Category: News

In general terms, an international benefits consultant specialises in helping companies negotiate the international employee benefits and health insurance market.

Some businesses may require end-to-end assistance, going all the way from developing a benefits strategy to implementing and introducing policies across the business. Other companies may just want assistance on a specific issue, such as help in finding a suitable International Health Insurance scheme at a competitive price.

The job of any good global consultant is to help clients establish what they need under one manageable scheme – and act as a single point of contact for all their policy questions. The end goal is always to provide the best protection and support to employees in the world, in the simplest and most effective way.

Need help setting up or reviewing an international employee benefits plan? Contact our team of AMII-affiliated experts for FREE quotes and guidance. Call +44 (0)1273 974419 or click on the bottom right chat box.

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What services does an international benefits consultant provide?

 

1.Advises on the full raft of international employee benefits, including:

International Group Health insurance

• Gives employees access to private healthcare in multiple countries around the world
• Provides more comprehensive coverage than available in typical health insurance plans
• Remember, some countries (for example USA, UAE and Saudi Arabia) require businesses to provide private health insurance for their employees as a condition for visas.

Learn more about International Group Health Insurance

International Group Income Protection:

• Provides financial support to an employee should they fall ill anywhere in the world (exceptions applying).
• The company decides how large the insurance payout will be (up to 80% of the employee’s wage)
• Particularly good at providing peace of mind for expat employees and their families

Learn more about International Group Income Protection

International Group Life insurance

• Provides financial support to a team member’s loved ones, situated anywhere in the world, in the event of their death.
• The policy still applies if they move from one country to another.
• Immediate family members can also be added to the policy

Learn more about International Company Life insurance

International Employee Assistance Programmes

• These digital platforms provide staff with a toolkit to support their general emotional wellbeing
• Provides practical health and wellbeing support e.g., counselling services, financial advice, stress support and more.
• Multi-lingual support ensures your team can get appropriate support, whatever their language

Learn more about Global Employee Assistance Programmes

Pre-assignment screening

• Designed to check whether an employee is suitable for an overseas assignment
• Includes health screening, personal evaluation and family support services
• A specific requirement for certain industries, such as Oil & Gas, Aviation and Maritime.

Learn more about pre-assignment screening

Other products which an international benefits consultant may be able to advise on include:

• International Group Critical Illness
• Group Travel Insurance
• Cultural Training
• Global security services
• Kidnap & ransom support

 

2.Search for and provide the best quotes

A good international benefits broker, like Engage Health Group, will scour the whole insurance market for the best policy, rather than be tied to any one provider. Indeed, they will usually be able to source better deals than are available publicly. This is because providers can attract repeat business from a broker if the price and terms are right – making the insurer bend that little further backwards to provide a competitive quote!

But it’s not just about insurance schemes. We also provide quotes on Employee Assistance Programmes, digital benefits platforms, corporate wellness schemes, health screening services and much more.

 

3.Implementing the scheme

International benefits consultants can also assist with the practicalities of implementing the scheme. This might include:

• Communicating with employees and different business divisions via remote or in-person presentations
• Providing written guidance and promotional materials
• Advising on digital platforms to better implement the scheme
• Answering ongoing queries

 

4.Claims and policy management

A good consultant will help with any disagreements that arise with the insurer. For example, if a claim is turned down, we can help assess whether you have a case and, if so, raise it with them on your behalf. We’ll also provide an annual review to check whether it’s worth switching to a different policy or provider to gain better value for your business.

“They went out of their way to provide us with the best quote and negotiated with our current provider, they managed to increase our level of cover and drop the cost. They provide support during the change over to the new policy and came to our office to do an all-company presentation explaining how to get the best out of our cover” – Europe/New Zealand/Australia, 60 employees, Global IT company

Check out more of our client testimonials here.

 

How do international benefits brokers help your business?

