Understanding Employee Benefits Packages

Retirement Accumulation Strategies with Real Assets and Inflation Risk New publication from Amundi Investment Institute. With Benjamin Bruder, Camille Schittly, and Jiali Xu, we explore the optimal design of retirement solutions and glide paths. Over time, longevity has become a systemic risk for PAYG and DB pension plans, and an idiosyncratic risk for individuals. For example, life expectancy is projected to reach 82 years by 2100, up from 46 years in 1950. This increase has contributed to the growth of DC pension plans. Before individuals can effectively decumulate in retirement, they must first accumulate sufficient wealth, highlighting the central role of dynamic asset allocation in retirement planning. This paper provides both a theoretical framework, empirical insights and practical consideration. Here are the main key findings. First, the optimal allocation can be interpreted as a leveraged version of the constant-mix strategy, where human capital plays a key role in determining the leverage ratio. Understanding the human-to-financial capital ratio paves the way for personalized retirement solutions. Second, we solve a fundamental puzzle in retirement planning: Why do practitioners implement concave glide paths, even though theory predicts convex allocation patterns? Third, we identify the conditions under which the two-stage approach (combining Markowitz optimization with Merton leverage) produces the same solution as the multi-asset stochastic optimal control problem. Fourth, we compare glide path implementations using traditional assets with those that include real assets. Our results show that extending the investment universe to real assets adds value, even after accounting for transaction costs and liquidity risk management. Finally, we analyze retirement solutions under inflation risk, showing that the optimal dynamic solution consists of a performance portfolio and a liability-hedging portfolio. This aligns DC strategies with the liability-driven investment principles used by DB plans. Importantly, the hedging demand may be positive or negative depending on whether the objective function incorporates an inflation discounting component (reflecting the investor’s time horizon and myopia) and the correlation between assets and inflation. This analysis revisits the classic debate on inflation risk (expected vs. unexpected inflation, level vs. variability) and demonstrates how different inflation components influence dynamic asset allocation. While this paper is technical, we provide a 15-page non-technical introduction and conclusion that clearly summarize the main issues and key findings of the accumulation period. Here are the links to the paper: https://lnkd.in/ezvCAqSm https://lnkd.in/emPtHHTx https://lnkd.in/eSMSMSgD #retirement #assetallocation

I was live on BBC Two yesterday talking about why we need better paternity leave. And got into a fiery debate with Iain Dale 🤢 I thought I was going in to a friendly environment but ended up on enemy territory. Luckily, I came out alive and unscathed. We have one of the worst parental leave systems in Europe. Currently 20% of dads take no parental leave at all. Affordability is the main issue as statutory paternity leave is a measly £184.03 per week for 2 weeks. It's sad and devastating for families. A study by PwC estimated that closing the gender employment gap could add £43.5bn to the UK economy over the next 5 years. Enhanced paternity leave could play a role in this by enabling more equal workforce participation. Many employers have done great work to enhance paternity leave but we need to help all dads and that means Labour introducing 6 weeks paid paternity leave at 90% of salary, as a bare minimum. This is not market leading by the way, it would still put the UK in the bottom third of countries in Europe, well beyond best practise seen in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Dads want this. Modern men want to move away from harmful gendered parenting roles that define our role as solely providing. It’s damaging to our wellbeing and happiness. Enhanced paternity leave is important: 💡 It helps father/infant bonding and the dad ‘learning’ how to parent his child independently 💡It supports the mental health of both parents, currently 1 in 10 dads and 1 in 5 mums will suffer from post-natal depression 💡It helps dads to support their partners recover, especially from traumatic births and C sections 💡It supports gender equality as dads who are involved from the very start are more likely to work flexibly later on. We know 80% of the gender pay gap is attributed to the motherhood penalty and dads being equal parents is key to addressing this Snippet below and watch the full discussion (and back and forth lol) on Politics Live here: https://lnkd.in/eadZcyjm #PaternityLeave #ParentingOutLoud #EqualParentalLeave #GenderEquality

