improved employee retention, a Peoplevalue-powered reward solution could have a definite influence. Excellence Awards are an innovative non-cash reward solution that lets an organisation take a proactive role in maximising employee retention and avoiding the hassles of high employee churn.

According to an exclusive survey by Personnel Today, one of the most influential factors in workplace productivity is whether or not an employee feels appreciated for the work they do.

Overall, the survey found that the most productive workplace environments were ones in which “respondents felt appreciated and rewarded“. All respondents suggested that they felt either more productive or a little more productive when recognised for their contribution at work. 2 in 3 were considerably more productive when they were praised by management.

As Ewan McCulloch, HR director of retailer Staples noted, “in many organisations, particularly facing today’s economic challenges, the motivators above and beyond hygiene factors such as salary - such as a sense of achievement - are often the first things to disappear when the pressure is on“. The survey highlighted the influence of recognition and the direct impact it has on productivity. Given that recognition allows managers to exercise daily control over productivity, for it to be the first thing to be sacrificed is a trend that needs to be reversed.

Peoplevalue’s Excellence Awards are a non-cash reward system that allows employers to reward their employees, recognising their contribution and motivating their continued productivity.

Rewarding employees for specific achievements, or for working with a desired work ethic improves their connection with their employer and reinforces the support structure with senior management.

The use of a system such as Excellence Awards, where the employer can determine the criteria for reward, can cultivate a workplace culture where employees feel appreciated, more motivated and are more productive as a result. According to the survey, the majority of respondents (38%) said that the greatest impact of increased productivity was that their organisation became happier and made up of more motivated staff.

Excellence Awards can create a cycle of productivity- recognition - motivation - productivity which delivers direct and demonstrable benefits to an organisation’s bottom line.

To read more about Peoplevalue’s Excellence Awards, please click here.

To read Personnel Today’s full report of the survey’s finding, please click here.

A recent survey has found that UK employees are failing to grasp the amount their employers are spending on their benefits. In most cases, the employees would underestimate the value of their benefits package.

As Guy Logan of Personnel Today reported, the survey by consulting firm Aon of 1,300 respondents revealed that;

• Only 2% of adult workers believe that their employers spend the equivalent of 20% of their salaries on benefits.
• More than 2 in 3 believed their employers spent 10% of their salary on benefits.
• Almost 50% believed the figure was less than 5% off their salaries.

The survey found that typically, if an employee’s salary was £26,000 a year, an equivalent of 21% of this salary was spent on their benefits.

As the statistics showed, employees were substantially underestimating their employer’s investment in their benefits. This in turn can be detrimental to employee loyalty and motivation and it is essential that employers fully communicate their investment to employees.

As Aon’s Gareth Ashley-Jones stated in the report, “employers are underselling themselves…if employers are to be genuinely valued by staff, then employees need to understand the scale of investment being made on their behalf.”

What may be required is a transparency of true monetary worth of an employee’s benefits as a constituent part of their remuneration package. This would involve the development of a clear and detailed communication channel, to raise awareness of benefits as an investment made by employers and to communicate their value.

When an employee understands that their employer is investing heavily in their benefits package, they are more likely to feel engaged, loyal and motivated. This in turn has positive effects on productivity which is a key justification of the employer’s original investment in a benefits platform.
Peoplevalue are working closely with clients of their Advantage voluntary benefits platrform to develop and implement key collateral that will be used to communicate the true value of their benefits to employees. This will raise awareness and cultivate an understanding of the client’s investment in their employees.

Communication is key.

With the dual onslaught of inflation and high interest rates, Peoplevalue’s Advantage voluntary benefits solution has the real potential to maximize a person’s disposable income and combat the crisis of consumer confidence.

The most recent findings from market research company Nielsen and the British Retail Consortium revealed that a third of the population had major concerns over the British economy. Based on the thoughts of a thousand consumers, the UK Consumer Confidence index now stands at 79, the lowest score since the survey began in 2003.

The apparent lack of confidence was also coupled with a sense of pessimism. 55% of people felt that their own personal finances would be poor in the coming year, and when asked what they did with any spare money, 22% of respondents admitted to having none. The fact that one in five has no disposable income after covering essentials reveals the importance and relevance of voluntary benefits solutions like Advantage.

Peoplevalue’s Advantage solution provides employees with access to thousands of discounted products and services, maximising their disposable income and improving their quality of life. With Advantage, an employee can make significant savings on essentials and non-essentials alike. Categories include everyday shopping, travel, sports and leisure, entertainment, CDs, DVDs, videos and games, health and beauty, cars and discounted retail vouchers.

Though non-essential spending is down overall as a direct result of this crisis in confidence, 24% or respondents still spent their spare money on new clothes, 21% on out of home entertainment, 24% on home improvement and 14% on new technology. This is where Advantage comes into its own and demonstrates an employers’ dedication to its employees and their efforts to improve their quality of life.

Advantage can be customised and branded in any corporate image and seamlessly integrated into any existing program, significantly enhancing the overall benefits package. Fully managed by Peoplevalue, Advantage offers the maximum benefit without the need to commit valuable resources and a potent tool with which to combat the crisis of consumer confidence.

“We are confident that with Advantage, we have developed a market-leading solution with the real potential to improve lives” says Mike Morgan, MD of Peoplevalue. “Our dedicated content management team is alert to consumer habits. They have worked diligently and with a market awareness to create a valuable resource for employees who can benefit from real and relevant discounts in the areas of their spending. By saving them money and maximizing their disposable incomes, Advantage lets them get more out of life than they could normally afford to,” he concluded.

New research by market researcher TNS has revealed that employees in Greater London take almost twice as many “fake” sick days as the national average.

The “Britain at Work” study showed that 33% of London workers admitted to calling in sick to work when they were not in fact physically ill. These stark statistics are even more startling when the national average is 19% and 12% of London workers pull a “sickie” at least three times a year.

The study also provided an interesting insight into the various reasons us Brits use to justify a day off “sick” from work. On average, 30% would pull a “sickie” because they felt stressed, 12% because they felt tired and 45% because they were going through relationship issues.

Embarrassingly, 12% of London workers felt a hangover was a reasonable excuse for a day off work.

The survey sampled 1,000 people aged 16 - 24. One might argue that the sample represented the views of a younger generation and the new breed of “young professionals” and couldn’t be held as representative of the overall working population, but these “young professionals” are the new generation of employees so the statistics are relevant for the future of Absenteeism in the workplace.

“We have seen a steady increase in employers taking practical measures to curb ’sickies’ - and these figures show there is a real need for this” according to Gemma Camp, Head of Stakeholder Management at TNS.

“Rather than just coming down hard on employees, businesses need to introduce better incentives for high attendance and seek to identify what it is that drives people to call in sick. Employee engagement is more important than ever - we know that higher levels of engagement result in lower levels of absenteeism” she concluded.

For more information on how Peoplevalue’s Excellence Awards can help reduce levels of Absenteeism, please click here.