Advocate Summer Magazine

advocate the magazine from the UK’s leading business advisory

DNA testing: improve your health page 16. it’s childcare: supporting staff page 10.

cover feature

CIPD & advo at Olympia

why outsource? page 12.

page 9.

Employee Benefits

Issue #30 summer 2019

HR & Training

Payroll

Private Clients

advogroup.co.uk | who we are

who we are and what we do... advocate magazine is produced by advo group and published quarterly. advo is an award winning business advisory with a focus on people and technology.

Our aim is to deliver essential services with added value, a philosophy to be different and invaluable.

Our business technology platforms are standalone or linked, delivering corporate style benefit management and communication to SMEs and small corporates, a unique proposition.

Our clients have dedicated account managers with smaller portfolios allowing active account management, and better understanding of client needs.

As an IIP Gold employer we continually update staff knowledge to ensure we can integrate and apply the best of new thinking.

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

Speak to us for: • • • • • •

UK and overseas employee benefits employee benefit and payroll technology platforms staff wellbeing and wellness programmes HR consultancy and support payroll & auto-enrolment solutions private client protection insurance

t: 01622 769210 e: info@advogroup.co.uk w: advogroup.co.uk

lucy irvine operations manager advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk |02

advogroup.co.uk | what’s inside issue #30

what’s inside issue #30 Summer is here, and so is our latest edition of advocate, advo’s quarterly magazine.

In this issue we bring you up to date with recent advo news and take a closer look at some of the stand out issues that caught our eye.

We are pleased to announce that Sue Smith, who heads up advo’s private clients, is a finalist in the Women In Financial Advice Awards recognising her work within the industry over many years.

In advo news features we look at employee childcare issues and why organisations should consider outsourcing vital services such as payroll.

We have two interviews, firstly with Adam Henderson who outlines why today’s businesses should take a fresh view on how they support their staff. Also Caroline

Pain of International health insurer, Aetna, who outlines her thoughts on the current and future use of their members’ genetic profile following the launch of their new DNA testing kit that links to the management of an individual’s health.

Other features include an update on the Pensions Dashboard and articles on workplace charity fundraising and how prioritising health saves £ billions. We look at a recent CIPD report on the effects of presenteeism and the success of group risk benefits in managing unwell staff back into work.

In Health news we focus on debunking the myths around bowel cancer.

Remember that all editions of advocate magazine are free to read online at issuu.com/ advogroup.

meet the advo team For more information visit www.advogroup.co.uk

larry bulmer

gill mateo

kevin crew

colin boxall

it director

commercial director

lucy pearce

Larry founded advo in 1997 and leads the group across all advo companies

Gill joined advo in 2006 becoming Operations Director in 2013 overseeing the smooth running of advo.

Kevin oversees our award winning online service and is further developing staff, HR and Payroll platforms.

Colin joined advo group’s board in 2008 and has over twenty five years sector business experience.

Lucy oversees advo’s connected proposition bringing together payroll, hr and employee benefits.

lbulmer @advogroup. co.uk

gmateo @advogroup. co.uk

kcrew @advogroup. co.uk

cboxall @advogroup. co.uk

lpearce @advogroup. co.uk

ceo

operations director

head of sales & development

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 03

advogroup.co.uk | contents

contents

ISSUE #30 | summer 2018 advo news roundup page 6.

advo news Page 06

| advo news roundup

Page 08

| advo award

Page 09

| cover story - CIPD Exhibition

Employee Benefits news Page 20

| pension dashboard update

Page 26

| 1.6 billion paid out – the benefits of group risk

Human Resources news Page 07

| it’s childcare - tips for businesses

Page 18

| charity begins at work - the benefits

Page 24

| preventing presenteeism in the workplace

Interviews and comment Page 14

| new view needed – an interview with Adam Henderson

Page 18

| Aetna International’s Caroline Pain: DNA and Health

Health & other news Page 12

| why outsource - part 1. payroll

Page 15

| business must make a stand to support LGBT+ employees

Page 16

| improving health with DNA testing

Page 23

| british business can save billions prioritising health and wellbeing

Page 28

| debunking the bowel cancer myth

improving health with DNA testing page 16.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 04

advogroup.co.uk | contents

it’s childcare: supporting staff with childcare policies

why outsource

page 10.

page 12.

pension dashboard update page 20.

debunking the bowel cancer myths page 22.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 05

advogroup.co.uk | advo news

end of an era It is an end of an era at advo. At the end of May Glenys Bowles, one of our longest serving employees, retired after 25 years.

Glenys worked at our Oxford office supporting telesales. As an example of professionalism and polite persistence she will be missed, leaving a legacy hard to replace.

Glenys’ manager Sue Smith, said “We are very sorry that our lovely Glenys has decided to retire. She has worked with me for 25 year after answering a Job Centre advert. She has a uniquely warm and caring way of speaking to prospective clients on the telephone. Very often if calling the following year they very often remember her last call. She has boundless enthusiasm for her job and will be sorely missed.”

Talking about her time at advo Glenys commented “It has been a pleasure working with everyone for the last 25 years, it’s been quite a journey but one that I have enjoyed. I think my next employment will be rather different as I will be on permanent Garden Leave.”

“I have enjoyed working at advo and hope that it goes from strength to strength.”

a new look

advo unveiled a n Business Vision LIVE UK’s largest busine exhibitions. The ev advo were exhibito and sponsors.

The event included exhibition hall and ranging presentati personalities such a correspondent Sim Dr Hilary Jones who the importance of supporting mental

advo’s Lucy Pearc a well-received rou debate entitled ‘B an attractive Empl answered the que today’s workforce employer. The disc focussed on the ke and incentives tha by staff

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 06

advogroup.co.uk |advo news

new award

Glenys holding her advo ‘thank you’ which pictures the river Thames outside her home.

advo are to be recognised at the Broker Innovation Awards for the use of in-house technology. The awards, which are open to the whole of the UK insurance industry, recognise those firms that have ‘embraced technology in order to meet the needs of the client’. Finalists are invited to attend a black tie awards ceremony to be held on 4 September at Leonardo Royal Hotel in London. Fingers crossed!

litter (but not) louts

new look at the E, one of the ess focussed vent, where ors, speakers

d an d wide ions from as BBC business mon Jack and o talked about f businesses l health.

ce hosted undtable Becoming loyer’ which estions of what want from their cussion also ey motivators at are valued

Maidstone office staff were involved in the ‘Keep Kent Clean’ campaign collecting over 14 bags of litter from the local area.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 07

advogroup.co.uk |advo updates

advo’s head of private clien recognised in the 2019 Wom in Finance Awards

advo’s head of private clients, Su has been recognised as a Finalis Women In Financial Advice Awa celebrate the achievements of w working within the financial servic The awards celebrate women whose achievements and work specifically within protection and healthcare advice in the UK have helped enhance or raise its profile as a career for women this area of financial advice – whether through education, training, leadership, mentoring or acting as a role model. The winners will be announced on 3rd July 2019 at a Gala event at the Hilton Bankside, London.

from their po fairly. She ha today’s indu long relation trade associ she was not in its creatio many years Committee her term she with the FCA GISC, and la to shape tod structure.

