Member Article

Sage and Mercer develop innovative SME benefits package

Software provider Sage UK and employee benefits consultancy Mercer have joined forces to help small businesses offer benefits packages to their staff.

Two thirds of businesses recognise the advantages of offering benefits to their staff, but only one-third actually provides their employees with these incentives. The new Sage Employee Benefits scheme will now help SMEs to offer benefits packages including medical, life insurance, income protection pensions, travel and dental insurance.

It is designed specifically for companies with up to 100 employees, and gives access to competitive rates and benefits normally only available to larger organisation.

Matthew Forrest, head of services small business division at sage UK commented: “Whilst most employers understand the significance of offering a benefits package, SMEs still have concerns regarding costs and the time required for administration.

“Designed with small business owners in mind from day one, the new package makes bespoke benefit packages simple to roll out and easy to manage at an affordable price,” explained Matthew Forrest, Head of Services, Small Business Division, Sage UK.”

The programme also simplifies the administrative burden associated with benefits schemes, giving ‘anytime access’ via a PC, freeing up business owners’ time to focus on running a business.

The new software could also be a vital tool for confused SMEs when the new Pensions Legislation comes into force in 2012. Employers should now begin to plan how they will deal with these changes, and should critically assess the impact they will have on their pay budgets.

He added: “Given the challenges that the larger employers are facing in complying with these new regulations, the Chancellor, along with the pensions regulator, payroll and pension providers should be giving thought now as to how to help smaller employers cope with this new requirement.

“We are working with employers, payroll and pension providers as well as the Pension Regulator to find ways to ease the burden on employer

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .