Recent Success Stories

• Completed Benefits Assessment project for a multinational technology organization, providing them with helpful insights into the strengths and weaknesses of their current approach.
•  Secured group travel medical program for large financial firm.

South Africa

A ruling from The High Court of South Africa has forced legislators to act on maternal and paternal leave laws. The court invalidated sections of two maternity, parental, adoption, and commissioning of parental leave provisions on the grounds that they unfairly discriminate against non-birthing parents. Currently, birthing mothers are entitled to at least 4 months of leave, while fathers are only entitled to 10 days. The decision declared the current leave laws discriminate against adoptive parents and surrogate parents. The ruling has recently been suspended for two years to give lawmakers time to address the changes needed. For now, all parents can receive 4 months of maternity leave benefits. Employers will be expected to adapt their leave policies to adhere to the upcoming regulatory changes.

Australia

Australia has recently passed a bill that will curb employers’ ability to contact workers outside of normal working hours. This bill gives workers the right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from an employer outside of their working hours. The Australian legislators have responded to the growing trend of emailing and texting employees after work with the expectation of a reply. Workers have felt that their workday has been expanding without an increase in their pay. Exceptions are made in cases of emergencies, but specifics are still being confirmed. As the bill stands, employers who do not adhere will face fines and possible jail time, depending on the severity of the case. The bill has received mixed reactions as it awaits to be confirmed by the House of Representatives.   

Global

 A survey over 2,000 workers from various regions like Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, the UK, and South Africa revealed significant differences in the importance of non-salary benefits across these markets, posing challenges for multinational companies in tailoring benefits. Key findings showed that full-time employees in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UAE placed high importance on non-salary benefits, with around 81% considering them important. Contributory pension/savings were highly valued, especially in the UK (66%) and among Hong Kong expats (57%), while employee share scheme options were least important across all regions, with only 15% in the UK considering them significant. Healthcare/private medical plans varied widely in importance, with South Africa expats (64%) and Singapore expats (61%) valuing them most, while UK workers scored the lowest (37%). Critical illness cover was deemed more important than death-in-service cover across all regions. Flexible/remote working and flexible annual & family leave were highly valued globally, with Singapore ranking highest for both. The survey’s results underscored the need for personalized and flexible non-salary benefits, highlighting the obsolescence of a one-size-fits-all approach in today’s diverse global workforce.