Mouchel has run a flexible benefits programme for its 4,500 employees since 2004, but has grown substantially in recent years, both organically and by acquisition. This left the HR team with a complex challenge around communicating and engaging with employees, as well as harmonising terms and conditions of employment.
Mouchel selected Thomsons Online Benefits as its partner on the project. ???The project was split into three stages. First, Thomsons reviewed Mouchel’s pension scheme and put it online with lower charges in place for employees. This involved engaging a population that had previously only ever received offline communication.
Second, the organisation undertook a market review of its current flexible benefits scheme and providers to ensure it remained competitive. All employees were transferred to Thomsons’ Darwin platform without disruption to the enrolment and reporting processes.
New communications media were created to ensure that all employees, including those with limited internet access, received clear information and were better informed about their benefits.
The third stage of the project, scheduled to happen in November, will be to introduce pension salary sacrifice and flexible benefits to another 3,500 people.
Claudia Desai, head of HR operations at Mouchel, comments: "As part of our drive to continuously improve our ongoing HR strategy, we wanted to enhance employee understanding, participation in and appreciation of our employee benefits, as well as simplifying our administration."
