Advocate | Spring 2015

advocate the magazine from the uk’s leading employee benefits advisory

SPRING 2015 | ISSUE#13 | ADVOGROUP.CO.UK

advo group named healthcare advisor of the year at the corporate advisor awards page 06

bupa patrick watt on the incredible new app, ‘bupa boost’ page 10 cover feature

give as you live steff lewis on why more businesses should be getting involved with charities “There are 2 major benefits to businesses increasing charitable

support: better employee morale and improved company reputation

page 18

visit us on your smartphone advogroup.co.uk

advogroup.co.uk | what’s inside issue #13

“ what’s inside issue #13

we discuss why more businesses aren’t getting involved in charitable work. We also discuss Bupa’s incredible new smartphone app ‘Bupa Boost’ with Patrick Watt, Corporate Director of Bupa UK

Welcome to the Spring 2015 edition of Advocate magazine, the quarterly digital publication from ADVO Group, one of the UK’s leading employee benefits consultancy.

As usual we have a selection of fascinating interviews including our cover feature where we discuss why more businesses aren’t getting involved in charitable work with Steff Lewis, from charitable shopping platform ‘Give As You Live’.

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talents of their employees, how couples are more likely to get healthier together, how the UK’s middle aged group of workers are increasingly feeling ‘the squeeze’ and the report analysing workplace morale.

We are also bringing you the latest ADVO news including our fantastic win at the 2015 Corporate Advisor Awards for ‘Healthcare Advisor of the Year’, as well as being named ‘Corporate Health Insurance Provider of the Year & Best We also discuss Bupa’s incredible for Employee Benefits UK’ by new smartphone app ‘Bupa international ‘Wealth & Finance’ Boost’ with Patrick Watt, magazine.

Corporate Director of Bupa UK. Advocate magazine will be back We are also looking at a range of again in the Summer. other human resource and health stories such as how businesses Subscribing to Advocate are currently failing to fully magazine is completely free at utilise the entrepreneurial 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

chris mc cracken director

kevin crew it director

gill mateo operations director

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

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

Chris joined the main ADVO board in 2008 having previously worked in wider financial services.

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. Gill has oversight of all ADVO Systems and procedures.

lbulmer @advogroup.co.uk

cboxall @advogroup.co.uk

cmccracken @advogroup.co.uk

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 02

kcrew @advogroup.co.uk

gmateo @advogroup.co.uk

advogroup.co.uk | who we are

who we are and what we do...

Advocate Magazine is produced by ADVO Group and published quarterly.

community, please follow http://issuu.com/advogroup

Speak to ADVO for any specific query concerning: ADVO Group Ltd is an independent employee benefits advisory with a broad-based clientele. Our objective is to be • UK & International Private Medical Insurance seen as the UK’s most trusted adviser on employee benefits • Online multi policy management and online management.

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T: 0845 2578833 F: 01622 769211 E: info@advogroup.co.uk For general information, and/or to join our online HR

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 03

advogroup.co.uk | contents

CONTENTS ISSUE #13 | spring 2015 advo news Page 06

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interviews Page 10

Page 18

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ADVO Group named ‘Healthcare Advisor of the Year’ ADVO Group were delighted to be awarded the title of ‘Healthcare Adviser of the Year’ at the 2015 Corporate Advisor Awards, held at London’s Lancaster Hotel

Patrick Watt, Bupa Patrick Watt, who joined Bupa UK as Corporate Director in July 2012, talks to us in our latest interview to provide some more detail into Bupa’s new app ‘Bupa Boost’ Steff Lewis, Give as you Live

Steff Lewis provides an expert insight into the research which found that 53% of UK workers haven’t taken part in any fundraising activities with their colleagues over the past year

bupa’s patrick watt on ‘bupa boost’ page 10

human resources Page 20

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Middle aged workers are feeling the squeeze

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Morale matters for UK managers

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health Page 14

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New research from AXA PPP healthcare has shown that this middle band of workers take more sick days than any other age group Three researchers exploring workplace morale and its impact on business performance at call centres have claimed this year’s highest accolade for management research from the Chartered Management Institute Business are failing to capitalise on employees’ entrepreneurial talents

many large businesses are failing to harness the entrepreneurial talents of their employees, with only half (52%) of millennials surveyed feeling that their skills and attributes are fully utilised

