Advocate | Autumn 2016

advocate The magazine from the leading employee benefits advisory

bupa uk A busy work-life lays bare to unhealthy habits page 24

cancer research uk 3 in 4 brits unaware of link between obesity & cancer page 32

vitality health an interview with strategy director, shaun subel page 20 cover feature

Insurance Times & tech Awards ADVO’s continued commitment to technology celebrated at UK awards page 10

Issue #19 autumn 16

advogroup.co.uk | who we are

LAUREN SMITH, EMPLOYEE BENEFIT ADVISOR, advo group

who we are and what we do...

Advocate Magazine is produced by ADVO Group and published quarterly.

ADVO Group Ltd is an independent employee benefits advisory with a broad-based clientele. Our objective is to be seen as the UK’s most trusted adviser on employee benefits and online management.

ADVO can test prospective clients’ arrangements against our connectedhealthTM benefit benchmark. Please be in touch for further details. We also offer a bespoke interactive online system for multi policy management and amendments.

Employees can also be given access to their personal benefit details, Total Rewards and Flex Benefits and benefit selection portals. Please follow http://soc.advogroup.co.uk for more information.

For general information, and/or to join our online HR community, please follow http://issuu.com/advogroup

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Speak to ADVO for any specific query concerning: • • •

UK & International Private Medical Insurance Online multi policy management Total Reward Statements and Flex and Benefit selection portals • Cash Plans • UK & International Group Life & Dependents cover • UK & International Group Income Protection • UK & International Group Critical Illness cover • Dental & Optical cover • Health Screening • Staff Wellness • Occupational Health sourcing • Payroll & auto-enrolment solutions • HR consultancy & support T: 0845 2578833 F: 01622 769211 E: info@advogroup.co.uk

advogroup.co.uk | what’s inside issue #18

“what’s inside ” issue #19

ADVO were awarded the title of ‘Technology Innovation of the Year – Broker‘ from a vast array of entrants from the wider UK insurance industry

Welcome to the Autumn 2016 edition of Advocate magazine, the quarterly digital publication from ADVO Group, one of the UK’s leading employee benefits consultancy.

We also feature our latest exclusive interviews including those with Vitalty Health’s Shuan Subel, who discusses the positive health message behind their “Everyday Athlete’ campaign, and with Office Genie’s Pete Ames, who discusses In this edition, we look at ADVO’s the effect the Summer’s sporting fantastic win at the 2016 Insurance events have had on employee Times Technology Awards. productivity across the country.

ADVO were awarded the title of ‘Technology Innovation of the We also look at the latest human Year – Broker‘ from a vast array resource and occupational stories of entrants from the wider UK including the CIPD’s research insurance industry. that almost 1 in 3 people have experienced mental health issues We also look at ADVO being while in employment, and Bupa highly commended for ‘Best UK’s research that a busy worklife Group PMI Intermediary’ at the lays bare to a range of unhealthy 2016 Health Insurance Awards, as habits. well as winning the category of ‘Employee Benefits Intermediary Remember that all editions of of the Year’ at the 2016 Cover Advocate magazine are free to read Excellence Awards. online at issuu.com/advogroup

meet the team at advo group

For more information visit www.advogroup.co.uk

larry bulmer chief executive

colin boxall commercial director

kevin crew it director

gill mateo operations director

Larry Founded ADVO Group in 1997 and remains fully involved in the day-to-day running of the business.

Colin joined ADVO Group’s board in 2008 and has over twenty years employee benefits experience.

Kevin oversees our award winning online service and is further developing staff and flex- benefit platforms.

Gill joined ADVO in 2006 becoming Operations Director in 2013.

lbulmer @advogroup.co.uk

cboxall @advogroup.co.uk

kcrew @advogroup.co.uk

gmateo @advogroup.co.uk

advocate summer 20152016 | advogroup.co.uk advocate SUMMER | advogroup.co.uk||03 03

advogroup.co.uk | contents

CONTENTS ISSUE #19 | autumn 2016 advo news Page 06

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ADVO at the Cover Excellence Awards, Health Insurance Awards, and Corporate Livewire Finance Awards

Page 10

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ADVO’s continued commitment to technology celebrated at UK awards

HUMAN RESOURCES news Page 12

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An interview with Pete Ames, Head of Strategy, Office Genie

Page 26

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Move over, Millennials: Generation Z is about to hit the workforce

Page 30

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Men forty percent more likely than women to be promoted in management roles according to research from the CMI

An interview with Pete Ames, Head of Strategy, Office Genie page 12

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NEWS Page 16

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Almost 1 in 3 people have experienced mental health issues while in employment according to CIPD research

Page 24

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A busy work-life lays bare to unhealthy habits according to research from Bupa UK

Page 34

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Most UK employees go to work when sick according to research from CV Library

HEALTH NEWS Page 20

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An interview with Shaun Subel, Strategy Director, VitalityHealth

Page 32

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Three in four in the UK are unaware of link between obesity and cancer according to report from Cancer Research UK

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 04

Three in four in the uk are unaware of link between obesity and cancer according to report from Cancer Research UK page 32

advogroup.co.uk | contents

ADVO at the Cover Excellence Awards, Health Insurance Awards, and Corporate Livewire Finance Awards page 06

Move over, Millennials: Generation Z is about to hit the workforce page 26

An interview with Shaun Subel, Strategy Director, VitalityHealth page 20

ADVO’s continued commitment to technology celebrated at UK awards page 10 advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 05

advogroup.co.uk | ADVO’S INTERMEDIARY EXPERTISE AWARDED

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We have firmly established our reputation for a consistent high level of expertise, ensuring the perfect fit for each of our clients’ unique requirements

advo group

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advogroup.co.uk | ADVO’S INTERMEDIARY EXPERTISE AWARDED

ADVO group’S INTERMEDIARY EXPERTISE AWARDED AT COVER EXCELLENCE AWARDS, HEALTH INSURANCE AWARDS, & FINANCE AWARDS www.advogroup.co.uk Beginning a fantastic month in October, ADVO were delighted to have recently been named ‘Employee Benefits Intermediary of the Year’ at the Cover Excellence Awards. The annual award ceremony is one of the most widely recognised in the industry, highlighting exceptional protection and health insurance products, providers and intermediaries. ADVO were victorious in this same award category in 2015, as well as being ‘highly commended’ for the category in 2014.

