Monthly Archives: September 2020

Jobs, News

Trade body to support Government Kickstart Scheme

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is pledging its support to the Government’s Kickstart Scheme designed to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across the country. However, in order to apply, an organisation needs to have 30 roles and so APSCo intends to support the scheme by applying on behalf of its membership.

“We want all our members, irrespective of size to be able to get involved with the scheme”, said Samantha Hurley, Operations Director at APSCo, “and so we felt it important to offer to facilitate members who want to get involved but who just didn’t have the vacancy numbers to be able to participate.”

Training Support

In order to further support members, APSCo will also offer training for each young person on placement at a hugely subsidised rate. The training will cover an introduction to the recruitment sector and resourcing techniques.

Education, L & D, News

City & Guilds joins forces with FutureLearn to help unemployed into new careers

City & Guilds has partnered with the leading social learning platform FutureLearn, to turn the tide on unemployment in the UK and help individuals who work in industries impacted by Covid-19 to reskill and switch careers into growing industries or those facing labour shortages.

Created using employer insights, Skills Bridges will identify the overall potential of a candidate and determine whether individual attributes could be transferred seamlessly into other industries and occupations. It will offer candidates the tools and knowledge of the sector they need to gain direct entry into a new occupation and industry. Candidates will receive a City & Guilds digital credential upon completion.

The news comes as the latest set of employment figures from ONS indicate that over half of workers (52.5%) that changed jobs in the quarter after coronavirus hit, went into completely different sectors . Skills Bridges have been developed in response to rapidly changing labour markets, and to help workers transition to new sectors and industries in the coming months, particularly as the furlough scheme comes to an end.

The Skills Bridges programme is set to grow in the longer term in response to how the UK jobs market evolves in the coming months and will include FutureLearn courses in sectors such as digital, infrastructure, engineering and manufacturing.

With around 4 million people across the UK expected to be unemployed by the end of the year, the Skills Bridges programme aims to create a vital link between industries that are reducing their workforce due to the economic consequences of Covid-19, and growing sectors which require a related skill set.

The first phase of Skills Bridges is due to launch in mid-September and will focus on the social care sector. The Step into Social Care course, which will be available on the FutureLearn platform, will promote the social care sector and the jobs and progression opportunities it can offer. With one-third of all vacancies in the UK currently in the health and social care sector, and over 100,000 jobs available in social care, it aims to help transfer workers into the industry in the coming months.

Kirstie Donnelly, CEO of City and Guilds Group said: “At a time when the jobs market is becoming significantly tougher, we are incredibly proud to partner with FutureLearn to take decisive action to help people gain access to new careers in sectors where there is growth and there are job opportunities. We are committed to doing everything possible to help people get back into ‘good work’, whether they have found themselves unemployed because of the pandemic or just want to find a new career path.”.

“With the UK job market undergoing some considerable systemic shifts and subject to wide regional variations, recognising and leveraging valuable transferable skills is only going to become more important. Our emphasis on mapping the transferable skills, potential and agility of workers into areas of employment need creates a win-win. It helps displaced workers unlock a new career path and it gives employers access to new sources of talented and industry-ready potential employees.”

Justin Cooke, Chief Content and Partnerships Officer said: “The national jobs market has faced a huge amount of disruption over the course of this year and will continue to do so with a huge impact on people’s lives and the UK economy, That’s why we are proud to partner with City & Guilds, FutureLearn’s first ever Further Education partner, for the launch of the Skills Bridges initiative.

Through this partnership we hope to help empower the millions of UK professionals currently without work or facing unemployment to access vital training opportunities, recognise the skills they already have and step into sectors such as healthcare, digital and infrastructure, where there exists unprecedented demand for talent. It’s this level of reskilling and upskilling that’s required to help the UK economy recover from this pandemic.”

News

Five ways your business may unknowingly be committing fraud

It’s estimated that fraud cost the UK almost £190 billion¹ in 2019, with losses increasing by 57% in the past decade. The cost of fraud is expected to continue to rise, but what can UK businesses do to protect themselves against this illegal activity?

With recent research² revealing that one in five adults under the age of 35 have committed at least one form of fraud, anti-money laundering service, SmartSearch, reveals five ways people could be committing fraud without even knowing it and what businesses can do to keep themselves protected.

1. Fronting
Fronting is where a car owner intentionally lies about who the main driver of the vehicle is in order to reduce their car insurance quote, which is now the most common type of consumer fraud in the UK.

