The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) has called on the government’s newly revived Pensions Commission to prioritise a long-term plan for Automatic Enrolment (AE) reform, including higher contribution rates...
Read moreDetailsPay data has revealed that UK pay awards have stalled, with almost four fifths of workers receiving lower wage rises than in 2024. Median basic pay awards in the...
Read moreDetailsCould a low-cost universal wellbeing tax break bring benefits for the UK government, employers and employees? Steve Herbert, co-host of the Benefits Unboxed podcast and a veteran HR and...
Read moreDetailsThe government’s latest review of the state pension age (SPA) begins today against a backdrop of fresh research showing how heavily many older people rely on the state pension...
Read moreDetailsSupermarket chain Lidl GB will increase pay for thousands of employees from 1 September 2025 as the employer confirmed its fifth wage uplift in just two years, which it...
Read moreDetailsTwo in five employers admit they take a passive approach to promoting benefits and leave it to employees to initiate take-up. Grid, the industry body for the group risk...
Read moreDetailsMajor UK toy retailer, The Entertainer, is handing over the reins to its 1,900 employees, in a move that rewards and engages employees and preserves the employer's distinct culture....
Read moreDetailsA significant shift in personal saving habits that could influence how employers think about financial wellbeing benefits has been identified by Scottish Friendly. In the second quarter of 2025,...
Read moreDetailsEligible private sector workers contributed a record-breaking £25.5 billion to workplace pensions in 2024, according to analysis from consultancy Broadstone. The figure, based on figures from the Department for...
Read moreDetailsA conversational AI Benefits Manager’s Assistant is launching this month to answer employee benefits-related questions quickly and clearly, 24/7. The company behind the new tool, Financial Education, said that...
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The podcast from Benefits Expert, the title for HR, reward and benefits professionals.
Seasoned professionals examine the challenges and innovations in today’s employee benefits, reward and HR sector. Every episode, they will unbox a key issue and unpack what it really means for employers and how they can tackle it.
The regulars are Claire Churchard, editor of Benefits Expert; Carole Goldsmith, HR director at the Royal Horticultural Society, and Steve Herbert, consultant and rewards & benefits veteran.
As the professionals responsible for helping their organisations navigate NI hikes, rising employee stress levels and looming redundancies, the pressure on HR, reward and benefits teams has never been greater.
HR is expected to lead with strength and compassion. But who is supporting the supporters?
In this episode of Benefits Unboxed, co-hosts Claire Churchard, Carole Goldsmith and Steve Herbert explore the emotional and ethical pressures HR face today, from managing redundancies to implementing complex legislation. They discuss why HR’s own wellbeing may not be the first topic of conversation, the risks that poses to employers, and the practical steps businesses can take to better support the wellbeing of the people who support everyone else.
This conversation shines a light on the resilience of the profession and why looking after HR is not just the right thing to do, but a business imperative.
