Advocate Magazine - Issue 37

ADVOCATE the magazine from the UK’s leading business advisory

Ask The Expert - HR Can I implement a ‘No Jab, No Job’ policy?

Page 8

Ask the Expert - Payroll What support is available for businesses after furlough?

Page 14

Ask the Expert - Employee Benefits How do benefits translate to a remote world?

Page 25 1

Issue #37

who we are & what we do... advocate magazine is produced by advo and published quarterly. advo are an award-winning advisory, providing centralised management and advice, with bespoke technology platforms for HR, Payroll and Employee Benefit & Wellbeing solutions. Designed and priced with SMEs in mind, our technology platforms and services are delivered by our highly qualified and experienced advisors. advo-one, our unique online portal, underpins and connects all three services - providing access to employee and employer 24/7 from any device. advo-one includes benefits infor-mation, company documentation, perks & total reward statements, online payslips, ab-sence management reporting and the ability for employees to book and track holiday.

More about advo advo will be celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2022, and continues to grow rapidly as an organisation.

Starting life as an Employee Benefits intermediary, advo recognised the need for increased efficiency within essential employer support services. The addition of Payroll and HR has resulted in advo being able to offer one solution for all three services.

Speak to us for: Employee benefits: tailored to you and your business.

Our ethos is simple, and as an investors-in-People Gold employer, we practice what we preach: employee well-being adds value to your business. Employees who feel valued and cared for are happier and so more productive. We will help you create the right benefit so-lution that meets the needs of your workforce plus continue to support, review and manage this on an ongoing basis.

Human resources: all the advantages of an in-house HR team.

We believe passionately that HR is the heart of a well-run organisation. We ensure you are always legally up-to date, ready to meet any challenge and we are here for you whenever guidance is needed.

Payroll: ensuring compliance, and that employees are paid correctly.

Accuracy is vital when paying your employees. Our dedicated experts simplify the process, drawing on a wealth of experience and taking responsibility for both compliance and efficiency. t: 01622 769210 e: info@advogroup.co.uk w: advogroup.co.uk

What’s in advo updates Page 6

Ask The Expert - HR Can I implement a ‘N Page 8

John Lewis one of tw failing to pay minimu Page 10

Employee wellness a Page 12

Ask the Expert - Pay What support is avai after furlough?

Page 14

Weird & wonderful e Page 18

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n this issue: Workplace culture in times of uncertainty Page 20

No Jab, No Job’ policy?

The importance of security, compliance & ISO27001 in a remote world Page 23

wo hundred companies Ask the Expert - Employee Benefits um wage How do benefits translate to a remote world?

Page 25

at advo

Opinion blog: Should the NHS consider co-payment?

Page 26

yroll ilable for businesses

Flu vaccinations Page 29

Meet the client - Capital Asset Management

employment tribunals

Page 30

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What’s new?

New partnership!

We are very excited to announce a new partnership with Furthr!

A

a

Be exc on gre

T Furthr is an employee benefits provider that makes climate action easy, exciting and understandable. It is not ‘new news’ that forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Some statistics suggest the world loses forests the size of the UK every year! The partnership gives advo clients the opportunity to take real, tangible action against climate change and deforestation.

Furthr plant trees and sponsor certified renewable energy projects on behalf of subscribers, and monthly draws with sustainable goods and cash prizes to be won. These efforts can help employees in offsetting carbon emissions, helping them to become climate positive.

Henry Bishop, CEO & Co-founder at Furthr said of the partnership: “We’re over the moon to be working with such a forward-thinking platform. Our climate crisis is a complex challenge, but it creates the opportunity to bring people together and drive impactful solutions. With advo’s expansive and engaged base, we can’t wait to see the positive impact we deliver together.”

Lucy Pearce, Commercial Director at advo said of the partnership: “It is so exciting that we have been able to expand our offering to include this unique and important employee benefit – allowing companies to simultaneously take care of employees and make a positive difference to the future of our planet.”

The Furthr benefit is available to all advo clients. Please contact us for more info.

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On aw an ou

C

Th rec are fin

Award nominations!

advo have been nominated for several awards

eing shortlisted for these awards is testament to our teams’ continued delivery of cellent service, despite challenging conditions. It is because of them that advo has not nly survived the successive lockdowns, but thrived. Aside from being shortlisted, it’s also eat to have an in-person event to look forward to after an almost 2 year hiatus!