She moved back to Detroit to care for her mom. She ended up managing a rotating team of home-health aides while running her own business. Theresa de la Osa is an executive recruiter, and she ended up using her skills to solve the problem. She hired nursing students directly from local schools at $20/hour, instead of paying agencies $33/hour for aides earning just $16. Most of your employees can't do that. And they're solving it alone. Between 10% and 20% of workers across every industry are managing elder care right now, per KPMG economist Matthew Nestler, PhD. Unlike child care, it rarely comes with warning: it arrives as a crisis. The cost to employers? Lost productivity, and higher turnover. As Matthew noted for those leaders concerned about the cost of supporting new programs, "You're already in the red whether you know it or not." In Part 1, I covered what costs nothing: starting with simply making elder care a conversation that's encouraged. Today's Charter Pro piece outlines seven more steps companies can take. Here are three: 🧭 Add #eldercare concierge services. For employees navigating sudden, complex needs, concierge services help them understand their options: booking appointments, explaining next steps, interpreting medical information. 🗓️ Provide real flexibility. For caregivers, schedule flexibility determines whether they can get a parent to a 10am appointment. RTO mandates aren't neutral here. For frontline workers, predictable schedules matter just as much. 📋 Extend paid family leave broadly. Tracy Layney led this at Levi Strauss & Co.: eight weeks, any family member, any circumstance for all benefits-eligible employees (i.e., store staff). As she puts it: "I would rather have an employee take eight weeks away and come back than have them quit." And advocate for change beyond your own four walls: As Matthew says, workers and their employers are "subsidizing the healthcare industry" through unpaid care. Employers have real leverage and a direct business interest in pushing for systemic change. Replacing a frontline worker costs 40% of their salary. An office worker? 80%. The math on doing nothing is worse than the math on doing something. The full piece has four more, linked in comments. What support does your organization currently offer caregivers?

We grew up hearing stories from our grandfathers and grandmothers Now we see them begging on the streets Or staying at an old age home   One in every three elderly persons not having any income in the past one year, more among women (38%) than men (27%)   As many as 32 per cent elderly persons or their spouses have an annual income of less than Rs.50,000 and only 29% reported to be having access to social security schemes.   HelpAge India voices their concerns, so they can lead secure & dignified lives.   It works through 26 State Offices across India, runs numerous programs on-ground, addressing elder needs and advocating for their rights, such as their right to Universal Pension, quality Healthcare, action against Elder Abuse and many more at a national, state and societal level with Central and State governments.   It advocates for elder friendly policies and their implementation thereof.   The organization’s programs are focused on direct interventions in the areas of healthcare (mobile healthcare units, cataract surgeries), Agecare (helplines, senior citizen care homes and day care centres, physiotherapy), Livelihoods (elder-self-help groups; linkages with government schemes), Disaster Response (e.g. covid19 relief response), as well as Advocacy and Awareness on rights and policies relating to elders.   India’s demography is changing – while senior citizens now constitute around 10% of the population – this number is expected to touch 20% by 2050.   While India has launched programmes such as the National Programme for the Healthcare of the Elderly and has enacted legislation like the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, implementation on the ground remains challenging.   Thank you Sharmila Majumder (Territory Head-WB & NE at HelpAge India) for being a part of Make Calcutta Relevant Again (MCRA) Podcast and reminding us that people with wisdom and experience are to be adorned because their lives matter.   Our elders are the foundation that holds the society together. They shouldn’t be treated like forgotten relics of the past. :)   #asksumit #oldage #elderly #DEI #MCRA #helpage

