Your guide to the Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption for Electric Vehicles in Australia

Posted on December 10, 2022July 29, 2024 by Pie Langford

In a move that supports both the environment and the budget of Australians, the federal government has recently introduced legislation that makes electric vehicles (EVs) priced under $91,387 exempt from fringe benefits tax (FBT).

This legislation is part of a wider initiative to decarbonise Australia, and it will directly benefit you as an employee. If you’re wondering how, you’ve come to the right place.

This article has everything you need to know about FBT: what the tax is, how you can benefit from the recently introduced exemption, what options are available to you and how much you can save. We’ve also included a handy comparison table.

But let’s start from the beginning…

What’s the Fringe Benefit Tax?

Fringe benefits are extra perks offered to employees in addition to their salary. These benefits are offered as part of their salary package to either compensate for work-related costs, or make the position more attractive or the job more rewarding.

Fringe benefits often offered to employees can include:

Novated car leases
Discounted loans
Gym memberships
Use of company cars for private purposes
Free tickets to concerts
Reimbursements for expenses such as childcare fees

Packaging a car via novated leasing is one of the most common fringe benefits in Australia.

A novated lease is a three-way contract between the employee, the employer and a salary packaging (also known as salary sacrifice) provider, who also arranges the finance. A novated lease usually spans one to five years, and at the end of the contract, you can either extend the lease for the same vehicle or start a new lease, upgrading to a new car.

All the above perks are subject to Fringe Benefits Tax, as regulated by the ATO.

The tax was introduced in the mid-1980s in an attempt to control the increase of salary packaging. As a recruitment strategy, organisations began to bundle cars, private health care, gym memberships and more into an attractive salary package. This, in turn, deprived the government of income tax revenue.

A few handy things to note:

FBT applies even if the benefit is provided by a third party
FBT is separate to income tax and calculated on the taxable value of the fringe benefit
Employers might claim an income tax deduction for the cost associated with providing fringe benefits and for the FBT amount itself.

There’s plenty more information on FBT via the ATO Government website and the Business Government site.

Let’s talk FBT exemption for EVs

As of November, new EVs and PHEVs purchased after July 1st, 2022 and priced under the luxury car limit of $91,387 are exempt from FBT. This tax exemption gives employees the opportunity to salary package an EV from their employer to enjoy a sizable tax benefit.

Here’s a few things to note:

To be eligible for the exemption, the car must be classified as zero or low emissions, i.e. battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
The bill applies to fringe benefits on an eligible vehicle that is first held and used on or after 1 July 2022
The EV must be priced under $91,387, the luxury car tax threshold
If the EV was purchased before 30 June 2022 but wasn’t delivered by this date, it might still be eligible for the exemption
The FBT exemption can also apply to second-hand electric cars.

Before this bill was passed, you would have expected to pay 20% of the FBT base value of the vehicle as a post tax deduction from your salary. Now, with this change, the total amount is calculated and deducted before-tax so you, as the employee, is not paying any FBT or income tax on your new eligible EV or PHEV

In a nutshell, if the EV price is under $91,387, you can get that vehicle on a novated lease completely tax-free!

Plus, your employer can claim GST on most of your associated running costs. Win-win.

How much would you save?

Let’s do the maths.

The government has projected potential savings of $4,700 for employees based on a $50,000 EV.

This means that EVs are becoming drastically more affordable. In fact, a $73,000 EV could cost about the same after-tax as a $53,000 petrol car, when purchased via a novated lease.

Purchasing your next electric car via a novated lease could see you enjoying a huge tax saving while contributing to the improvement of Australia’s environment.

The best part is, with this new scheme, you could lease a brand new Tesla Model 3 for the same price as a petrol-run Mazda 3!

Don’t forget EVs are also generally more affordable to run because you remove the cost of fuel.

With a Flare novated lease, you can reap the benefits of the new FBT exemption law, get access to a full-service concierge, and the opportunity to design a tailored lease program that fits with the way you work and live.

Not sure where to start? Have a look at the list of the top 10 EVs that qualify for FBT exemption in Australia

Did you know that with a Flare EV Novated Lease you get:

The car you want, now. No deposit is required for a novated lease, just a refundable order fee, so you can secure the EV you want today.
Save on tax and running costs. Enjoy significant tax savings and less GST on your car purchase, electricity mileage, servicing, and maintenance.
Easy budget management. Avoid hidden expenses and spread your bills throughout the year by bundling up your finance and running costs like electricity mileage, servicing, maintenance, and rego into one convenient monthly payment.
Everything’s included. You benefit from before-tax savings on all the running costs of your vehicle, so you have nothing left to worry about.

Flare is the leading expert in electric vehicles. We can help you get behind the wheel of your dream car today. Our novated lease experts will work with you to find the right EV for your needs and lifestyle, plus show you how to save thousands. Let our expertise and experience make your dream of driving an electric vehicle a reality.

1 Pricing based on the drive-away cost of a Tesla Model Y in NSW.
2 Monthly running costs include fuel, maintenance, insurance and servicing.
3 The residual cost for this model comes to $27,845, based on a balloon payment of 37.5%
The above comparison is indicative and of a general nature only, and we have not taken your personal financial objectives, situation or needs into account. We recommend you consider if you need to seek professional financial advice before making any financial decisions regarding Flare Cars.
All calculations are based on the following assumptions: living in NSW, salary: $95,000 gross p.a., travelling 15,00 kms p.a., finance/lease term: 48 months. Figure quoted include budgets for finance, fuel, servicing, tyres, maintenance, comprehensive insurance, registration and CTP.
Novated lease calculations use net GST processing method and Employee Contribution Method for FBT purposes; the total cost over life reflects the net effect after tax and includes a Flare cars admin fee; Interest rate quoted for both the novated lease and car loan calculations is 9.5% with a $550 inc GST establishment fee. Comprehensive Insurance estimate based on 2.5% of the purchase price of the car.

How to create a sustainability program that attracts top talent and adds value to your business

Posted on December 8, 2022August 9, 2023 by Pie Langford

How to create a sustainability program that attracts top talent and adds value to your business

These days, “quiet quitting”, “the great resignation”, and post-pandemic demands for fair, flexible work practices are putting pressure on employers to show empathy and adaptability at a whole new level.

In Australia and around the world, it’s clear that employees want way more from their careers than just basic job security and fair pay.

Motivations for job seekers in 2022 often include;

A deep and mounting concern for the environment and sustainability;
A need to belong to something bigger than themselves; and
A strong desire to buy from and work for companies whose values are aligned with theirs.

