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Supporting staff motivation, engagement and wellbeing
in the New Year
JANUARY BLUES
January can be a particularly tough month for the UK’s workers:
Returning to work after Christmas.
Financial pressure after festive spending (more than half struggle with January bills).
Increased ill health (January has the highest level of sickness absence).
Seasonalaffectivedisorder(SADaffectsbetween 3% and 20% of the UK).
The added pressure in January impacts productivity and motivation at work. The most commonly cited distractions in the new year are the following:
40% struggletogetbackintothepaceofthingsaftertimeoff
45% sufferfromJanuaryblues
14% come in to work with ill health
20% aredistractedbyfinancialburdensatwork
7% aredistractedbylookingforanewjob
Source:Surveyof1,004UKconsumersemployedfullorpart-timeaged18+,TheLeadershipFactor,2016.
Reduced motivation and increased absence have a knock-on effect on business performance:
SicknessabsenceintheUKcostsas much as £28bn per year,with the highest proportion of thistakeninJanuary.
Thebest-performingsectorshave the lowest level of sickdays–forexample,PricewaterhouseCoopers’ research found that tech companies had a sickness rate three times lower than in the public sector.
Theindirectcostofmentalhealth problemsthroughreduced productivityisfar greater thanwhatmostcompanies spend on mental healthsupportforemployees.
How can you support employees in
the new year?
Reduce financial burdens through lifestyle discounts Lifestyle discount programs can provide annual savings of up to £4,000ormore,basedonaveragespendingperyear–farinexcessofapayrise.
High street discounts with the UK’s largest chains, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Argos, Currys and more, with typical savings of 15%.
Travel discounts of 50% or more.
Lowest available corporate gym rates, promoting good health in the new year too.
Online and in-store discounts are available.
Source:OfficeofNationalStatisticsLivingCostsandFoodSurvey,2014.
Provide support through salary sacrificeThereisstilltimetoimplementsalarysacrificeprogramsforthenewyearbefore the rules change in April 2017.
Savingsofmorethan£2,000ayearcanbemadeonchildcare,transport,educationandtech,providingfurtherfinancialassistance.
Paymentsaremadefromthepre-taxsalary,providingNIandtaxsavingsforbothemployeesandemployers.
Provide an employee assistance programEncourageemployeeswho need additional help to talk to a professional through a lifestyle support scheme.
Confidential services that specialise in workplace issues.
Reduces burden on HR staff, more than half of whom support employees with personal problems outside of their job description.
Provides a range of private counselling options, with immediate support, rather than waiting over a year for NHS services.
Face-to-face and telephone counselling provides flexibility, and the right level of support as needed.
Can we help?
Ifyou’relookingforsalarysacrifice,voluntarybenefitandemployeeassistancesupportinthenewyear,pleasedon’thesitatetocontactuswithanyquestionsyoumayhave–we’llbehappytoofferouradvice!
Rememberthatsalarysacrificerulesfornewprogramschange in April 2017,sostartthinkingaboutimplementingaprogramtodaytoensureyouandyouremployeesreceivethemaximumpossiblebenefitfromthecurrent arrangement.
AvalonHouse,Breckland,LinfordWood MiltonKeynes,MK146LD
e:[email protected]:www.pmmemployeebenefits.co.ukt:08452728713
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