Case Study : Liverpool Victoria

Insurance company Liverpool Victoria has undergone major changes over the last two years, with the appointment of a new chief executive, numerous acquisitions, and the transferal back in-house of several previously outsourced services. Last year, it also introduced a new technology-driven flexible benefits system for its 2,800 employees.

Karen Gabriel, HR reward partner, says: ‘Prior to the [introduction of the] new system we had offered some flexibility in our benefits package [because] people could choose childcare voucher, or buy and sell holidays. But in line with the restructure, we felt it was time to implement a more modern system that would be more attractive to staff, and easier for them to use and for us to manage.’

Its new system went live in January this year, when the company also handed responsibility for the administration of it over to its provider, Vebnet.

‘Having an impressive online flex system is one thin, but you have to choose the right level of service to keep it running smoothly and ensure maximum take up of the benefits. We felt it was important to have experts on hand to deal with any staff queries and the general administrative side of things. We have regular fortnightly conference calls with the provider where we can raise any issues that come up, and so far everything has gone to plan and staff feedback has been very positive, ‘ adds Gabriel.