Millennials moving up in their careers and also upcoming generations entering the workforce are looking for more from their employers

For business owners and HR leaders, staying competitive (and attracting top talent) in this environment presents definite challenges. On the other hand, businesses willing to be open and accountable for their social impacts have a huge opportunity to position themselves as employers of choice.

Research shows that both the overall attitude of the business to sustainability and the specific incentives it offers can sway an employee’s decision about a particular role:

About two out of three respondents say they are more willing to apply for (67%) and accept (68%) jobs from a sustainable company; and,

Roughly one in three say that, as an example, sustainable travel is a priority. Employers may want to offer alternative transport options, such as electric vehicles, offered through novated leasing.
96% of Gen Y employees4 are hugely concerned about the environment – and demand that employers take steps to become more sustainable. One in four employees would quit if they found out their employer had a poor sustainability record.

What is a sustainability program?

Sustainable, environmentally conscious and socially responsible companies now have a clear edge when it comes to attracting and keeping the best talent.

In fact, studies show a purpose-based approach to business is not only a driver of employee attraction and retention but also a key way to manage risk, drive growth and improve returns.

For any organisation, creating and implementing a comprehensive sustainability program is a practical and powerful way to demonstrate responsibility for the environment, society and the people it employs.

But what exactly is a “sustainability program” and how does it work?

Looked at as a whole, an effective sustainability program actually has two parts, the program and the plan:

Think of your sustainability program as the high-level framework or “roadmap” that sets the overall direction; and
From there you need to develop an actionable plan (or set of plans) to deliver the desired outcomes.

The key pillars of a sustainability program

There’s no universal approach to creating a sustainability program and each business should be guided by the specific dynamics and demands of its investors, shareholders, suppliers, customers and employees.

In general, the pillars of a solid sustainability program cross over a wide range of environmental, social and economic factors. Prioritising your activities depends on their relevance to your business.

Common initiatives include:

Minimising waste and carbon emissions (environmental);
Having eco-friendly and transparent supply chains (environmental and social); and
Creating policies that respect and reward employees by giving them access to meaningful benefits (social and economic).

What these things look like in practice can be as diverse as having a paper-free office, sourcing only from accredited or fair trade suppliers or giving your employees “green perks” like access to electric vehicles through salary sacrifice.

Whatever you choose to focus on, success depends on getting management buy-in, setting measurable targets, and keeping employees and customers engaged and in the loop.

Implementing your sustainability program – 7 steps to success

Once you’ve decided on your ESG mission, you can start to work on implementation – which is where the “planning” part of your sustainability program comes into play, and concrete results can be realised.

There are several key steps to developing a sustainability plan:

Step 1: Establish a “green team” or sustainability task force

To make it meaningful and effective, sustainability needs to be driven by collective commitment and teamwork. It’s crucial for everyone to rally to the cause, from management to junior employees.

However, while cultural change needs to be encouraged all over the business, establishing a core “green team” to drive sustainability initiatives is a great idea.

It doesn’t absolve other managers and employees of their responsibility for sustainability, but it does mean that your program will have active advocates who take ownership and can keep things on track.

Step 2: Audit your current sustainability performance

In terms of sustainability, businesses run the gamut from merely reactionary to change-makers who have made sustainable practices a part of their brand identity.

Assessing where you’re at is the first step to getting a plan in place and can help you choose the initiatives you need to focus on.

Questions to ask in a sustainability audit include:

What is the environmental footprint of your operations and how do you measure your carbon emissions and waste production?
What are you currently doing to conserve resources and reduce waste?
How are you engaging with your partners and suppliers to promote sustainability?
What is your social impact and how do you give back to your employees and the community?

If you need extra help and guidance, organisations like B Corp and green business councils provide plenty of tools and resources to guide you in auditing and assessing your ESG impacts.

Step 3: Choose initiatives that matter

Avoid overwhelm by picking a handful of focus areas and tackling them in stages.

The initiatives should be prioritised based on impact, effort and cost, and can relate to any target area where you see a need for positive change.

Some practical options for your sustainability action plans include:

Salary packaging through novated leases;
Source and switch to more environmentally-friendly raw materials;
Set a goal to reduce the use of unsustainable packaging materials;
Reduce power usage overall and switch to greener sources of power;
Start a comprehensive office recycling initiative;
Monitor and reduce food and water wastage;
Establishing community engagement and employee wellbeing programs;

Step 4: Engage your people and create meaningful employee incentives

Some companies struggle to benefit from sustainability programs because they fail to give their people the incentives to support them.

Offering tailored and meaningful incentive programs that have an environmental or social impact is one way to do this.

For example, transport and car-related expenses eat up almost 15% of the average Aussie household income. Specific perks like EV and novated lease salary packages offer employees a less expensive way to own and run a car and have both environmental and cost-of-living benefits.

Other possible initiatives include:

Remote work options, flexible hours and shorter working weeks;
Fitness, meditation,wellness classes available for free through the Flare app
Healthy, organic food alternatives; and
Community involvement and charity work.

Step 5: Track progress and measure results

The yardsticks and measurement methods your business uses will depend on the unique focus of its program and plan.

Generally speaking, positive changes in energy consumption, water usage, waste generation and carbon footprint are front and centre when it comes to environmental goals.

Ways to measure social and governance goals include assessing whether your business has:

Moved the needle on recruiting diverse talent;
Improved its employee satisfaction ratings;
Reduced employee turnover and improved parental return-to-work rates;
Made moves for equity and competitiveness in pay and incentives;
Introduced policies to score, reward or remunerate management and staff for their contribution to ESG goals.

Step 6: Communicate and celebrate wins

Making things fun and spreading the word about your successes will contribute to keeping enthusiasm for your sustainability program alive:

“Gamify” participation by issuing points, badges and awards (there are lots of apps that allow you to do this);
Give recognition and tangible rewards for outstanding contributions;
Schedule company events with sustainability as a focus; and
Communicate wins in both your internal and customer-facing communications.

Step 7: Review, revise and refine your sustainability program

A sustainability program should never be set in stone and regularly revisiting and revising your program and associated plans are crucial.

Ask what’s working and what’s not:

Have your overall ESG goals shifted?
Have you taken on more than you can manage or could you actually set more ambitious goals and targets?
Have you managed to keep your people engaged and interested in contributing to the success of your sustainability program?

When you’ve got some runs on the board with your sustainability program, applying for credible, industry-recognised accreditations is another great way to boost your credentials and increase your authority and trustworthiness.