Sue has a long career in the Health and Protection Industry setting up her own independent firm in 1994 which became part of advo in 2008. Sue was appointed Head of Private Clients in 2017 and oversees advo’s Oxford office.

Talking abou her business commented medical insu bought direc or generalist that rarely sp time of few w of authority a ‘wild-west ‘cowboys’.

Sue’s role is two-fold, to support the corporate team giving advice to company client group leavers, secondly through a portfolio of referring IFAs and insurance generalists expand the advo Private Clients book.

Over Sue’s long career she has been passionate about ensuring clients get the most

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 08

“After all the my original p hard to ensu their due. O my love of th diminished. I results and k difference in

nts man

ue Smith, st in the 2019 ards, which women ces sector.

olicies are treated as helped shape ustry through her nship with the iation AMII, where only instrumental on, but served for as Vice Chair and member. During e worked closely A’s forerunner, the ater the FCA helping day’s compliance

advogroup.co.uk | CIPD Olympia

CIPD Olympia advo were again sponsors and exhibitors of the CIPD’s Festival of Work held recently at Olympia, London.

The exhibition this year brought together two CIPD events, the Learning and Development and HR Software and Recruitment show.

The two day event was attended by over 7000 businesses and HR professionals with both exhibitors and speakers focussing on both the latest HR software and learning and development. advo were showcasing the most recent innovations of advo online, the linked HR, payroll and employee benefit platform designed specifically for the SME and smaller corporate market.

The day was a great success connecting with businesses new to advo.

The new advo ‘look’ was well received as were the old favourite ‘cuddly armadillos’ where a competition was run to guess how many there were in the box. (see below).

ut her time starting s in 1994 she d “At the time most urance policies were ct or through IFAs t-insurance brokers, pecialised. It was a women in positions and often felt like t’ of non-regulated

ese years I still retain passion, battling ure my clients get Over the many years he work I do has not I love seeing the knowing I make a n people’s lives.”

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 09

advogroup.co.uk |supporting childcare

it’s childcare With the summer holidays upon us working parents are thinking about how they make arrangements whilst their children are off school.

advo hr’s Carly Gregory suggests ways employers can support their staff during this time including childcare options for employees to consider.

What can employers do to support working parents Prepare in advance. Talk with employees well in advance of upcoming school holidays, discuss their arrangements and identify any areas where annual leave may be required to avoid disappointment.

Offer support and flexibility where possible.

Childcare voucher scheme These schemes closed to new entrants from 4th October 2018, however provided the Company continues to offer the scheme and employees remain employed with the Company they can continue to benefit from an existing childcare voucher scheme.

Tax-free childcare scheme This is not administered by employers but run by the government.

Eligible employees receive a 20% contribution of their childcare costs up to a limit of £2,000 per child (or up to £4,000 for a disabled child).

Whether the childcare voucher scheme or tax-free childcare scheme is better will depend on the employee’s personal circumstances.

Flexible working Considering flexible working requests and granting them where possible. Direct business benefits to doing this include a potential better match between business resources

and demand. Indirect business benefits include, reduced absence issues, improving wellbeing – better work-life balance and higher level of job satisfaction.

Flexible working employees commonly show an increase in discretionary effort and commitment, compared to those who don’t work flexibly.

Annual leave Allow employees the flexibility to take holiday entitlement during these periods.

Term time working A contract arrangement whereby the employee only works during school terms so they are available for childcare during the holidays.

Setting up a workplace nursery This is normally done by contracting the day to day management to a specialist provider. The nursery facilities should comply with Ofsted requirements. This involves extensive research and planning. Alternatively, you could consider reserving nursery and holiday play-scheme places for employees’ children.

Alternative options open to employees: • Talk to the school, establish if any out of school activities are running that may be of interest.

• Often other parents at the school will be in the same position, consider liaising with them to cover childcare for a small group of children, reducing the need for as much annual leave.

• If employees are lucky enough to have friends and family who are happy to have the kids during the holidays, then this might be an option.

• Research holiday clubs in the local area. These tend to be available at sports/leisure centres and often include an array of fun activities for children.

• Childminders – some offer holiday only contracts.

Assisting employees with childcare can help reduce stress to employees and access to reliable childcare could help reduce unscheduled absence and increase their reliability.

If you would like to know more you can email Carly on cgregory@advogroup.co.uk

“

assisting employees with reduce stress and increase

carly gergory, advo hr business pa

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 10

advogroup.co.uk |supporting childcare

carly gregory hr business partner

h childcare can help e their reliability

artner

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advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 11

advogroup.co.uk |advo payroll

why outso

Running a business has ‘must do SMEs includes the ‘must dos’ inc have a broad skill-set, either the partner to work alongside a bus

In the first of a two part article we look at how can benefit through using expert support.

Payroll is seen as one of the biggest headac that SME businesses have to deal with. The n for accuracy and ever-changing complexity something that has to be faced, and when w the implications can be costly. Choices see be doing it yourself, which is now easier with introduction of more software support packa or using accountants or payroll bureaus. We a look at the reasoning behind why many SM outsource their payroll.

Expertise / Knowledge

Companies that manage their own staff pay need to retain knowledge within the busines in conjunction with using accountancy/payr software. As this work often does not need a time employee the task is often spread acro other tasks or a part-time employee is recruit Difficulties here are holidays and sickness. The member may be absent from work but emp still have to be paid.

employers must offer a workplace pension and automatically enroll eligible workers

Payroll is more than just paying employees o time. Not only do staff need to be paid but HMRC and auto-enrolled pensions. There are different types of employment with complex situations and rules that change from year to that “in-house” payroll staff may not be fami with, or up to date which may result in seriou and fees from HMRC. Whereas a payroll bure knowledge and expertise is current and wide-ranging.

Costs

“

our solution simplifies the whole process

”

andy henderson, advo payroll manager

The cost of running an in-housel payroll depa can quickly accumulate when it involves a p software, equipment, training, printing paysli distribution of wages, not to mention the pot fees and fines if procedures are not complet accurately and on time. Consideration of ke knowledge current is also a cost concern.