Recent statistics show that³ half of the UK population said fronting was an acceptable practice, however, not only could it result in a criminal record, but it could also invalidate the insurance policy.

When it comes to the workplace, if employees are claiming on their business insurance for work trips, the correct checks should be imposed by finance and HR professionals within the business, to ensure any insurance policies are valid. Insurance providers can conduct AML checks or enhanced customer due diligence to ensure any claims on policies suspected of fronting are fully reviewed.

2. Deshopping
Research² has shown that one in every 20 adults in the UK has engaged in deshopping. This activity is where buyers purchase items of clothing with the intention of wearing the products before returning them for a full refund.

Deshopping can be considered as attempting to gain ‘pecuniary advantage by deception’, which is an offence under The Theft Act, 1968 (c.60). It is important for businesses to stay vigilant when items are returned, however, there is a risk for retailers in reacting to genuine consumers with mistrust, as this may lead to consumers becoming equally distrusting of them. Good customer service practices and careful monitoring of how frequently the same customers are returning goods can help businesses avoid this common fraud.

3. Money Muling
Some see being a money mule as a stress-free, get rich quick scheme, however, the consequences can be devastating. The act of money muling is where a bank account holder allows criminals to use their bank account, in order to make the funds more difficult to trace, in exchange for a share of the money.

If the fraud is designed to extract money from an organisation, it may affect both the organisation and its customers or constituents. From 10th January 2020, the fifth anti-money laundering directive (5MLD) became law throughout the European Union which aims to further combat financial crime by boosting existing transparency rules. A careful review of your current practices and processes to ensure your business adheres to all necessary regulations is always strongly advised.

4. Friendly Fraud
Friendly fraud, also known as chargeback fraud, happens when consumers make an online purchase and then call their card issuer to request a refund, citing fraud as the reason. The credit card provider refunds the money and the consumer gets to keep the goods, leaving the seller out of pocket.

The challenge with friendly fraud for businesses, is that there is no way to verify the authenticity of the actual transaction, which may in fact be legitimate. While there is no way to prevent this type of fraud, businesses can implement measures to combat it, such as; good customer service practices, having a good refund policy and storing as much information as you can.

5. Opportunistic Fraud
Opportunistic fraud is a type of insurance fraud, however, unlike ‘crash for cash’ or ‘ghost broking’ schemes, opportunistic fraud isn’t premeditated and doesn’t involve a huge amount of planning.

It occurs when someone is in a genuine incident, but they then exaggerate the damage in order to get pre-existing damage fixed in the repair process. While most people see this as ‘harmless’, the dishonest action impacts the cost of insurance premiums, making them higher for everyone.

Car insurance has for many years been the most difficult market to police with regards to fraudulent claims. The government has introduced an array of new regulations but it is difficult to eliminate all fraudulent claims. In order to protect your business ensure that all business vehicles are fitted with dash cams so the footage can be reviewed by your insurer.

John Dobson, CEO at SmartSearch, comments: “It is surprising how many UK adults have committed fraud without knowing, or think that some forms of fraud are acceptable. The impact these crimes have on the economy and UK businesses is extraordinary, and it should be at the forefront of your mind if you’re about to undertake any of the activities listed.

“There are a lot of ways businesses can strengthen their defences against money laundering and fraud, so it’s important that business owners and decision makers take the time to ensure they are abiding by all the fraud and money laundering regulations currently in place in the UK.

“We hope that by explaining these types of fraud, businesses and consumers can become more diligent on the types of fraud and their implications.”

To find out more about some of the biggest fraud and money laundering cases in recent times, visit: https://www.smartsearch.com/resources/blog/biggest-fraud-and-money-laundering-cases

 

1. Research undertaken by Crowe and The University of Portsmouth in 2019 (The Financial Cost Of Fraud 2019)
2. Research undertaken by Cifas 2019 (Tackling First-Party Fraud)
3. Research undertaken by AA Insurance surveyed 24,070 AA members in 2017

 

News, PPE

Why Sarah has designs on pioneering face masks

A BRISTOL-based fabric designer is rekindling a family association with the textile trade by creating designs for fashion-conscious face mask wearers.

Sarah Burghard, a bespoke textile designer for the hospitality trade, has been commissioned to add some fashionable flair to a range of masks made in a pioneering 3D fabric with an anti-viral finish.