Partnering with a global benefits consultant aids businesses in the following ways:

• Alleviates the burden on HR as they can outsource the workload to an independent expert
• More cost-efficient as they’ll keep you from paying for separate national policies
• Provides peace of mind that your benefits are being taken care of in the most efficient way possible – and no paying over the odds
• Offers on-tap access to insider knowledge – helping you navigate the complexity of international rules and regulations
• Ensures consistency across your workforce – every global employee receives access to the same level of benefits through a harmonised scheme
• Provides help with setting up, implementing and communicating the new benefits scheme

 

International consultancy in action

As international benefits specialists, we’re accustomed to working with businesses which have a global footprint. For example, we planned and launched a global benefits scheme for a company which had over 1000 primary policyholders across Europe, the USA, and South America. It was a complex undertaking, but we were able to achieve the best possible outcome for them.

Our International Director, Ian Abbott, explains the process:

“For this specific customer, we broke their needs and requirements down into simple steps to see what was needed and where. Having a detailed understanding of the countries their employees are based in, and the health condition of their employees, we could create a plan that best fits with the company’s strategy. We helped the client manage their cover under one policy, making even their far-reaching employees protected under a simple and accessible plan.”

The key is simplicity. Without a keen understanding of how to piece together an employee benefits scheme tackling the needs of employees working in different parts of the world, it gets very confusing, very quickly.

 

How much does a consultant cost to your business?

There is no extra cost to either to your business if you employ the consultants at Engage. Our team of experts offer advice and quotes for free, so always be wary of brokers that charge for their services.

So, where do we get our money from? We are remunerated by the insurer partners and providers we work with, meaning you get expert advice, full market reviews, and peace of mind at no extra cost.

 

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Engage International can help

Sifting through and understanding the international employee benefits market by yourself will be a complicated and stressful process for any HR professional. Outsourcing the legwork to a specialist consultant like Engage alleviates the strain.

Engage Health Group has a large reach of global partnerships across 50+ countries and territories, which means we have the connections and expertise to deliver the best advice and most competitive quotes available on the market.

If you’re looking to set up or review an employee benefits scheme for your global business, then get in touch with one of our teams for a FREE consultation. We’ll help plan and deliver the best scheme for your business at no extra cost to you.

Contact us on +44 (0)1273 974419 or use the contact form on the right.

A guest blog written by Oliver McDonald, Director of our sister company – Engage Wealth Management. Read on for insights on workplace pensions. 

 

Workplace pensions haven’t always been given the attention they deserve but the approach to financial wellbeing and growth is changing for the better. With the gradual move away from the old ways of Defined Benefit pensions to Defined Contribution pensions, more and more employees see their responsibility and control over their pensions and retirement grow.

 

The gradual introduction of Auto Enrolment in 2012 helped bring pensions to the forefront of employers’ and employees’ minds. However, in recent years new trends have emerged:

 

• Employers are setting up the basic option and hoping this will be enough

 

• Employers addressing the pension once, rather than continuously reminding staff about the importance and their options

 

• Employees have become more knowledgeable – it is often the case that companies seek help as they have been challenged by staff. Existing staff, or even during interviews, ask why the company only offers a ‘basic’ pension option.

 

Pensions provide valuable support to you and your employees for when they reach retirement. However, a company pension scheme isn’t just a one-time thing. A workplace pension is now seen as a core employee benefit, and improvements must be made to attract and retain quality staff.

 

What does the regulator say?

Automatic enrolment is a continuous responsibility – your duties do not end after your duties start date.

The Pensions Regulator expects employers to ensure staff receive good value for money with their workplace pension scheme.

In this blog, I’ll explore five ways employers can improve their workplace pension scheme in the UK.

 

Are you looking to set up the right support and employee benefits for your teams? Contact us at enquiries@engaghealthgroup.co.uk or call +44 (0)1273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

 

1.Increasing employer contributions

 

This may seem obvious, but most schemes we encounter still contribute the minimum – for both employer and employee. The minimum contributions for auto-enrolment are 8% total, of which 3% must come from the employer.

So, we see most schemes set up on 5% employee and 3% employer contributions. These contributions are the minimum. Like anything in life, putting in the minimum effort will provide poor results.

If you want to improve your employees’ future retirement and retain/attract staff, increasing the employer contribution is a great way to achieve this.

How much is up to you? Some employers offer matched contributions up to a certain percentage or higher contributions for senior staff members.

 

2.Changing provider

 

We’ve seen a lot of companies start out with basic options. The National Employers Savings Trust (NEST) was set up to accept any employer with 1 employee or more. The People’s Pension is also a popular option.

Whilst these providers tick a box, they have their limitations.