Outsourcing payroll companies often offer a per an employee, often at a fraction of the c of an in-house operation, and take ownershi ensuring reporting to HMRC is accurate and on time.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 12

advogroup.co.uk | why outsource?

ource?

os’ such as paying staff efficiently and staying within the law. advo’s support for corporating both a payroll bureau and HR consultancy. A business leader must emselves, through employees or business partners. Using a strategic business siness can improve control and reliability while saving money.

w SMEs

ches need y is wrong em to the ages, take MEs

yrolls ss roll a fulloss ted. e staff ployees

on also e x payroll o year iliar us fines eau’s

Staff and training

Payroll is a ‘must do’ business process that requires dedicated and knowledgeable staff to complete, for example the rules around statutory maternity payments are hard for the layman to understand. However many small businesses often use unqualified employees to run their payroll as an additional function alongside other responsibilities while they still have to keep knowledge current.

When businesses outsource payroll, it removes a distraction allowing a business to focus on its key tasks, growth and profitability.

Hiring payroll staff will likely not be a cost-effective solution to many SMEs, when the business is not large enough to make it worth having a full/time payroll employee. As a result, companies may have to train employees in payroll as an additional task to their usual work roles who will also have to keep themselves updated with new processes and sudden legislation and payroll law changes.

Someone will have to ensure staff knowledge is up to date, another oversight function of their manager, who will also likely not have the skills or knowledge.

Avoiding errors

Incorrect management of a business’ payroll can result in large fines and staff dissatisfaction.

Overpay a staff member for one month and there are few repercussions, but underpaying can result in serious problems. If an error continues for month after month then the problem is either asking the employee for money back, causing potential hardship, or alternatively the company’s cash flow in paying a large extra amount.

artment payroll ips, and tential ted eeping

Resources

a cost cost ip of

Reliability

Handling payroll is a lengthy and stressful process that can take a lot of time to complete even if with the knowledge. An outsourced payroll service has skilled payroll specialists and tried and tested procedures ensuring all is completed in a timely manner.

Having a payroll /BACS bureau as a business partner means that there’s always a dedicated team of specialists that will ensure staff are always paid on time. Whereas with an in-house payroll

employee there will be times that problems occur with sickness or holidays. Finding a skilled replacement at this time can then be hard.

Informing staff

employee expectations are changing as to how they receive information from their employers.

Employees increasingly expect work information to be as readily available as they experience in their home life with smart phone access. Many Payroll Bureaus now have the ability to securely email payslips and other documents with some now offering the ability to view payslips online.

Security

If business owners have the time to verify every single stage of payroll, making sure that no fraudulent activity takes place, then they should encounter few problems. In reality most business owners are focused on growing the business and often don’t have time to supervise this to the level required also lacking the correct skills to identify when malpractice occurs. New GDPR data protection rules and potential fines are an added consideration.

A payroll bureau will have secure payroll software technology with protocols to detect and block any fraudulent activity in case the company gets attacked by hackers as they will be experienced in managing sensitive data.

Andy Henderson, advo payroll’s manager comments “Outsourcing payroll will likely be of great help for businesses within any industry allowing them to focus on their core activities. We can ensure accuracy and essential support to ensure all goes smoothly.

We do everything from paying staff direct into their bank accounts, reporting essential information to clients and the HMRC while giving employees online access to payslips.

If you would like information on how advo payroll can support your business please email Andrew Henderson on ahenderson@advogroup.co.uk

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 13

advogroup.co.uk | a new view needed

a new view needed?

Adam Henderson is a writer, speaker and consultant on the modern w changing world of work. In an advo exclusive interview he outlines wh a different outlook.

Q. If you could make one policy which every company had to implement what would it be?

That every business had to adopt a ‘triple bottom line’ (TBL) approach, which makes decisions based on Profit, People and the Planet. Here, companies commit to focus on social and environmental concerns and not just on profits and shareholder interests.

Q. Can flexible working work for every company?

No. Obvious examples are businesses that require time specific, in-person contact e.g.

Retail, Food and Beverage, manufacturing industries etc, but there should be no reason why more traditional office based businesses cannot adopt flexible working.

Q. In one word how would you sum up the working environment in the UK? Unengaging! (only 8% of UK employees are engaged at work, making the UK the 4th worst country in the western world for employee engagement)

The key is to ensure just as much focus is put into updating the company culture to accommodate flexible working, as there is on updating the technology.

Q. What’s the best tool for happy employees?

Communication. When employees know who they are working for, why they are doing the work they are doing, what their work in helping achieve and feedback on how they are doing, they are more likely to feel engaged, motivated, have a sense of belonging and feel happier in their work.

Q. How responsible and involved should companies be for managing the health and wellbeing of their employees?

80% of UK businesses are in the service sector, which means they rely on people to deliver value.

There are lot employee e

1. To provid know whe

2. To provid belonging know why

3. To ensure company and that business c just sound

Q. How do y relevant ben break the ba Simple. Just employees a

So with people being the core driver of business value, companies should definitely be involved This means c in supporting employees with their health and employees, wellbeing. ensuring the Q. What are your views on a 4 day working employees t week?

However, it is important to note that businesses trusting them People should be valued on what they do and should not take on the full burden of time to work not how long they do it. So for some employees, employee’s health and wellbeing, but instead information o they could deliver as much work/value in 3 days provide an environment, tools and support that project. as another could in 5 days, so focus should be enables employees to realise greater health on goals that need reaching as a team and and wellbeing themselves.

Ultimately, th empowering your employees to manage their leadership, w time effectively to ensure they can meet Q. What are your top 3 tips for employee companies c these goals. engagement?

Who is Adam?

Adam Henderson is a TEDx speaker, writer and consultant.

Adam believes the way many businesses operate reflect the way the

world was and not the way the world is, and in doing so is causing a growing disconnect between employers and their employees.

He is also a p being read b globally and expert pane

Adam is the founder of Gravitee, an internal change consultancy and the Millennial Mindset, You can find which trains businesses about his website: Millennial employees. https://adam

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 14

workforce and hy business needs

ts that can be done to increase engagement, but my top 3 are:

de regular feedback so employees ere and how they can develop;

de employees with a sense of g, so they feel part of the team and y they are there;

e there is an alignment between y and employee values & purpose these are actually reflective of the culture and not just platitudes that d good

you think SME companies can offer nefits to employees which don’t ank? show that you care about your and they are not just profit centres.

communicating clearly with being clear of expectations, ere is adequate support to enable to perform at their best and m, whether this is to manage their k flexibly, handling of confidential or working with others to deliver a

his comes down to effective which I believe is the biggest benefit can offer their employees.

prominent writer with his articles by more than 1.5million+ people d has appeared on BBC1 as an ellist.

advogroup.co.uk |LGBT+ support

Business must make a stand to support LGBT+ employees “Time for businesses to take a stand against sexual harassment experienced by the LGBT+ community” says the CIPD The CIPD’s comments were in response to the TUC’s report on harassment against the LGBT+ community at work.

no room for the harassment of any individual at work and every one of us should be treated with dignity and respect.”