The masks have been produced by Sarah’s cousin, Charles Wood, who runs Baltex – a textile company set up by their great-great-great grandfather William Ball in 1830.
Today the company continues to thrive in the design, manufacture and supply of high-performance technical textiles and sales of their latest product – the Airox Face Mask – have surged by 450%.

Now Sarah is responding to the needs of customers demanding a more attractive mask while still having the reassurance that it has the technical capabilities and comfort of the original design.

Sarah, who runs her business from a houseboat in Bristol Marina, said:

“Although we both have a six generation heritage in the textile industry, and we both have businesses rooted in fabrics, it’s the first time Charles and I have collaborated together.

“While Charles has predominately been working with utilitarian clients like the NHS and the military, I have been working more creatively, so it’s wonderful to produce something together.

“It has been a challenge to establish how you transfer a pattern onto this material, so we have spent some time ensuring the printing processes and techniques are spot on.”

Baltex won an innovation prize from The Textile Institute in 2010 for its work in 3D fabrics and at the start of the pandemic the company transferred its research and development capabilities into the Airox Face Mask.

Using the same 3D fabric technology it used to develop a pressure relief cushion for wheelchair users and mattresses, the reusable mask provides two layers of breathable fabric in a single lightweight construction which is comfortable to wear as it distributes pressure evenly.

The fabric is water repellent so, unlike cotton, avoids the absorption of droplets and is also constructed to divert expelled air, which reduces the chance of passing the virus on.

The masks, which are machine washable at 60 degrees, are also coated in an antiviral finish, called ViralOff, from the Swedish hygiene specialist Polygiene.

Baltex is one of the first companies in the world to use the finish on a face mask. While the treatment has not been tested against Covd-19, it has been accredited with reducing levels of Influenza A, BirdFlu, Norovirus and SARS by 99%.

Like Charles, Sarah has also shifted the emphasis of her business during lockdown, establishing a virtual interior design service, a move which still allows her to use the flair for fabrics she has inherited from generations of her family.

Sarah added: “I like to tell the story of a product or company through the fabric and so my designs for the facemask have taken inspiration from the woven texture of the material.
“While it is easy to buy either pretty masks or functional masks, the idea is that the Airox has all the science and style of both.”

The Airox Face Mask retails at £7.99.  To learn more, visit: www.airospring.co.uk

News

Fastflow Group makes Sunday Times PwC Top Track 250 for first time

Fastflow Group has made it into the Sunday Times PwC Top Track 250 for the first time, ranked 177th. Published on 27th September 2020, the Sunday Times PwC Top Track 250 league table ranks Britain’s leading mid-market private companies with the biggest sales – before the pandemic struck. In June 2019 Fastflow joined forces with United Living, substantially increasing the size and scale of the combined group.

The company provides essential gas, water and multi-utility infrastructure services to blue chip customers across the UK, as well as the development of new homes and planned and responsive property maintenance services for social housing and local authority clients. Chief executive and Chairman Neil Armstrong heads up the enlarged group and oversaw sales of £137.5m in 2019. Revenues this financial year are expected to reach £500m, so the company is hoping to again feature in the Top Track awards. The enlarged group has a secured order book of c£1.2bn and a pipeline of opportunities worth c£3bn.

Neil Armstrong, CEO and Chairman at Fastflow and United Living Group, said, ‘I see this accolade as recognition of the strength of our business and our people. We play a crucial role in society, helping our customers create a better future, often for the most vulnerable in our communities. Our role within infrastructure figuratively and literally helps the ‘keep the lights on’ and provide clean drinking water to millions of consumers. In short, our work is important, and I am immensely grateful to our people who continue to do their utmost to serve our customers’ energy, water and housing assets with exceptional levels of service, quality and commitment.”

Arif Ahmad, a Private Business Partner at PwC UK, the title sponsor of the league table, said: “There’s no doubt that 2020 has posed unprecedented challenges. But time and again, we’ve seen business leaders rising to that challenge, adapting their plans and taking the opportunity to innovate. This year, it’s more important than ever to recognise and congratulate the companies featured in the Top Track 250. They are the backbone of the UK economy and it’s our pleasure to work with them, at every stage of their journeys.”