Couples more likely to get healthier together People are more successful in taking up healthy habits if their partner makes positive changes too, according to new research

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 04

businesses failing to capitalise on talents of employees page 24

advogroup.co.uk | contents

morale matters for uk managers page 22 couples more likely to get healthier together page 14

middle aged workers feel the squeeze page 20 advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 05

advogroup.co.uk |corporate advisor awards 2015

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 06

advogroup.co.uk | corporate advisor awards 2015

advo group named ‘healthcare advisor of the year’ at the 2015 corporate advisor awards www.advogroup.co.uk ADVO Group were delighted to be awarded the title of ‘Healthcare Adviser of the Year’ at the 2015 Corporate Advisor Awards, held at London’s Lancaster Hotel on February 4th 2015. In addition to winning this particular award, ADVO were also finalists for an array of other highly revered categories, including ‘Best Use of Technology by a Corporate Adviser’, which relates to ADVO’s ‘ADVO Online’ technology platform, ‘Best Member Communication Strategy’, as well as ‘Corporate Adviser Firm of the Year 2015’. To be selected as winners for any of the evening’s award categories was a particularly significant achievement given that this year’s event received a record number of entries from providers and intermediaries.

The Corporate Advisor website set the backdrop and significance for this year’s event, commenting “The year before an election was never going to be quiet, and so it has proved.

Policymakers and regulators have been busy making waves, while signs of a continued cautious emergence from the financial woes of recent years means employers have had their work cut out making sure their reward proposition remains relevant, let alone competitive. That is why the products and services delivered by our community have never been more in demand. With the health and wellbeing agenda gaining ever greater momentum, and an even bigger debate over the cost to the state of employee sickness to be had as soon as the general election is out of the way, we have seen an increasing confidence from providers and advisers in the idea that more can and should be done through the workplace.

It further went on to say “Against this backdrop increasingly high standards of transparency and

fairness are rightly being demanded of both providers and advisers in our industry. These new higher standards have been front and foremost in the minds of judges in deciding who should win these awards”.

ADVO’s Commercial Director, Colin Boxall, commented on ADVO’s success at this year’s Corporate Advisor awards “The Corporate Advisor awards is one of the industry’s biggest events so being shortlisted for any of the categories is fantastic in itself, especially given the sheer number of entries that were received this year.

However, to then win the category of ‘Healthcare Advisor of the Year’ is truly an achievement. I think our commitment to customer service has once again shone through here and its a real testament to our people. Our technology service, ‘ADVO Online’ also continues to separate us from our peers and is a platform that continues to improve and evolve with our clients’ needs over time.”

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advogroup.co.uk |corporate advisor awards 2015 The Corporate Advisor website also commented on ADVO Group’s award win “The firm impressed our judging panel by demonstrating strong evidence of working with customers through the use of dedicated account management and technology to help improve staff engagement. Judges felt ADVO Group’s submission evidenced the firm’s ability to ensure the right customer outcomes by engaging with providers on their behalf and constructing the solutions that best matched their needs. ‘The submission gave a strong impression of what it

feels like to be an ADVO client’, said one recognised in global online business impressed judge”. magazine ‘Wealth & Finance’ via their ‘Insurance & Reinsurance Awards ADVO have been fortunate enough to 2015’. The magazine named ADVO have been awarded at the Corporate Group ‘Corporate Health Insurance Advisor Awards on previous occasions. Provider of the Year & Best for For example, ADVO won the title of Employee Benefits UK’.

‘Best Cash Plan Advisor’ and were also ‘Highly Commended’ for the category To find out more about how ADVO of ‘Healthcare Advisor of the Year’ back Group impact on your business in 2011. through utilising an effective employee benefits package, speak to one of our In addition to the great news from expert and fully independent advisors this year’s Corporate Advisor today on +44(0)845 2578833 or email Awards, ADVO has also recently been info@advogroup.co.uk.