The report was commissioned as the TUC who wanted to understand LGBT people’s experience of sexual harassment at work with the first specifically targeted research of its kind in the UK, seeking the views of more than 1,000 LGBT people on their experiences.

“It’s essential that organisations take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment at work. They need to ensure that they have robust frameworks and policies in place for dealing with such incidences and all employees are clear and confident about reporting such The report’s findings were behaviour. Employers also need to ‘shocking’ with around seven out make sure that they are applying of ten (68%) LGBT people reporting their policies and procedures in being sexually harassed at work, a fair and consistent way. To do yet two thirds said that they didn’t this, line managers must be trained report this to their employer. One and confident in implementing the in four of those who didn’t report organisation’s policies and dealing were prevented from raising the with any concerns or complaints.” issue with their employer by their fear of being ‘outed’ at work.

“More than that though, organisations need to be The TUC’s research found proactive in building inclusive unacceptably high levels of sexual and open cultures which aim harassment across all different to prevent such behaviour from types of harassing behaviours for occurring in the first place. both LGBT men and women.

This includes engaging with employees on the organisation’s “An inclusive workplace isn’t a zero-tolerance approach to ‘nice to have’; it’s about equality, sexual harassment and making human rights and fairness for all.” it completely clear what is said Claire McCartney, diversity acceptable and unacceptable and inclusion adviser for the CIPD. behaviour at work.”

McCartney adds ”It’s time for businesses to take a stand against the worryingly high levels of sexual harassment experienced by the LGBT+ community. There is simply

“Ultimately we need to create cultures where all employees can bring their whole selves to work and be valued and included without any fear of cruelty, harassment or discrimination.”

d out more about Adam by visiting

mhenderson.co.uk/

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 15

advogroup.co.uk | health and DNA

improve your health with DNA testing

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 16

advogroup.co.uk | health and DNA

The link between genetics and health was clearly laid out at Aetna International’s launch of personal DNA testing for their members allowing tailored health and wellbeing advice.

The new benefit to members was announced at Aetna International’s Summer Broker Forum held at the Tower of London by Andrew Steele, the former Olympic track medalist who outlined how to use genetic information to get the best health outcomes.

Olympian Andrew Steele at the launch of the new DNA testing benefit for Aetna International’s European members

Employees of Aetna International’s European clients will now be offered discounted DNA tests as part of the health and wellbeing package.

Aetna says that it hopes this personalised information will support lifestyle changes for those who want to improve their overall health.

The DNA tests will not be designed to reveal family trees but instead be focused on fitness, sleep, stress and ’nutrigenomics’, the relationship between what we eat and our own biochemical responsAetna believes that one of the main differentiators of this service from other providers is the quantity

and quality of post-test support available. Members can book a consultation with an expert in nutrition and fitness to discuss changes they may like to make to their lifestyle. Follow-up help and assistance can also be accessed from a number of their wellbeing and behavioural health resources available to members.

DNA testing kits available to Aetna International’s European members

Caroline Pain, Senior Vice President, Customer Proposition, at Aetna International comments: “We’re increasingly seeing people take a proactive approach to health, effectively becoming partners in their own care.

It’s now possible to take a highly targeted approach to holistic wellbeing,

with hyper-personalised and predictive health care. By introducing this type of DNA testing, we’re ensuring our members have the opportunity to take advantage of these advances, combining an awareness of their genetics with digital and social support in changing their behaviours for the better.”

European employers with Aetna International can purchase the DNA kit for their employees as an add-on product. The test consists of a simple mouth swab, and is available for scheme of 10 employees or more at an exclusive subsidised launch price of £75 per person (RRP £150).

If you would like to know more you can contact your advo account manager or email Jamie Tuffield, head of employee benefits at advo on jtuffield@advogroup.co.uk.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 17

advogroup.co.uk | interview: DNA & Health

interview: DNA &

the now and the future of DNA testing with Aetna International’s Caroli Aetna is the first insurer to provide genetics and link to health. Medical insurance is typically reactive, is this the start of a change of stance for our industry?

We are very excited to introduce this health and lifestyle genetic test as an option for our members, and the response has been phenomenal. The launch of Aetna DNA was inspired by our desire to provide healthcare that is bespoke and personalised to individuals. We’ve noticed a definite move amongst our members towards taking a proactive approach to looking after their physical, emotional and mental health, so this is something we work hard to support. Developing a member-centric proposition is something we feel passionately about, and this particular development supports our work to achieve this.

In terms of change, it’s certainly the case that science is continually pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge and we’re always keen to use any advancements to the benefit of our members. But we’re just as mindful that nothing replaces a human touch when it comes to supporting people’s health goals or making the behavioural changes that they want to.

How will members benefit from the DNA testing kit? Will it really change lives as suggested?

The more personalised and predictive the information available, the better the chance of helping people on their path to good health and holistic wellness. Yet clearly, information can only take you so far – it’s down to individuals to decide if and how they’d like to action any behavioural changes. Nonetheless, there is evidence to suggest that the positive impact from finding out more about your genetics can be truly life-changing. For example, one study in Finland tracked 7300 people, who had received genetic risk information, over an 18 month period. It found that 88% of participants were inspired to take better care of their health and around a fifth of those who smoked managed to give up. It goes to show that knowledge can be empowering when it comes to staying engaged in your own health.

Will you guide your members to understand their results?

One of the unique things about our approach is that there is an abundance of comprehensive, easy to access and professional advice available after people take the test.

The written reports that are sent out, containing results on nutrigenomics (how your body responds to foods and nutrients), fitness, sleep and stress, are intentionally userfriendly to understand, with colourful infographics to bring results to life. We also offer a variety of routes for further guidance afterwards. Members can book a consultation appointment to talk to a nutritionist or fitness specialist about results or any changes they may like to make. Then follow-up assistance can be accessed from a number of

our well-being resources, including health coachin employee assistance programme and vHealth, ou health care service.