Attract and retain top talent with novated leasing Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicle (EVs) and plug-in hybrid adoption in Australia is set to explode. 40% of Aussies say they’d buy an EV if subsidies assisted the initial purchase price.1

With the introduction of no Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) tax for eligible electric vehicles through a novated lease arrangement, these vehicles are more accessible than ever. For businesses, this is a significant opportunity to offer considerable tax savings to attract, engage and retain staff, and minimise payroll tax, while also taking a leadership position on sustainability. All at no cost to your business.

Meet the demand for EVs
40% of Aussies say they’d buy an EV if subsidies assisted the initial purchase price1. With the introduction of no FBT on eligible EVs and PHEVs only through a novated lease, employees will be seeking employers who proactively offer this benefit.
Give your employees’ salaries a boost, at no cost
With no FBT on eligible EVs and PHEVs, you could save your employees on average $9k per year at no cost to your business. This is almost double the savings2 compared to a novated lease with an internal combustion engine vehicle.
Strengthen your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
With more than 7 out of 10 employees3 being interested in accessing salary packaging, novated leasing is a powerful tool to drive financial wellbeing and enhance your EVP.
Simplify your balance sheet with no FBT
With no FBT to pay on eligible EVs and PHEVs, there is no FBT offset or reporting required thus simplifying your balance sheet.
Minimise payroll tax
If your business qualifies for payroll tax, the more eligible EVs and PHEVs your employees take up through a novated lease arrangement, the more you could save by reducing their taxable income.
Take leadership on sustainability
You’ll be leading the transition to EVs, and demonstrating innovation and a commitment to sustainability.
Engage a younger employee demographic
96% of Gen Y employees4 are very concerned about the environment – this demographic will demand employers take additional steps to become more sustainable.

Everything you must know about electric vehicles in Australia

Posted on December 8, 2022November 2, 2023 by Pie Langford

Everything you must know about electric vehicles in Australia

You have been thinking about it, and now you’ve made up your mind. Your next vehicle will be electric. It makes sense, after all: you don’t have to choose between saving money and saving the environment anymore. Thanks to significant incentives created by recent federal legislation, you can now have both.

Most Australians seem to agree with you. Increasingly more and more people are making the switch, and the Australian Electric Vehicles market is projected to grow 22.64% by 2027.

With rampant inflation and rising fuel prices, most people are looking at new ways to save, and with electric cars, they’re onto something. Recent research by Climateworks Centre shows that Australian drivers could save $20 billion by 2030 by switching to electric cars.

Subsequently, the Australian Government has now removed fringe benefits tax (FBT) on eligible electric cars (EVs). With the recently introduced law, EVs with an RRP under $89,332 are exempt from the 47% fringe benefits tax if provided through a novated lease. This could save you $4,700 per year on average compared to an Internal Combustion Engine vehicle.

So if you want to understand more about electric vehicles and get ready to drive your first one, you’ve come to the right place.In this guide, we’ll answer some of the most frequent questions around EVs in Australia, across four main areas: Getting familiar with EVs, electric vehicles in Australia, how to afford an electric vehicle in Australia, and electric vehicles novated leasing.

Getting familiar with EVs

What is an electric vehicle?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars or other vehicles that are fully or partially powered by motors that run on electricity rather than liquid fuels.

There are currently four main types of EVs: fully electric or Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs).

What are the differences between BEVs, PHEVs, HEVs and FCEVs?

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are fully-electric cars, meaning they do not have a petrol, diesel or LPG engine, fuel tank or exhaust pipe. BEVs are also known as ‘plug-in’ EVs because they use an external electrical charging outlet to charge their batteries. Since they don’t produce any harmful emissions, they are classified as ZEVs (Zero Emission Vehicles).

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are powered by both electricity and liquid fuel. They are plugged in to charge the battery and use a liquid fuel engine when the electricity is depleted. PHEVs are also called LEVs (Low Emission Vehicles) since their exhaust emissions are lower than similar liquid vehicles.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) recharge their batteries without plugging in. They use regenerative braking to convert kinetic energy into electricity and recharge the battery. Hybrids are also classified as LEVs.

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) use hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity through a chemical reaction in a fuel cell. FCEVs provide a greater range than batteries or supercapacitors, which power BEVs. Since they only emit water vapour and warm air, they are also considered ZEVs (Zero Emission Vehicles).

Why should I buy an EV?

There are several benefits when switching to an EV:

Lower fuel costs with fuel savings up to 70%. An average car travelling 13,700 km per year, could save $1000 in fuel, or $1200 if the EV can charge overnight on an off-peak tariff.
Reduced maintenance costs with savings around 40%. Electric cars have fewer moving parts than petrol or diesel cars. They don’t have expensive exhaust systems, radiators and other parts that are common to petrol or diesel cars and therefore require relatively little servicing.
Incentives. Each Australian state and territory offers tailored rebates and incentives on EVs (keep reading to find out more about them).
Less taxes with novated leasing. The Australian Government has removed fringe benefits tax (FBT) on eligible electric cars and include these benefits in the calculation of an employee’s reportable fringe benefits amount. BEVs are exempt from the 47% fringe benefits tax if provided through a novated lease which could save you $4,700 per year, based off a $50,000 model.
Lower carbon footprint. In 2019, transport accounted for 19% of Australia’s emissions. It is the country’s third largest source of emissions. A study found that electric vehicles emit, on average, 29-41% less emissions than a typical fossil-fuelled car for every kilometre driven.
Reduced air pollution and health benefits. Unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter are all recognised carcinogens that are released from the tailpipes of conventional cars. In the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong region only, traditional vehicles cost the health care system $3 billion annually.
Faster acceleration than internal combustion engine cars. With no gears to shift, EVs apply full power as soon as you push on the accelerator.
Better handling than traditional cars. Instead of having the battery in the front or back of the car, many EVs have it underneath. This results in a lower centre of gravity and improved handling.
Improved driving experience. When driving at low speeds, EVs produce very little noise, which makes for a more enjoyable drive.

Electric vehicles in Australia

Are electric cars popular in Australia?

Australian new electric car sales were up by 65% in 2022, although adoption is still far behind that of other nations. Electric cars currently account for 3.39% of all new car sales in Australia. However, these numbers are insignificant when compared to those of other countries like the UK, where one in five new cars is electric.

Why? Because carmakers are opting to send stock to faster-growing markets with clear fuel efficiency standards or clear plans to phase out sales of petrol vehicles.

As more incentives and tax breaks are introduced, and more charging stations are added to the infrastructure (their number has nearly doubled between August 2020 and January 2022), we should see a rapid uptake in EV adoption Australia-wide.

What electric cars are available in Australia?

