Motivation, employee loyalty, engagement and communication are catch words for businesses, especially during the recent economic downturn. The two-day Employee Benefits Live Conference, organised by Centaur Exhibitions and held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, is aiming to bring together more than 230 companies and experts to discuss the future of business models.

The annual conference is heading towards its 12th year and has attracted more than 1000 visitors on the first day. Workshops about rewards, pensions, employee engagement and health and well-being were held by representatives from a variety of industries, ranging from NGO to consultancy. Duncan Brown, Director of HR Business Development from the Institute for Employment Studies, as well as Lawrence Leyton, expert in “The Psychology of Peak Performance Training”, were among the keynote speakers.

Compared to traditional business models, employee benefits require more effort in communication than monetary resources.

Debbie Lovewell, Deputy Editor of the Employee Benefits magazine, explained that employee benefits were more than a standard business strategy.a“It is not just a business concept; it is also about the health and well-being of the employees,” she added while introducing a range of publications on different aspects of employee benefits, including communication and health.

First-time attendee Sharon Donovan, a compensation and benefit specialist working in Buckinghamshire, also agreed with the human aspect of business, “It’s all about the people!” she said.

Like many of the other visitors, Sharon quite enjoyed the conference.
“It is very well-organised and consists of a wide range of companies. I want to catch up with what is out there for better communication and engagement with other employees.”