Searching the market for a more comprehensive option could be a great way to show your employees how you’re taking their future seriously. Some of the benefits may include:

 

• Reducing fees for your staff

 

• Introduction of Salary Sacrifice

 

• A wider investment choice

 

• Full retirement options

 

• Greater technology to improve employee engagement

 

Changing providers is not as complex as it seems, especially when using a workplace pensions expert like the team at Engage Wealth Management.

 

We help employers every step of the way and ensure a smooth transition to a better workplace pension scheme. Check out our workplace pension offering for more information or get in touch at hello@engagewm.co.uk

 

3.Changing the way your contributions are calculated

 

A slightly technical area but incredibly important. When setting up a workplace pension scheme, employers can choose to base contributions on three options:

• Qualifying earnings: Contributions are based only on pay between £6,240 & £50,270 (2022/23 tax year)

 

• Basic Salary: Contributions are based on employees’ basic salary

 

• Total Earnings: Contributions are based on employees’ total earnings, including overtime and bonuses.

 

Clearly, qualifying earnings are the least generous. Many companies begin with qualifying earnings and minimum contributions to cover the legislation. This is fine, but once a company grows rapidly, it must seek ways to improve employee benefits, including pension contributions.

Basic Salary is the most common method, with only a few employers implementing total earnings from our experience.

 

4.Salary Sacrifice / Salary Exchange

 

Salary Sacrifice is a way of contributing to an employee’s pension before they are taxed. This benefits both employers and employees in several ways:

• Employers pay less National Insurance: Employers can then choose to retain this saving or kick the saving back to employees as an additional contribution.

 

• Employees pay less tax and National Insurance: The employee is effectively being paid a lower salary. Therefore, the tax and National Insurance savings will increase their take-home pay. Employees might choose to contribute the additional saving to their pension scheme.

 

• No higher rate tax relief claim: Under the standard relief at source method on pension contributions, higher rate taxpayers must claim higher rate tax relief through their annual self-assessment. Although they can backdate their claim, many people miss out on this ‘free money’ from the government. With Salary Sacrifice, employees receive tax relief at their highest marginal rate immediately, so there is no need for claiming through self-assessment.

 

There may be drawbacks to Salary Sacrifice, and employers are effectively changing an employee contract. At Engage Wealth Management, we help employers communicate these changes and provide the appropriate letters to change contracts. However, it is sensible for employers to seek legal advice before changing to Salary Sacrifice too.

This Salary Sacrifice calculator from L&G is an excellent tool for employers and employees.

 

5.Ongoing support to employees

 

Employing the service of a workplace pensions expert can be a great way to demonstrate additional value to your employees. Popular features include ‘pension surgeries’ and 1-1 meetings.

By employing the services of an expert, your staff have access to them throughout the year for high-level questions. The most common discussions are around increasing employee contributions, consolidating old pensions, and looking at investment fund options.

We also make it clear that our service is an additional employee benefit, provided to staff at the cost to the employer.

Being independent financial advisers, we can also provide in-depth individual advice to employees at their cost. This may include more serious retirement planning, investing a windfall or protecting their family with insurance.

 

 

If you’re a UK employer, how can you improve your employees’ pension and incentivise more engagement? Try some of the ideas above – it might help your staff save for retirement.

 

Contact our friendly team of experts for FREE quotes and advice. Call +44 (0)1273 974419 or click on the bottom right chat box.

 

After Blenheim Palace announced the launch of its own employee benefits platform last month, we felt it was an apt time to explore the topic in more detail.

In this blog post, we list some of the common features of corporate benefits platforms, outline the key benefits they provide and list six leading platforms currently serving UK businesses.

Can they deliver on the promise of simplifying the provision of employee benefits and rewards for HR teams? Read on to find out.

Looking to invest in an employee benefits platform to provide the best support to your staff? Contact our team of experts for FREE quotes and advice. Call +44 (0)1273 974419 or click on the bottom right chat box.

 

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What are corporate benefits platforms?

Corporate benefits platforms are digital spaces giving staff access to employee benefits via a mobile app or desktop platform. In this digital space, employees can sift through the different perks on offer, enrol themselves on the benefits they most want and utilise a range of wellbeing tools.