At the time of writing, there are 36 fully electric models from 18 different car makers available in the Australian market.Here is a good snapshot of every electric vehicle on sale in Australia right now. It is broken down by price, listing the most affordable variant in each model’s range. Otherwise, you can find out more about the PHEVs and HEVs models available in Australia here and check out our comprehensive guide to which EVs and PHEVs are eligible for government incentives.

How much are electric vehicles in Australia?

Prices for fully-electric cars go from $44,381, for the BYD Atto 3, to $345,800 for the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. When it comes to plug-in hybrids, prices range from $48,690 drive-away, for the MG HS Plus EV, to $957,700, for a Ferrari SF90 Spider (not for everyone we know, but what a beauty!)

If prices feel too high for you, keep reading. In the next section, we’ll take you through the current incentives for electric vehicles at both state and national level which can make ownership much more accessible. We’ll also show you viable alternatives to purchasing EVs and hybrids you might not have thought of. With the introduction of no Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) tax for eligible electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids* through a novated lease arrangement, these vehicles are more accessible than ever. Talk to one of our team about leasing an EV.

How to afford an electric vehicle in Australia

What are the Australian incentives for electric vehicles?

Federal government incentives.

At the National level, the Government has removed the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) on eligible electric cars provided by employers to current employees through a novated lease.

The exemption will apply to vehicles with a RRP under $89,332 in 2022-23. Eligible electric cars that are held and used on, or after, 1 July 2022 may also qualify retrospectively for the FBT exemption. The FBT exemption can also apply to second-hand electric cars.

Additionally, the government declared it will eliminate the 5% customs charge on electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel-cell cars and trucks whose customs value is below the gas-saving luxury car tax level. With the exception of vehicles imported from Russia and Belarus, this rule will apply to vehicles admitted for domestic use beginning on July 1, 2022.

State and territories incentives.

Each state has identified different ways to incentivise the adoption of EVs. Here is a summary, broken down by state, from the Australian Electric Vehicle Council:

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Financial incentives:

Two years of free registration for new or used ZEVs.
Residents of the ACT can apply for a $15,000 interest-free loan to assist with the purchase of a ZEV.
ZEVs that are purchased for the first time are eligible for a full stamp duty exemption.

Behaviour incentives:

Preferential lane access exists for ZEV drivers in transit / high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

NEW SOUTH WALES

Financial incentives:

$3,000 rebates for the first 25,000 eligible EVs sold. The rebate cannot be used for vehicles procured under a novated leasing arrangement.*
Stamp duty will be phased out on eligible EVs.*

*The stamp duty exemption and the rebate for all eligible EV purchases will end on 1 January 2024. Individuals and businesses that have purchased or placed a deposit on an eligible EV prior to 1 January 2024, and are awaiting delivery of the vehicle, will still be eligible to receive the stamp duty exemption and rebate, regardless of whether the vehicle has been delivered by that date.

Business incentives:

$105 million via a competitive reverse tender auction process to assist private businesses, not-for-profits and local councils to transition their fleets.
The NSW EV Fleets Incentive includes a fixed amount of $400 per vehicle for BEV smart base charging at business premises or employees’ homes. This funding is limited to subsidising the purchase price for smart chargers only.
Stamp duty exemption on eligible EVs applies to both public and private fleets.

Behaviour incentives:

BEVs and FCEVs have access to T2 and T3 transit lanes until at least 31 October 2022.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Financial incentives:

Registration fees are waived for EVs for five years.
Reduced stamp duty for EVs by $1,500 for five years.

Business incentive:

Registration and stamp duty incentives are available to fleets.

Behaviour incentives:

Nominated EV parking (for charging) is available in public car parks.

QUEENSLAND

Financial incentives:

$3,000 incentive for 15,000 cars under $58,000.
EVs are registered in the lowest fee segment (min. saving approx. $70).

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Financial incentives:

$3,000 subsidy for 7,000 new BEV sales under $68,750.
3-Year Registration Fee exemption for new BEVs until 1 July 2025.

TASMANIA

Financial incentives:

Stamp duty waiver for two years for the purchase of new or used battery electric or fuel cell vehicles.
Two-year waiver on registration fees for EVs bought by hire car companies and tour companies.

VICTORIA

Financial incentives:

$3,000 subsidy paid at point of sale for first 4,000 ZEVs sold under the current $68,740 threshold.
20,000 subsidies in total with more details to be announced in future.
1x subsidy available for an individual and 2x subsidies for a business.
Zero and Low Emission Vehicles receive a $100 concession on annual registration fees.

Business incentives:

EV Charging for Council Fleets and EV Charging for Business Fleets Programs.
The two fleet programs will provide up to $1.5 million each in grant funding for EV fleet infrastructure proposed by any of Victoria’s 79 local governments and businesses that are commercial-for-profit, not-for-profit, or community-based.
Fleets are eligible to apply for the ZEV subsidy twice.
The Commercial Sector Innovation fund (total $5 million) provides grants to applicants to pilot and/or trial zero-emission technology and accelerate business readiness for broader uptake. Applications can include purchase incentives, trials, charging at fleet depots and other proposals up to $2 million.

What electric vehicles qualify for subsidies?

Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the technicalities and changes in legislation. That’s why we’ve put together a handy list of the Top 10 EVs and PHVs you should check out.

Are there alternatives to buying electric vehicles?

The short answer is yes! A cost-effective option to make the move to electric is novated leasing. The incentives to be introduced at the federal level will only apply to vehicles provided through novated leasing.

All the fuel and maintenance savings we’ve talked about in the first section of the article get amplified with a novated lease.

You can also bundle your finance and running costs into your before-tax pay to save on the car purchase price, income tax and GST.

Have you discussed with your HR or People & Culture department the opportunity to support their staff with Novated Leasing programs? Flare can discuss the benefits of novated leases with your employer for you. Just give us a call, and we’ll do the rest.

Electric vehicles novated leasing

Why choose a Flare novated lease for your EV?

A way to finance a new or used electric car, a novated lease allows you to pay for all your finance and running costs from your pre- and post-tax salary. On top of saving you up to thousands per year on tax, it also bundles all your vehicle expenses into one simple payment, coming directly out of your pay.

In November of 2022, the federal government introduced a law that makes EVs priced under $89,332 exempt from fringe benefits tax (FBT). This is a game changer for employees looking to make the switch. With a Flare novated lease, you can reap the benefits of the new FBT exemption law and get access to a full-service concierge, and the opportunity to design a tailored lease program that fits with the way you work and live.

What do I need to consider before leasing an EV?