Pictured below: ADVO Group’s Commercial Director, Colin Boxall (centre) with Comedian Hal Cruttenden (right)

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I think our commitment to customer service has once again shone through here and its a real testament to our expert advisors

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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 | an interview with patrick watt, bupa

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Our research shows that 85 per cent of UK workers say their employer has a responsibility to look after their health and wellbeing

patrick watt corporate director bupa uk advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 10

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advogroup.co.uk | an interview with patrick watt, bupa

bupa’s patrick watt on the company’s incredible new smartphone app www.bupa.co.uk Bupa are one of the most well known insurers in the private healthcare industry offering health insurance and medical subscription products, in addition to running care homes, retirement villages, hospitals, primary care and diagnostic centres and dental clinics. ADVO Group recently attended Bupa’s launch for their incredible new app, ‘Bupa Boost’, which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of employees by enabling them to monitor their activities and set goals with their colleagues. Patrick Watt, who joined Bupa UK as Corporate Director in July 2012, talks to us in our latest interview to provide some more detail into this fascinating new digital platform for the company.

How would you explain the core essence of the Bupa Boost app to someone completely unfamiliar with the platform?

to health and wellbeing – considering both physical and mental wellbeing.

People can improve their health and wellbeing in many different ways so Bupa Boost is a new digital innovation it’s important that each individual designed to support employers to employee is supported to be healthy improve the health and wellbeing of and happy in a way that suits them. their entire workforce, from the CEO to frontline staff. It is available to all Employees using Bupa Boost will employees whose employer is Bupa of course be in control as to what UK corporate customer. Designed data on their health and fitness as a mobile platform, employees they publicly share with other can set personal goals, monitor employees and colleagues. Do you their activities and progress against think the majority of employees colleagues and friends and motivate using Bupa Boost will embrace an and inspire them, take part in team open ethos in sharing the majority challenges, as well as integrate data of their data? from other apps and wearables.

Our research shows that 85 per cent Bupa Boost helps employers to create of UK workers say their employer has a more positive and proactive health a responsibility to look after their culture across their organisation – health and wellbeing. And, more than improving employee engagement and half (57 per cent) of workers admit motivating entire workforces behind they would feel more motivated to health and wellbeing initiatives in a achieve their health and wellness fun, engaging and accessible way. goals if they could team up with colleagues.

Can you explain some more about the ‘four pillars’ that underpin Users only share information with Bupa Boost? people they’re connected to via Facebook and LinkedIn. Also, when There are four core areas of health users set health and wellbeing goals and wellbeing within Bupa Boost – they choose those they wish to share mindfulness, nutrition, relaxation and and those they wish to keep private – fitness. We have incorporated these ensuring personal goals are kept that four pillars as we recognise that it’s way. important to take a holistic approach

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advogroup.co.uk | an interview with patrick watt, bupa A particularly interesting aspect of Bupa Boost is the integration of elements of ‘gamification’. Can you explain exactly what this is and why you think this is so important for generating greater levels of motivation and engagement with Bupa Boost, particularly on a long term basis?

Gamification sits at the heart of Bupa Boost as we believe long term behaviour change is best achieved through motivation and engagement, rather than through rewards and discounts. In addition, collaborating or competing with friends and colleagues can be an effective way to help achieve results.

Bupa Boost turns keeping fit, healthy and mindful into a game, challenging the user to unlock badges, complete personal goals and improve their position on the leader-board.

Achievements are rewarded through ‘Wellness Points’, providing a friendly sense of competition amongst friends and colleagues.

One of Bupa Boost’s main strengths seems to be its ability to seamlessly work alongside existing fitness tracking devices. How exactly can users enable Bupa Boost to work with existing devices they might use and bring all the data into one place?

Bupa Boost has been designed to collect data from other apps and wearables to track overall health and wellbeing – ensuring employees can see all their fitness and wellbeing data in one place. It integrates with many of the UK’s most popular fitness wearables and applications including Moves, Strava, MapMyFitness, Fitbit and Jawbone, plus leading apps such as Apple Health and Google Fit – meaning on becoming a smart runner or what to many more apps will also feed through do if you have a knee injury. to your Boost account.

There are more exciting developments Apps and wearables are easy to planned for Bupa Boost this year – connect and you need only log in once ensuring we provide employees with to sync your data to Bupa Boost. You easier access to Bupa’s services and the can then connect to as many of Bupa health advice they need most.

Boosts as you want.

