17 February 2022
On 16 February, the UK retail chain announced its intention to enhance its employees’ health and wellbeing benefits by offering a Virtual GP service, free health check screening, and advice on financial management. With these measures, the group, which already offers employees a 20% discount on products from it Food and Clothing & Home ranges, believes it offers one of ‘the strongest all-round reward offers in retail.’ “We’re making sure that every colleague whatever they do and wherever they...
3 November 2021
In view of their ‘exceptional adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit’ shown since the beginning of the pandemic, the furniture and home furnishing retailer will pay staff a total of €110 million in bonuses, which makes an average of nearly €648 for each employee. The measure will benefit the 170,000 staff working for the Ingka Group (Ikea Retail), which manages the majority of the brand’s stores (nearly 400 worldwide) as well as shopping centres. In a statement, Ulrika Biesèrt, People & Culture...
20 October 2021
In an environment of pressure on purchasing power and manpower shortages across certain professions, the question of salaries is becoming a major concern for companies. According to a survey conducted by the ANDRH*, nearly half of the sector’s professionals are looking to change their compensation policies in the months ahead. However, the association also warns that excessive salary increases could eventually threaten employment.
10 September 2021
Bonuses are becoming more and more widespread in Europe and augmenting already existing inequalities. This is what a study carried out by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) has highlighted. Although significant disparities exist between EU countries, variable compensation elements have risen, on average, from one-fifth in 2000 to more than one-third today and “tend to be more important than the differences in basic salaries,” notes Wouter Zwysen, a researcher at the ETUI and author of the work....
31 March 2021
On 30 March car manufacturer Volvo Cars announced it is opting-in its more than 40,000 employees globally, in all plants and offices, into a new all-gender, paid parental leave policy. From 01 April, Volvo Cars employees will be able to receive 80% of their salary for 24 weeks over a period of up to 3 years after the birth of a child. This initiative is not new for the carmaker, which is extending its 2019 initiative launched for its employees in the Europe/Middle East/Africa area. The company’s statement noted...
24 March 2021
On 22 March the Italian bank announced its implementation of a group-wide minimum standard maternity leave of 16 weeks (paid) and 4 weeks for fathers (voluntary), which will apply globally from April 2021. The press release notes, ‘The new parental leave standard is part of a larger set of welfare initiatives many of which have been specifically strengthened also in the context of the Covid-19 emergency.’ The statement refers to the bank’s initiative in establishing a dedicated Family Board comprising a...
10 February 2021
US mass retailer Kroger, which employs almost 370,000, has joined a list of US companies and announced a lump sum bonus for employees who get inoculated. “As we move into a new phase of the pandemic, we’re increasing our investment to not only recognize our associates’ contributions, but also encourage them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as it becomes available to them to optimize their well-being as well as the community’s,” said Tim Massa, Kroger’s Chief Human Resources...
10 December 2020
After recently adopting a similar approach in other European countries, the mobile app-based home food delivery giant Just Eat is starting to end its practice of paying per completed job. This gig economy arena revolution means Just Eat drivers can earn at least the minimum hourly wage and enjoy social benefits rights. Between now and March, more than 1,000 employment contracts will be created in London, be they part-time, full-time, or zero hour contracts (i.e. those that guarantee neither working time nor...
14 May 2020
On 13 May Volkswagen’s middle management (some 18,000 mangers) learned that the variable part of their salaries would be reduced in 2020, due to the collapse of the group’s revenues since the development of the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, the German auto-manufacturer announced that after having restarted production at the end of April, it was going to slow down production again because of very low demand. This variable salary element is being phased out just one year after the introduction...
29 April 2020
Faced with the ‘unprecedented consequences of the Covid-19 health crisis’, the energy company sought to accelerate the implementation of two of its ENGIE CARE minimum social protection programme pillars. ENGIE CARE will be included in the future global CSR agreement currently under negotiation with the international trade union federations. The Group program will cover hospitalization costs in full for Covid-19 and at least 75% for other conditions as well as life insurance equivalent to 12 months of gross...