The process of administering benefits is made a lot easier for HR teams as the system is largely self-managed. It’s also much easier to provide a choice of perks to your teams. This means you can successfully address their different interests, life circumstances, health requirements, and priorities.

Below we have listed a few extra positive outcomes of employee benefits platforms:

• Staff feel more in control and involved in the decision-making process
• Less time-consuming for management and HR
• Organises administrative documents and processes in one easily accessible area
• Saves valuable time and money by lightening the load off HR – energy can be directed towards other responsibilities such as staff training and development
• Employees gain access to a wealth of knowledge on the employee benefits market, allowing them to understand in more detail how their chosen benefits can be used
• Many benefits platforms can be synchronised with payroll and other HR services

How do employee benefits platforms work?  

Each platform has its own distinct features and functionality, but they typically include:

• Staff discounts/deals
• Health and wellbeing support services
• Health insurance management options
• Pension schemes management tools
• Employee Assistance Programmes
• Holiday entitlement management tools
• HR communication tools
• Payroll integration
• Employee rewards and recognition services

It’s important to remember that HR has full control over what’s offered, and features will vary depending on your chosen platform and package.

As employee benefits brokers, we often advise companies on how best to synchronise their platforms with different insurance products and services – making sure that everything’s hooked up to provide maximum value.

If you’d like FREE one-to-one advice, call us on +44 (0)1273 974419 or use the contact form on the right.

6 leading corporate benefits platforms in the UK

There are scores of benefits platforms vying for your attention. It can seem daunting to pick one out of the many! Here, we have provided a brief breakdown of six leading platforms in the UK.

ThanksBen

ThanksBen prides itself on being a flexible platform, enabling staff to set their own budgets selecting the benefits they most want. It’s mainly aimed at small to mid-range businesses, but the features offered are continuing to expand, allowing it to grow with the needs of its clients. ThanksBen also includes payroll integration alongside the usual benefits management capabilities.

Reward gateway

Established in 2006, Reward Gateway has almost 2000 customers. Due to their target businesses being predominantly larger organisations, Reward Gateway are great for complex needs catering for a wide range of staff priorities and requirements. Customers are particularly fond of its automated employee recognition platform.

EdenRed

EdenRed serves more than 10,0000 businesses and has 35 years-plus experience in the field. The platform is rich in features making it a good match for large businesses with complex needs. They are well-known for helping businesses build more connected teams whilst specialising in high-value perks, incentives and rewards, and expense management tools.

Perkbox

Renowned for its global capabilities, Perkbox is another fast-growing provider now used by over 7,500 businesses. As an employee benefits and rewards platform, Perkbox provides leading HR integration features, driving efficiency and boosting clients’ communications capabilities. This platform brings together employee benefits, wellbeing, and recognition/rewards.

Avantus Employee Benefits

Known by many by its former name, Fair Care. Since launching in 2005 as a specialised salary sacrifice service, Avantus has come a long way. It now provides a wide range of HR functions and employee benefits – with different packages adapted to different business needs. Its FlexGenius module also allows businesses to publish or update policies and documents and make them accessible to the team via the platform.

Zest

With an impressive client roster which includes Aviva and Travis Perkins, Zest promises to be the perfect partner for any employee benefit scheme. Usability is at the heart of what they do, with a setup of fewer than two hours! All the usual features you’d expect are here: personalised benefits & reward schemes, payroll reporting, employee usage stats, communication tools and much more.

Frequently asked questions

Here are just a few of the questions we’ve previously been asked about corporate benefits platforms:

• Is the upfront cost really worthwhile? Usually, yes. It saves HR huge amounts of time by automating tasks and allowing team members to efficiently manage their own perks. But it also allows employees to get the benefits they most need, which will be of mutual benefit to business and employees – healthier, happier employees will be more present and productive in the workplace.
• Can current benefits be transferred? Investing in a new corporate benefits platform doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch. It’s possible to transfer any current policies and benefits into the new system.
• Are platforms available for different business sizes? Absolutely, from start-ups to large corporate institutions, there is a solution for every type of business. They can be as straightforward or as advanced as required, serving a small UK workforce or large global employee base.
• Will it bring an end to one-to-ones? We’d hope not. These platforms may have features which allow for the gathering of feedback and usage stats, but in-person conversations still matter. Whether it’s related to employee benefits or the general workplace experience, there’s nothing that beats a one-to-one conversation.