This year’s awards were held in Central London at the prestigious Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square on 5th October. ADVO’s Commercial Director, Colin Boxall, received the award from Cover Magazine’s editor Fiona Murphy and comedian Chris Turner.

interesting year for the protection and health insurance industries. We have seen greater interest in promoting both markets, significant leaps forward in technology and greater discussion around whether products are fit for purpose. The 2016 COVER Excellence Awards seeks to recognise and reward After receiving the award, Boxall stated those firms and intermediaries who “we must be doing something right” have been innovating and serving their and later explained that this was due to customers to the highest standards.”

ADVO Group’s approach of “having great people and training, and then The Cover Excellence Awards chose to using technology to make everyone’s support Place2Be as one of its chosen experience better”. This combination charities. Place2Be works in schools of extensive training an investment in providing early intervention mental staff, alongside a robust emphasis on health support. technology has long been at the heart of ADVO Group and its services.

Later in October, ADVO also achieved success at the Health Insurance The awards’ judging panel were Awards, being ‘Highly Commended’ comprised of highly respected industry for the category of ‘Best Group PMI figures including Kevin Carr, Chief Intermediary’, with Gill Mateo, Executive of Protection Review and ADVO’s Operations Director, the Steve Devine, Chairman of the Protect representative nominee for this award.

Association.

Achieving this accolade for such a The Awards commented in the run-up strongly contested category at the to this year’s event “2016 has been an Health Insurance Awards shows the

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advogroup.co.uk | the 2016 health insurance awards continued recognition for ADVO’s long-standing advisory expertise. ADVO commented “We have firmly established our reputation for a consistent high level of expertise, ensuring the perfect fit for each of our clients’ unique requirements.

Being highly commended at this year’s Health Insurance awards is a fantastic way to highlight this”.

listings demonstrate core areas of emphasis for ADVO. The shortlisting for the ‘Intermediary Innovation Award’ recognises ADVO’s strong emphasis on developing intuitive, mobile technology which provides instant access to key policy information for all users. The ‘Best Individual International PMI Intermediary’ shortlisting demonstrates ADVO’s continued expertise and Three further members of the ADVO development into this increasingly vital team were nominated at this year’s area of the PMI landscape. The ‘Best Health Insurance event. IT Director, Individual Impact by a Newcomer’ Kevin Crew, was confirmed as a finalist shortlisting demonstrates ADVO’s for ‘The Intermediary Innovation Award’ strong commitment to its own employee (Sponsored by Simplyhealth). Emma development, ensuring that both new and Shaw, Head of Personal Healthcare existing staff are able to make their mark was shortlisted for the category of within the industry and let their strong ‘Best Individual International PMI level of expertise shine through.

Intermediary’ (Sponsored by Aetna International). Lastly, Natasha Gunning The Health Insurance awards took was named as a finalist for ‘Best place on Thursday 13th October at the Individual Impact by a Newcomer’.

Grosvenor House Hotel, London. TV start Stephen Mulhern was the guest Each of these three additional shorthost for this year’s event, entertaining

from left to right: advo’s natasha gunning, kevin crew, emma shaw & gill mateo advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 08

an audience of over 850 industry professionals from across the UK. Lastly, ADVO were also recently confirmed as winners for the category of ‘Employee Benefits Consultancy of the Year’ at the The Corporate Livewire Finance Awards. The awards are one of the leading international programs highlighting strong performance from individuals, groups and business in the financial industry over the course of the last year. The awards feature an extensive judging process and focus of key specific areas of the financial industry such as tax, accountancy and of course employee benefits. Corporate LiveWire itself is a widely used international industry resource providing up to date information on financial news and key developments.

advo group are fully independent, private medical insurance experts speak to one of our employee benefit advisors today on 0845 2578833

For more information on Advo Group Limited, visit our website www.advogroup.co.uk Advo Group Limited, ADVO House, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS is registered in England (No. 4500663) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

advogroup.co.uk |ADVO’s continued commitment to technology celebrated at uk awards

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advogroup.co.uk | ADVO’s continued commitment to technology celebrated at uk awards

ADVO group’s continued commitment to technology celebrated at uk awards winners at the insurance times & tech awards & finalists for the digital insurance awards www.advogroup.co.uk ADVO are delighted to report they have been announced as winners of the ‘Technology Innovation of the Year – Broker‘ category at the recent Insurance Times & Technology Awards. This fantastic accolade recognises ADVO’s continuous expansion and emphasis into its already multi award-winning technology platforms, underpinned by ‘ADVO Online’. This flagship technology service from ADVO continues to offer clients an unparalleled level of online functionality that allows easy management of all employee benefits while helping with staff communication to value and appreciate the benefit spend.

Winning at the Insurance Times Technology Awards marks a particularly significant achievement given their representation the wider, full UK insurance industry, with entrants from the health, life, car, home and business sectors, to name a few.

The Digital Insurance Awards are hosted annually by Insurance Post magazine to find the best in the use of technology.

ADVO are shortlisted alongside household names such as comparethemarket.com for the Customer Experience Award , also described

by Insurance Post as the ‘The Happy Shopper Award’.

The awards stem from ‘Insurance Times Magazine’; a print and digital resource for the insurance industry with more than twenty-five years of experience.

ADVO’s IT Director, Kevin Crew stated that he was “delighted that ADVO have The official awards website describe been recognised again by the wider the significance of the ceremony insurance industry for our work on “The internet of things, digitalisation bringing PLC style benefit management and customer self-service are all and communication to areas of business developments that are transforming that have typically been ignored”. ADVO the insurance landscape, but so many Online is an Employee Management insurance firms and their technology System designed for SMEs and smaller partners are meeting the challenge. corporates incorporating benefit The Tech & Innovation Awards is a management, staff portals and flexible celebration of the great achievements that benefits. technology firms, insurers and brokers are making in this rapidly changing space.” The awards took place 22 September at the beautiful Royal Garden Hotel, London.

Following on from this fantastic award win, ADVO are also confirmed as finalists for use of technology to improve the customer experience in the 2016 Digital Insurance Awards.

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ADVO have been recognised again by the wider insurance industry for our work on bringing PLC style

benefit management & communication to areas of business that have typically been ignored

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The Digital Insurance Awards 2016 are now in their fourth year are to be held in London later this year on 18th November. The Insurance Post confirms “these prestigious awards will raise a glass to the shining stars of this sector of the industry. As insurers develop new ways to harness technology and create innovative methods to drive business processes forward, these awards are sure to be fiercely competitive. A day of celebration for the entire insurance technology community.”