The Cover Excellence Awards

ne of the industry’s premier events in the protection, life and health insurance space, the wards recognise advisory firms which have gone above and beyond in support of clients nd the wider protection industry. We are so pleased to share that advo has been singled ut as a finalist in the ‘Employee Benefits Intermediary of the Year’ category!

Corporate Adviser Awards

he Corporate Adviser Awards ‘celebrate the best in workplace financial services’ cognising those advisers and providers that have ‘brought real innovation’. The awards and e viewed as one of the most prestigious within the UK corporate advice industry. advo are nalists in the ‘Firm of the Year’ category!

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Ask the Expert - Can I implement a no job’ policy?

The COVID-19 vaccine will become compulsory for NHS and care staff in t led other employers to ask if they too can implement a ‘No Jab, No Job’ p In this ‘Ask the Expert’, Alison Gill, head of HR at advo offers her take on ‘No jab, no job’ policies, and other approaches employers could take to encourage uptake of the vaccine.

• Some people will not get v either can’t for medical re Employers must tread car discriminate against them

It’s only natural that employers will want to protect their staff and customers through uptake on the vaccine.

From the 16th August, those ‘double jabbed’ no longer have to self-isolate after a negative PCR test, which is another benefit to both employer and employee.

• Any vaccination requirem non-discriminatory and en those who cannot be vacc

If you are considering implementing any kind of policy on vaccination, I would urge the following is considered:

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• Employment tribunals wil whether employers can re (aside from care homes an legislation is being introdu

a ‘No jab,

the autumn. This has policy.

vaccinated, because they easons, or choose not to. reully, and not stigmatise or m.

ment must be proportionate, nsure provision is made for cinated.

ll remain the authority as to equire staff to be vaccinated nd NHS staff, where uced in the autumn).

• Employers taking action against an employee for not having the vaccination face a high risk of claim, if they cannot prove their actions were reasonable.

• Comments from government ministers, and articles in the press will not support an employer’s case during a tribunal.

• The CIPD has warned companies could be liable for claims of abuse and even criminal complaints if they impose vaccines. “Enforced vaccination would be a criminal offence against the person and an unlawful injury, leading to claims such as assault and battery,” the CIPD said.

How can I encourage uptake of the vaccine without mandating it?

Engagement is likely to be a far more effective strategy in securing vaccinations than any other approach. Ways to encourage uptake of the vaccine could include: • Providing factual information which highlights the benefits, such as posters or leaflets.

• Free examples are available from the government website, which can be accessed by clicking here.

• Being flexible with working hours, or offering paid time off to enable employees to attend vaccination appointments.

I would advise employers recommend employees take the vaccination in a supportive way, to ensure staff do not feel pressurised. If an employee was to feel that they are being pressurised, they may feel that they are being bullied and their job is at risk, should they not take up the vaccine. This could increase the risk of further issues in the future, such as employment tribunals.

Seeking specific hr advice for your business is imperative for any SME before any kind of policy is introduced on vaccination. Talk to advo today if your organisation is affected by any of the issues discussed in this article.

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John Lewis among 191 companies p A list released by the government has revealed almost 200 employers with John Lewis, Pret a Manger and The Body Shop among them.

The Department for Business said the figures show an approximate shortfall of £2.1 million, and affecting 34,000 workers.

It said John Lewis plc failed to pay £941,355.67 to just over 19,000 workers.

The Body Shop underpaid 959 employees by £34,670. Pret a Manger failed to pay £9,679 to 33 workers.

The employers named have underpaid their workers for a variety of reasons; by wrongly deducting pay for uniform or expenses, failing to pay for overtime, or failing to pay apprentices the correct rate. John Lewis has since asserted that their underpayment was due to a 2016 technical glitch.

Lucy Pearce, Commercial Director at advo said: “Minimum wage breaches often occur by accident, when workers are paid on or just above the minimum wage, where there is only a very small margin for deductions.

The UK’s National Minimum Wage rates rose in April 2021, the new rate states over 25s must be paid at least £8.91 an hour.

Every single worker is entitled to minimum wage. The extensive range and size of employers that unfortunately made this list demonstrate in no uncertain terms just how easy it is to get this wrong – even employers

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with huge payroll departments can mistakes.

Working with external payroll exper ensure any mistakes like this are fla on in the process and are therefore easily avoided, ensuring a greater p mind for employers.”

What happens next for John Lewis other companies?