Driving range. This is the most crucial factor when looking for an electric vehicle. Your charging infrastructure, how frequently you drive, and the length of your journey may all be used to calculate your average driving range.
Charging. How long does the vehicle take to recharge? Where will you plug in? The Electric Vehicle Council has created an interactive EV Charger Map with all the charger stations across Australia.
Engine type. BEVs, PHEVs, HEVs and FCEVs… which one is right for you? When making this decision you want to consider the driving range, the way you drive and the sizing of the car you need.
Test drive. Once you’ve got your eyes on an EV model, take it for a drive to make sure it’s the right one for you. While electric vehicles drive like normal cars, there are some minor differences you want to get familiar with. Our team can organise a no-obligation, hassle-free test drive for you.

If it sounds all a bit too overwhelming, just ask a Flare expert. They’ll do the heavy lifting for you, from helping you find the right electric vehicle, down to signing and managing the lease.

Driving the change by switching to an EV is possible. You’ve also learnt how all the intrinsic advantages of electric vehicles compound with the benefits of novated leasing.

But did you know that with a Flare EV Novated Lease you get:

The car you want, now. You don’t need a deposit just a refundable order fee, plus our team will help you source your new car and organise a test drive.
The best pricing. Benefit from Flare’s buying power and save yourself the hard work. Our car experts negotiate on your behalf and secure the best EV and hybrid deals for you.
Save on tax and running costs. Enjoy significant tax savings and less GST on your car purchase, electricity mileage, servicing and maintenance.
Easy budget management. Avoid hidden expenses and spread your bills throughout the year by bundling up your finance and running costs like electricity mileage, servicing, maintenance and rego into one convenient monthly payment.

It doesn’t end here. Head to this page to find out how you can save with an EV Novated Lease, and hear from employees like you why they chose Flare.89,332

There you have it!

As promised, we’ve helped you make sense of the schemes and incentives available in Australia and shown you some electric vehicles eligible for a discount.

The good news is that the $89,332 federal government FBT exemption cap is higher than all states’ price ceilings. This not only expands the pool of EVs eligible for a discount, but gives you yet another benefit when choosing novated leasing for your EV.

Do you still have questions? Or maybe you’d like help sourcing your new car, negotiating the price and organising a test drive? You might also love to have the support of a car expert who negotiates on your behalf and secures the best EV deals for you. And while you’re at it, why not enjoy significant tax savings and no GST on your car purchase, electricity mileage, servicing and maintenance?

You’ll get all of this and more when you sign up to an EV Novated Leasing with Flare.

Want to find out more? Just ask a Flare expert

Beat burnout: How Two HR professionals bounced back better

Posted on November 7, 2022November 23, 2023 by Pie Langford

Hareta McMullin was a senior HR manager when the ‘perfect storm’ of unmet resource needs pushed her to burnout. Shelley Johnson was back from parental leave, working full time and studying for her master’s degree – she hit a wall. Both returned from burnout crises to help transform the companies they were part of. Here’s what they did to beat burnout.

At a glance

Ensure managers have frequent one-on-ones with employees and upskill them to identify the signs of burnout.
Provide autonomy and offer flexible work options so your employees have the space to operate on their own terms.
A culture of trust and psychological safety is necessary to prevent burnout.
Find out what your employees want and need before crafting your wellbeing strategy.
Wellbeing is about more than health, Financial education and benefits can help your employees develop skills and resilience.

Hareta McMullin was working as a senior HR manager in the tech industry when the ‘perfect storm’ of unmet resource needs pushed her to burnout.

“My boss had gone on parental leave, and we weren’t replacing her,” she says. “Then my colleague went on maternity leave and another resigned.”

Between managing multiple employee relations cases, covering all bases in her team and recruiting to fill the gaps, as well as collaborating with colleagues in international time zones, Hareta found herself working 12-16 hour days.

She hit rock bottom.

“After I cried for the 10th consecutive day, I realised I had to reprioritise and restructure what I was doing,” she says.

Hareta went one step further by leveraging her story to bring about organisational change, beginning with ending the glorification of overwork.

While the organisational culture had never enforced clock-watching, long hours were par for the course – partly as a way of managing the challenge of collaborating across time zones.

Change, says Hareta, started with education about the negative health impact of working long hours over a long period of time.

Managers were trained to keep their expectations in check, maintain frequent one-on-one meetings and look for signs of burnout.

The organisation also made it easier for employees to access support by simplifying the process for flexible work requests, such as condensing hours into four days a week, going part-time or job sharing.

“People would go to their line managers and, if the request was simple, [the line manager] was empowered to approve it,” she says.

When employees did put in long hours, managers could reward them with unofficial days off – a move that can help to shift the way an organisation and its people think of long hours from the norm to an uncommon necessity in particular periods.

We would send a note out to managers to say, 'This is going on, this is why it's great. Talk about it with the teams in your next one-on-one'.

Hareta McMullin

The treatment of sick leave also changed.

“We repositioned the language to call it personal leave,” says Hareta. “It’s a small tweak, but psychologically it made a big difference because you didn’t have to be physically sick to take it. You could just be tired after a big week.”

The impact of the cultural shift was clear. Employee survey data showed an increase in engagement, health and wellbeing, and staff turnover dropped below 7%.

Co-designing your wellbeing strategy

Along with survey insights, organisation-wide focus groups were used to learn more about the challenges employees were facing and the benefits they would like to see.

“We used that information to look at what was realistic, and what we could implement and grow from there,” says Hareta.

This meant the buy-in rates were strong, with benefits such as massages and running clubs actually being utilised. Education sessions to improve financial wellbeing were also a hit, particularly related to investment, mortgages and superannuation.

Whenever a new event or benefit was introduced, the organisation made sure to spread the word.

“We would send a note out to managers to say, ‘This is going on, this is why it’s great. Talk about it with the teams in your next one-on-one,” she says.

Bouncing back with benefits

When Shelley Johnson’s first child was five months old, she went back to work full-time as an HR manager at a not-for-profit while doing her master’s degree.

After a year of disrupted sleep, new-mum duties, full-time work and study, she hit a wall.

“I was running a staff meeting for more than 100 people when I hopped down offstage and realised I was not okay,” she says. “I left work within an hour and had three months off.”

When she was ready to go back to work, Shelley eased back into her role by working part-time and gradually building up her days from there.

She credits her manager’s support and the organisation’s wellbeing program for her recovery, which included sessions with a psychologist through the Employee Assistance Program.

“They also got me a coach who dealt specifically with burnout to help me rebuild resilience,” she says.