 

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Get expert advice

When there are so many corporate benefits platforms to choose from, it can be difficult to work out which one provides the best solution. Your business is always evolving and the way people work is constantly shifting – especially with the recent growth of remote and hybrid working possibilities which has driven an upward trend in global workforces.

To help with this process, the best plan is to first speak to an AMII-affiliated broker and get independent advice on which platform and range of benefits will provide the best fit. At Engage Health Group Ltd, we take the time to understand your business and answer all your queries. Based on our conversation/s, we’ll source quotes tailored to your business – all FREE of charge.

Contact us at enquiries@engaghealthgroup.co.uk or call +44 (0)1273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

There are many factors that influence the cost of a health insurance policy. But one factor that’s often overlooked is the ‘excess’ – and it can make a big difference to premiums.

So how does health insurance excess work? And is it best to raise or lower it for you or your business? We’ll answer these questions and more in this blog post.

Looking to set up a health insurance policy for your organisation? Contact our team for FREE quotes & one-to-one guidance. Call +44 (0)1273 974419 or fill in the form on the right.

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What is health insurance excess?

Quite simply, health insurance excess is the amount you will pay out of your own pocket towards a treatment (or consultation) before the actual insurance payout kicks in. When first applying for a health insurance policy, the insurer must establish whether you’re going to add excess – and if so, how much. This excess amount can be set up as zero (where the insurer will meet 100% of medical costs) or up to £5,000, depending on your own requirements.

But remember – the higher the excess, the lower the premium. This can make for a tricky cost-benefit analysis!

How does paying for excess work?

To get a health insurance quote, you will need to choose an excess amount as this will impact the overall cost of your cover.

The most common way of paying excess is to pay it upon each claim. For example, if you require treatment which costs £2000 and you’ve agreed on an excess amount of £200, then you will need to pay that £200 and the insurer will cover the £1800 that’s leftover. In this case, every time you make a claim, the same excess is due. As you can imagine, the costs can mount up.

Alternatively, an insurer may require you to pay an excess once per policy year – this means your excess payment goes towards your first treatment and you won’t have to pay any more excess regardless of how many claims you make.

If you are likely to make multiple claims per policy year, then the latter option will likely be best. Therefore, before choosing a payment option it’s worth considering how often you are likely to claim.

How do you choose the right health insurance excess amount?

When first assessing health insurance excess, most people are aiming to keep their premiums low – one way to do this is by choosing a high voluntary excess. However, this is not a one-size-fits-all situation – some people will prefer to make a greater initial investment safe in the knowledge they won’t need to make any unplanned payments later on down the line. A sudden extra cost at short notice may come as a nasty surprise!

Keep in mind, that at policy renewal you have the chance to change your mind. If you need advice about excess levels or any other aspects of your Business Health Insurance scheme, then it’s worth speaking to the team at Engage Health Group as we’re an independent broker who can provide genuinely impartial advice – for free.

Why is health insurance excess so important?

Establishing the right level of excess can significantly impact your premiums. Although you are paying towards healthcare costs, it’s often the best way to save money on premiums without compromising the level of cover. For example, adding an excess of £200 can reduce premiums by as much as 10%.

So, the higher your excess, the lower the premium but the more you will contribute towards healthcare costs. Alternatively, if health insurance excess is set at zero, you won’t be needing to pay anything for individual claims, as the insurer will meet the medical costs. However, this will leave your premiums more expensive.

If an insurer isn’t providing much in the way of choice, it will be worth considering changing providers. As a broker, we understand how working across the market is the only way of guaranteeing the best deals on health insurance. If you’re a business looking to set up or review a policy, leave a note in the contact form on the right and we’ll be happy to advise.

Enlisting the help of a broker

Should I lower the excess and raise the premium so I won’t get any unplanned bills further down the line? Or should I lower the upfront costs by raising the excess? Should it be a lump sum excess or per-claim excess?

Everyone’s circumstances are different – depending on the health profile of the people covered by the scheme, the likelihood of claims and, of course, the available budget.

The best plan of action is to first speak to an AMII-affiliated health insurance broker. Brokers can advise on striking the perfect balance based on budget and strategic business needs.

