The 24 benefits, some paid for by Novartis and some funded by employees, will focus on five areas: core, security and protection, health and wellbeing, lifestyle and voluntary benefits. They include healthcare, dental care, holiday trading and banking and payroll-giving with employee contributions matched by the company up to the value of £500.
The scheme has a function whereby employees can learn skills such as languages, pottery or car mechanics and Novartis will pay a third of the cost up to £200.
The benefits came following employee focus groups were held across all UK sites and communication drives in the form of roadshows, posters, booklets and information stands.
Jeanette Piorkowska, head of reward for Novartis UK and Ireland, said: "Take-up of the new flexible benefit package has been excellent and feedback so far is that employees are pleased with the usability of the new website.
"At Novartis it is imperative in such as competitive marketplace that we can attract and retain key talent to maintain our leadership and support in the pharmaceuticals industry. We want to be able to offer our staff a good mix of benefits to cover all grades of staff."
The scheme was implemented in association with Vebnet.
Novartis expands its benefits offering
Pharmaceuticals firm Novartis UK has launched a new flexible benefits scheme to give its 4,000-strong workforce a wider variety of perks.