Initial research that in part led to Employees using Bupa Boost are the creation of Bupa Boost found also able to benefit from Bupa’s that 85% of UK workers think wide selection of health information their employer has a responsibility resources. Could you tell us a bit to look after their health and more about how this works? wellbeing. Do you think the majority of employers realise that so many of Through Bupa Boost employees can their employees see them as being link to Bupa’s health information pages responsible in this way? covering topics from heart health and smoking, through to nutrition and No. Many employers aren’t engaging exercise. Users can also access Bupa’s their employees in their health and many health tools such as our BMI wellbeing and are missing out on the calculator and nutrition quiz to advice benefits this can bring. In fact, two-in-

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five UK companies (40 per cent) offer no health or well-being benefits, and three in 10 (28 per cent) employees said that when it comes to wellbeing, their company is all talk but no action.

While some UK employers realise that future success depends on a healthy, motivated workforce, far more need to take action. Employers need to lead the way and support their employees to lead healthier lifestyles and keep well both physically and mentally. Not only will this benefit the individual, but smart employers know that healthy employees come to work, perform at their peak and go the extra mile Bupa Boost places an emphasis on integration with Social Networks.

How important was it that it works alongside these popular services and websites?

advogroup.co.uk | an interview with patrick watt, bupa

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Bupa Boost has been designed to help improve employee engagement and health and wellbeing, which in turn will drive business performance

Very important. Social sits at the heart of Bupa Boost – integrating multiple social networks from Facebook to Google+ and LinkedIn, and connecting employees to friends and colleagues so they can share their successes, motivate and compete against one another. It is this sense of collaboration and healthy competition that we believe can help drive long term behaviour change.

What kind of business benefits do employers see from implementing Bupa Boost within their workforce?

Bupa Boost has been designed to help improve employee engagement and health and wellbeing, which in turn will drive business performance.

By engaging staff and creating a more proactive and preventative health

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culture employers can reap the long term benefits as healthier employees come to work, have lower healthcare costs and perform at their peak.

of any planned future development or additions to the platform?

There are exciting developments ahead which will enable users to create team What other unique benefits do you goals and allow smaller teams and think Bupa Boost could bring to departments to compete in challenges employees and employers? together whether it’s leaving the office on time, enjoying healthy lunches for In addition to the health and wellbeing a month or abstaining from drinking benefits Bupa Boost can bring to both for March. Future developments will employees and employers, it offers also give employees direct access to a a great sense of collaboration and virtual coach ensuring quick and easy healthy competition. access to advice and information when they need it most.

Through the platform you can connect with colleagues, compare and compete How can people find out more about or create challenges whether it’s for Bupa Boost? the whole workforce or individual teams to compete against one another. To find out more about Bupa Boost visit: www.bupa.co.uk/bupa-boost The first version of Bupa Boost has just been launched but do you know yet

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advogroup.co.uk |couples more likely to get healthier together

couples more likely to get healthier together news.advogroup.co.uk People are more successful in taking up healthy habits if their partner makes positive changes too, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Scientists at UCL funded by Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation, and the National Institute on Aging looked at how likely people were to quit smoking, start being active, or lose weight in relation to what their partner did.

They found that people were more successful in swapping bad habits for good ones if their partner made a change as well.

For example, among women who smoked, 50 per cent managed to quit if their partner gave up smoking too at the same time, compared with 17 per cent of women whose partners were already non-smokers, and eight

per cent of those whose partners were regular smokers.

The study found that men were equally affected by their partners and were more likely to quit smoking, get active, or lose weight if their partner made the same behaviour change.

The research looked at 3,722 couples, either married or living together and

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over the age of 50, who were taking part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

Professor Jane Wardle, director of Cancer Research UK’s Health Behaviour Research Centre at UCL (University College London) and one of the study authors, said: “Unhealthy lifestyles are a leading cause of death from chronic disease worldwide.

advogroup.co.uk | couples more likely to get healthier together

The key lifestyle risks are smoking, excess weight, physical inactivity, poor diet, and alcohol consumption.

Swapping bad habits for good ones can reduce the risk of disease, including cancer.

Dr Sarah Jackson, lead author of the study at UCL, said: “Now is the time to make New Year’s resolutions to quit smoking, take exercise, or lose weight. And doing it with your partner increases your chances of success.”