Judges for this years event include Manjit Rana, founder and CEO, Ingenin, and Sabine VanderLinden, Managing Director, Startupbootcamp Mentor.

For more information on the upcoming Digital Insurance Awards visit postevents.co.uk/technologyawards

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advogroup.co.uk |AN INTERVIEW WITH pete ames

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I feel flexible working can help people work at the most convenient, and crucially, the most productive times

pete ames, office genie

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advogroup.co.uk | AN INTERVIEW WITH pete ames

I don’t think many employees are aware of the legislation regarding flexible working pete ames, office genie www.officegenie.co.uk

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From the Olympics to Wimbledon and the European Football Championships, we’ve seen a summer packed with major sporting events. A recent survey by Office Genie (established as Desk Space Genie in 2009) found a huge majority of UK employees have been engaging with the summer’s sporting events when they should have been working. The survey of 1,504 workers also explored the common approaches undertaken by managers during this period, and the potential pitfalls involved. In this interview, Office Genie’s Head of Strategy, Peter Ames, provides his insight on the survey’s findings, discussing the best options and policies for managers and the next major distraction on the calendar.

Your recent research found that as many as 82% of employees were engaging with the Summer’s major sporting events when they should have been working. Were you surprised that this figure was so high?

I was, but I was perhaps more surprised by the amount of time wasted. Five full days across the summer is a seriously large amount of time for each person to lose.

The research also found many bosses were inflexible during this period, failing to allow flexible working or relaxed internet usage to accommodate the summer’s sport. Why do you think so many bosses decided to take such an inflexible approach?

Sadly, I think it’s still as simple as flexible working being seen, by some, as an opportunity for staff to shy away from work – although research has generally proved quite the opposite.

I also don’t think many employees are aware of the legislation regarding flexible working; if you’ve been working for a company for more than half a year, then you’re eligible to request it!

Why do you think it would be preferable for more bosses and managers to allow a more flexible approach, allowing staff to engage with major sporting events?

I think it engenders a culture of trust, which should hopefully be reciprocated; in this case by employees not spending

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advogroup.co.uk | an interview with pete ames their work time following sporting events. Furthermore, if you offer employees the flexibility to work ‘around’ these things – it stands to reason that when they are working, they are less likely to be distracted.

What would you recommend as some of the easiest or most effective flexible to put in place to accommodate such events in future?

I think so, it all adds to the distraction.

Although for many sectors, people are online all day on a work device, so they wouldn’t need to use a personal device if they felt bold enough to use their work equipment.

What kind of policies do you think could be put in place to best manage these digital technologies, and could these be part of a wider more flexible approach?

ultimately if employees are continually doing personal tasks, even in such a culture, there is probably more they can be doing. Targets should perhaps be more demanding if so.

What do you think will be the next major event, sporting or otherwise to provide a potential distraction for employees in the UK?

Scary though it seems, having just finished talking about the ‘summer of I think a clear and well-communicated sport’, the next obvious distraction will internet usage policy is the best place to be the build up to the holiday seasons. start – that way everyone knows where Specifically, the sales that seem to be they stand and they can’t complain if they increasingly ubiquitous as we move are pulled up for falling foul of this. towards Christmas. Black Friday seems to be making waves this side of the If you were particularly bold (or trusting) Atlantic in recent years (indeed we found then a purely results-based culture is around 60% of people would sale shop also a way to manage this: As long as online last year) so this looks like being employees get the job done in the allotted the next big distraction.

Do you think that factors such as mobile time, you don’t need to be as concerned technology, smartphone apps etc, have with the means.

For more information on Office Genie increased the ease with which employees visit officegenie.co.uk can become distracted by such events?

Although this sounds good in principle, I think it varies from business to business, but remote working and/ or flexible hours tend to be the most common and are often the most suitable policies to put in place. They can be genuinely beneficial year-round, not just around major events: Generally, I feel flexible working can help people work at the most convenient, and crucially, the most productive times.

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a clear and wellcommunicated internet usage policy is the best place to start

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advocate summer 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 14

discover your perfect dental plan with advo group speak to one of our employee benefit advisors today on 0845 2578833

For more information on Advo Group Limited, visit our website www.advogroup.co.uk Advo Group Limited, ADVO House, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS is registered in England (No. 4500663) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

advogroup.co.uk |mental health issues in employment

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Mental health should get just as much attention, awareness and understanding as physical health, and employers have a responsibility to manage stress and mental health at work

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rachel suff, employment relations advisor, cipd advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 16

advogroup.co.uk | mental health issues in employment

Almost 1 in 3 people have experienced mental health issues while in employment according to cipd research www.cipd.co.uk New CIPD research finds employers are taking a reactive approach to employees’ mental health issues, when preventative steps make better business sense. According to new research, the number of people saying that they have experienced mental health issues while in employment has climbed from a quarter to a third over the last five years. Despite this, the majority of employees still don’t feel that people experiencing mental health issues are supported well enough at work.

In response, the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, is calling on organisations to take a more preventative approach to employees’ mental wellbeing, encouraging a culture of openness in their workplace, whilst at the same time, training line managers to provide and signpost support for employees, in order to create healthier, more engaged and more productive workplaces.

who have had poor mental health at work, more than four in ten (42%) have experienced a problem in the past 12 months specifically, to the extent it has affected their health and wellbeing.

Despite this increase, the number of respondents who say their organisation supports employees with mental health issues either ‘very’ or ‘fairly well’ remains less than half (46%). While this is a significant improvement of The new research from the CIPD nine percentage points since 2011 – found that in 2016, almost a when just 37% of respondents said third (31%) of the over 2,000 their organisation was able to support employees surveyed said employees either fairly or very well – it they have experienced highlights that there is still a significant a mental health way for employers to go to better problem at some support staff with mental health issues. point during their Worryingly, just four in ten employees working life, (44%) would currently feel confident compared disclosing unmanageable stress or mental with a health problems to their current employer quarter or manager, a similar proportion as (26%) in reported five years ago (41%).

2011.

Of Rachel Suff, Employment Relations those Adviser at the CIPD, comments: ‘With people’s experiences of mental health problems at work on the increase, it’s disappointing not to see more employers stepping up to address them.

