Success story: Acacium Group

From the outset, Access People agreed with the Acacium Group that there would be a strong environmental focus with the set-up and implementation of the new employee benefits platform.

Gone were the days of travelling across the country for in-person meetings, and rather than travelling to Acacium Group’s UK locations, meetings were conducted digitally even when restrictions lifted.

Employee benefits platforms have done a lot to help companies go paperless with their benefits in recent years, the Access People team were keen to leverage this for the Acacium Group.

Where possible, Access People moved any paper-based processes online and made this a key focus. Things like Ecards and digital gift cards for discounts were implemented rather than physical versions, and any employee documents and employee benefits process documentation were also moved online where possible.

This has had an added benefit of creating a one-stop-shop for the Acacium Group's workforce through its employee benefits platform for all important employee documentation and communications, improving engagement and employee benefits take-up in the process.

In 2020, the Acacium Group was keen to brighten up the festive period for their international team of over 2,000 employees.

Those employees working from home couldn’t pop by and see their colleagues with a present and a festive card.

There is also the environmental impact to consider when sending physical cards and gifts, along with the postage costs, particularly for Acacium Group staff based across all four corners of the globe who wanted to wish their colleagues from overseas a happy holiday.

This is where Ecards were used to help Acacium Group overcome this challenge.

The Access People team developed bespoke branded Ecards for Acacium Group staff of all religions, so employees could wish their friends and colleagues around the world happy holidays at a time where well wishes and support were really needed.

In December 2020, over 300 festive Ecards were sent by Acacium Group employees, an increase of over 300% on November 2020.

Employees could also send gift cards through the employee benefits platform too, with a wide range of stores and retailers to choose from. Acacium Group employees based in the UK can send gift cards to their friends in Dublin or New York and vice-versa, with no physical cards needed, no postage and less environmental impact.

This carries over to Acacium Group’s reward and recognition too. Managers can send monetary or non-monetary rewards through their employee benefits platform, and personal and professional Ecards to thank them or wish them a 'happy birthday', for example, all without using physical cards or postage, reducing their environmental impact.

Since Access People began working with Acacium Group to develop its employee benefits solution, Acacium Group staff have faced challenges with isolation through lockdowns and have become more environmentally conscious.

Through Acacium Group’s employee benefits platform, Ecards have given employees another way to support their colleagues and provided staff with a more environmentally friendly way of thanking, congratulating and supporting each other wherever they are in the world.

Employees can now use bespoke Ecards for celebrations throughout the year and take advantage of monetary rewards for days out, and leisure as the world begins to open up.

Employee discounts are an employee benefit that has become increasingly popular in recent times. Discounts help families save money on their weekly shop and make brand-new tech much more affordable, to name just a couple of examples.

Acacium Group’s employee instant discounts scheme is entirely digital with no physical cards or postage used.

This means employees get their discounts instantly to use in-store or online, there’s less environmental impact, contributing to a higher scheme take-up from Acacium Group employees and helping towards reducing the environmental impact of the business.

What’s more, is, that the employee instant discount scheme can be used by Acacium Group employees in different countries, despite using different currencies, thanks to the currency conversion technology we developed to make this possible.

Keeping everything digital and hosted through Acacium Group’s bespoke employee benefits platform not only helps reduce the environmental impact of the business but it also helps to:

• Improve up-take of employee benefit schemes through increased employee benefits platform engagement
• Make it easier for employees to access the schemes and discounts they want through a centralised platform
• Reduce administration and streamline processes.

Another hugely popular scheme over the last year has been the Bike to Work Scheme, which has helped employees across the country to get up to 42% off the cost of a brand-new bike and accessories through salary sacrifice.

With the environmental impact a key focus for Acacium Group with its employee benefits, the Bike to Work Scheme was a no-brainer.

According to the Cycle to Work Alliance research, 6 in 10 Bike to Work Scheme users would drive to work if they didn’t use the scheme.

With many employees switching to a hybrid or full-time role from the workplace, the Bike to Work Scheme will continue to support employers in hitting their carbon emissions targets or even reaching net zero.

Acacium Group has taken full advantage of the scheme with a higher-than-average scheme take-up after the scheme proved immensely popular.

The Bike to Work Scheme has supported Acacium Group in:

• Making cycling more accessible to all employees with a wide range of E-Bikes available through the scheme,
• Helping employees save and get more reliable bikes and accessories through the scheme to support the commute to work,
• Reduce Acacium Group’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of vehicle commutes by staff.

Through the work with Access People, Acacium Group has helped incorporate its employee benefits into its carbon emissions targets, while also catering for the environmental priorities of the staff.

In the process, Acacium Group also delivered an employee benefits provision that employees of all demographics can take advantage of, helping employees to save money, as well as reward and recognise its workforce.

Access People is continuing to develop the platform and service to meet the environmental priorities of businesses and employees, and also reduce the environmental impact and that of our clients.

To find out more about how we can support you with employee benefits, discover our market-leading employee benefits platform, our wide range of employee benefits or get in touch today for a free demo.