John Lewis adds smart links to paper total reward statements

The John Lewis Partnership has rolled out total reward statements incorporating a new form of technology for its 75,000 staff in John Lewis and Waitrose stores.

The new paper-based total reward statements include quick-response codes. These two-dimensional codes can be scanned using a smart phone to take employees directly to relevant information online.

Jon White, manager of leisure benefits at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “The problem with a paper statement is it is very static but the majority of our staff are not desk-based and do not have day-to-day access to a computer.

“We know that not everybody has got a smart phone, but it is a really good way of engaging with certain staff who are tech savvy, and with younger staff who are traditionally a much more difficult group to engage through printed material.”

The statements will include three quick-response codes that focus on three different elements of the retailer’s benefits package. When scanned, one code will take staff to online information about John Lewis Partnership’s final salary pension scheme.

White added: “A lot of staff find pensions a challenging topic to get into, so the quick-response code takes them directly to the relevant pages on our intranet.”

The second link leads employees to a frequently-asked-questions (FAQ) page.

The third code will take employees to John Lewis Partnership’s new benefits website, which will gather its voluntary benefits package PartnerChoice and its other core benefits in one place. The statements and website are both provided by Edenred.

In relaunching its total reward statements, the retailer also wanted to align these to its pay year. White explained: “In April, it captures a new rate of pay and the recent bonus announcement, which was at the end of March. It now looks back at the financial year rather than just at a 12-month period.

“Our employees had been wanting something a bit more dynamic and easier to navigate. While our intranet is brilliant at being a repository of information, it is not really the easiest tool to use.”

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