Mental health should get just as much attention, awareness and understanding as physical health, and employers have a responsibility to manage stress and mental health at work, making sure employees are aware of, and able to access, the support available to them.

‘This agenda needs

to be championed from the very top by business leaders and senior staff – either through role-modelling or open conversations about their own experiences. There’s also a clear role for HR professionals and line managers to ensure that employees are getting the support they need and feel they can speak up. It’s crucial that organisations work to promote an open and inclusive culture so that employees feel confident about disclosing mental health issues and discussing the challenges they are experiencing. Promoting good mental health also makes good business sense, as employees are likely to be more engaged and productive if they work for an organisation with a workforce wellbeing strategy that emphasises the importance of both good mental and physical health.’

The CIPD’s survey also asked employees what types of support their employer currently provides to manage and help people with mental health problems. The most common provisions were phased return to work (32% of employees), access to flexible working arrangements (30%), access to occupational health services (27%) and access to counselling services (27%). The least common provisions were mental health first aiders (3%), mental health champions (5%), and training for line managers in managing and supporting people with mental health problems (10%).

Suff continues: ‘We’re seeing a distinct trend of reactive measures when it comes to how employers support people with mental health issues. These are very important, but we also need to see more preventative steps to promote good mental wellbeing.

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advogroup.co.uk | mental health issues in employment Where possible, employees with mental health problems should be able to access support before problems escalate to a point where they struggle to manage work and their illness, and need to take time out of work. Of course, there will be occasions where people experiencing a mental health problem will need to take time off work and then it’s important that the right framework, including occupational health services and phased return to work, is in place to support them in that situation.

confident and competent to create this ‘open’ culture and support and manage employees with mental health issues.

This should be the starting point for employers.’

The CIPD recommends three important ways that line managers can make a difference:

1. At the beginning of a new working relationship, be clear that no problem is too big, small or personal for an employee to raise ‘It’s particularly disappointing to see 2. work to create a culture of openness such a low level of training by employers and encourage staff to discuss their for line managers in how to manage challenges. Make time to have and support people with mental health conversations that go beyond a person’s problems. Line managers play such a immediate and short-term workload and crucial role in an employee’s experience discuss their role, responsibilities and of work, and are often the first line of opportunities more generally defence in terms of spotting problems 3. Know when and how to direct people and supporting individuals should to access specialist help either internally they ask for help. Therefore, their through the organisation, such as management style, the relationships counselling and/or occupational health they have with staff, and their ability to services, or externally via mental health implement policies are all paramount groups and charities. to how supported people feel at work.

A lot of it is simply about employees Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace feeling that their line manager cares Wellbeing, at mental health charity and will support them if they say ‘”I Mind, said: ‘It’s clear that there’s a high need to talk”. However, line managers prevalence of mental health problems are not counsellors and will need among employees. It’s good to see more training themselves if they are to feel people feeling comfortable enough to

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Employees need to be reassured that if they do put their hands up, they’ll be met with understanding, and additional support if necessary

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emma mamo head of workplace wellbeing, mind advocate summer 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 18

let their workplace know when they’re struggling with their mental health, which is likely to be an indication that employers are fostering an open culture where staff feel able to disclose their problems. However, it’s vital that employers also have good support in place for all staff, including those experiencing unmanageable stress or poor mental health. Employees need to be reassured that if they do put their hands up, they’ll be met with understanding, and additional support if necessary.

‘Creating mentally healthy workplaces needn’t be difficult or expensive, often it’s about putting in place small adjustments, such as regular communication and flexible working hours. Being able to identify and support a colleague struggling with poor mental health can also make a big difference, which is why Mind delivers mental health awareness training to line managers. We’re also launching a Workplace Wellbeing Index – a benchmark of best policy and practice which will enable employers to recognise the good work they’re doing when it comes to promoting good mental health at work, as well as highlighting areas for improvement.’

discover how working with advo improves employee engagement speak to one of our employee benefit advisors today on 0845 2578833

For more information on Advo Group Limited, visit our website www.advogroup.co.uk Advo Group Limited, ADVO House, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS is registered in England (No. 4500663) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

advogroup.co.uk | an interview with shaun subel

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The number of people aged over 50 in employment is rising and now makes up over a third of the total workforce

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advogroup.co.uk | an interview with shaun subel

The Everyday Athlete campaign aims to inspire people to make small changes to everyday behaviour to realise long term health improvements shaun subel, vitalityhealth www.vitality.co.uk

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Recent research by VitalityHealth found that making small lifestyle improvements and behaving as an ‘Everyday Athlete’ can significantly improve overall life span. In this interview, Shaun Subel, Strategy Director at VitalityHealth, provides his analysis on the findings, highlighting some of the easiest and most effective improvements we can make to our everyday lives and the huge motivational effect of the Olympic games.

Your recent research found that making small increases in levels of exercise and sport can improve life span by more than three years. Can you tell us more about the findings?

These findings were calculated through analysis of each individual’s ‘Vitality Age’. This is an aggregate measure of wellness that evaluates the gap between physical body age and actual age. The calculator takes into account factors Our core purpose is to encourage people such as weight, the amount and intensity to lead healthier lives and we reward of exercise undertaken, cholesterol, people for doing so. One way we do eating habits, levels of happiness and this is by monitoring our members’ alcohol consumption. By surveying activity through wearable technology. members before and after they made The data we obtain allows us to look at changes to their everyday behaviour, the the intensity of a workout as well as its data pinpointed the impact of behaviour distance or duration. on life expectancy.

For the launch of the Everyday Athlete campaign we analysed 6,600 members over the course of 12 months. We found that previously sedentary members who increased their activity levels to the Government recommended 150 minutes a week saw their life expectancy boosted by more than three years (3.1 years).

In addition, members who increased their activity levels to 90 minutes saw an increase of almost three years (2.7 years) and exercising just 60 minutes a week saw an increase of more than two years (2.4 years).

Were you surprised by just how much of an effect increased exercise seems to have on life expectancy?

We know that small steps can make a big difference to long term-health, so we aren’t surprised. The challenge is communicating and educating the nation. Many people think that in order to lead a healthy life you need to run a marathon – while we wouldn’t want to discourage anyone from doing that, smaller steps such as walking up the stairs, walking the dog for an extra 10 minutes a day, or even getting off of the

bus a stop early and walking can also have a big impact.

