Law firm Simmons uses feedback to tailor perks

Simmons & Simmons has introduced holiday trading and a cycle-to-work scheme, and is planning further benefits later this year, in response to feedback from a staff survey.

It is implementing the perks in order to better tailor benefits to suit the individual lifestyles of its 850 eligible employees.

In early January, staff were given the option to buy or sell up to five days holiday. Just under 20% of staff elected to do so.

They were also given the chance to sign up for a salary sacrifice cycle-to-work scheme. The enrolment period is set to end on 8 February. John Wheatley, benefits consultant, said: “I don’t expect the scheme to have an enormous take up. However, it is financially very attractive [to employees].”

The firm plans to further develop its benefits provision later this year and is currently considering critical illness cover, salary sacrifice pension contributions, and increasing its death-in-service cover.

Wheatley said: “We want to continue to provide support to our very busy staff and give them the opportunity to tailor perks more to their individual lifestyles. We don’t want to hit people with this all at once, so we are introducing the benefits in waves.”