COVID-19, News

Herd Immunity Strategy is ‘Unethical and Unlikely to be Successful in the UK, warn scientists, as Long Covid Sufferers call for more recognition

Today’s briefing from Independent SAGE saw the advisory group report a slight reduction in infection rates across England and Wales, with the team reporting that instead of doubling every 8 days, as previously modelled, cases in the UK overall were now appearing to double every 12 days, which although a small decrease was good news long term.  However, the scientists noted a significant increase in Scotland, where university students have begun their term, and expressed some concern that we could see a similar pattern in England and Wales as university students settle in.  They also expressed concern at the accuracy of the figures because, as has been widely reported, many people within the UK are unable to access tests at this time and the figures only include confirmed cases.

They said that the figures show UK is still in a “dangerous place” with infection rates increasing every week and hospital admissions rising.

Independent SAGE is a group of scientists who are working together to provide independent scientific advice to the UK government and public on how to minimise deaths and support Britain’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Sir David King, the former chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government, chairs the group and oversees its reports.  Today, the team shared two new reports on why a herd immunity strategy was unlikely to succeed in Britain, and why comparisons with Sweden were misrepresentative.

Herd Immunity ‘unethical’ and likely to be unsuccessful

The committee warns against pursuing ‘herd immunity’ as a strategy in the absence of a vaccine saying it “would not work in the UK” and would be “irresponsible and unethical to try”.

The findings of a white paper said such a strategy risks a significant amount of avoidable death and illness, without protecting the economy, and evidence suggests that the duration of immunity achieved could be less than a year.

Long Covid and Illness in Younger people

The paper noted that if this strategy were adopted, there would be substantial mortality and morbidity even among the ‘non-vulnerable’. It would also increase health and social inequalities, with the most disadvantaged groups, particularly the elderly, deprived and the ethnic minority groups, being disproportionately impacted.

They committee discussed how the current focus on deaths and infection did not take into account the significant number of previously healthy patients across all ages who are reporting significant long term health issues arising from the virus, including heart attacks, debilitating fatigue and organ complications – a phenomenon known as ‘Long Covid’, which could have a long term impact on the economy and on public health, the costs of which are not yet known.

Today’s special guest, Michael Rosen, author and poet, explained that since acquiring COVID-19 many months ago, he has lost the hearing in one ear and has a permanent fog on one of his eyes.   The team also heard from Claire Hastie, who is the founder of the Long Covid Support Group on Facebook.  Since her Covid-19 diagnosis in March, Claire struggles to walk – and explained that many within the group were turned away from hospitals at the height of the pandemic for ‘not being sick enough’, and did not even receive a test for the disease.  Claire told the committee that the group has over 23,000 members, many of them in their twenties who were previously fit and healthy, as well as parents of children, older adults and middle aged members.  The committee heard that sufferers were reporting a wide range of symptoms depending on which organ the disease attacked, and the group expressed concern that there were no guarantees as to what the long term outcome could be, both for affected patients and the additional strain this could place on the UK’s healthcare system.  Claire called for more to be done to recognise the long term complications and to assist sufferers.

Comparisons with Sweden

In another white paper, the authors challenged why Sweden was being used as an example of a country where a population immunity strategy is working, without lockdowns. Sweden’s chief public health expert Anders Tegnell himself previously said “Each country has to reach ‘herd immunity’ in one way or another, and we are going to reach it in a different way”.

The paper’s author said: the idea that Sweden has no restrictions or lockdown is a misconception and secondly the assertion that its strategy is successful is far from clear.  Sweden actually undertook a number of lockdown restrictions, and has one of the highest current per capita death rates for COVID-19 in Europe.   Sweden’s economic contraction is in line with Denmark and Finland which imposed much tighter restrictions, and the authors claim that differences in standard of living, working conditions, school class sizes and levels of trust in the government, make comparisons between the UK and Sweden impossible.

News

Selligent and Five9 Partner to Deliver Intelligent, Data-Led Omnichannel Customer Journeys

Selligent, the intelligent omnichannel cloud technology company, announced today that it has joined the Five9 App Marketplace, merging the capabilities of Selligent Experience Cloud with the Five9 Intelligent Cloud Contact Center for improved omnichannel customer experiences. By rooting evolving customer experiences in data collected throughout the customer journey, contact centre agents are better able to assess needs and deliver resolutions that are timely, relevant and tailored to individual needs.

Five9 launched the App Marketplace in November 2019 to offer technology solutions from trusted partners to thousands of Five9 contact centre customers worldwide. The Selligent and Five9 partnership will enable businesses to deliver informed customer experiences by capturing and surfacing engagement data to contact centre agents, providing them a holistic view of a customer’s buying history, unique preferences, and customer service needs. Doing so will significantly up-level customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty as customer needs are addressed in real-time.