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s head of health information, said:

“Making lifestyle changes can make a big difference to our health and cancer risk. And this study shows that when couples make those changes together they are more likely to succeed.

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making lifestyle changes can make a big difference to our health and cancer risk

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“Getting some support can help people take up good habits. For example if you want to lose weight and have a friend or colleague who’s trying to do the same thing you could encourage each other by joining up for a run or a swim at lunchtime or after work. And local support such as stop smoking services are very effective at helping people to quit.

“Keeping healthy by not smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight and being active can all lower the risk of cancer, and the more people can help and encourage each other the better.”

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advogroup.co.uk | interview with steff lewis

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It is assumed that charitable fundraising and support will take a lot of time, but, in the digital age, charitable initiatives needn’t put pressure on people’s time

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steff lewis head of corporate partnerships give as you live advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 16

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advogroup.co.uk | interview with steff lewis

There are 2 major benefits to businesses increasing charitable support: better employee morale and improved company reputation steff lewis, give as you live

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www.giveasyoulive.com

Give as you Live is the socially conscious shopping and price comparison site. A percentage of the value of each purchase is passed onto a chosen charity, with more than £5.4 million raised so far for UK charities. Recent research by Give as you Live found that 53% of UK workers haven’t taken part in any fundraising activities with their colleagues over the past year. Steff Lewis, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Give as you Live, provides an expert insight into this research and its relevance for today’s businesses and employees.

The research found that 53% of UK workers haven’t taken part in any fundraising activities with their colleagues over the past year.

Does this represent an upward to downward trend in relation to preceding years?

We conducted a similar study in 2013 which revealed that 59% of UK employees hadn’t taken part in any charity activities as work. This means we’re seeing an upward trend in those fundraising in the workplace, however, it’s not a significant rise and a lot more could be done by businesses to help charities.

40% of workers state that their company has no official charity to support. Why do you think so many business are currently failing to engage with charitable efforts?

It’s not that just 40% don’t have an official charity, an additional 20% of workers don’t know whether their company has an official charity or not. I suspect the reason for many businesses that don’t engage the workforce in charitable efforts is lack of resources. It is assumed that

charitable fundraising and support will take a lot of time, but, in the digital age, charitable initiatives needn’t put pressure on people’s time and should be seen as a way to increase employee commitment and morale.

44% of workers said that they feel that their company should be doing more to help charities and the local community. Do you think a large number of managers are currently unaware that their employees would like to see them adopt a greater effort with regard to supporting charities?

support: better employee morale and improved company reputation, particularly in the face of its customers and future staff.

What would you advise are some of the most effective initial steps employers can take in increasing their commitment to helping charities?

My advice would be to roll out two or three initiatives that give the employees different options to support charity. The more autonomy you can give employees, the better.

For example, give employees the For many businesses, it is clear that the opportunity to vote in the charity conversation about corporate charity you’re running the fundraising for so support hasn’t been happening. We that they feel they’ve had a say. Other asked that question for the very reason more progressive options like using of making managers aware that their giveasyoulive.com allow employees employees would like to be doing to raise money for any charity they more. choose on a regular basis when they shop online. The purchases employees What are some of the main make every day – stationery and travel corporate benefits that businesses bookings, for example, can make a could see if they increased their difference to society, as well as giving level of charitable work? employees that ‘feel good’ factor.

There are two major benefits to businesses increasing charitable

What are some of the steps that employees themselves can take?

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advogroup.co.uk | interview with steff lewis One thing employees should be doing is suggesting fundraising initiatives to the business they work for. Taking initiatives to their boss, such as Give as you Live that requires very little time or effort, can support a business’s CSR activity. My colleagues have initiated initiatives like Giving Tuesday and large social campaigns (‘no make-up selfies and ice bucket challenge).

That said, we work with every registered charity in the UK so we’re careful not to favour any one charity.

Do you predict that an increasing number of businesses will support charities as time goes on?

Absolutely. As the UK economy recovers and living standards improve, corporate social responsibility (CSR), which was put to the side because of a shortage of time and money, will be firmly back on the agenda.

Yes, there will be much more integration and automation of CSR initiatives in the workplace. For example, Give as you Live offers a way for businesses to fundraise by keeping the autonomy of individual employees making online purchases for different Also, charitable fundraising is charities whilst bringing together the innovating all the time, giving charities money raised into a group total. new and lucrative revenue streams.