Employers failing to pay NMW face p of up to 200% of the arrears, cappe £20,000 per worker, which are paya government.

All of the employers identified in the been ordered to pay back the arrear to the worker, at the current minimu rate.

In total the employers were fined an £3.2 million, payable to the tax auth

Business Minister Paul Scully said: “ minimum wage laws are there to en day’s work gets a fair day’s pay – it i unacceptable for any company to co short. All employers, including thos list, need to pay workers properly.”

Talk to advo today for expert payroll and support.

paying staff below minimum wage failed to pay workers the legal minimum wage between 2011 and 2018, make

rts like advo agged early more peace of

s and the

penalties ed at able to the

e list have rs directly um wage

n additional hority.

“Our nsure a fair is ome up se on this

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Employee wellness at advo

At advo, we are always keen to encourage employee wellness, and our Schanz, Senior Telesales Executive at advo about her hobbies for wellbe What are your hobbies that you feel help you with wellness?

of evidence which indicates tai chi may also help with:

As some people will tell you, I’ve got lots of hobbies that I believe help with mindfulness, wellness and being spiritually aware from crystals, to reading cards and sound healing. However, my two main hobbies are Tai Chi and Reiki.

• • • •

What is Tai Chi? Tai Chi is a type of martial art, which encompasses slow, gentle breathing and meditative exercises.

There are lots of benefits to doing Tai Chi: • Improved mood • Improved aerobic capacity, energy and stamina • Improved flexibility, balance and agility.

More evidence is needed, but there is lots

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Enhancing quality of sleep Lowering blood pressure Improving or easing joint pain Improving overall well-being

One of the great things about Tai Chi is that you don’t need to do it for long to start feeling the benefits – 30 minutes is usually long enough. My class has now restarted post COVID, and it was so great to be back! I usually guide a session on Friday mornings at the advo office, to help people to start changing their mindset from ‘work mode’ ready for the weekend.

What is reiki?

Reiki started in Japan in the 1800’s, and was drawn up by a man called Dr Usui.

The word itself explains what it is – ‘Re’

employees have a wide range of hobbies! This issue we speak to Jacqui eing. meaning universal and ‘Ki’ meaning life energy. It’s a form of energy therapy, based on the idea that humans all have energy, and the purpose is to redirect harmful or negative energies.

There are different types of reiki, eastern or western, and it can be hands on or off.

I specialise in eastern reiki and can do either hands on or off. I am what’s called a reiki master and I have been practicing for around 8 years. I have had lots of patients over the years and many have told me that the treatment has helped them with relief from symptoms of anxiety, depression and physical pain, as well as given them a boost in their overall sense of wellbeing.

Why do you believe Reiki is effective?

I believe the key point as to why reiki can be so effective is because the body

goes into a completely meditative state, a state of complete relaxation. This total relaxation allows the mind to have a break, which can help it to heal. You couldn’t heal a hurting foot if you kept running on it, and you can’t heal a hurting mind if you don’t let it have a break.

How do you feel like Tai Chi and Reiki help?

These hobbies really help me with mindfulness and wellness, as I feel I get so many physical and mental benefits from both. I’ve made a lot of friends from taking up these hobbies, and it’s great being around like-minded people, so it’s helped me in a social aspect too as well as physically and mentally.

I would definitely encourage everyone to give both a go at some point in their life. I did 8 years ago and haven’t looked back!

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Ask the Expert - What support is a furlough scheme ends?

Lucy Pearce, Commercial Director at advo tackles one of the more sensi once the furlough scheme ends?

Since April 2020, the Scheme (CJRS), or used in one form or a of businesses in the mean the scheme w September 2021.

Under the scheme, e pandemic could furlo not adequate work.

Until July 2021, the employee salaries, u

From July, employer 10%, and 20% dur The scheme conclud

It is fair to say that normal for many org a payroll provider, we are paid on time is on ments of a business.

If you are concerned ter the furlough sche the options out there business is different, a guide only. They are commercial advice.

Improving cash flow If you are confident y bounce back, you ma

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available for businesses when the

itive questions right now - what support is available for businesses

e Coronavirus Job Retention furlough scheme has been another by around two thirds UK. A number of extensions will now run until the end of

employers hit by the ough staff for whom there is

government covered 80% of up to a maximum of £2,500.

rs were asked to contribute ring August and September. ded at the end of September.

business will not resume as ganisations for some time. As e at advo know ensuring staff ne of the most important ele.

d about paying your staff afeme ends, here are some of e. As every scenario for every , please take these options as e not intended to be taken as

w via commercial funding your business will be able to ay wish to consider short term

funding. This could ease the immediate financial pressure, allowing you to pay staff in the interim.

