EP 412 - How far should UK employers go when it comes to looking after staff?

In this episode we break down the real cost of being a “nice” employer - from UK statutory sick pay (SSP) and full sick pay policies to employee benefits, pensions, flexible working, and permanent health insurance (PHI).

With major UK employment law changes coming, SMEs face difficult trade-offs:

Is full sick pay worth the payroll cost?

Does unlimited holiday actually work?

Can generous benefits create legal risk?

Are employers responsible for employees’ long-term wellbeing?

Featuring insights from Oury Clark's employment lawyer Jessica Bass and financial adviser Freddie Pattenden, this episode is a practical guide for SME founders, directors, and HR leaders navigating sick leave, compliance, retention, and post-COVID workplace expectations.

If you run a UK business and want to balance competitiveness, fairness, and sustainability - this one’s for you.

*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*

Spotify Video Chapters:

00:00 Caring Without Going Broke

00:57 Meet the Experts

01:27 What Staff Really Want

03:38 Compliance Value Competition

05:28 PHI Income Protection Debate

11:22 Post Covid Flex and Mental Health

15:36 Legal Minimums Sick Pay Changes

21:54 Morality Consistency and Flex

26:15 Being Nice Can Backfire

29:10 Structuring Benefits and Contracts

32:09 Unlimited Holiday Pitfalls

32:51 Unlimited holiday pitfalls

34:50 Perks arms race

37:07 SMEs vs big firms

38:35 Pension basics explained

39:43 Qualifying earnings trap

42:41 Pensions and retention

47:17 Salary sacrifice demystified

54:43 Self employed pension gap

55:06 Death in service cover

57:15 Private healthcare reality

59:19 Tailoring PMI benefits

01:03:00 Managing premium increases

01:04:43 Virtual GP and AI support

01:06:16 Avoiding Benefit Red Herrings

01:08:14 Flexible Benefits Allowance

01:11:20 Renewals and Underwriting Traps

01:13:47 Flexible Working Rights

01:15:33 Office Returns and Discrimination

01:19:49 Mental Health Boundaries

01:21:46 Best Benefits and Compliance

01:27:10 Business or BS Quiz

01:27:55 Maternity and Paternity Debate

01:34:28 Wellbeing Apps and Final Wrap

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