Jeff retired at 60 with £500,000 but he had one big problem… Jeff had worked hard for 40 years and was finally ready to enjoy retirement. ✔️ £500,000 in pensions & savings ✔️ No mortgage ✔️ Plans to travel, play golf, and spend time with family But when he sat down to plan his finances, one big question loomed over him… Would his money last? Jeff planned to withdraw £30,000 per year from his pension. That seemed reasonable—until he looked at the impact of: ⚠️ Inflation – £30,000 today won’t buy the same lifestyle in 20 years ⚠️ Market downturns – A few bad years could reduce his pot faster than expected ⚠️ Living longer than planned – What if he lived to 90+? Would he still have enough? At that rate, his pension could run out in his mid-80s, just when he might need it most for care costs or extra support. How Jeff fixed it (using Cashflow Modelling) Instead of guessing, Jeff worked with a financial planner who used cashflow modelling to map out his retirement finances. Here’s what it showed him: 📊 If he withdrew £30,000 per year without a strategy, his money could run out by age 83 📊 If he adjusted withdrawals, invested wisely & minimised tax, he could have enough until 95+ With a clear picture of how long his money could last, Jeff made smart changes: ✅ Adjusted his withdrawal strategy – Taking a flexible approach rather than a fixed amount each year ✅ Maximised tax efficiency – Withdrawing from different pots to reduce unnecessary tax ✅ Kept part of his pension invested – Allowing his money to grow even in retirement ✅ Planned for later-life costs – Factoring in potential care expenses so he wouldn’t be caught off guard Now, instead of worrying about running out, Jeff has a long-term plan based on real numbers… giving him peace of mind and the freedom to enjoy retirement. Key lesson… A big pension pot doesn’t always mean financial security. Without a clear plan, it’s easy to: 🚨 Withdraw too much, too soon 🚨 Pay more tax than necessary 🚨 Run out of money later in life Cashflow modelling helps you see the bigger picture, so you can make confident financial decisions for retirement 🙌

Eldercare isn’t just about hospitals or old-age homes. It’s about continuum of care. Today, the new term for eldercare in India is: CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community). In my last post I had highlighted stats around the eldercare system in India that was discussed at the Healthcare Summit 2025 organized by VCCircle. In continuation to my post, one of the points of discussion was why we need an integrated healthcare ecosystem for our elders. An ecosystem where primary care, tertiary healthcare, pre and post-hospital rehabilitation are seamlessly connected. One of the most thought-provoking discussions was around who the real decision-makers are in providing elder care: Is it the elders themselves? Is it their children? Or is there a third category—someone influencing the decision? Adarsh from Primus shared a key insight: 95% of seniors in his facilities pay for their own care. Meanwhile, Rajagopal G from Kites introduced the UPI model (User, Payer, Influencer)—sometimes all three roles are taken on by the elder, while in other cases, the children pay, but the elder decides. It made me think - are we designing eldercare solutions with the right decision-makers in mind? Another eye-opening moment was when Dr. Karthik from Athulya Senior Care shared an unexpected finding of their facility - they assumed that eldercare homes with lake-facing views would be the most sought-after. They were wrong. The playground-facing homes had higher demand. Why? Because elders don’t just want a beautiful view—they want to see life happening around them. They want to feel connected. They want community. Loneliness is a bigger problem than we realize. So where does this leave us? → Post-hospital care is critical. Recovery doesn’t stop at discharge—it needs rehabilitation, assisted living, home care and engagement. → Financial independence matters. Seniors don’t want handouts, they want solutions. If we look closely, most elders don’t need hospitalisation but can’t be managed at home - that’s where assisted living facilities step in. This is one of the areas that TWC strongly addresses. Aging is inevitable. Isolation, financial insecurity, and lack of care shouldn’t be. The more I participate in such discussions, the more I learn about the gaps and how we all must collectively work together to bridge them. This isn’t just about eldercare homes—it’s about scalable, investment-worthy models that provide independence, healthcare, and community under one roof. I would like to ask you today - how do you wish to help your elders or parents to live better? What facilities would you want for them? ♻️Repost to spread the message. PS: Stay tuned for my upcoming posts where I will continue diving deep into the eldercare ecosystem.

