Extra savings for employees
For many businesses, the key to surviving recession will be maximising budgets and managing spend. The same is true when it comes to household budgets and in order to help working parents, Accor Services has launched an enhancement to its childcare voucher scheme that gives employees access to a range of special offers and discounts.
Employees using Accor Services electronic childcare vouchers now have access to special offers and discounts via their online childcare voucher account. There really is something for everyone, with so many opportunities to save money on day-to-day and lifestyle shopping.
- Shopping vouchers - employees can save up to 7.5% on shopping vouchers at a host of leading high street stores and supermarkets. Participating retailers include Argos, Asda, Boots, Debenhams, House of Fraser, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Next, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.
- Special offers - employees can access some great offers and discounts which are updated regularly from leading retailers and online stores for a wide range of items such as toys and games, clothes, sports gear and home entertainment.
- Days out and holidays - employees can get discounted family days out at theme parks and leisure attractions, as well as the best holiday deals from leading tour operators for European packages, cruises, skiing and UK breaks.
- Childcare - employees can source discounts on selected childcare and summer camps for children aged 3 to 17 years.
Employees surveyed by Accor Services last year pointed to a lack of money (44%) and a lack of time (28%) as the two biggest constraints in their daily lives. Few employers can automatically raise wages or reduce hours to help their people with these pressures but this innovation in childcare vouchers means positive steps can be taken to relieve some of the burden on working parents and carers.
Sam Royle, HR Advisor at business communications provider Clearswift, is full of praise for this new innovation and commented: "During these difficult and challenging economic times, Clearswift is always keen to enhance the support for its working parents but with minimal cost implications. When we heard that Accor Services was enhancing its childcare voucher scheme with money saving offers, we were really pleased. Our employees are able to make savings on everyday expenditure which is just another bonus to an already superb scheme".
Andy Philpott, Marketing Director at Accor Services explains the importance of extra savings: "This free enhancement to our childcare voucher service is designed to help employees make better savings, get more from their money and better manage their household costs."
"Organisations can now offer their employees a childcare voucher scheme that adds real, additional value and demonstrates relevance to the current times. Such creative use of benefits can enhance engagement and by aligning solutions like this to your broader engagement strategy, you can convey and enhance your position as a caring company that is keen to invest in childcare and wellbeing initiatives," he adds.
"After all, businesses that look after their employees attract the best people, keep the top talent and get the best out of their workforce. And by integrating childcare vouchers with extra savings into your employee benefits' offering, you can soon start to reap the advantages of increased engagement, motivation and performance," says Philpott.