How can you ensure quality of results of the testing Reliability and accuracy are of paramount importa to us and to our members. We meticulously selecte partner for this venture, Prenetics International, to m sure we were confident that the highest quality sta and effective protocols would be in place for the whole process. As well as a sterling reputation, Pren International owns and operates its own DNA labor and has had external validation completed by the Facilities Genome Sequencing Laboratory (CFGSL) proven genotyping accuracy of 99.9%.

Competitors are likely to say this is a gimmick, how you respond?

There’s a huge buzz around genetics and it’s exciti offer our members something a bit different, but it b down to the fact that we’re at the forefront of a cu transformation from ‘sick care’ to one of ‘well care desire is to support our members on the road to ho well-being as robustly and comprehensively as pos We know that, rather than being passive recipients health services, people are taking increasing amou responsibility and want to play an active role in ma or improving their health. A genetic test that yields information on lifestyle and nutrition is one way of g personalised information that can help. It’s importa understand that DNA testing isn’t the end of the sto only the beginning. It’s what you do with that infor that will make the biggest difference.

How do you see the future role of genetics within he insurers? What are the next steps?

We are seeing a global shift towards value-based c where payers are increasingly becoming providers Patients are becoming consumers and demanding seamless, personal, convenient and holistic care. W also facing a growing challenge in healthcare glob with ageing populations, a huge increase in the inc of NCDs and massive pressure on primary care. So the traditional role of health insurers is changing – w have a responsibility to engage in the broader hea of populations, and we need to find ways to work w other healthcare providers and other industries to k people healthy – and address lifestyle issues, and g will undoubtedly play a part in this. However, there so many different disciplines within genomics and i ever-changing, fast-paced sector, it’s impossible to with any accuracy what will happen in the future – now, we are measuring how our members respond engage with this information. We’re also aware tha

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 18

advogroup.co.uk | Interview: DNA & Health

& health

ine Pain

ng, our ur virtual

need to prove trust and integrity as an industry, just as in any situation when you are dealing with personal, sensitive data. We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously.

g kits? ance ed our make andards

Do you think DNA testing will ever form part of an on-boarding process for new members, replacing underwriting through a medical questionnaire?

It’s important to remember that Aetna DNA is being offered as a supplement to the wide-ranging resources we already provide, and it’s also optional. The aim isn’t to replace anything. We know that eating well, reducing stress levels, exercising regularly and getting enough quality sleep are the foundations that optimal health, both physical and mental, is built on. This test is a discretionary method to give more insight and clarity around your unique sensitivities in these areas, should you want to know.

In other words, it offers an additional way to help members make informed decisions.

netics ratory e Core ), with

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ing to boils ulture e’. Our olistic ssible. s of unts of aintaining

getting ant to ory – it’s rmation

ealth

What’s next for Aetna?

Our vision of health care is built around the 4 Ps – predictive, preventative, personalised and participatory. This strategy is designed to offer the individual the right intervention, at the right time, in the right place for them.

It can significantly reduce the burden on primary care and allows people to live fuller and healthier lives. In order to realise this vision, we continue to combine the latest advance in technology and science with our very human approach. Consultations, face-to-face time and follow-ups are still of utmost importance.

Our members are at the heart of everything we do, so we remain focused on delivering offering personal, accessible and affordable health care to more Aetna International’s people around the world.

“Our vision is built around the 4 Ps, predictive, preventative, personalised and participatory”

care, s. g more We are bally, cidence o, I think we alth with keep genetics to find out more e are about Aetna visit it’s an https://www.aetnainternational.com/ o predict – so for d to and at we

Caroline Pain

Senior Vice President, Customer Proposition

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 19

advogroup.co.uk |pension: dashboard update

The Government has con data to the pension dash

Publishing its response to the pension d consultation today, the DWP says there be a 3- to 4-year window for rollout, wit expectation that the majority of schem ready to go live’ within that period. Pro be designed and tested this year, says which adds that delegated access for will be allowed.

The Government says it will legislate for compulsion once a robust framework h developed, based on its ‘design princip A statement from the DWP reiterates su for the development of multiple industr led dashboards displaying the same ba information. It also backs the inclusion o pension data, although makes no com as to when this will happen other than earliest possible opportunity’.

Industry have told government that init will be developed and tested from this

A non-commercial dashboard will be d and overseen by the new Single Financ Guidance Body (SFGB). An industry de group will be brought together by the S which will set out a clear timetable and to drive progress towards fully operatio dashboards, setting standards and ens security to protect users and their inform

pension: dashboard update advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 20

pension da

What are pensions dashboards?

At the moment, when you build up sav different employers for when you retire can only look at these pension pots sep Pensions dashboards will let you see inf about all of your pension pots together online place that you can choose. The able to alert you to savings in your nam may have lost track of.

Why is legislation needed?

Research has shown the general public see the point in using a pensions dashb service that can only give them a parti of their savings. Pensions dashboards n as comprehensive as possible, as soon as possible.

advogroup.co.uk | pension: dashboard update

nfirmed that Pension scheme providers will be compelled to supply hboard in a phased rollout that will see big DC schemes enrolled first.

dashboard e will th ‘an mes will be ototypes will the DWP, r advisers

r has been ples’ upport ryasic of state mmitment ‘at the

tial models s year.

delivered cial elivery SFGB d roadmap onal suring mation.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd says: “With record numbers saving for retirement as a result of our revolutionary reforms, it’s more important than ever that people understand their pensions and prepare for financial security in later life. Dashboards have the potential to transform the way we all think about and plan for retirement, providing clear and simple information regarding pension savings in one place online. I’m looking forward to seeing the first industry dashboards later this year.”

ABI director of long-term savings and protection policy Yvonne Braun says: “The digital retirement revolution is here at last. All the pieces are being put in place to deliver the easy access to retirement information everybody needs and that the pensions industry is so keen to deliver.We’re delighted to see the government committing to the necessary legislation and will continue to play our part in making dashboards a reality.”

Commenting on the government’s response to the pensions dashboard project, Alistair McQueen, Head of Savings & Retirement at Aviva said: “We need the pensions dashboard because we need to bring pensions out of the digital stone age. By doing so, the potential for savers is enormous. Official figures report that just 7% of us use the internet to manage our investments such as pensions, compared to 69% for banking.

“It won’t be easy, but the achievement of great things never is.”

With the government now fully committed, and with a sensible route map to success, all must now move forward with confidence, purpose and ambition.”

Origo chief executive Anthony Rafferty says: “There are four key elements to making the initial Pensions Dashboards a reality; governance, compulsion to provide data, state pension and digital architecture. Next steps for all of these elements have been addressed in the paper, which is good news.