Learning how to set boundaries

The key to preventing burnout from happening in the first place is a culture of trust and psychological safety.

“Without that, it’s very difficult for any employee to feel like they can have conversations about their health,” says Shelley, who has since founded her own HR consultancy and Boldside Consulting and hosts the podcast My Millenial Career.

Psychological safety can be assessed through both risk assessment tools and anecdotally. For example, leaders can pay attention to how open team members are in conversations and identify any topics that might be off-limits.

“It starts with conversations to help people identify within themselves and others what they look like in their healthy zone,” says Shelley. “If I’m getting irritable, fatigued or tired, I want to be able to raise that with my boss, so I can make sure that I’m coming back into alignment with what healthy looks like.”

When you go through burnout, you feel like you’ve had a loss of control because all of a sudden your body checks out. So it’s important to give people autonomy over where they work, as well as their work hours and schedules.

Shelley Johnson

Helping your team set boundaries is also key. This is often a tricky area for employees to navigate, particularly if they are new and feel like they haven’t built up enough equity yet.

To overcome any awkwardness, Shelley recommends a team brainstorming exercise. The conversation should start by agreeing on expectations, such as not needing to respond instantly to every email, then explore people’s personal boundaries.

“For example, one of my team members would say, ‘When I’ve got my headphones in, I really don’t want you to interrupt me because I’m in my deep work mode’,” she says.

Shelley also recommends steering clear of mandates in teams, allowing people to buy in on principles rather than policy. This might mean allowing an employee to work from home on a day the team usually convenes if they’re feeling flat. Granting autonomy is particularly important in both preventing and recovering from burnout, she emphasises.

“When you go through burnout, you feel like you’ve had a loss of control because all of a sudden your body checks out,” says Shelley. “So it’s important to give people autonomy over where they work, as well as their work hours and schedules.”

Engaging a mentor can also be helpful. You could encourage employees to participate in the organisation’s structured mentoring program or to pursue their own mentor.

“Having someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in your performance can give you insight into things that might help you in your whole life, not just at work,” says Shelley.

For more guidance on upskilling managers, giving employees autonomy and identifying your team’s wellbeing needs, download the ebook: The race for talent: How to protect your teams from burnout.

Engage your workforce with inclusive benefits for contractors

Posted on October 28, 2022November 23, 2023 by Pie Langford

Traditionally benefits offered in the workplace like novated leases haven’t been on the table for individuals like Neil Creasey, a contractor. However, the workforce composition is changing. Now employers are embracing a blended workforce that consists of both contract workers alongside permanent talent.

To engage an entire workforce, benefits like car salary packaging are opening up to eligible contract hires as a way to drive optimum engagement and retention, regardless of the hire classification.

Neil, a Transformation Director and contractor through Oncore Services, bought a second-hand Subaru BRZ through a novated lease arrangement with Flare and Oncore.

Neil came across this through a monthly newsletter sent by his employer, Oncore. “As soon as I saw the offer, I snapped it up. I thought it was incredibly innovative. Being a long-term contractor, I have seen permanent employees in businesses enjoy these sorts of benefits but never contractors. However, there is such a huge contract labour force in Australia, I think it presents a great opportunity for employers who are willing to consider offering these benefits to contractors too,” says Neil.

Removing barriers

One of the most common barriers for employers is admin hassle. There is a misconception that novated leasing requires lots of paperwork, and tireless hours will be spent on the management of salary deductions, budget reconciliation, and dealing with Fringe Benefit Tax.

Josh Loy, Account Director at Flare, says “novated leases should be hassle free for both the employer and the employee. Flare’s digital-led process eliminates paperwork, simplifies salary deductions, and ensures a smooth process from the drivers first interaction, to the final day of their lease.”

Phil Mulvey, Business Development Manager at Oncore has been impressed by how simple the process is. “Providing novated leases to our contract workforce, via Flare, has been simple. It is a great addition that complements our current salary packaging services.”

For employees, the most common concern has been how payment transfers occur should they transition to a new contract or employer.

“Should a contractor decide to move on or if their contract comes to an end, they have a few options. They can transfer the novated lease across to their new employer. If their employer chooses not to support the benefit, that is ok, the contractor will make payments directly to the financier or payout the remaining finance, in full. There is a lot of flexibility. The employer also carries no liability, once the employee leaves then the car goes with them,” clarifies Josh.

Driving engagement

With the rise of contracting, attracting and retaining high quality contractors is an important consideration for a lot of businesses that rely on this model. Businesses need to adopt and deploy engagement strategies that appeal to this group.

“At Oncore, salary packaging is a key pillar of the remuneration strategy for our contractors, and we are seeing a higher take up of novated leases,” says Phil.

To contractors like Neil, offering a novated lease can be a unique way for employers to stand out. “You go where the work is but if there is a choice between an employer that offers novated leasing and benefits to a contractor versus one that does not, that would certainly weigh your choice.”

“Obviously it is down to the individual and what they value but for me, as someone who has contracted for 20 years and has had limited options to purchase and finance vehicles in the past, there is definitely an advantage to choosing an employer who offers this,” reinforces Neil.

For forward-thinking employers who want to provide inclusive benefits to attract and retain their contract workforce, novated leasing can offer significant savings and a strong retention hook.

Speak to Flare today to discuss salary packaging and benefits for all employees.

What makes a contractor eligble for a novated lease with Flare?

Full-time, fixed-term contractors with continuity of income. Consistent proof of income for 9+ months.

Financial wellbeing – an often overlooked employee benefit

Posted on October 25, 2022November 23, 2023 by Pie Langford

Financial wellbeing is becoming an increasingly urgent and important conversation for employers who want to hold on to top talent and attract the best. Financial wellness is an often-overlooked opportunity to stand out with your employer brand and offer meaningful support.

With wallets tightening across Australia due to cost-of-living increases, we are feeling the real impact of financial stress. This is compounded by economic uncertainty like property downturns, volatile investment markets, and the continuing impact of Covid.

A recent study found that the number of Australian workers under severe financial stress has doubled since 2020 with rising inflation and interest rates putting nearly 1 million people under severe pressure and another 2 million under moderate stress1.

Also uncovered through EY and Flare research, ‘Pay in the New Economy’, seven in ten Australians are living paycheck-to-paycheck, with less than $5,000 in savings, and an inability to meet their financial needs in an emergency.

Financial stress carries over into the workplace

Financial wellbeing is an integral part of holistic wellbeing. It can impact both our mental and physical health. When people are in vulnerable financial positions, financial worries can carry over into their work too, impacting their performance.