 

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At Engage Health Group, we work to your specific budget and help businesses establish the perfect blend of health insurance and employee benefits. We provide expert advice on the best options and source FREE quotes tailored to your circumstances.

Contact us at Engage Health Group Ltd or call +44 (0)1273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

Today’s HR teams face the challenge of handling increasingly disparate staff. While much attention is paid to the rise of remote working – and the challenges that poses – less is said of the increased international spread of workforces.

In this blog post we examine the driving factors behind this trend, the impact it has on the delivery of employee benefits and how businesses can keep things simple.

 

If you’d like FREE professional advice on how best to support your international teams, contact the experts at Engage Health Group +44 (0)1273 974419. We’re happy to answer all your queries and help guide you in the right direction.

The rise of the global workforce

According to CoderPad’s tech hiring survey, 40% of recruiters are hiring internationally for roles in other countries. While this brings many businesses perks, it also increases the logistical challenge of deploying employee benefits and maintaining a happy, healthy and motivated team. It also demands a keen awareness of cultural differences.

There are five interconnected factors behind the increased internationalisation of the workforce, including:

• The continued advance of online digital technology enabling more fluid communication and a wider variety of duties remotely performed.
• The impact of the pandemic which has accelerated the above by forcing companies to adjust their business model toward remote work.
• General trends around globalisation, such as ease-of-movement across borders (at least pre-Covid) and less anchorage to geographical locations.
• The widening global talent tool, particularly in the digital sector.
• Companies’ desire to source the best talent, regardless of where they are in the world.

 

The pandemic has become a major driving factor over the last two years. The social restrictions it triggered forced many companies to reconsider how they employ talent. More than 80% of CFOs said it had fundamentally changed the way they think about hiring and workforce management. Those who have realised the benefits are unlikely to return to the way things were.

According to the Future of Work survey by HSBC:

More than one-third (36%) of businesses are increasing the number of international remote workers not affiliated with a local office.

Over the next three years, 40% of companies are supporting increased flexibility over the office or country from which employees work.

There are three main ways that companies develop an international workforce:

1. Via expat workers: an employee working abroad for a defined period, either on assignment or independently.
2. Via multinational company locations: the classic multinational company which has branches or divisions in different parts of the world.
3. Via international remote employees: the most recent trend which sees employees working remotely from different parts of the world.

 

As this trend continues, HR will be challenged to manage the health, wellbeing, and motivation levels of people in different countries. Part of this challenge is to account for different cultural perspectives, legal jurisdictions and personal needs. That’s no small undertaking for companies with a considerable international footprint.

How to keep global employee benefits simple

One of the problems usually encountered by businesses with global workforces is the complexity of delivering benefits across different locations. Whether it’s companies with satellite offices and/or globe-trotting expat workers, things can get complicated quickly.

The simple solution is to keep everything in one place. Rather than let benefit schemes become a patchwork of different policies for each location, it’s easier – and more cost-effective – to have a single international scheme which covers everyone.

Let’s consider two examples:

Firstly, health insurance. If you have a separate business health insurance policy for each country, that means they must be purchased and managed separately. But if instead, you have a single International Health Insurance scheme you can cover all countries under one policy – a single purchase and everything managed in one place. The savings are considerable, and it significantly relieves the administrative burden on HR.

Secondly, general wellbeing support. This can be difficult to provide consistently across different territories. One of the most popular solutions today is Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs). EAPs are digital platforms which provide tools, advice and services designed to support employee wellbeing (such as one-to-one counselling support, healthy eating guidance, and much more).

However, operating a separate EAP for each country would multiply the costs unnecessarily. Thankfully, there are International Employee Assistance Programmes which can be set up and managed from one location, once more reducing the burden of managing such schemes and controlling costs.

 

Are you looking to build and implement a health and wellbeing plan that covers your whole international workforce? Get FREE expert advice from the specialists at Engage. Put your questions to us using the chat feature in the bottom right or call +44 (0)1273 974419.

 

4 reasons why you should invest in a single international scheme

A single international employee benefits scheme provides several advantages over domestic, single country schemes:

Consistency

International benefit schemes provide a consistent range of benefits and support for all staff across multiple countries.