The study also found that there were some common barriers preventing people exercising more: time constraints, expense and not enjoying it.

Why do you think these have become such significant issues in relation to people’s current lifestyles?

We are living in an environment where people lead busy lives. Working long hours, lengthy commutes to and from work, and constant connectivity to mobile devices can mean that people don’t feel they have the time to exercise.

If people are stressed and tired it can also make exercise feel like a chore. In addition, some gym memberships and exercising classes can be expensive and not a priority for people when they have other bills to pay.

The Everyday Athlete campaign aims to inspire people to make small changes to everyday behaviour to realise long term health improvements. We want to show the nation that activity needn’t be timeconsuming, expensive or unenjoyable.

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advogroup.co.uk | an interview with shaun subel What are some of the best ways people can increase their levels of activity with these issues in mind? For example, increasing exercise in ways that aren’t necessarily time-consuming or expensive?

There are many things people can do to incorporate physical exercise into their existing routines. Whether it’s walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift, taking the baby for a walk in the pram, doing 30 minutes of standing in the office every day or washing the car once a week, there are endless examples. All of these activities are inexpensive, aren’t time consuming and also the type of things people are already undertaking.

It’s surprising how many calories that can be burnt by doing this type of activity.

Walking the dog for an extra 10 minutes every day for a year, for example, can burn up to 12,688 calories for women and 15,132 for men.*

What did the study also find in terms of linking increased exercise with rewards or perks such as cinema tickets, coffee vouchers etc?

Our analysis found that rewarding physical activity has a direct impact on both kick starting activity and encouraging people to continue being active. Since introducing rewards such as cinema tickets and Starbucks drinks for completing exercise, more than a third of members who had previously been registered as inactive are now engaging

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in physical activity in order to receive their Active Rewards. This was even more profound for those members who were already active, with the introduction of rewards prompting an eight fold increase in those reaching weekly activity targets.

We have also seen that once a member nears their target number of steps, many will increase their activity to ensure they surpass these thresholds to unlock the rewards.

Do you think that the Rio Olympics will be effective in inspiring an increase in exercise and sport in the way the 2012 London games did?

Sport can have a huge impact on people and can help to increase participation. At Vitality, we harness the power of sport for good. That’s why we sponsor sporting initiatives and partner with sportspeople such as Jessica Ennis-Hill and Joe Root, to give people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds the opportunity and inspiration to engage in sport.

We have seen a growing awareness of sport, especially among women. Our research found that female sports stars are key to motivating women and girls to participate in sport and exercise, with Jessica Ennis-Hill being declared the most inspirational sports star for both men and women.

We hope that the Rio Olympics will be

Walking the dog for an extra 10 minutes every day for a year can burn up to 12,688 calories for women and 15,132 for men

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shaun subel, vitalityhealth

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 22

as effective in inspiring and motivating people to participate and engage in sport as the London games.

Do you think more people are realising the full value of an increase in exercise to their health and lifespan, and if so, do you think this awareness will continue to increase?

Encouraging people to exercise is a challenge: more than 40% of the UK population doesn’t meet the recommended target of 150 minutes of moderate activity a week.** This is despite structural shifts such as the emergence of wearable technology, which provides people with more ways to track exercise.

However, by incentivising healthy behaviour through our Active Rewards, members have become more engaged and motivated to reach their goals. We have seen that when people understand the benefits of physical activity and are provided with incentives they’ll continue to make positive and lasting improvements to their health.

Sources * Figure calculated using http://www. myfitnesspal.com/exercise/lookup **Public Health England Active People Survey: https://www.noo.org.uk/data_sources/ physical_activity/activepeople

NATASHA GUNNING, advo group

discover our award winning customer service speak to one of our advisors today on 0845 2578833

For more information on Advo Group Limited, visit our website www.advogroup.co.uk Advo Group Limited, ADVO House, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS is registered in England (No. 4500663) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

advogroup.co.uk | a busy worklife lays bare to unhealthy habits

A busy worklife lays bare to unhealthy habits according to research from bupa uk www.bupa.co.uk Research carried out by Bupa UK health clinics reveals the national divide between the unhealthy habits and the quick fitness hacks that people adopt due to working long hours and busy social schedules. The study shows 60% of workers aren’t taking a full lunch break and 34% don’t get enough sleep. On the other hand, a large group take a more measured and thought-through approach with 47% setting themselves a target or goal to keep healthy and 26% say technology is key to this.

The research has identified five types of people, each of whom has a helpful life hack or key unhealthy habit. As everyday bad habits can build up to have a significant impact on our health and fitness, Bupa’s health experts are encouraging people to take a few minutes out during the day to take a look at their health and general wellbeing. The experts have also identified how each of these five groups can be improve:

surveyed are a ‘caffeine machine’, workers that constantly reach for a coffee or a caffeine fix to get through work.

Amongst the group, over 40% of people aged 45-54 object to starting the day without a coffee. Bupa health experts advise that too much caffeine can lead to anxiety, dehydration, headaches, an increased heart rate and stomach pains.

Sleep can even be disrupted due to caffeine after 3pm.

55% of people across Britain that were

The second key group is the ‘on the go

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 24

junkie’ with 60% of respondents not taking a proper lunch break. Employees find they rush through their lunch, eat on the go or miss it altogether. Amongst this group, over 25% admit to eating at their desk due to being too busy. Breaks throughout the day can help people reset and tiny adjustments like changing your working position can help posture and muscle strain.

advogroup.co.uk | a busy worklife lays bare to unhealthy habits

On the other hand, the research identified three groups that work around their schedule and manage to keep fit and healthy. Topping the list is the ‘target smasher’ with 47% of professionals setting themselves a target or goal to help them achieve it. The target smasher is supported by the fact that people are more likely to reach their goal if they share it with a colleague or friend. As a result, within the target smasher group, nearly a quarter of 16-24 year olds reported they exercise more than they used to because of technology or an app.

Research revealed the small adjustments people make to stay on track to leading a balanced lifestyle. The ‘small stepper’ is

the champion of taking the stairs instead of the lift with half of workers opting for this, 38% cut down on alcohol to help lead a balanced lifestyle and 24% occasionally opt for cycling or walking to work instead of driving or taking public transport. Our experts recommend keeping on top of your health before you let problems become a big issue.