I have made and saved a lot of money using remote teams across all of my companies.  Here’s how you do it: Almost every business could use at least some remote talent. It’s a great way to access a broader talent pool than your local area. You can also lower overhead costs — less office space, lower bills, and even hire talent from other countries. So how do you get the most out of a team that you don’t see face to face? Step 1: Define your objectives and needs Nail down your biggest reason for building a remote team. Broaden your hiring pool? More flexibility? Lower costs? Your main goal guides your future decisions. Then, assess which of your positions are suitable for remote or hybrid work. — Step 2: Develop a remote work policy A solid policy sets the tone and expectations for your team. Try to answer all questions ahead of time. Clarify Scope and Purpose: •  Who is eligible to work remotely? • For hybrid, how many days? • Is there a distance requirement? Set Communication Standards: • When should people be online and available? • What communication tools should they use? Security Protocols: Password manager?  VPN? Are you providing work equipment or expecting BYOD? — Step 3: Update your hiring process Build remote-specific job descriptions: Highlight skills like self-discipline and communication. Use diverse recruitment channels: Remote-specific job boards and communities. Tailor interviews for remote readiness: Include video calls and assess their home office setup. — Step 4: Find the right tools & technology Equip your team with tools that support collaboration and productivity. You’ll probably need: • An async communication hub (like Slack) • A video call platform (Google Meet) • A project management tool (Asana or Trello) • Hardware/software support Provide equipment or offer a stipend. — Step 5: Establish clear communication guidelines Effective communication is the backbone of remote work. Do you need people to: • Set online statuses? • Post daily updates? • Follow a response time rule? • When do you need people available for video calls? Make sure to set regular meetings and check-ins. Weekly stand-ups and monthly all-hands help keep everyone aligned. — Step 6: Build a strong team culture Strong remote teams thrive on culture and connection. Start with thorough virtual onboarding. Set up meet and greets and mentoring sessions. Add regular team activities: • Virtual coffee breaks • Game time • Casual Slack channels Celebrate everything: • Individual and team wins • Holidays • Company milestones — Step 7: Keep tabs on performance Address concerns head-on with clear goals and regular feedback. Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Schedule quarterly reviews. Focus on outcomes — not hours worked. — If you’re interested in remote staff for your teams. Comment below or message me and I’ll get you connected.

Yesterday was my birthday! It got off to a slow start—my husband forgot (oops!) and my daughter was away at camp—but the day turned out to be wonderful, filled with meaningful family time. In the evening, we went out for dinner with amazing friends. The food was good, the company was even better—but the dining experience? A bit of a letdown. It reminded me of how a generous Parental Leave policy, without thoughtful user experience, can feel the same way. A restaurant may serve incredible food, but if ordering requires navigating a clunky QR code system with no human interaction, the experience feels transactional, not welcoming. The promise is there. The offering is great. But the experience? Cold, transactional, and frustrating. Without thoughtful design and a human touch, what should feel like care and generosity instead feels impersonal and disconnected. Policy and process alone isn’t enough. Experience matters. How is your company ensuring Parental Leave feels as supportive as it looks on paper? Here are some ideas gleaned from my experience of working with Parental Leavers over the past 8 years - many of which cost nothing (or next to nothing) to implement. No and Low Cost Parental Leave (PL) Recommendations: 📌 publish a clear and consistent PL policy 📌 ensure information is accessible and easy to find independently  📌 offer ‘how to’ fact sheets 📌 provide information to support financial decision-making  📌 share calculations of Annual Leave in advance 📌 send out regular organisational updates 📌 offer genuine flexibility in the lead up to PL 📌 provide support for managers to implement policy 📌 initiate conversations early and often (including return to work options) 📌 communicate during PL as agreed 📌 share information about peer support networks, mentoring, and coaching 📌 assign ownership of PL support to a designated person No and Low Cost Return To Work (RTW) Recommendations: 📌 consider offering additional sick leave 📌 consider paying Annual Leave at its full rate 📌 provide flexibility (i.e., graduated return, WFH, flexible hours, reduced hours) 📌 discuss and agree on a Return-To-Work Plan 📌 set up workspace and share news of the return 📌 organise a morning tea to celebrate return 📌 consider offering re-induction training 📌 discuss goals, expectations and career aspirations 📌 schedule regular check ins about transition and performance 📌 ask for feedback on PL and RTW process Let’s Talk! If you’re looking to create a truly supportive experience for Parental Leavers in your organisation—not just a policy on paper—let’s connect. I’d love to explore how we can make it work for your team. #parentalleave #parentalleaveexperience #userexperience #care #peoplematter