We’re releasing research later this year As other technologies develop in the that will show a huge growth in mobile consumer space, for example wearable giving, for example. technology and gamification, CSR will be integrated into the workplace in How do you see the way in which many different ways. businesses support charities will evolve in the future. For example, a greater integration of technology platforms for fundraising?

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My colleagues have initiated initiatives like Giving Tuesday and large social campaigns, no make-up selfies and the ice bucket challenge

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discover how advo perks can help your employees with their weekly shop find out more now 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 |middle aged workers feel the squeeze

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Employers need to support their workers’ mental and physical health, offering positive steps to ensure wellbeing now will help to ensure resilience in future

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dr steve iley medical director for health services axa ppp healthcare advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 20

advogroup.co.uk |middle aged workers feel the squeeze

middle aged employees are feeling the squeeze according to latest research from axa ppp healthcare www.axappphealthcare.co.uk New research from AXA PPP healthcare has shown that this middle band of workers take more sick days than any other age group; averaging 2.3 sick days in the past six months. A quarter of these workers have taken 3 or 4 days off sick. Twelve per cent of this middle age group have taken the equivalent of a working week off sick (5 or 6 days) in the past six months, double the number of 18-29 year olds (6 per cent) and just 5 per cent of those 50-69.

Other key findings from the research included:

Middle aged workers are not taking positive steps to help ensure good health. One in five 30-49 year olds regularly skip meals altogether five or more days per week compared with 15 per cent of 18-29 year olds and just 8 per cent of those aged 50-69.

seven per cent of workers in their 30s say they feel older than their years.

Dr Steve Iley, AXA PPP healthcare’s medical director for health services, says:

“Employers need to recognise that these middle aged workers are a particularly squeezed group, struggling with work and home These workers also demonstrate a pressures. The research suggests fairly negative outlook with regards that many are not motivated or to their jobs. Fifteen per cent of 30-49 feeling valued in their work, an issue year olds feel they don’t have a career we would encourage employers to path, and 29 per cent of 30-49 year proactively address as the 30-49 age olds say they feel as if their career group are likely to have at least 20 path has reached a plateau. years left in the workplace.

Twenty-seven per cent of middle aged workers – the most of any age group – feel as if their employment situation does not allow them to pursue their top life priorities.

Furthermore, 38 per cent of middle aged workers feel stressed all or most of the time. The chief causes of stress for this age group are: financial worries (43 per cent) and pressure from or worries about work (41 and 38 per cent, respectively). Thirty-

“Employers need to support their workers’ mental and physical health, offering positive steps to ensure wellbeing now will help to ensure resilience in future.”

For the latest human resource news subscribe to ADVO Group’s online news area at news.advogroup.co.uk.

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advogroup.co.uk | morale matters for uk managers

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Our article explores the meaning of morale, why it matters in business and how key components increase or decrease it

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dr ben hardy open university business school advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 22

advogroup.co.uk |morale matters for uk managers

breaking down the structure of workplace morale article receives accreditation from the cmi www.managers.org.uk Three researchers exploring workplace morale and its impact on business performance at call centres have claimed this year’s highest accolade for management research from the Chartered Management Institute. The annual Management Articles of the Year competition celebrates the best in management and leadership research and thinking, and the winning article is one of five top-ranked essays recognised by CMI earlier this month.

The winning work, ‘Morale: unravelling its components and testing its impact within contact centres’, was authored by Dr Ben Hardy of the Open University Business School and Dr Tanya Alcock and Dr Jon Malpass from BT’s Research and Innovation unit. The article breaks down the structure of morale into three components – feeling valued, a focus on future goals and workers’ relationships with others – and examines how high morale leads to enhanced productivity. The team looked at how theory had been put into practice at six contact centres in the UK and, drawing on interviews with over 300 people, created a practical guide for managers and employers looking to boost morale in the modern workplace.

Ann Francke, CMI Chief Executive, said: “Morale matters for managers and this research shows why, with great real-world evidence that the way employees are managed makes all the difference to their morale – and their performance. With the five top articles addressing thorny questions like how to manage religious expression at work and give better support to women in business, they offer a wealth of insight and inspiration for managers and employers.”