Finally, ‘Healthy Hero’ is the all-rounder group that seeks out the latest quick tips and technology to stay on top of their fitness, 29% get out for a walk at lunch, 23.5% get regular check-ups with the doctor and / or dentist and 12% find starting the working day with a healthy breakfast encourages them to be healthily

throughout the day. We should be looking up to this group as this is a great approach to feeling healthy and reaching the recommended two and a half hours exercise a week.

Philip Luce, Director of Bupa Health and Dental Clinics said: “We all set out with the best intentions when it comes to our health but hectic schedules mean bad habits creep in. We’re encouraging people to take a few minutes out of their day to take a look at their health and wellbeing, it’s a simple first step to changing our habits and introducing a small change to the working day.”

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 25

advogroup.co.uk |GENERATION Z IS ABOUT TO HIT THE WORKFORCE

“

Employers can expect GenERATION Z to make a positive impact on the future of their companies – if they start proactively preparing for them now

”

Seth Matheson, Director of Talent Fusion by Monster advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 26

advogroup.co.uk | GENERATION Z IS ABOUT TO HIT THE WORKFORCE

Move over, Millennials: Gen Z is about to hit the workforce www.monster.com Monster, a global leader in connecting people to jobs, have announced results from their inaugural Multi-Generational Survey of the Boomer, X, Y and Z generations.

The findings uncover what makes the first segment of Generation Z unique, and how employers can attract, retain and engage this rising group of valuable employees.

Gen Z are the true “digital natives,” the first-ever generation to have ubiquitous Internet technology at their fingertips since birth, and the survey reveals that they don’t merely think outside the box – they throw it away entirely. As they strive to reinvent norms, members of Gen Z will be attracted to careers that have both purpose and pragmatism.

And yet they’re more altruistic than the workforce before them: 74% of Gen Z believes jobs should have a greater meaning than just bringing home the bacon, compared to 69% of those in older generations (and specifically 70% of Millennials).

GENERATION Z IS DRIVEN BY MONEY AND AMBITION While the survey revealed that Gen Z is motivated by a variety of factors, one thing stands out: They’ll do whatever it takes to reach their goals.

Entrepreneurship is a major priority, with 76% of these individuals seeing themselves as the owners of their careers, driving their own professional advancement. Nearly half (49%) want to have their own business, compared to 32% across all working generations.

Plus, the majority (67%) is willing to relocate for a good job, and 58% say “bring it” to working nights and weekends for a better salary, compared to 41% across all working generations.

“We’re seeing drastic differences between what drives employees in Gen Z compared to previous generations like Millennials,” said Seth Matheson, Director of Talent Fusion by Monster, Monster’s team of in-house recruiters

that work on behalf of its customers.

“At this stage in the recruiting game, employers looking to attract future talent need to expand their focus beyond Millennials to understand the next generation’s unique, practical job must-haves, and proactively develop a working environment that will keep them happy and motivated.”

“

We’re seeing drastic differences between what drives employees in Gen Z compared to previous generations like Millennials

”

FORGET PING-PONG – GEN Z WANTS A WHITE PICKET FENCE

In an unexpected twist, Gen Z differs from the Millennials before them by valuing benefits and security that have traditionally been associated with Boomers and members of Gen X. Their top three “must haves” for their first job are health insurance (70%), a competitive salary (63%) and a boss they respect (61%).

“As I talk to many employers, the focus is still on Millennials, with a lot of questions about perks like nap pods and free lunches. However, a

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 27

advogroup.co.uk | GENERATION Z IS ABOUT TO HIT THE WORKFORCE common theme we saw in the report is Gen Z’s emphasis on some of the more ‘traditional’ benefits like health insurance and a quality, two-way relationship with their potential manager,” said Matheson.

“At the same time, we expect them to hit the ground running in their new roles, providing innovative new solutions for tackling problems. Employers can expect Gen Z to make a positive impact on the future of their companies – if they start proactively preparing for them now.”

together is more regular check-ins between managers and employees.

Keeping Gen Z galvanized and engaged throughout the year – not just when their annual reviews roll around – will be key to employers’ success.

personal version of success.

FOCUS ON EMPLOYER BRANDING – GEN Z IS PAYING ATTENTION NOW

Before Gen Z enters the workforce in LET’S GET DIGITAL – mass, employers need to define and ATTRACTING AND ENGAGING GEN communicate who they are, their purpose Z ACROSS THEIR UNIQUE JOURNEY and what makes them unique. It is vital that these qualities are accurately and A key element of Gen Z’s potential to consistently communicated across social change the way work is accomplished media channels, employer review sites Optimizing Gen Z’s power to is their comfort and immersion in like kununu, andother platforms. transform industry relies on keeping mobile technologies, which enable them motivated. The digital-native constant communication and innovation. “The key to successfully attracting nature of Gen Z means they’re already According to the survey, Gen Z believes and engaging Gen Z throughout their accustomed to rapidly and constantly that technology allows them to be more candidate journey will be a strong changing environments and stimulators, productive (57%) and mobile (45%). employer brand that is consistent so employers will need to maintain a Furthermore, 39% see smartphones across technologies,” said Matheson. focus on their core values to keep these as essential and 37% rely on laptops, “Organizational brands will need to be new workers inspired. This includes compared to 25% and 30% across all transparent, adaptable, personable and money/pay (70%), the ability to pursue working generations, respectively. These memorable, targeting the brand’s ideal their passion (46%) and the challenges/ tools enable Gen Z to be “always on” Gen Z employees through tools like excitement of the job (39%). One strategy while determining their own schedules, social recruiting and talent CRM targeted for bringing these disparate motivators creating tailor-made paths to their emails.”

“

A common theme we saw in the report is Gen Z’s emphasis on some of the more ‘traditional’ benefits like health insurance

”

Seth Matheson, Director of Talent Fusion by Monster advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 28

advo group are fully independent, private medical insurance experts speak to one of our employee benefit advisors today on 0845 2578833

For more information on Advo Group Limited, visit our website www.advogroup.co.uk Advo Group Limited, ADVO House, St Leonards Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS is registered in England (No. 4500663) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

advogroup.co.uk | men 40% more likely to be promoted than women

Men forty percent more likely than women to be promoted in management roles according to research from the cmi www. glassdoor.com Research by the Chartered Management Institute and XpertHR reveals that men are more likely than women to have been promoted into senior and higher paying management roles in the past year, with no progress made on reducing the 23% gender pay gap. Male managers are 40% more likely than female managers to be promoted into higher roles, new data released 23 August by the Chartered Management Institute and XpertHR reveals.