This money will have to be paid back eventually – so it is important you only consider this if you are confident of the organisation’s long-term viability.

Can I make staff redundant after furlough?

For some businesses, the sad truth is that life after coronavirus may never be the same. You may find staff levels may need to be reduced in line with this.

If you are considering making redundancies after the conclusion of the furlough scheme, I would strongly recommend speaking with an expert, like the hr team at advo, to ensure your policies are water tight. This will help you to protect yourself from an unfair dismissal claim in the future.

It’s worth bearing in mind that employees who have been furloughed continue to accrue holiday, so if an employee has been on furlough since the beginning of the scheme in April 2020, by the current day they could have built up a considerable amount of annual leave.

When an employee is made redundant, they are entitled to be paid for all of their accrued holiday – typically paid as a lump sum payment in the employees final pay. The holiday accrued during the furlough period will need to be factored into the cost of redundancies.

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Business rates holiday All retail, leisure, and hospitality businesses can get a discount on business rates.

The business rate discount was 100% between April 2020 until March 2021, and the first three months of the 2021-22 tax year.

For the rest of the 2021-22 tax year, eligible businesses can get a 66% discount on business rates, up to a total value of 2 million.

Recovery Loan Scheme The government launched the Recovery Loan scheme on 6 April 2021.

This replaced the previous government backed loan schemes that ended on the 31 March, including the Bounce Back Loan and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Loans between £25,000 and £10 million are available, and the scheme is set to run until the end of the year.

Protection if you can’t pay commercial rent Commercial tenants who can’t pay their rent as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak are protected from eviction – the ban on business evictions has been extended multiple times, and its now due to end in March 2022.

The government says businesses “that can pay rent should continue to do so”, as the ban is designed to protect the businesses struggling the most.

It is not a ‘rent holiday’ scheme and rent arrears will still build, and are expected to be repaid. The extension has been granted to give tenants and their landlords time to come to an agreement about how to repay the money built up during closures.

Full refund on statutory sick pay due to COVID-19 SMEs with fewer than 250 employees as of 28 February 2020 will get a refund on up to 14 days of statutory sick pay per employee off sick with COVID-19. Any sickness claimed for must have started on or after 13 March 2020.

HMRC – Time to Pay As the country re-opens and economic activity begins to resume, HMRC has confirmed that debt collection will restart. HMRC have stated they will take “an understanding and supportive approach” to collecting debt, announcing that it’ll work with people and businesses to agree a plan, based on their financial position.

HMRC says it’ll contact customers (although make sure the messages are genuine), and may offer a payment plan – a Time to Pay arrangement.

More time to file annual accounts with Companies House If your business is registered with Companies House, you can apply for an

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extension to the deadline to filing your accounts, avoiding the usual late filing penalty.

Applications are accepted online, and says “you can apply for more time to file if something has happened that is out of your control and you cannot file your accounts on time”.

The options highlighted in this article are intended as a guide as to what is broadly available in the UK. Of course, every business will have a different situation, and different courses of action will be appropriate in each.

Have you got a question for one of our hr, payroll, or employee benefits experts?

Contact us with your questions for the chance to be featured in the next issue of Advocate Magazine!

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Employment tribunals Time and time again, we are reminded of how easily employees can take employers to a tribunal, for all manner of reasons. In this article we take a look at some of the ‘weird and wonderful’ reasons that employees have taken employers to a tribunal!

“this job is a slow de

First up, we travel to Franc Desnard, a manager at a p claim against his employe job was “too boring.”

Mr Desnard sought a huge the experience, he said, w descent into hell”.

Mr Desnard described his like a burnout – but less in to his health, caused him t led to mental health issue was then made redundant

While this may seem like a UK, would such a failure (t constitute a potential brea trust and confidence, whe deliberately?