The competition aims to reduce the gap between theory and practice in management and leadership, by directing time-poor managers to the best five articles from the past year – as rated by their peers.

Francke adds: “With its solutions having been tried and tested in contact centres, the winning article is a great

example of how business schools and employers can work together to apply research to practical problems. The CMI Article of the Year prize is about helping managers find the very best research from UK business schools and this year’s five top articles are excellent examples. This is a great showcase for UK business schools and how they can partner with employers to make a real difference.”

Dr Ben Hardy of the Open University Business School, lead author of the winning article, said: “How people feel about their work impacts the work they do – a simple observation, but one that can often be forgotten in management. Our article explores the meaning of morale, why it matters in business and how key components increase or decrease it. We are thrilled to have been recognised with the CMI Management Article of the Year award and honoured that a panel of senior managers and leaders in the world of business has judged our article as a recommended read for others.”

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How people feel about their work impacts the work they do – a simple observation, but one that can often be forgotten

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The top three recommendations for managers to inspire better morale in teams from the winning article are:

Show employees they’re valued by the organisation and have value to the organisation – involve staff and draw on their expertise to ensure they feel an integral part of the team. Praise and recognition can be delivered through e-cards and sharing direct customer feedback and look at whether performance metrics measure the things that staff say matter to customers. Care should be taken to link what employees do to what the organisation is trying to achieve.

Focus on the future – Employees should be aware of the direction the company is heading and feel a sense of optimism for what the future holds.

Investing in their future through training is a strong signal. They should also be kept abreast of progress through regular update meetings and progress boards, so communication is key!

Build and encourage interpersonal relationships – foster a collaborative atmosphere through nurturing and coaching, rather than criticism, and encourage team work. Mentoring and buddying can also be a valuable asset to support this cohesive working environment.

Articles were submitted to the competition by academics across the UK and were then reviewed and rated online by CMI members. Those with the highest ratings were then assessed

by CMI’s Academic Advisory Council, a committee of leading UK academics, who selected the following as the top five and overall winner.

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 23

advogroup.co.uk |businesses not utilising workforce

“

Businesses are failing both to realise significant potential growth and failing to retain their entrepreneurial talent

rajeeb dey founder & ceo enternships.com advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 24

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advogroup.co.uk | businesses not utilising workforce

businesses are failing to capitalise on entretreneurial talents of their employees according to latest ey research www.ey.com Millennials are one the most ‘entrepreneurial’ generations to join the workforce, reveals new research from EY, with 68% of 25-34 year olds aspiring to run their own business. Based on a survey conducted by Censuswide of 1,000 business professionals, the research explored how entrepreneurial skills can be fostered in large companies. It revealed that many large businesses are failing to harness the entrepreneurial talents of their employees, with only half (52%) of millennials surveyed feeling that their skills and attributes are fully utilised by their current organisation.

Steve Wilkinson, UK & Ireland Managing Partner, Markets at EY, commented: “An entrepreneurial mind-set is often associated with small start-up businesses. Whereas in reality, all organisations, regardless of size and scale, need people who can innovate, create and challenge the status quo. That’s why the best businesses focus on building diverse teams to ensure they are drawing on widest spectrum to views.”

According to the survey, 82% of the respondents have previously had or currently have ideas that could create new opportunities or revenue for their organisation. However, many organisations have been slow to capitalise on these entrepreneurial skills; only half of the respondents (54%) said they have been able to implement their ideas in their workplace.

Rajeeb Dey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Enternships.com and co-founder of Startup Britain,

partnered with EY to look at the role of entrepreneurship within large organisations. He comments: “Businesses are failing both to realise significant potential growth and failing to retain their entrepreneurial talent. We operate in a knowledge economy and in a competitive economic landscape it is essential for businesses to continue to innovate and stay ahead of their competition.

In order to do this they need to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit and empower and support their employees to drive growth.”

“

it is essential for businesses to continue to innovate and stay ahead of their competition

”

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 25

advogroup.co.uk |businesses not utilising workforce As a result, the survey highlighted that many of today’s workforce recognise the limitations of their current employers. Only half (48%) of professionals feel they can achieve their ambitions within their current employer and a mere third of respondents say their workplace has an entrepreneurial and innovative culture.