Analysis of salary data of more than 60,000 UK employees found that in the past year, 14% of men in management roles were promoted into higher positions compared to 10% of women.

gap, which remains largely unchanged this year at 23.1% compared to 22.8% in 2015.

The average full-time equivalent salary for male managers now stands at Even allowing for staff turnover, men £38,817, £8,964 more than the average continue to be promoted ahead of women female manager’s. The pay gap is even in management roles. The data reveal higher for those in the ranks of director that for managers who have stayed with and CEO, with men on an average basic the same employer for the last five years, salary of £131,673 earning £16,513 more 47% of men were promoted compared to than women at the same level.

39% of women.

In November 2015, the Government The difference in promotion rates is one announced plans for new legislation to of the main causes of the gender pay tackle the gender pay gap, including

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 30

making it compulsory for large companies to report on the pay gap between their male and female staff. The regulations are due to come into effect in April 2017.

Ann Francke, chief executive of CMI, says that the imminent pay reporting regulations will focus employers on closing the gender pay gap in their organisations: “Promoting men ahead of women is keeping us all back. Diversity delivers better financial results, better culture and better decision making. Even before

advogroup.co.uk | men 40% more likely to be promoted than women

the new regulations kick in, employers need to get on board with reporting on their recruitment and promotion policies and how much they pay their men and women. Transparency and targets are what we need to deal with stubborn problems like the gender pay gap.”

In other findings, there are also fewer women in executive positions than men.

While women comprise 73% of the workforce in entry and junior level roles, female representation drops to 42% at the level of senior management. Just 32% of director-level posts are held by women.

Mark Crail, content director at XpertHR, adds: “The gender pay gap is not primarily about men and women being paid differently for doing the same job.

It’s much more about men being present

in greater numbers than women the higher up the organisation you go. Our research shows that this gap begins to open up at relatively junior levels and widens – primarily because men are more likely to be promoted.”

“

it’s about men being present in greater numbers than women the higher up the organisation you go

”

average men’s bonus stands at £5,398 compared to women’s £2,764. For more senior roles the gap grows, with 54% of male senior managers receiving a bonus compared to 38% females of the same level of seniority. At this level, men command an average bonus of £22,687 compared to women’s £13,699.

The public service sector has the overall lowest gender pay gap of 16% compared to 23% in the private sector. The highest pay gaps are in the manufacturing and not-for-profit sectors, at 24% and 25% respectively.

Employers can start preparing for the gender pay reporting regulations by Men’s pay further outstrips that of following CMI’s how-to guide: women’s because of a ‘bonus gap’. In the www.managers.org.uk/mindthepaygap past year, 43% of men received an annual bonus compared to 36% of women. The

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 31

advogroup.co.uk |3 in 4 unaware of link between obesity and cancer

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A quarter of all UK adults are estimated to be obese, and this has a real impact on their risk of developing cancer

”

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s head of health information advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 32

advogroup.co.uk | 3 in 4 unaware of link between obesity and cancer

three in four in the uk are unaware of link between obesity and cancer according to latest report from cancer research uk www.cancerresearchuk.org Three out of four people in the UK are unaware of the link between obesity and cancer, according to a new Cancer Research UK report. The nationwide survey found that people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to know about the link. And men are less likely than women to be aware of the increased risk of cancer caused by obesity.

As well as general ignorance about obesity and cancer, the survey showed that more than three-quarters (78 per cent) of those asked didn’t know obesity was linked specifically to ovarian cancer.

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s head of health information, said: “A quarter of all UK adults are estimated to be obese, and this has a real impact on their risk of developing cancer. Eating a healthy balanced diet More than two thirds (69 per cent) didn’t and becoming more active can help know there was a link with breast cancer people to keep a healthy weight. And and more than half (53 per cent) didn’t encouraging children and teenagers to know pancreatic cancer was linked to do the same can help them keep to a obesity. healthy weight later on in life.”

There was better awareness of the link with bowel cancer with 60 per cent of those surveyed knowing the association and 55 per cent of people linked obesity with liver cancer.

Alison Cox, director of prevention at Cancer Research UK, said: “Cancer isn’t at the forefront of people’s minds when talking about obesity and that’s really concerning. Few understand that excess weight increases the risk of Being overweight or obese is the single several cancers, including some of the biggest preventable cause of cancer after most common such as breast cancer. smoking and is linked to an estimated 18,100 cancer cases each year in the UK. Being overweight or obese is linked to 10 types of cancers, including breast, bowel, womb and oesophageal.

A recent report by Cancer Research UK and the UK Health Forum estimated that if current trends of being overweight and obese continued, there would be a further 670,000 cancer cases over the next 20 years.

The report also found that the number of obese people would be higher among lower income groups.

“

Cancer isn’t at the forefront of people’s minds when talking about obesity and that’s really concerning

”

also to take action to tackle the obesity epidemic, starting with the health of the nation’s children. It’s great the Government’s childhood obesity plan includes a sugary drinks tax, but it’s not enough to curb the rising tide of ill-health.

“The Government acknowledges that marketing junk food to kids is a problem and has removed these adverts during children’s programming. We also need to see these restrictions during family viewing time before 9pm if we want to make a difference to children’s health.”

The study was conducted by the Policy Research Centre for Cancer Prevention at Cancer Research UK. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla rhoncus mollis lorem, id viverra urna rutrum eget.

Nulla facilisi. Vestibulum scelerisque consectetur magna luctus dapibus. Sed bibendum, risus ut condimentum porta, dolor ligula volutpat odio, ac volutpat lorem magna non ipsum. Fusce mollis mi ac pharetra suscipit. Donec vitae elit metus. In rhoncus euismod enim quis blandit. Donec sit amet magna a nisl aliquam molestie ut non nulla. Aenean consectetur tempus risus, at eleifend purus sollicitudin eget. Pellentesque sem nisl, pulvinar sed condimentum quis, ultrices eget ante.