“We are very pleased to see that the paper states it supports ‘the guidance and advice process through the provision of delegated access’ and suggests strong controls for consumer protection.

“We have built and scale-tested the central components and believe that the digital architecture can be deployed quickly to meet the stated timescales. The task now is for the industry to take that architecture forward to launch. It is a very exciting challenge.”

ashboards: the lowdown

?

Lessons from overseas show the best way of providing a comprehensive service is to make vings with participation compulsory, so all schemes have e, you to get their data up to the necessary standards parately. and the system is properly regulated. Denmark, a formation country with a much less complicated pensions r - in an ey’ll also be system, took nearly a decade to reach 90% me that you coverage on a voluntary basis.

c doesn’t board ial picture need to be

their pensions. Savers are more likely to use dashboards that can be incorporated into other services, such as online banking, and private firms will be able to offer other functionality to help encourage consumer engagement.

What’s being done to keep data safe?

Pensions dashboards don’t hold vast amounts of pensions data. Data will be held by providers as Why do we need multiple dashboards? it currently is, there will be no massive centralised While a single dashboard provided by the Single database. Dashboards will work by going and Financial Guidance Body will be useful, restricting fetching information from all the schemes that the service to a non-commercial offering only are plugged into them when an individual logs in would prevent it reaching its full potential. By and requests sight of their records. This process will increasing the number of places that consumers be protected by an ID verification service. can safely access their data, DWP is increasing the number of people who will engage in

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 21

advogroup.co.uk |charity begins at work

charity begins at work? advo are actively involved supporting charities and getting involved in the local community. advo hr looks at the employer benefits in charity and voluntary work and what to consider before choosing who to support.

Here at advo we like to do our bit for charity and recently we’ve been involved in various events to support our local community, including marathons, bake-offs, cleaning up litter in our local area, to name but a few.

Besides just simply doing something good, there are a whole heap of benefits to supporting charities or getting involved in employer supported volunteering (ESV).

Successful programmes have the potential to benefit all parties involved.

Here are a number of benefits to the business: • Reputation • A way of offering training and development opportunities to employees • Helps the business to reach a wider audience and increases brand identity and good Public Relations • Good for your community • Building and maintaining a supportive culture.

Here are a number of benefits to the employee include:

• Gain skills, additional development opportunities • Feeling of satisfaction/sense of achievement • Gaining team building skills • Boost in morale • Encouraging healthy work place initiatives for staff When deciding who to support, you may wish to consider the following: • Do they align with the Company’s own vision and values?

• What do you want to gain from the experience?

• What are your employees’ passionate about?

• Does the charity have a good reputation?

• Who will be responsible for organising events, distributing tasks etc.?

• Choose events which your target market is likely to get involved in.

• Between you and the charity do you both have matched expectations of the support needed?

If managed right, this can be a really worthwhile and successful experience for all parties involved.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 22

brit £61 hea

New res presente depress by busin

The data, f Healthiest W is develope RAND Euro of Cambrid businesses of £81bn a related ab in 2018 ove 2017.

The study a employers 35.6 workin per year du absence a

The compa results in th a 30-40% re loss linked t to other co Interventio shown to h employees performing common c embedding having cap who suppo having high participatio wellbeing p

Mental hea significant loss, accou total cost t this, £17.2b workplace businesses various inte

advogroup.co.uk | saving 1 billion through health and wellbeing

tish businesses could save 1 billion per year prioritising alth and wellbeing

search reveals that three-quarters of ill-health related absence and eeism in 2018, equating to £61 billion, came from factors such as sion, poor lifestyle choices, and stress, all of which are can be targeted nesses through health and wellbeing initiatives.

from Vitality’s Britain’s Workplace study, which ed in partnership with ope and the University dge – found that British lost the equivalent as a result of ill-health bsence and presenteeism erall, a £4bn increase on

also revealed that lose, on average, ng days per employee ue to health-related and presenteeism.

anies with the best he study demonstrated eduction in productivity to ill-health, compared ompanies in the survey. ons from business were have a marked effect on s’ health and these top g companies all showed characteristics such as g a culture of health, pable line managers orted employees and h awareness and on in their health and programmes.

alth was found to be a driver of productivity unting for £38bn of the to businesses last year. Of bn stems specifically from e stress, a driver which can address through erventions and initiatives.

For instance, 83% of people who used one-on-one coaching to support mental health and wellbeing found it impactful and 78% of people said the same for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). 83% of employees who used massage or relaxation classes also said it had a positive impact on their mental health at work.

productivity. “Simply implementing intervention programmes is no longer enough. By prioritising and elevating employee engagement in health and wellbeing within the business, ideally to Board level, we can make a significant difference to productivity and the overall success of the business. Not only can this bring about a competitive advantage for companies, but it However, the research will ultimately build a stronger and demonstrated that awareness healthier society for us all. With of and engagement with such this being such an important and interventions was low. For instance, compelling ambition, we will be while 67% of employees have developing a number of initiatives access to interventions in the that will support a healthier mental health space, only 26% of corporate Britain in 2019 and them claim to have knowledge beyond.” and awareness of the interventions on offer. Additionally, once Christian van Stolk, Vice President, aware, only 18% of employees RAND Europe, said: “Although it is actually participate in any of encouraging to see an increase the programmes, demonstrating in the number of employees that not only do employers need that have access to health to increase awareness, but and wellbeing initiatives in the employees need to engage with workplace, the data from this the interventions available to year’s study also shows that maximise impact. businesses are still failing to properly engage employees, Commenting on the publication of and get their participation, with today’s data, Neville Koopowitz, such initiatives. We know from CEO at VitalityHealth, said: “For the Britain’s Healthiest Workplace the sixth year in a row, Vitality’s findings that employees report Britain’s Healthiest Workplace a significant improvement to data illustrates the huge cost physical and mental health as a of absence and presenteeism result of workplace interventions to British businesses. With this year on year. As such, businesses data showing that employees need to do more to drive effective lose, on average, over 35 days employee engagement – this is each a year, it is becoming critical to addressing the issue of impossible for businesses to ignore productivity loss across our nation.” the link between ill-health and

advocate summer 2019| advogroup.co.uk | 23

advogroup.co.uk |preventing presenteeism

“

employees who come to work sick may be present in body, but are often absent in mind

�

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 24

advogroup.co.uk |preventing presenteeism

preventing presenteeism in the workplace ‘Presenteeism’ has more than tripled since 2010, according to the latest CIPD report.

It is well known that employee absenteeism can have a significant effect on an organisation, yet what is rarely considered are the negative effects that presenteeism can have on productivity in the workplace.