Stress can contribute to burnout and consume an employee’s emotional bandwidth, and in doing so means that they aren’t at an optimal capacity to appropriately respond to tasks and contribute to the culture of the workplace.

To cope with financial stress, EY and Flare research showed that one in ten Australian employees have chosen to take time off from work. Moreover, these employees have taken an average of eight days off per year to deal with issues regarding financial stress.

For employers, there are very real implications to stress in the workplace — directly or indirectly related to work. It is estimated that stress-related issues cost the Australian economy as much as AU$15b per year, with direct costs to employers’ worth approximately AU$10b through absenteeism or presenteeism.

Financial wellbeing is much more than a salary

Having a comprehensive remuneration strategy or a ‘package’ that includes financial wellness offerings can set your employer brand apart. This encompasses pay, salary packaging, insurances, Superannuation, discount incentives such as perks, mental health support, wellness and lifestyle benefits, and financial support and education.

There are also innovative new benefits like On-Demand Pay that give employers an edge in providing impactful and immediate relief to employees experiencing financial stress.

On-Demand Pay offers employees control and flexibility over access to their earned pay, without charging interest. It can help reduce reliance on high-cost debt products and offer vital support when delivered as part of a suite of financial wellness benefits.

Offering financial wellness as a pillar of your EVP

EY and Flare research highlights that employees are now demanding greater control over their pay and benefits. 55% report COVID-19 lockdowns have changed what they expect from an employer.

Given the impact of stress on productivity, engagement, and wellbeing, financial wellness should be a consideration on the wellbeing agenda for any business.

As financial pressures mount on employees, forward-thinking employers have an opportunity to uniquely position their employer brand in response to attracting and engaging talent.

1 AMP’s 2022 Financial Wellness report

For more tips on how to build a financial wellbeing program, download the Flare guide: How to support your employees financial wellbeing.

How to compete for top talent on pay and benefits

Posted on October 17, 2022November 23, 2023 by Pie Langford

Flare’s own Liz Crawford shares her top tips for SMEs looking to create an attractive pay and benefits package to compete for top talent.

At a glance

Employees want increased flexibility, authenticity, workplace wellbeing and a competitive pay package.
Remuneration isn’t everything if you’re overspending on an employee who might be the wrong fit.
Don’t sell yourself short as a smaller business. You have a lot to offer that larger companies can’t compete with, including offering employees better promotion opportunities and more exposure to business mechanisms.
Financial benefits are a great way to save you and your employees’ money, and can also tie into your employee value proposition.
A comprehensive benefits package allows you to match benefits to employees’ needs to compete with larger organisations.

Post-COVID-19, employee expectations have changed. Flexibility, which used to be a nice-to-have, is now a must, with some people believing they work more efficiently at home, while others value not having to commute.

There has also been a movement toward workplace wellbeing. While COVID-19 played a part in this shift, wellness had been becoming more significant for the past 10 years.

It’s more important than ever to embrace authenticity and allow people to bring their whole selves to work. That means you need managers who are trained to see people as individuals with their own strengths, weaknesses, needs, ways of interacting and preferences for communication.

People want to be compensated fairly, but once that bar is met, they look to other parts of your EVP.

The great job boom

Coupled with these changing needs and wants, we saw the hiring market transform at the tail end of 2021. Competition for candidates translated into higher salary expectations, meaning businesses needed to work out how to respond through hiring practices.

At Flare, our intention is for candidates to feel valued and for employees to be remunerated fairly, and to ensure we’re recruiting and retaining people at the right level. To do that, you need to understand a candidate’s current level of performance and their potential and use both as a lens to look at salary trends.

Ensuring candidates are aligned with your values is also key – and can give you an edge in hiring the right people. We strive for more for both ourselves and our customers, and that is also a core component of our employee value proposition (EVP). Flare employees get the opportunity to work on interesting problems with modern tools and technology, collaborating with smart people who have the same mindset. In other words – we offer development opportunities and meaningful work.

For many, that’s more important than remuneration – or at least it’s less of a given. People want to be compensated fairly, but that bar can be met by many potential employers (and, as we have seen recently, can be raised within a day). Once that bar is met to their satisfaction, they look to other parts of your EVP, such as the experience they will have every day working with you.

Smart businesses find people who are a great fit for their organisations. For example, because we’re a growing start-up, we look for employees with a growth mindset. You don’t want someone in a role that may not be right for them – that’s a losing proposition for both sides

Competing on growth

There is much to gain from working at a smaller company – and much of it isn’t related to remuneration.

At many start-ups and scale-ups, you get as much responsibility as you can handle. If your employees are up to taking on more, support them in that endeavour and recognise their development. That’s much harder to do at a larger company, where there is often a hierarchy involved in who runs what, and there are several people competing for the next promotion – so in your recruitment and interviews, tell the stories of the people who have learned, developed and grown in your organisation.

Smaller businesses and scale-ups also offer the opportunity to be much closer to all levels of the business – such as senior leadership, other departments, and the overall business strategy.

When you add a comprehensive financial benefits program into the equation, you have a nice EVP offering to compete with larger organisations.

For example, salary packaging is one of the greatest financial benefits a worker can get, providing employees with tax deductions that could save them thousands each year.

Other financial benefits such as discounts or access to special programs make people feel like they’re getting something extra from working at the business that they couldn’t get otherwise. And those savings often punch above their weight in sentiment – a few dollars here and there off specific purchases) feels like a boon.

I use our discounts to buy Woolworths gift cards, for example – not only do I save a little bit on the weekly grocery shop, but I’m also reminded every week when I shop for my family that we’re getting something a little bit extra from my employer.

We all spend our money differently, of course – I might be concerned about how much I spend at the supermarket, whereas someone else might value a discount of flights for their next holiday, or discounted fitness classes.

Targeting your benefits program

Whether you’re in a large organisation with a team of people working on your benefits program, or a smaller business with a sole HR director who also produces employment contracts and runs payroll, customisation of a benefits program is essential to ensure it matches your EVP.

If one of your EVP components is caring about people by treating them as individuals, providing flexibility and helping them grow, but you have no benefits offering – that’s not telling a cohesive story.

When you combine a fair salary and a great benefits offering with an authentic expression of who you are as a business and what you can do for your employees, you’re putting your best foot forward in the market.

Learn more about hiring trends, the limits of remuneration and the financial perks that save you and your employees money. Download the ebook: Win the race for talent: How to revolutionise your EVP.