“Five9 is excited to partner with Selligent in order to bring real-time insights to the contact centre to better equip agents to provide more human customer service experiences,” said Walt Rossi, Vice President, Business Development, Five9. “Arming agents with valuable insights to help exceed customer expectations is now more important than ever as digital transformation has been accelerated by the pandemic.”

Leveraging Selligent’s Universal Profile, a centralised view of all relevant customer engagement data, including purchase history and prior omnichannel interactions, the Five9 App Marketplace offering will enable businesses to:

  • Identify anonymous or known customers’ website browsing history and map it to the corresponding universal profile, enabling smart segmentation, targeting and engagement across the web, sales and service journeys
  • Proactively engage with customers via outbound interactions, automatically trigger communications to anticipate requests, and drive continuing engagements after initial contact
  • Deliver real-time customer insights to agents, providing the needed context to support unique sales opportunities by surfacing relevant product information and post-call recommendations

“2020 signaled a shift and heavier reliance on digital channels as they became a bigger part of how customers interact with businesses,” said Karthik Kripapuri, CEO at Selligent. “Capturing customer data and serving it up to a contact centre agent who can use the real-time information to improve the overall experience is critical to success in today’s business environment. Merging our capabilities will transform both the contact centre and overall customer journey, leading to stronger, more meaningful engagements. We’re thrilled to work with Five9 to drive business impact when it matters most.”

For more information, visit https://www.selligent.com/customerexperience.

News

Security giant Proton Technologies takes positive steps to achieve technical excellence with SALT.agency®

Proton Technologies, the company behind the world’s largest encrypted email service, ProtonMail, has partnered with technical SEO agency, SALT.agency, to provide migration support and technical SEO guidance while it lays the groundworks for future products.

ProtonMail is a Swiss-based, end-to-end encrypted email service that boasts more than 20 million users across the globe.

Andy Yen, CEO of Proton Technologies, said:

“We started Proton with a simple mission: to protect privacy, defend freedom of speech and build an internet that is secure against cyber-attacks.

“Working with SALT.agency will allow us to build on the work our team had already done internally and expand our reach further than ever before, helping more people all around the world take back control of their data.”

Dan Taylor, SALT.agency’s Head of Research & Development, said:

“As a technical agency, we’ve been familiar with Proton and its technologies for some time, and having the opportunity to work with another industry-leading technology client is an exciting opportunity.

“When Proton Technologies approached SALT.agency with a brief, it was apparent that the company wanted a no-nonsense, results-focused approach to complement its internal knowledge.”

SALT.agency is no stranger to working with leading technology companies, after being appointed by then growing-CDN start-up Cloudflare to drive its international organic growth.

News, Research

Selligent Consumer Study Reports Seismic Shift in Consumer Spending Habits with 60% Prioritising Purchase of Essential Items

Selligent, the intelligent omnichannel cloud technology company, today published its third annual Selligent Global Connected Consumer Index, a global study of 5,000 consumers focused on brand interactions and expectations. This year’s study finds seismic shifts in consumer behaviour and changing expectations from brands amid the ongoing effects of the global pandemic. Seventy-five percent of global consumers reported less work (reduced hours, reduced pay, laid off, etc.) due to COVID-19 and, as a result, a majority (60 percent) have modified purchases to focus on essential items, like food and safety products. When it comes to interactions with brands, 76 percent expect real-time email or mobile updates, while 81 percent value flexibility in returns or cancellations.

While it is clear that consumer spending habits are rapidly changing, data also shows opportunities for brands to cater to the ‘new normal’ of consumerism. Staying at home is a long-term expectation for most, with 58 percent of people prepared for a future of remote work, and 56 percent expecting to make new purchases to reflect the shift. They are buying more frequently as well, with 36 percent shopping online weekly, up from 28 percent before COVID-19.

Consumer expectations and patience levels have also changed:

  • Thirty-eight percent of pollsters agree brands have made a considerable effort to improve their overall customer experiences in the last year.
  • Consumers are more understanding of the pandemic’s impact on customer service response times: 93 percent expect a response from a brand within 24 hours – down 3 percent from 2019.
  • While the majority of consumers (64 percent) still agree that privacy is more important than online experience, that figure dropped from ten points compared to the 2019 study.

