EXCLUSIVE: Energy organisation SSE has launched an online financial education programme for 20,000 employees based across 150 UK operating sites.
The financial education programme, which launched on 23 January 2018, forms part of the organisation’s wider focus on wellness. This approach aims to help employees’ improve their overall health and wellbeing.
The new programme, provided by Nudge, enables employees to access an online platform where they can find information on how to manage their money better as well as read tips on how to achieve their financial dreams and goals.
Employees will also be sent personalised messages, known as nudges, as part of the financial education programme. This offers bite-sized tips and guidance on relevant financial topics that relate to employees’ specific circumstances and interests. This could include information around changes in legislation or interest rates or changes to employee benefits, as well as details on lifestyle topics, such as moving home.
In September 2017 a campaign was launched to communicate to employees the new and forthcoming benefits, using a variety of media channels. This included news items and blogs on SSE’s staff intranet and on its mobile app, an email newsletter, washroom posters, promotional screensavers on computers, digital advertising banners and images on the staff intranet, app and email newsletters, and an explanatory video.
The financial education programme will run alongside a new pilot project, Back to Health, which will be launching in 2018. The Back to Health pilot will enable specific areas of the business to refer employees for specialist musculoskeletal care and counselling for anxiety, depression and stress. If the pilot proves successful, the programme will be rolled out across the whole organisation.
David Buchanan, head of reward at SSE, said: “In 2017 we introduced a number of new and improved employee benefits; these included improved maternity, paternity and adoption packages, technology loans and voluntary private health insurance, amongst others.
“Employee benefits play an important role in helping attract and retain talented people and help our employees feel valued working here. Launching financial education and our Back to Health pilot will play a significant role in helping improve the health and wellbeing of employees. I’m confident these new benefits, along with the likes of our long-established benefits such as [workplace] pension, holiday purchase scheme and [bikes-for-work] scheme will help us achieve this, as well as ensure we have something on offer for all our employees.”
Sandra Shipley, benefits manager at SSE, added: “Financial education for employees is growing in popularity as it improves financial wellbeing and helps take the stress out of managing money. It can also improve physical and psychological wellbeing too. We wanted to launch a service that was designed to appeal to all our employees regardless of age, wealth or lifestyle, for instance a school leaver understanding their first credit card, through to a retiree planning inheritance for their family.”