Even if an employee moves from one country to another, the scheme can be designed to move with them. This saves the trouble (and cost) of removing an employee from a pre-existing policy and enrolling them on a new one.

Generous terms

When you have multiple employees under one policy, you can gain improved terms and conditions. This is the typical ‘bulk buy’ effect. For example, it’s possible to get Medical History Disregarded underwriting on an International Health Insurance plan – this means an individual’s previous medical conditions are overlooked in the pricing and/or terms of the policy. A single national policy is unlikely to offer such generous terms.

Centralised and simplified

Hundreds of HR hours can be saved by bringing together a range of insurance schemes and perks in one place. Different languages, renewal dates, currencies and points of contact can be brought into a centrally managed system.

“Having one central point of contact to administer a group’s international healthcare cover across time zones and languages is costly, so if this burden can be borne by the insurer, the client will save valuable resources,” said Adam Vogt from health insurance providers APRIL International. “Equally, having clearly defined procedures and benefits centrally on a company intranet can ensure all have access and the rules and policy operation are made easier.”

Superior quality

Many international policies will provide more extensive levels of cover than domestic policies. This is particularly true of global health insurance, where individuals may have access to extra services such as maternity care, private GP visits and medical evacuation.

Ready for the road to simplicity?

You should now have a fair understanding of how international insurance products can benefit HR teams and the employees they serve. Whether you’ve already gone down the tangled road of separate national policies and want some relief – or are now seeking ways to look after a newly expanded global workforce – we’d love to hear from you. For FREE no-strings advice call +44 (0)1273 974419 or use the chatbox.

 

Related reading: The 3 Pillars of Corporate Wellbeing: What Do Employers Need to Offer?

It’s been a couple of weeks since the beginning of our Fitness February competition in the Engage office and we can confidently say that it’s been well received by our teams.

The YuLife step-count challenge was first introduced by Hooray Health & Protection Director Charlie Cousins. Charlie set the scene for the competition, introducing his ‘winning’ team (maybe a tad prematurely!) and laid down the ground rules of what we were all doing for the next few weeks.

But this month has indeed been a busy one. So, let’s have a recap of what Fitness February is all about and how Engage got involved.

 

What does Fitness February mean in the Engage office?

We split our office into three teams – Hooray, Engage UK and Engage International – all competing for the greatest number of average step-counts. Teaming up with YuLife, we have been keeping a leader board, recording our steps over the course of February.

YuLife is a life insurance company that focuses on inspiring employees to lead healthy and fulfilled lives by making simple lifestyle changes. This is supported by the YuLife App which rewards staff for their efforts with vouchers, discounts, gifted experiences, and more.

To further incentivise the teams, the directors at both Hooray and Engage have promised an extra reward for the winning group. To up the competition further, they have also offered a special prize for the individual employee with the most steps overall! Who doesn’t love a bit of healthy competition?

At Engage, we have been using the YuLife App, amongst other YuLife benefits, since autumn 2021, meaning our teams were already fully acquainted with the app ahead of the competition. This made us confident in our bid to outstep the team Hooray. We had already begun the process of incorporating small everyday changes into our personal and work lives, ranging from mindfulness practices, such as meditation, to challenging each other to walks.

All in all, we were more than ready to get stuck into the Fitness February challenge!

 

Who are the Engage teams?

We already know about the Hooray team and their desire to win (you can check the details out here!). But what about the rest of us in the office? Both Engage UK and Engage International have four members on each team, giving the groups equal footing.

Engage UK

This team consists of Nick, Boxy, Molly, and me! How are we levelling up so far? What have we been doing to make a difference towards winning?

We have been shaping up into a strong team! Nick has been playing football more, even strapping his phone to himself whilst playing to build up those steps. I have been walking to and from work on the three days I’m in the office (this being a 50-minute walk there and back), really boosting the team’s overall step count.

Boxy and Molly have also proven to be strong contenders, committing to steadily increasing their steps every day of this month.

Engage International

On the International team, we have Ian, Judit, Jo, and Dave. Also proving to be a formidable force, these guys are really starting to go all out!

Dave has taken the competition by storm, quickly rising up the leader board by making frequent visits to the gym after work and spending his lunches on hour-long walks around the area.