Opportunities for Brands to Meet Evolving Consumer Needs

Brands are presented with opportunities to engage with customers in new ways to instill continued confidence through relevant offerings and ensuring flexibility to cater to today’s unique situations.

  • Relevant, omnichannel communications remains a critical component of marketing, with 75 percent of consumers reporting they prefer to receive messages via email (59 percent) or mobile (33 percent). Two out of 5 respondents reported that they unsubscribed from at least three email lists in the last six months, with 55 percent citing “too many emails” as the reason. Tangible benefits and perks have become a must-have for brand interactions, with 54 percent reporting that sales and deals are the most valuable communications to receive – linked to consumers being more cost-conscious and value-focused. Reliance on phone customer support as a first point of contact has also dropped ten points to 33 percent this year, underscoring the importance of customer service availability across channels, including email, website chat, social, and SMS/text.

 

  • Real-time, customer-first service should remain the priority for brand marketers, as consumers clearly state what factors urge them to buy. Seventy percent want the ability to know product availability before purchasing online or in store, 76 percent desire clearly communicated safety protocols, and 64 percent want mobile and contactless pickup or check-in options.

 

  • Loyalty and advocacy are shifting, with a growing preference for free products and buyer perks over specific brands. Only 8 percent of consumers note that “brand name” matters when it comes to their buying loyalty, while 51 percent believe that free products and buyer perks (secret sales, free shipping, promo codes) are the best ways for brands to show they care.

“Understanding how drastically consumers have changed since the start of the pandemic will position marketers to better anticipate and serve the individual needs of their customers moving forward,” said Karthik Kripapuri, CEO at Selligent. “It’s clear that listening to customers more closely, frequently looking for opportunities to deliver customer-first experiences, and developing programs that reward buyers for their loyalty and advocacy will support an organisation’s ability to, not only survive today’s challenging environment, but thrive in it.”

Download the Selligent Global Connected Consumer Index here: www.selligent.com/connectedconsumer.

Benefits, Health, HR News, Wellbeing at Work

Gympass partners with Lidl GB to encourage health and wellness among staff

Gympass, leader in corporate wellness, has partnered with Lidl GB, one of Britain’s leading discount retailers, to encourage each member of its 25,000-strong workforce into fitness and wellbeing.

The Lidl workforce is spread across over 800 stores and 13 regional distribution centres managed by its head office in Wimbledon, South West London.

Most Lidl store-based colleagues are active and have little trouble getting their daily steps in on the shop floor.  However, Lidl is aware that this activity alone isn’t enough for all-round wellbeing and its head office team was keen to find a corporate wellness platform that would encourage all colleagues into additional activity. By partnering with Gympass, colleagues will have unlimited access to the UK’s top gyms and studios and be able to exercise at home through online classes and personal training. Gympass will also provide a range of other services to help colleagues’ mental and financial wellbeing, including 1-on-1 online counselling sessions.

The flexibility to access all these options digitally at home as well as physically at a range of fitness facilities was key in Lidl’s decision to use Gympass which enables colleagues to fit activity around their work shifts and family commitments.

“As a large multi-site organisation, it is imperative that our initiatives reach, motivate and engage all of our colleagues,” says Melanie Di Cristino, Head of Reward and Culture at Lidl GB.  “We are serious about promoting the wellbeing of our colleagues and the Gympass platform enables everyone to proactively manage their physical and mental wellbeing.”

Gympass sits nicely alongside Lidl’s comprehensive employee benefits package which also includes a variety of wellbeing initiatives including a wellbeing portal where colleagues can access healthy recipes, mental health advice and financial wellbeing tools.

“By giving our colleagues discounted access to gyms, fitness studios and wellness apps, we are providing them with a platform to enhance their wellbeing,” continues Melanie.  “The flexibility and wide range of gyms, fitness facilities and apps available on Gympass gives plenty of options – there really is something for everyone on the platform.”

“We really enjoyed working with Lidl to put together a programme that would enhance and complement its existing employee benefits,” says Luke Bullen, Gympass CEO UK/IE.  “When a business already has some key elements in place, it means its management team and workforce are already engaged in the concept of wellbeing and employee health.  This gives us a firm foundation on which to build, offering a diverse range of wellness solutions, both in-person at fitness facilities and digitally for at-home use.  Our wide-ranging programme can really help staff take their next step in fitness and we look forward to seeing the Lidl workforce tap into our new options to find an activity to love.”