The appellate court in Par the claimant 40,000 euros

“discrimination agai

Moving closer to home, in claimed unfair dismissal, a – on the qualifying conditi

He claimed he was bullied and had to actively avoid t had a substantive effect o

In this case, the tribunal d is not enough to constitute judge noting that by a sim could be argued to be a di

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escent into hell”

ce. In May 2016, Frederic perfume company raised a er – on the grounds that his

e £280,000 compensation – was like a “slow

“descent into hell”, as being nteresting, was detrimental to have an epileptic fit and es and a lengthy absence. He t.

a far-fetched claim, in the to provide meaningful work) ach of the implied term of ere the employer has acted

ris thought so, and awarded s.

inst baldness”

England in 2008, a teacher and disability discrimination ion of… baldness!

d by the schools students, them in the corridors, which on his ability to do the job.

“discrimination on the grounds of philosophical belief” In 2011, an employee claimed discrimination on the grounds of belief, on the basis he was dismissed for his philosophical beliefs that the 9/11 and 7/7 terrorist attacks were carried out by the US and UK Governments as part of a conspiracy.

In many professions, holding such a belief may not have been an issue. But in this case, the employee was an intelligence analyst for South Yorkshire police authority, tasked with carrying out a risk assessment of the area.

In an official report, he ranked the risks to the area of internal terrorism as 100%, and all other risks as zero.

His report detailed that any threats to vulnerable people and attempts to tackle crime were ‘irrelevant’.

His dismissal was based on the fact that in this case, as his own report had demonstrated, his views were incompatible with his role. The tribunal decided his beliefs were not protected. While the beliefs were genuine and sincerely held, they failed to reach the minimum standard of cogency and coherence.

There is no shortage of ‘out there’ examples of employment tribunals, with mixed success, these are just a few of the standouts.

Of course, the best way to deal with an employment tribunal is to avoid it in the first place where possible.

Talk to advo today if you feel we can help!

disagreed, stating baldness e an impairment, with the milar logic, having a ‘big nose’ isability.

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The importance of workplace cultu

As the UK attempts to return to normality, the competition for new recruits has intensified. The so- called ‘Great Resignation’ is still to come, with many industries finding it hard to attract and retain skilled employees. Company culture can be the ‘make or break’ factor in the decision to stay or move on.

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ure in times of uncertainty

w

To confidently move forward in the post covid world, it will be essential for organisations to attract, develop and retain existing talent. This can be achieved through workplace culture.

Workplace culture, employee collaboration and communication are critical when developing teams. It is also important for leaders to tailor their approach to the individual needs of their employees.

Cultivate a great workplace culture To achieve high employee performance during the pandemic, some organisations were able to draw on an already strong workplace culture in order to support and motivate their teams. This, in turn, helped to encourage employees to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

interact with their colleagues, it is not possible for a strong culture to develop. Employers should encourage the nurturing of workplace friendships by providing opportunity for social interactions, like events, trips out of the office and team building activities.

Build a shared sense of purpose to foster collaboration Businesses that share the same sense of purpose as their employees perform especially well in a time of crisis, as it allows for rapid adaptation. This is because there is an understanding of the business’ core values and mission.

Organisations that do not have strong workplace culture should dedicate time to building a positive culture, and supporting the wellbeing of their employees. This does not have to put a strain on the budget. If employers take the time to genuinely invest in the well-being of their workforce, a positive culture will inevitably develop. In the months since the first lockdown in March 2020, organisations with strong and supportive workplace cultures have found them to be invaluable.

To build a shared sense of purpose, organisations should try to encourage employee participation and welcome debate. Managers should also seek to understand employee career goals to ensure they develop with the changing needs of a business. Goals should be kept current and frequently reviewed to ensure they continue to align with both business and employee goals and values. Certainly, businesses should consider whether their goals and values remain aligned with those of their employees as we return to the office. For example, post-Covid, there is a more significant focus on flexibility of working practices than ever before.

This may mean the goals around remote working need to be updated.

Workplace relationships are a vital element in workplace culture. When employees barely know and rarely

Define your communication strategy Communication is key and should not be underestimated. Employers should

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define their communication strategy and make it visible. Providing employees with accurate, authoritative information, and most importantly, transpareny creates a culture of trust in the workplace.

Remote working as a result of the pandemic put an understandable strain on working relationships for the majority of businesses. Ensuring good lines of communication (and new methods of communication in many cases), were preserved, which in turn resulted in the preservation of these relationships.

It has also been shown that managers who invest time into delivering clear lines of communication build better trust with employees which helps to increase morale and productivity.

Tailor your approach Prior to March 2020, talent management was all too often viewed as a standard checklist. The considerable and varied additional support employers have had to offer employees in order to sustain wellbeing, has highlighted the need to nurture talent on a case by case basis.

