Prioritizing health makes everyone happy!
Employee wellbeing is the foundation of high performing organisations and a critical factor in safety, employee productivity , absenteeism and company culture. Furthermore, healthy employees are happy employees, so everyone wins!
Burnout is a serious form of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, caused by long-term work stress. It often leads to long-term disability, which is becoming an increasing problem in our country. Currently, there are almost half a million people who have been unable to work for more than a year due to illness, and this figure continues to rise, partly due to the ageing population and the increase in psychological problems such as depression and burnout. This not only has an impact on those involved, but also forms a major social problem, because health is a basic condition for being able to participate in society and the labour process.
Unions and employers face a major challenge in the fight against long-term disability. The figures at ING, too, make it clear that more effort is needed to turn the tide. Companies must invest more actively in promoting mental well-being in the workplace and better support employees who have been ill when they return, possibly in adapted roles. For unions, such as ACLVB, there is a point of attention in promoting a healthy work-life balance and in supporting employees who have had to deal with burnout. The union is committed to ensuring that employees, even after a period of illness, are given the opportunity to find professional pride and recognition again, for example in part-time or other suitable positions.
EAP: Help with challenges at work and in your private life
“Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but of strength.”
The EAP can be contacted by phone or face to face, in complete confidentiality and anonymity. The service is free and can be reached by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This provides support to all employees who are experiencing personal problems at home or at work, or who have legal or financial questions.
This service is also offered to family members living at the same address. You can call this service on the free number 0800 999 83 (NL), 0800 997 05 (FR) or by email to eap@pulso-europe.eu .
ACLVB/CGSLB first trade union with framework for cafeteria plans
This summer, during a well-attended Colloquium, ACLVB/CGSLB presented an extensive and detailed framework for cafeteria plans. This initiative stems from the great demand for clarity and guidance in the implementation of these plans.
The Pros and Cons of Cafeteria Plans
The biggest advantage of a cafeteria plan is the flexibility it offers employees to choose fringe benefits that best support their personal situation and it increases employees' net purchasing power.
However, we must also make some comments:
Impact on social security contributions: Converting gross wages into fringe benefits reduces social security contributions, which may have negative consequences for the accrual of statutory pension, sickness benefits and unemployment benefits.
Threat to social security: On a large scale, the reduction of social security contributions could jeopardize the financing of social security.
Consequences for other salary components: Lower holiday pay, a lower supplementary pension, lower overtime allowances, etc. are possible disadvantages.
Long-term commitments: Employees may be tied to a cafeteria plan for several years, which can be problematic in the event of long-term absences without clear agreements.
Please note that your flex budget at ING is not indexed.
The framework of ACLVB/CGSLB
The ACLVB/CGSLB framework goes beyond current legal provisions and aims to take cafeteria plans out of the grey legal zone in which they currently find themselves.
With these measures,we aims to ensure that employees are fully informed about the operation and potential risks of cafeteria plans, while at the same time protecting social security and other remuneration elements.
Whistleblower procedure
If you wish to report a serious complaint, it is important to know what to do.
A serious suspicion/complaint may relate to actions or observations of an ING employee on procedures in general, of an operational or financial nature.
In addition, forms of unethical behavior, misconduct, (suspected) violations of the code of conduct or other internal as well as external rules can be reported.
The Whistleblower Procedure at ING offers every employee the opportunity to file a complaint with the Whistleblower Reporting Officer so that the responsible management can take appropriate and sufficient measures in the event of alleged violations of internal or external regulations or other irregularities.
Directive 2023/970 - Strengthening the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women for equal work or work of equal value through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms
The lack of pay transparency has emerged as one of the main obstacles to closing the gender pay gap, which still stood at around 13% in the EU in 2020.
This Directive establishes minimum requirements to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women for equal work or work of equal value enshrined in Article 157 TFEU and the prohibition of discrimination enshrined in Article 4 of Directive 2006/54/EC, in particular through pay transparency and reinforced enforcement mechanisms.
The ACLVB also calls on the legislator to immediately start transposing European Directive 2023/970 of 10 May 2023 on wage transparency, which aims to combat the wage gap.
Given the important role that the Directive assigns to social dialogue, this transposition must be carried out in consultation with the social partners, at all levels of social dialogue, but also with all bodies involved in the subject.
The company bicycle: new tax rules and benefits for commuting
This year, the fiscal rules for company bikes and bike allowances have changed. Bike info must now be included on your pay slip and new conditions for tax exemption apply. These changes offer advantages for both experienced cyclists and new users.
This note provides an overview of the changes, with the aim of informing both experienced cyclists and those considering cycling to work about the many benefits.
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