Presenteeism is the term used to define an employee being present at work while they are sick. Employers and employees alike are all vulnerable to becoming ill, but in spite of this, we still feel the need to attend work. As a result of this, employees tend to let their health become secondary, which in the long-term can have serious consequences for both the individual and the org2anisation they work for.

What’s so bad about presenteeism?

Duty of care If an employee feels as though their employer demonstrates a lack of concern for their health and wellbeing, then coming to work will feel more like a chore, thus reducing their level of job satisfaction.

It is therefore important, as an employer to take proactive steps to intervene and help tackle the issue before it escalates.

Presenteeism policy If you recognise Presenteeism as a problem within your organisation, then one of the first actions you can employ is the introduction of a workplace presenteeism policy, outlining where the organisation stands on employees coming into work sick.

also encourage employees to take their own health more seriously, which in turn can help decrease the level of sickness they experience.

Workplace environment Additionally, ensuring that workplace common areas and facilities are kept clean is equally important.

This may sound obvious, but if office cleanliness is not properly maintained germs can spread quickly.

Try educating your employees through the use of posters and flyers, which will serve as reminders as to why personal and office hygiene is vital.

Sickness presenteeism can be a real cause for concern for employers, impacting how an organisation is run and its financial wellbeing.

Employees who come to work sick may be present in body, but are often absent in mind. This level of disengagement from work can lead to employees performing below par, thus not attaining the usual standards that their employers have come to expect of them.

This should help employees understand, under what conditions they should stay at home. For example, if their illness becomes a risk to the health and It is important, therefore to wellbeing of themselves, and their implement a strategy that colleagues. encourages a healthy workplace culture.

A recent report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed that 86% of over 1,000 respondents noticed an occurrence of presenteeism in their organisation over the last 12 months, compared with 72% in 2016 and just 26% in 2010. The survey also found that 69% of respondents reported that ‘leaveism’, such as people using annual leave to work, is also a growing problem.

Taking note of employee health and wellbeing may also involve introducing a healthier lifestyle in the workplace.

Encourage healthy living

As a result, you will see the benefits of a more productive and efficient working environment, in addition to employees who are happy and more engaged in their roles.

This may range from encouraging employees to take the stairs instead of lifts, to more progressive activities, such as lunch time or You can read the CIPD Health post work fitness classes. and Well-being at Work Survey at https://www.cipd.co.uk/ Not only will this help boost staff knowledge/culture/well-being/ morale and motivation, but it will health-well-being-work

advocate summer 2019| advogroup.co.uk | 25

advogroup.co.uk |group risk claims

1.6 billion paid out and helped back into work

The group risk industry paid out a new high of £1.68bn in claims and helped 5,595 people back to work after a period of sick le GRiD, the association that promotes group risk insurance through a collective voice to Government has announced figures representing the whole group risk industry.

Cancer was the main cause of claims across all group risk products, although mental illness was a significant cause of claims under group income protection.GRiD captured details of the cases where the insurer supported a return to work with active early intervention, such as fasttrack access to counselling or physiotherapy, funded by the insurer, before the person was eligible for a monetary payment.

GRiD said that while very few claims a assurance, on the surface, for group i critical illness claims, the numbers dec

The group risk market has an addition employer is the policyholder and so it employer to be sure that the claim an genuine or something that is valid und the detailed health situation of the em into play too. For example a poor ma capability/disciplinary issues can be a 3,551 people (36.3 %) of all claims submitted, up three percentage points absence and an employee putting in on 2017, were able to go back to work during 2018 because of early protection or group critical illness ben intervention. Of these, 52.1% had help to overcome mental illness and 17.3% had support overcoming a musculoskeletal condition.

The advice given to employers gener group risk insurer to consider. In these GRiD also captured details of cases to demonstrate help and support then uphold their role and meet their once a claim is in payment. Of the 5,454 group income protection claims advocate and as the policyholder. that went into payment during 2017, 2,044 people were helped by the insurer to make a full return to work during that year or during 2018.

Such claims are captured as declined there would have been no real expec Group life assurance policies paid out total benefits to the value of £1.117 often the employee’s) behalf that the billion, an increase of £50.2m over 2017; group income protection policies anecdotally reported a chest cough paid out a total of £482.7 million p.a., an increase of £16.2 million p.a. illness claim (which of course would c over 2017; group critical illness policies paid out benefits totalling £82.4 so GRiD urges all organisations to use million, a decrease of 1.9 million compared with 2017. educate employees, wherever possib parties the maximum protection and The average claim amounts (£114,691 for group life; £26,322 p.a. for increase in claims acceptance rates. group income protection; £66,824 for group critical illness) evidence the fact that these benefits throw a vital financial lifeline to people regardless It should also be noted that, in times o of their salary, age or position and that they should not be seen as simply the case with Brexit), there is an expe perks for the higher paid, says GRiD. more of this kind of “try it and see” cla corresponding increase in declined c Main causes of claim across all group risk products Grid spokesperson Katharine Mox Benefit Main cause of % Second cause % around Brexit, the health and wel new claims of new claims wellbeing, continues to move up agenda. Employers looking for he Group life assurance Cancer 42.0% Heart disease 15.0% that group risk protection produc the inherent support services that Group income protection Cancer 24.5% Mental illness 24.1% extend the reach of the help emp especially for mental health. these Group critical illness Cancer 69.0% Heart attack 8.0% difference the group risk industry m

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 26

advogroup.co.uk |group risk claims

d 5,500 k

s in 2018, a £64.5m increase on 2017 eave.

are declined for group life income protection and group clined appear much higher.

nal layer of complexity as the t can sometimes be hard for an n employee wants to make is either der the policy as they may not know mployee. Other factors can come anager/employee relationship or a contributory factor for a sickness n a claim for either group income nefit.

rally is to submit the claim for the e circumstances, the employer can r obligations as the employee’s

d in GRiD’s reporting, even where ctation on the employer’s (and e claim would be paid. One insurer was submitted as a potential critical count as a declined claim) and e the materials insurers provide to ble. This recommendation affords all clarity and ultimately will lead to an .

of uncertainty (such as has been ectation that the industry will see far aim submissions so there will be a claims.

xham said: “Despite the uncertainty llbeing of staff, particularly mental the Government’s workplace elp in how to support this will find cts can provide a lot of answers as t come with them significantly ployers can give to their people, e figures demonstrate the positive makes to people’s lives every day.”

Canada Life Group Insurance marketing director Paul Avis says: “As ever I become the grumpy old man of group risk at this point every year but the fact that we have 2.457m people covered across 17,576 group income protection schemes and have only returned 3,551 people back to the workplace before they become a claim shows that only 0.15 per cent of insured people are benefiting from early intervention services(EIS).