As we return to office life, organisations should continue to adapt their mindset, and realise blanket approaches to developing talent and workplace cultures have limited effectiveness. Businesses need to tailor plans to suit each individual if they are to truly get the most out of their employees.

Lead by example The way any leader acts during difficult times is crucial and can have a lasting effect on workplace culture and team morale.

During the pandemic, employees looked to leaders for assurance, to inspire confidence and to provide solutions. To sustain a high performing team, leaders must be proactive, show consistency in their messaging and continually adapt their response to the situation. In a period of uncertainty, the workforce relies on their leadership to provide both direction and drive. When building a high performing team, leaders must also look to the future. All crises eventually come to an end and are followed by recovery and reignition – and a good leader will ensure they have a plan for this.

The importance of workplace culture cannot be understated; it is the key to ensuring your team does not just survive crises but thrives. advo have grown at a considerable rate since March 2020, managing not only to survive, but thrive, in very challenging circumstances. We believe our company culture to be at least partially responsible for this.

Talk to advo about how to build or maintain your company culture.

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Security, compliance & ISO27001 in a remote world Every organisation holds sensitive and personal data – especially the data which is held and used for HR, Employee Benefits and Payroll. Data security can often be a side-lined concern until flaws result in cyber attacks.

A recent survey from security firm, Tessian, found nearly two in five employees (39%) admitted their cyber security practices at home were less thorough than in the office, with half admitting that this is a result of feeling less scrutinised by their IT departments.

What is ISO27001, and why should I care?

If an organisation has achieved an ISO27001 certification, like advo did in 2020, it has demonstrated the ability to effectively manage security risks, by implementing a highly credible information security management system.

What are the benefits of working with an ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials approved organisation, like advo?

• Information is protected at the highest level • It mitigates the risks of a potential data breach • It increases security • It helps to avoid fines by ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

With many of the country now working remotely, outside of the security of the office, and the number of cyber-attacks on the rise, and the sophistication of such attacks increasing, the need for organisations to use water tight, independently accredited systems has become more important than ever.

Talk to advo today about how we protect our client information.

What is Cyber Essentials, and why should I care?

Cyber Essentials reduces the threat of cyber-attacks by around 80% (you read that right – 80%!). Working with providers that are certified with Cyber Essentials gives you peace of mind their cyber defences will protect you and your employee data.

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Ask the Expert - How do employee be

Restrictions are now almost all lifted, and the UK is well on its way back t going forward, with a mix of office and remote working, but are now face With many businesses in the UK taking a hybrid approach going forward, Lucy Irvine, Employee Benefits Manager at advo takes on this topical question.

Whether a business is in recovery mode or looking to grow, the driving force is the same – its employees.

Pre covid, the general approach to benefits was fun, but inconsequential, with morale boosters like free snacks and dress down Fridays being popular.

The time we have been forced to spend away from the office means that many have realised the meaningfulness of employee benefits runs far deeper.

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In some organisations, childcare vouchers will be the benefit most gratefully received. In others, cycle to work schemes could be most popular - in others still, traditional benefits like private medical insurance will reign supreme. The first step is to discuss it with your employees, to establish what they want to see.

In many organisations, support with the mental health issues many have faced following extended periods of time at home will prove useful. Investing in training, so managers in the workplace are equipped to assist colleagues is one approach to achieving this - in the case of a remote working, employee assistance programmes may prove most useful in

enefits translate to a remote world?

to normality. Many businesses are adopting a hybrid working strategy ed with the challenges associated with having dispersed employees. terms of accessibility.

With the popularity of benefits varying between organisations and the rise in remote working, it raises a new dilemma entirely – how do you translate these benefits to a remote world, and keep employees engaged?

There is no straightforward answer, because the approach will be slightly different across organisations. But in almost all cases, technology will need to play its part.

Platforms like advo-one are purpose built, with employee engagement in mind. Where remote employees do not have a physical hub, advo-one offers a virtual hub – so employees can access

benefits information, from anywhere in the world, 24/7. Payslips can be posted on advo-one, almost guaranteeing employees make regular visits, which increases the likelihood of interacting with benefit information.

After such a long time at home, many employees will be re-considering everything from their employer and their role, to deeper issues like their purpose.

It would be wise to act in a proactive manner, rather than react to the so called upcoming ‘Great Resignation’.