5 tips to run a financial education program in your workplace

Posted on October 10, 2022November 23, 2023 by Pie Langford

Steph Gillon is a former financial adviser and passionate advocate for financial literacy. Steph also heads up Financial Wellbeing at Flare, helping businesses promote financial wellbeing in their workplace. Stephanie shares some of her insights into running a financial literacy program.

Financial stress can contribute to burnout and carry over into the workplace, impacting performance and productivity. To cope with financial stress, EY and Flare research showed that one in ten Australian employees have chosen to take time off from work. Moreover, these employees have taken an average of eight days off per year to deal with issues regarding financial stress.

Offering financial education as part of your overall wellbeing program is one way that you help to reduce financial stress and its impact on your business. It can also help your Employee Value Proposition stand out by offering tangible value to employees. Here are five ways to get started.

Create awareness

“People have a real fear of being ‘caught out’ when it comes to money. A lot of people will bury their heads in the sand and ignore issues. Creating awareness around the problem, and showing people that they aren’t alone, goes a long way to help normalise conversations about financial stress and money management,” Stephanie points out.

“We know based on the insights from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamic (HILDA) study, statistically, almost half the population are financially illiterate. Programs should start with the assumption that there is very little financial awareness, and your job is to help build those blocks,” says Stephanie.

“For those who are experiencing hardship, it’s an excellent idea to provide links to where they can get assistance. That could be a service that you provide like financial counselling through your employee assistance program, or independent third parties. The government offers several free services like the National Debt Helpline,” highlights Stephanie.

Consider the fundamentals

“There will be varying degrees of knowledge and skills around financial concepts. Saving, budgeting, spending behaviours, attitudes to money, goal setting, paying down debt and investing – these topics underpin a sound financial strategy. This is a great place to start,” says Stephanie.

“I like to go deep into these topics. I use quizzes, examples, and case studies to illustrate meaning.

I also provide tips about easy ways to positively change behaviour, like automating savings or tracking how you spend. I break down complex financial concepts into bite-size and easy-to-digest soundbites. I want people to walk away from a session feeling empowered, not inadequate. The content should be relatable, easy-to-grasp, and engaging,” advises Stephanie.

Encourage participation

“Once you have built out a baseline program, think about the perfect way to package that up to your employees. Could you brand this like ‘financial bootcamp’ and build a monthly campaign around it that leverages calendar dates and seasonality? We all know that Christmas is a tight period for a lot of people, so the lead up may be an ideal time to promote budgeting for big events, for example.

What is critical is that you set-up a program of activity or a calendar and make a commitment to providing great content and experiences regularly to engage employees with their financial wellbeing. Otherwise, you risk losing momentum,” explains Stephanie.

“Engaging a remote or dispersed workforce can also prove challenging when you are relying on an email address or an intranet to engage them. They want to access content where and when it suits them. That’s why Flare offers financial education through an app platform. This approach is much more aligned with content consumption patterns these days,” says Stephanie.

Meet needs without compliance risk

“For many employers, providing financial education and support to employees can feel risky due to compliance and privacy concerns. Advice around financial products is highly regulated in Australia and falls into two buckets, general and personal advice. General advice does not consider any personal circumstances and is general in nature. Personal advice is more specific and is tailored to the individual’s personal situation. Both require licences to provide advice,” Stephanie points out.

“The fines imposed on unlicensed financial advice are significant. Financial advice must only be provided by qualified and licensed financial advisers or financial counsellors, not by individuals or corporations who neither hold an AFS licence, nor are authorised representatives of an AFS licensee. It can be a criminal offence and result in jail time of up to five years and fines of up to $133.200 for individuals. For corporations the penalties are up to $1.33 million1,” warns Stephanie.

Explore resources available to support you

“Many businesses just don’t have the time, resources or expertise to support a financial education program,” states Stephanie. “If this is the case, there are partners available that you can lean on to help roll out your education. Flare, for example, offers financial wellbeing content through our free Flare app.”

“This helps us to scale education, meaning that we can support reach by making this information easily accessible and in the palm of your employees’ hands, at their convenience. Through this, we address several topics that we know are central to financial wellness, like money mindset and behaviours,” says Stephanie.

This is an excerpt from the Flare guide: How to support your employees’ financial wellbeing. Download a free copy today for more tips on a successful wellbeing program.

4 things to avoid when designing your wellbeing program

Posted on October 1, 2022November 23, 2023 by Pie Langford

Janine Fry, Vice President of Customer experience at Flare, speaks to businesses and HR leaders across the country about their wellbeing programs daily. In her role, Janine helps them successfully implement and launch their benefits and wellbeing offering. She shares some of the most typical problems that are heard from clients as to why programs have failed in the past, as well as tips on what to avoid.

One-dimensional

“Companies need wellbeing programs that address holistic health: physical, mental, financial, and social. In the past, wellbeing programs have been focused on physical wellness like discounted access to gyms and step competitions. While those types of things are still important, it’s now widely acknowledged that programs need to respond to holistic health. Companies that are winning in this space have evolved their view of wellbeing,” says Janine.

Lives and dies on the intranet

“The workforce is becoming more flexible. People want to engage where and when it suits them, so access is key,” says Janine.

“It’s critical that wellbeing programs are engaged with and utilised, regularly. If they are sitting on a static intranet, then they risk going unnoticed and unused. One of the ways we have addressed this at Flare is by creating both a desktop and app experience that connects workers with their benefits anytime, and anywhere. It’s promoted to them during onboarding,” she adds.

Benefits miss the mark

“Offering compelling benefits is one way to differentiate your business with new and existing employees, especially in this competitive wage environment,” Janine points out.

“We think of the employee experience as a journey from start to retain,” says Janine. “Non-wage compensation like perks, salary packaging, and wellbeing support and experiences, alongside mandatory benefits like Super and policies, create a complete offering to employees. We know that this combination is difficult for businesses to execute and manage on their own. There are so many considerations. Flare’s benefits solution helps take the pain out by packaging all these elements together to support businesses to engage their workers with their wellbeing.”

One hit wonder

“One of the most disheartening aspects of a failed wellbeing program is seeing all that hard work not add up to engagement. Influencing up, building a program and communicating it to employees takes effort, time and resources. Sometimes it’s difficult to sustain this investment over a long period. Really, you need that commitment, cultural alignment and advocacy to support the program ongoing,” admits Janine.

“At Flare, we have focussed on removing frictions from delivering and managing wellbeing programs. We offer the benefits, the products, the platform and the engagement program. We also empower businesses to have a level of control over that experience by embedding their wellbeing agenda,” says Janine.

This is an excerpt from our Flare guide: How to design a wellbeing program. Download a free copy today for more tips on a successful wellbeing program.

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