Nick Martindale

Towcester

Freelance #journalist, #business #copywriter and magazine #editor. Specialist areas #HR #employeebenefits #procurement #supplychain. Editor of SET's InTuition.

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Articles

Stone Junction clearly communicates benefits provision to ensure fairness

1 week ago | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

Ensuring its benefits offering is equitable has been at the heart of technical PR agency Stone Junction’s approach since shortly after it took on its first employee back in 2012. Richard Stone, managing director, says: “At the time there was only myself and one other person but I was talking to someone in his early 60s, who I knew would be retiring in two years’ time, about joining us. “Trying to provide a benefit that would be useful for a 62-year-old and a 23-year-old is incredibly difficult.
How to create the perception of an equitable benefits package

1 week ago | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

Need to know: Employers should aim to provide a range of benefits that offer something for everyone, allowing employees to choose those that are most relevant to them. Where some benefits are only available to certain employees, employers should think about alternatives that could be offered to the wider workforce or if these could be offered to all. Effective communication is essential to explain how benefits schemes are designed, and to justify any disparities that may exist.
What are the benefits of pay transparency?

1 month ago | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock Need to know: Salary information has long been kept confidential for multiple reasons, including to avoid pay inflation at job-offer stage. A culture of pay transparency can assist employers’ tasks of attracting the best people to roles. Benchmarking salaries against similar roles and organisations can be a good starting point to implementing pay transparency. For many years, organisations have kept salary information a closely guarded secret.
Tyler Grange's committment to full pay transparency aids recruitment and retention

1 month ago | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

When infrastructure consultancy Tyler Grange went through the process of becoming a B Corp in 2022, it was the starting point for a wider review of how the business operated. This led to a greater focus on pay and a commitment to full pay transparency, which came into effect in December 2024.
How can employers help boost the retirement savings of unpaid carers?

2 months ago | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

Credit: patpitchaya/Shutterstock Need to know: Around one in five people in work currently have caring responsibilities, and many reduce hours as a result. As well as creating short-term financial challenges, this means many people are unable to save for retirement. Employers can direct people towards state support, put in place arrangements to help them stay in work and work with staff to make up pension contributions.
TSB ensures working carers have financial and practical support

2 months ago | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

With around 8% of its 5,000 workforce having caring responsibilities, TSB places a strong emphasis on helping to ensure those in this situation are able to cope. The bank has an established carers’ network, allowing those affected to support each other, and provides staff with 70 hours’ paid carers’ leave each year.
4 ways to scale up your small business by bringing in more people

Feb 4, 2025 | smallbusiness.co.uk | Nick Martindale

For many – although not all – small businesses, there will come a point where the concept of one person doing everything is no longer feasible and the founder will need to bring in additional support to help it to scale up and achieve its potential. At a basic level, this could include using specialists to look after elements such as accounting or IT, but in time it’s likely that more support will also be needed around the core focus of that business.
The risks of supply chain cyberattacks on your organisation

Feb 3, 2025 | information-age.com | Nick Martindale

Cybersecurity is now firmly on the radar for most businesses, at least when it comes to their own systems and processes. But such efforts do not necessarily extend to the wider supply chain, where suppliers – often smaller businesses – could prove an easy target for criminals.
Aluminium Fire Systems offers flexible working options over four-day week

Nov 20, 2024 | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

Rebecca Sutherland, chief executive officer (CEO) of Aluminium Fire Systems, has always been a firm believer in output rather than input when it comes to working arrangements. So when a number of studies emerged which extolled the merits of a four-day week, it piqued her interest. But in a business where some people must be on-site as they physically assemble products, she knew doing so without impacting on production would be a challenge.
What impact has the Flexible Working Act had since its inception?

Nov 20, 2024 | employeebenefits.co.uk | Nick Martindale

Need to know: Employees can request flexible working from day one, and make two requests in a year. Employers need to update flexible-working policies and ensure managers are trained. Employers can gain an advantage by offering other benefits that offer flexibility and support.