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Opinion blog: should the NHS cons beyond prescriptions and dentistry Colin Boxall, Executive Director at advo was working in China this time two years ago. This article outlines his personal experience with both Chinese and UK Healthcare systems, and where lessons could be learned for the UK. Growing up in the UK, there is an expectation that medical treatment is “free at the point of delivery”.

With extras like dental and prescription costs, this might not be strictly true – but it’s what we believe is our right.

Travelling from a capitalist society, to the world’s largest communist country, it is a surprise to discover there is no such expectation. People in China expect to pay towards their medical treatment.

In China, there is no sophisticated welfare system, as we see in western capitalist countries. Here in China the default expectation is that the family take responsibility and supports – not the state.

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The UK’s NHS medical care is two tier.

For non-urgent care, GPs would be the general first port of call. Further supportive tests and treatment are then available in hospitals. The private sector then offers an alternative to NHS treatment – offering choices over care and location, usually with faster treatment times.

In China, the healthcare system is flat.

The local hospital is the first port of call, whatever the medical reason. If a person needs care, they simply need to arrive at the local hospital reception – or in fact, any hospital of their choice.

From this point, you will be directed to a specialist who oversees your care. From my personal experience, there are little, if any waiting times, and care is to a high standard.

My first experience of Chinese healthcare system was about five years ago in the northern city of Shenyang.

After falling ill, I attended the nearest hospital, arriving just after 11pm. I was quickly registered and issued with a health swipe-card. A couple of minutes later and despite being non-emergency, I was with a specialist who requested blood tests. Then in the room next door I put my arm through a window in the corridor for a nurse to take blood. The sample was passed back where two doors down the same corridor I passed the sample through another window at

sider introducing co-payment y? the pathology lab. It was just over five minutes before I got the results back before walking the few yards back to the specialist’s office.

Within 20 minutes of walking into the hospital I had seen a consultant twice, had full diagnostics and was receiving treatment. Two hours later I was on my way home fully recovered. On leaving I had to pay 212 yuan, about £23.

The hospital was modern, the staff professional and the care was reassuringly good. The Chinese doctor was paid piecemeal – the more people he sees, the more he gets paid. The argument could be that this may lead to poor, rushed service. However, I experienced efficiency and immediate care.

The Chinese go to hospital when they are ill. This makes a stark comparison to the UK – I wonder how long I would have waited to be seen here, with t argets of 4 hours waiting time in A&E departments which are often not met – if I was lucky enough not to be branded a timewaster.

More recently in Xi’an, my wife had swollen legs after travelling. Next to our hotel was a private hospital. She dropped in without calling first, spoke to reception and in under a minute was sitting in front of a specialist, who ordered blood tests and a scan.

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Results were immediately available which were taken back to the specialist who confirmed nothing serious and a course of medical Tui-Na massage, the first session of which was available immediately in the same hospital, which cured the problem. The cost for everything in this private hospital was just under £40 – which was not even enough to claim on her travel insurance.

is no doubt contributing to th hospitals. Moving to the Chin one whole tier of health prov too far, given the ingrained he we have in the UK. Perhaps, h some of the best ideas and p

There is no doubt primary ca tremendous strain. It’s a than pressures and waiting lists cu Through the pandemic, the u increased, and are now comm insurance sector. I hope this continue; as addressing the d primary care will surely reduc

There is surely an argument t role of cottage hospitals, to a care without the GP gatekeep we should increase the role a for low-level care and advice given via the NHS’s 111 servi

In China you pay towards your care. The government support financially, generally covering around 80% of the cost. All healthcare is easily accessible, and in my experience, impossibly quick.

No healthcare system is perfect, and I of course do not underestimate the importance and value of our NHS. But, it is possible there could be lessons to be learned by the UK looking at the Chinese healthcare system.