Many respondents state that they believe there is a lack of opportunities and challenges within their organisations, with 64% citing this as the reason they cannot achieve their career goals with their current employer.

However, it seems that some

organisations have started to recognise the value of an entrepreneurial workforce. According to the research, businesses based in London appear to be embracing an entrepreneurial culture faster than other UK regions.

50% of respondents working for organisations based in London felt their company had an entrepreneurial culture, as opposed to 29% nationally.

People working in London also recognise the significance of strong leadership, with 48% believing it is the most important skill in today’s workplace, whilst the rest of the country valued organisation as the most important skill.

businesses based in London appear to be embracing an entrepreneurial culture faster than other UK regions

advocate spring 2015 | advogroup.co.uk | 26

Concluding, Steve Wilkinson said: “We’ve learnt from EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards programme that entrepreneurs are generally made not born, and many have often spent time in a corporate setting before setting out on their own.

“However they also see opportunity where others see disruption; are tenacious and visionary; and have the ability to work in and motivate a team.

These are skills that would be highly regarded in any organisation and are skills we actively recruit for. The challenge for UK PLC is to ensure that there are the opportunities available to enable these individuals to reach their full potential.”

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advogroup.co.uk | thanks for reading

thank you for reading see you in the summer for the next edition of advocate magazine! issuu.com/advogroup Thanks for catching up with us here at ADVO Group for this Spring 2015 edition of Advocate magazine. Advocate will be back once again in the Winter 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 Issuu.com will continue to be the primary home for Advocate magazine.

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

The subscription process is incredibly simply and best of all; it’s absolutely free!

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

In case you missed our key contacts at the start of the magazine you can get in touch with any of them on the contact details below.

Larry Bulmer Chief Executive lbulmer@advogroup.co.uk

Chris Mc Cracken Director, Commercial cmccracken@advogroup.co.uk Colin Boxall Director, Corporate cboxall@advogroup.co.uk Kevin Drew Director, Advo SIS kcrew@advogroup.co.uk

Gill Mateo Just to remind you about who we are Operations Director and what we can offer, ADVO Group gmateo@advogroup.co.uk 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 WINTER 2014 | advogroup.co.uk | 28

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 #12 winter 2014 We discover the revolutionary new healthcare app, ‘Babylon’, with founder Dr. Ali Parsa. We also feature two further exclusive interviews, with Alex Bryson of Niesr and Ann Francke of the Chartered Management Institute. We are also looking at a range of other HR and health stories such as how business leaders are failing those with mental health conditions, how more than 2 million retirees are unable to now find suitable work, and the various muscoskeletal problems than can be caused by our daily commutes into work. We are also bringing you the latest ADVO news including our win at the 2014 Health Insurance Awards, and winning the title of ‘highly commended’ for the category of Employee Benefits Intermediary of the Year at the 2014 Cover Excellence Awards.

Issue #11 autumn 2014

In our cover feature we gain a fascinating insight into a recent study commissioned by AAT which discovered that most employees prioritise a range of elements over salary concerns. We are also featuring two further exclusive interviews, with Joe Wiggins from online awareness community, Glassdoor and Glen Hughes from law firm, Irwin Mitchell. We are also looking at a range of other human resource and occupational health stories such as one in three Brits pulling a sickie which is costing business an enormous £9bn, the damaging effects of ‘myopic management’, how UK workers prefer professional development over ‘cool’ offices, the ways in which nightshift workers can boost their health and how walking or cycling to work improves wellbeing.

Issue #10 summer 2014 We discuss with CIPD’s Research Advisor for Human Capital Metrics and Standards, Edward Houghton, the challenge of measuring and understanding human capital.

We are also featuring a fascinating interview with Jamie Lawrence, editor of human resource website hrzone.com. We are also looking at a range of other human resource and occupational health stories such as new research that aims to explore the questions ‘what is it that today’s young workers really want?’ and the survey that suggests as many as a third of employees are currently finding the strain of work difficult to manage. We also feature a piece looking at one of the must haves for this Summer; travel insurance.

don’t miss a copy, subscribe to our issuu channel... its 100% free! advocate WINTER 2014 | advogroup.co.uk | 29

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