Flexibility isn’t just a women’s issue. But we still treat it like one. This is the fourth of five insights from the Australian Institute of Family Studies on how caregiving intersects with paid work—and what that means for leaders serious about closing the gender pay gap. Here’s the data you probably haven’t seen on your executive dashboard: 👨👧 In 2022, over 90% of fathers with children under 15 were employed—virtually unchanged in decades. 📉 But part-time work among fathers has doubled from 6% in 1991 to 12% in 2021. It’s a small but growing signal: More dads are trying to make space for caregiving. But workplace systems still penalise them for it—or ignore it entirely. Here’s What Needs to Change: 🔹 Make flexibility gender-neutral. Too often, policies exist on paper but are quietly discouraged for men. Change starts with leaders modelling it out loud. 🔹 Treat parental leave for fathers as leadership preparation. If we celebrate taking time off to climb Everest, why not to raise a child? 🔹 Track uptake—not just availability—of flexibility. If few fathers take it, that’s not a policy success. It’s a culture failure. The Strategic Playbook for Leaders:👇 ✅ Normalise father-friendly leave. Profile dads who’ve taken extended leave in internal comms and town halls. ✅ Design dual-career conversations. Ask male leaders how they balance family and work—not just women. ✅ Embed shared-care metrics. Track flexible work and leave by gender and role seniority. ✅ Tie culture to outcomes. If men are “allowed” but not encouraged to care, the burden stays gendered—and the pay gap persists. 📘 In Closing the Gender Pay Gap, I highlight how redesigning roles and rebalancing care responsibilities can transform leadership pathways—not just for women, but for everyone. We won’t fix the gender pay gap by focusing only on women. We need to redesign work for shared lives. 📩 DM me for a copy of the whitepaper—or share your thoughts below: How can we make caring leadership a norm, not a negotiation? #GenderPayGap #Leadership #FutureOfWork #FathersAtWork #Inclusion --- A former Board Member, CPO, and 2022 HR Leader of the Year, Anoop creates the space for C-suite leaders to turn complexity into clarity and strategy into action.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱? 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁. Spain’s decision to equalise maternity and paternity leave at 16 weeks shows how policy can drive real behaviour change. Research by González, Farré, Hupkau and Ruiz-Valenzuela found take-up among fathers rose from less than 50% in 2017 to over 75% by 2023. Most fathers not only claimed their entitlement but used almost all of it. The key? Leave was designed to be mandatory, non-transferable and fully paid. Why does this matter? Because when fathers participate equally in childcare: 🔹It reduces the “child penalty” that has long stalled women’s careers. 🔹It helps companies retain experienced female leaders who might otherwise step back. 🔹It shapes future culture: children whose fathers take leave are more likely to hold egalitarian views on gender roles as adults. The takeaway for organisations is clear: optional or poorly structured policies rarely shift behaviour. If we want equity in the workplace, we need structures and incentives that make it the norm - not the exception. Spain proves that when leave is a genuine, individual right, it changes behaviour, strengthens pipelines, and builds more inclusive cultures. #ParentalLeave #GenderEquity