LONDON 23rd June 2006 - In June 2006 Flagship Training Ltd launched a new flexible benefits scheme called "Open" in conjunction with thomsons online benefits.

Flagship Training is a joint venture between BAE SYSTEMS and the VT Group. In a unique partnering agreement, Flagship markets Royal Navy training expertise and courses to overseas armed forces, related naval markets and to UK industry as a whole. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Flagship currently employs over 1,600 people, largely based across the naval training establishments.

Flagship decided to implement flexible benefits in order to improve communication to their employees on the benefits that they receive, to demonstrate the value of their total reward and to give them the opportunity to change them to suit their needs. By implementing thomsons online benefits web-based "Perquisite™" solution they also wanted to reduce their benefit administration and provide a technology platform that would support the business's future growth. The HR team were particularly keen to realise both tangible and intangible cost savings, particularly through the introduction of salary sacrifice.

Brian Fyfe, Industrial Relations and Employee Relations Manager at Flagship Training comments: "Prior to appointing a flexible benefit consultancy, we ran an employee survey to test their views on the principle of introducing a flexible benefit scheme. The response from employees was overwhelming in the favour of the idea. As a business we also wanted to implement flexible benefits as it has become the benchmark of a best practice employer.

"As a multi-site business we were also keen to use technology to improve the way that we communicate with employees on their employee benefits and give them the appropriate tools to manage them in particular their pension.

"We conducted a thorough review of the entire flexible benefits market before appointing thomsons online benefits. We considered that they were the supplier best able to provide all the services we needed to implement the project from start to finish and whose technology solution "Perquisite™" was well proven amongst a blue chip client base."

A steering group of flexible benefit champions was convened by Flagship that included a cross section of the business. This group determined the direction of the scheme and appropriate communication, and got employees excited and engaged in the launch.

The initial launch of Open offers employees the opportunity to flex on a range of benefits including holidays, dental insurance, private medical insurance, retail vouchers, and salary sacrifice options on pension, and childcare vouchers, as well as promoting other valuable benefits such as the employee assistance programme and save as your earn scheme.

Brian Fyfe continues: "The main focus of our initial launch is ensuring employees appreciate their current benefits and get used to the idea of having flexibility. This will enable us to grow the scheme in the future in line with employees' requirements so that the launch of Open is not viewed as a one-off static event."

To assist employees who do not have access to the internet through work or home Flagship have utilised their Establishment Learning Centres and new Employee Portal Cafes. These facilities enable employees to access the website from their work environment on a casual drop in basis.

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