With insurers offering day one support I am sure that more people could use these services, which are provided at no additional cost to the premiums paid, as they are proven to work. For example in 2018 our EIS had an average absence duration of 7 weeks – 5 weeks if the organisation worked with our team, and 95% of EIS users did not become claims. So why aren’t more advisers promoting these services?

“On a more positive note without the vocational rehabilitation and EIS support, the claims statistics for GIP would be a lot worse and by capturing the additional 2,044 people that were returned to work once in claim, the combined figure, with EIS, of 5,595 people returned against the 15,244 claims shows what an important contribution these services are making.

“Clearly the claims acceptance rates need further exploration and specifically why the group critical illness will be different than the individual market. The fact that around 67% of all GCIC is bought through flexible or online benefits packages is a good news story as the market grew by 10% from new organisations taking out the benefit in 2018.

However this growth has only been achieved by making the product affordable and easy to access with the group market, unlike the individual, underwriting the employee at the point of claim using preexisting conditions and related health conditions to enable cover to be provided quickly and inexpensively.

The market is popular and works well but for advisers and employers it is important that they provide employees with clear communications as the FOS case reviews confirm that where this is done, the maximum protection is provided to all parties, that is to say the employee opting for GCIC has skin in the game to understand what they are buying.”

You can find out more about GRiD on https://grouprisk.org.uk/

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 27

advogroup.co.uk |debunking bowel cancer myths

debunking the bo

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 28

advogroup.co.uk | debunking the bowel cancer myths

owel cancer myths

Bowel cancer, also known as colon, rectal and colorectal cancer, is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK – more than 40,000 people get bowel cancer each year To help raise awareness Bupa UK’s Louise Spence, Oncology Nurse Advisor, and her colleagues from the Oncology Support Team, reveal the truth behind five myths they often hear about the disease.

I can’t have bowel cancer, I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables While maintaining a healthy diet can reduce your risk of bowel cancer, it’s important to remember it doesn’t make you immune to it. You can reduce your risk by eating plenty of fibre from wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding processed meat and limiting red meat.

Drinking less alcohol and having alcohol-free days, not smoking and being active can also help reduce your risk of bowel cancer.

diagnosis can occur at any age, with more than 2,500 people under the age of 50 diagnosed each year.

unexplained changes in your bowel habit or you don’t feel right, make sure you see your GP.

Nobody in my family has had cancer, so I won’t have it While family history of bowel cancer increases your risk of getting the disease, this doesn’t mean you will definitely get it. Equally, if you don’t have a family history of bowel cancer it doesn’t mean you can’t get the disease. One in 15 men and one in 18 women in the UK will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime, making it incredibly common and therefore it isn’t as simple as putting it down to family history.

People don’t survive bowel cancer Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Most people diagnosed at the earliest stage survive bowel cancer. However, this drops significantly as the disease develops. More than 16,000 people die from bowel cancer in the UK every year – it is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths in the UK5. But the number of people dying of bowel cancer has been falling since the 1970s6. This may be due to earlier diagnosis and better treatment.

I’m only constipated, it can’t be cancer While a persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit can be a symptom of bowel cancer, I’m too young, only old most people with just this people get bowel cancer symptom won’t have the While bowel cancer is more disease. common in those over 50-years-old, with more Other health problems can than nine out of 10 people also cause similar symptoms diagnosed over the age of to bowel cancer. So, if you 50, you should remember notice any persistent and

Notes: https://www. bowelcanceruk.org.uk/ about-bowel-cancer/ bowel-cancer/

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 29

advogroup.co.uk | thanks for reading

find every copy of advocate magazine online at issuu.com/advogroup issue #29 spring 2019 In the spring 2019 edition we have a feature on our new absence management system available to all advo clients and an interview with Lucy Pearce who now heads up our Sales and Development team which now spans hr, payroll and employee benefits. We have a special feature with Bupa Global’s CEO who talks about why mental health is ‘everyones’ business’. We also include a special feature on transgender and gender identification. In HR news we take a closer look at finding the best fit of candidate for your business and update you on employment law changes. In health news we have an interesting look at the medical innovations making waves in 2019.

issue #28 winter 2018 The big advo news in the winter 2018 edition, apart from receiving a Gold Standard Accreditation, is the partnering with UIB, a Lloyds of London commercial insurance broker. In a reciprocal agreement UIB clients can speak to advo for employee benefit, payroll and HR support. We have two exclusive interviews. Firstly with one of the main drivers of the Vitality Health success in the UK. In addition we speak to the senior management team of US insurer, UnitedHealthcare Global, In HR news we take a closer look at Christmas HR issues and keeping a healthy working environment for staff. We also focus on why investing in your staff is a good idea and in health news, following on from last month’s focus on women’s health issues, we look at the most common male health concerns.

issue #27 autumn 2018 In the autumn 2018 issue advo hr’s has looks at team building and reward incentives and gives tips on success and the best approach. We also look closer at the issue of staff working when ill and a launch of a new mental health guide designed for managers. We also include an interview with Bupa’s CEO, Evelyn Bourke on her work championing women in business. In health news we focus on the winter flu season and its effects. In addition we highlight the confusion that exists over woman’s health advice.

don’t miss a copy, subscribe to our issuu channel... its 100% free! advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 30

advogroup.co.uk | the advo group

advogroup empowering people solutions

advo: solutions for the future, delivered today, protecting tomorrow. an award winning advisory delivering linked services

advo benefits: advise | engage | reward

employee benefits independent advisory services with dedicated account management across a range of health, wellbeing and risk insurance

advo online simple and secure advo online gives small to medium-sized employers a useful tool to manage and communicate employee benefits effectively

payroll & auto-enrolment we make running payroll and payrolling of benefits simple helping clients to remain compliant ensuring employees and their benefits are paid correctly and efficiently

HR & training services all the protection and advantages of an in-house HR and training team ensuring compliance with legislation while supporting best employee practice and performance

advo sis (success in systems) award winning and innovative, our technology is designed, built and managed in-house enabling us to provide clients with good value systems for both employer and employee

advo personal protection solutions

private clients award winning advisors of personal protection both UK and overseas recognised for quality of advice and ongoing service each and every year

advo has a reputation for cost control, innovation and customer service excellence. Having been recognised as the UK’s ‘best’ advisory firm by our peers on numerous occasions we have the best people supported by linked technology that gives control.

advocate summer 2019 | advogroup.co.uk | 31

advogroup empowering people solutions

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

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