For all their talk, the Hooray lot really do need to be watching their backs! Thinking you can take a day off hunkering down in your living room provides the perfect opportunity for the Engage teams to stride into that top spot.

 

The Engage values: what we’re bringing to the competition

As a health insurance broker, the issue of wellbeing holds great importance – both within our teams and for our clients. This has been brought to the fore during this step-count challenge. Light-hearted joking and friendly competition have been combined with support and encouragement – even for the smallest contributions!

Fitness February has brought our team even closer together and boosted each other’s morale and productivity. But we have also taken improvement seriously.

Improving our physical and mental health by getting outside and moving about has been a huge motivation for a lot of our team members, who are each enjoying seeing changes in themselves.

Here’s what we have been doing:

• 1-hour walks at lunch
• Walking to and from work
• 1-2-1’s either walking to the pub for a lunch or taking a stroll around the local area
• Playing football
• Going to the gym
• Doing exercise classes
• Moving around the office when taking calls
• Walking to the shops, post office etc instead of driving
• Getting out and about at the weekends – e.g., exploring new parts of the East Sussex coastline (taking tips from each other about where to go/which walks are great in this area). This not only boosts our step-counts but also improves our relationships with one another, as we learn about interests and personal lives.

 

Pushing ourselves and one another to take those small steps in our everyday lives can often seem easier said than done. Having a focus on team building has demonstrated how each of us can provide that extra bit of support to help someone make a change.

 

How is the competition shaping up so far?

As outlined in Charlie’s introduction earlier this month, all teams were establishing strategies to ensure our steps would be increasing over February.

We were all pleasantly surprised at how well these strategies were received by almost everyone in the office. Yes, that is almost everyone. Where most of the office has been making the change, there are a few staff that are still falling behind! Alfie has shockingly let the side down so far – but luckily, his steps go towards the Hooray team, working in our favour.

Getting out at lunch is helping everyone massively, and, with the days getting longer, walking home from work is becoming more appealing for a lot of people in the office.

However, before revealing who is currently leading the way at the top of the competition, we thought it was important to mention some difficulties that we’ve encountered so far.

Events this month have often felt out of our control, meaning a lot of us in the office struggled with maintaining a high step count every day and haven’t been able to stay active as much as we would have liked. These circumstances include:

• The continuing presence of Covid, and having to isolate to protect others in the office
• General illnesses e.g., colds, doctor appointments, sometimes even the odd hangover (although we can fairly say that the last one is self-inflicted)
• Storm Eunice hitting last weekend

 

Just two months into 2022 and it is already testing everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing. Being a part of Fitness February has meant we have been able to focus on something different, teaching us that it’s okay to ease up from time to time.

We are not machines! It is important to understand when to take a step back, when to look after yourself in different ways, and be able to recognise exactly what it is you need at that certain moment.

 

The current state of the leader board:

But let’s get into what you want to know – who is currently winning?

Hooray were originally soaring ahead with Esme and Charlie sitting comfortably for most of the competition. However, there has been a surprising turn of events.

Nick has quietly taken the lead, closely followed by Esme, and then with Dave – meaning the Engage UK team are strong contenders to lead this competition across the finish line! However, everything is still to play for – we have a feeling this week is going to be filled with lots of surprises.

Although Charlie began with a confident effort, things appear to have taken a turn for the worse for the Hooray Director. Could Engage UK be taking home the winnings?

 

What else to expect from February

Alfie aside, we have all been impressed at how much everyone has really gotten into this Fitness February challenge and how much of a positive impact it has had on our team building here in the office. The fact each team member has improved over the course of the month just goes to show how these healthy fitness trends can lead to positive and optimistic attitudes.

For the final week of February, I’m sure there will still be many more challenges that we as an office will have to face – this is 2022 after all, and the world does seem to continue to throw challenge after challenge at all of us.

That is why taking part in these team building activities and events can be so important to the overall wellbeing of employees. The workplace is a great place for people to come together, feel connected, and have a sense of community. We believe the step challenge will provide benefits way beyond February!

Let us know what you and your teams are doing for Fitness February, and any ideas for more competitions that we could take part in for the rest of the year.

 

Contact us at Engage Health Group Ltd for FREE no-obligation advice and support, or call our team of experts on +44 (0)1273 974419.