“It’s the Government’s responsibility to inform the public of the link and

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 33

advogroup.co.uk |most UK Employees Go To Work When Sick

“

Breeding a culture that encourages people to come to work when sick is not beneficial to employees or businesses and if workers are clearly ill, they should be advised to go home and recover

�

lee biggins, cv library advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 34

advogroup.co.uk | most UK Employees Go To Work When Sick

most UK Employees Go To Work When Sick according to research from cv library www.cv-library.co.uk 67.5% of employees go into work when they are unwell, with 68.3% admitting that they feel guilty for taking sick days. This is according to new research from the UK’s leading independent job site, CV-Library, which also found that the average employee (66.4%) only takes between one to two sick days a year.

Unsurprisingly, the study, which surveyed 1,300 UK workers, goes on to reveal that 86.5% of workers feel much less productive at work when they are unwell. Furthermore: – 83.8% of employees advise that it is unbeneficial for businesses to have staff in when they’re unwell – 84.3% of employees believe they shouldn’t go into work when sick – Yet, 54.6% report that their employer does not send them home when they’ve been unwell at work Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments: “Staff productivity and wellbeing are key contributors to the success of any business and this is why it’s important to promote best practice in the workplace. Breeding a culture that encourages people to come to work when sick is not beneficial to employees or businesses and if workers are clearly ill, they should be advised to go home and recover. This means that they can then return to work, happy, engaged and ready to make a valuable contribution to the business.”

Biggins continues: “Managers play an important role in reassuring staff that taking time out to recuperate is ok, but it’s clear from our research that the majority of workers feel the pressure from their boss to return to work before they are ready, and this probably stems from the top. While it might be frustrating for businesses to operate on a lower head count, in the long run, it’s better for everyone that poorly employees are not in the office; germs aren’t spread, staff recover more quickly and the hours they do spend at work are much more productive.”

The research also explored the topic of sickness entitlements, revealing that only 55.9% of companies offer sick pay, placing many of the nation’s workers in a financial conundrum if they are unable to afford time off. In comparison, 94.3% of workers believe that all businesses should continue to pay their employees when they are off sick.

Biggins concludes: “While some employers are wary that staff could take advantage of sick pay when they aren’t unwell, it should be seen as a positive move and shows that a business cares More worryingly, 34.2% of employees about its staff. Not offering any sickness revealed that their managers even put entitlement can force people who are pressure on them to return to work early genuinely ill to come into the office and and a further 44.7% said their employer share their germs, when they should be questions their sickness when they are wrapped up in bed. Reassuring staff by ill. Worse still, 52.9% of managers still offering a small sickness entitlement contact their employees whilst they are and then tracking absence throughout off sick, adding extra pressure and not the year is a much more efficient way giving staff time, and space, to relax and of managing illness and productivity recover. within a business.”

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 35

advogroup.co.uk | thanks for reading

thank you for reading see you in the winter for the next edition of advocate magazine! issuu.com/advogroup Thanks for catching up with us here at ADVO Group for this Autumn 2016 edition of Advocate magazine. Advocate will be back once again in the Autumn to provide you with the very best human resource, occupational health, employee benefit and private medical insurance news, interviews, features and more!

ADVO Group’s account on In case you missed our key contacts at Issuu.com will continue to be the primary the start of the magazine you can get in home for Advocate magazine. touch with any of them on the contact details below.

The best way to stay in touch is by subscribing to the news section on the LARRY BULMER ADVO Group website. You can do this Chief Executive by entering your email address at lbulmer@advogroup.co.uk news.advogroup.co.uk/subscribe.

The subscription process is incredibly COLIN BOXALL simply and best of all; it’s absolutely Commercial Director free! cboxall@advogroup.co.uk If you’ve got a story that you think belongs in Advocate magazine, whether it’s news focusing on health insurance, human resources, occupational health or if you’d like to be interviewed then don’t hesitate to get in touch. Send your inquiries to info@advogroup.co.uk

KEVIN CREW IT Director kcrew@advogroup.co.uk GILL MATEO Operations Director gmateo@advogroup.co.uk

Just to remind you about who we are and what we can offer, ADVO Group is a multi award winning employee health benefit advisory looking after the requirements of many customers, from small businesses right up to multi national corporations. Whatever your health insurance or employee benefit needs, we are here to help. We offer entirely indepent, free and expert advice so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a ring on 0845 2578833. You can also email us at info@advogroup.co.uk.

advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 36

You can also get in touch by calling us on 0845 2578833, faxing us on 01622 769211. We also have three offices across the country.

Head office: ADVO House St Leonards Road Allington Kent ME16 0LS Oxford Office: 8 Old Station Yard Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 3LD You can also get in touch through any of our social media channels. You can find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+. Thanks again for reading and see you in the Winter for the next edition of Advocate magazine.

advogroup.co.uk | thanks for reading

find every copy of advocate magzine online at issuu.com/advogroup Issue #18 summer 2016 In this edition, we look at ADVO’s recent move towards unifying financial and payroll services with employee benefit management through the acquisition of ‘Payline’. Also, in light of the uncertainty following the result of the EU Referendum, ADVO’s Colin Boxall provides his opinion on whether staff benefits also face a period of change.

We are also looking at the biggest human resource and occupational health news including the studies that found that 1 in 2 employees feel they must switch companies to achieve a meaningful pay rise, that employees are spending more time with tea than on work based learning, and that flexible working may be the key to better working lives for Londoners.

Issue #17 spring 2016 This edition of the magazine features ADVO’s Colin Boxall and Emma Shaw who comment on the the recent trend in lower cost private medical insurance products and the use of technology in delivering employee benefits. Also featured are the studies which found ‘millennials’ may be the most demanding workforce demographic, that over a third of employees know or suspect their colleagues have a drug problem and that hip replacements have increased by seventy per cent for under fifty-fives. Also included are three interviews with industry leaders including Aviva Health UK’s Elizabeth Naulls and Dr Subashini MM who discuss the recent findings that only 43% of UK adults are a healthy weight.

Issue #16 winter 2015 This edition of the magazine features an interview with Investor In People’s Thomas Bale who provides his expert insight into the recent findings that many employees will seek new jobs in 2016 due to discontentment with their current employers. We also highlight the key awards and accreditations that we have picked up over the previous twelve months in addition to being listed as finalists at the upcoming 2016 Corporate Advisor Awards for a total of three categories. We’re also highlighting our annual ‘best of the best’ celebrating the efforts of our employees who have gone above and beyond our high expectations.

don’t miss a copy, subscribe to our issuu channel... its 100% free! advocate autumn 2016 | advogroup.co.uk | 37

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