First, perhaps a change in the blinkered way we see existing NHS problems is required. In China’s top facilities, you may sometimes see trolleys in corridors – known as “extra beds” beds. The attitude in China regarding these beds is drastically different than that of the UK. In China, this is seen as ‘making room’ and allowing people to have immediate care. In the UK, patients being treated in corridors would be seen as a disgrace, and thus there is sometimes no alternative to being turned away, to wait until a bed is available. This

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A more controversial suggest introducing an element of co just like in communist China. the National Insurance contr businesses pay. Similar to pre would still be given free to th more affluent paying towards missed GP appointments wit first step where payments co

In the UK we put up with poo being able to speak to a GP o treatment is normal. We are c suffer in silence. Receiving tim resolve the issue of sick days need to be factored in are tre Under the NHS, we must also it takes to be seen, in the ver hours – in others it is several

Personally, I would prefer to immediate high-quality care medical treatment I received

he ever-increasing strain on nese model and removing vision will obviously be a step ealth and political systems however, we could handpick philosophies.

are in the UK is under nkless task, with ongoing urrently at an all-time high. use of virtual GPs has monplace in the private is a trend we will see difficulties in access to ce the pressure on A&E.

to bring back and widen the allow people direct access to pers. As part of the process, and standing of pharmacists e and improve the guidance ice.

tion is to consider o-pay for our NHS treatment, . Perhaps we should reduce ributions that we or escriptions, medical care hose most needy with those s their care. Paying for thout good reason could be a ould be introduced.

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or service, accepting that not or receive timely urgent conditioned to wait, and mely treatment would s – as the only periods that eatment and recovery. o factor in the length of time ry best case this is several l months.

pay a little money to get when I need it – just like the d in China.

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Meet the client At advo, we value our client relationships, getting to know our clients and how their business functions above all else. This issue, we meet Chirine Harb, of Capital Asset Management.

Chirine Harb Head of Operations, Capital Asset Management

Hi Chirine, thanks for seeing us today. Firstly, what is your business, and what is your role within it?

Capital Asset Management is a financial planning firm in the city. We help clients model their ideal future lifestyle and then build their financial road map to help get them there.

We love looking at ‘what a life well-lived’ looks like and coming up with investment solutions to best maximise our clients’ Return on Life.

My role as Head of Operations is to oversee the company’s structure, stability and solidarity creating a healthy infrastructure for the business that allows the team to focus on the clients, grow and develop as human beings and have fun.

How long have you worked for Capital Asset Management?

I’ve worked at Capital since March 2019.

How did you first hear about advo?

I first made contact with advo in October 2019.

Simon Friday Account Manager, advo 28

What appealed to you most about advo’s proposition?

When I first joined Capital I was determined

to work o was high for a part with the feel stabl

advo prov were alm box of ad

They offe efits, per wellbeing and upda business managem

This gave weren’t j that they needs.

What has ment’s b months?

The bigge was the m lives is t and pers and have amazingl great resu

We also w haven’t m who righ their lives was doing

Another g quickly m – and off they wan

on the stability of the team, turnover and morale was low – I was looking tner that specialises in providing me tools and support to help my team le and valued at work.

vided me with several solutions that most gifted to me in one neat pretty dvo-one.

ered to find me a wide range of benrks, HR and recruitment support, g support, regulatory information ates. Moreover, they understood the and took time to understand my ment style.

e me great comfort, in that we just another notch in their belt, but y took care of our businesses people

s been Capital Asset Managebiggest achievement in the past 12 ? est achievement we’ve had, in what most difficult year in many peoples that we have grown, professionally sonally. We understand our purpose e an engaged team that have worked ly hard over the last year to achieve ults.

worked really well remotely and missed a beat in servicing our clients, htfully so were really worried about s investments with how the market g.

What we care about is how they work (integrity) and why they work (purpose).

What has been Capital Asset Management’s biggest challenge in the past 12 months?

It’s easy to sense people moods, their ups and their downs when you’re in one office.

We pride ourselves in being attentive to the mental well- being of our team and this was much harder remotely. As a result, we had to work extra hard on enhancing communication and interaction between the team.

How would you describe Capital Asset Management’s culture?

We are curious, candid, creative, client centered and most importantly, collaborative.

Simon Friday is the Account Manager for Capital Asset Management at advo.

He said: “It’s been great working with Chirine, as advo and Capital Asset Management have a lot in common - not in terms of business or industry, but we both understand the importance of looking after and rewarding our employees, pride ourselves on our company culture, and love supporting our clients.

When compay ethos’ are similar, it makes working with one another so enjoyable. We are lucky to have clients like Capital Asset Management!”

If you’d like to feature in the next edition of ‘Meet the Client’, contact us today.

great achievement is how we manage to adapt to Hybrid working fering the whole team to work when nt, where they want.

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Head Office: advo house, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS t: 01622 769210 e: info@advogroup.co.uk w: advogroup.co.uk

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advogroup limited Registered Office advo house, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS Registered in England No 4500663. advo group limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority