December 2024: welcoming Avantus to the Ciphr Group

It’s our last newsletter of the year – and one of our most exciting ones yet. Because the Ciphr Group has grown even bigger and better. Read on to find out how.?

?It’s official: we’ve moved into the employee benefits business, with the acquisition of Avantus Employee Benefits .?

"Avantus has a great reputation across the benefits and rewards industry for creating functionality-rich, people-centric technology that aims to make our working lives better,” says Ciphr CEO Sion Lewis .?

“It’s redefining and democratising employee benefits as we know it. Giving people greater autonomy to choose or approve the benefits they genuinely want or need, and 24/7 access to manage their choices and see their total rewards statement anywhere, anytime.?

“This is an exciting acquisition for Ciphr, and we’re delighted to welcome Philip and the Avantus team to the group.”?

Philip Curtis , CEO of Avantus, adds: “We are absolutely delighted that Avantus has become part of the Ciphr Group.?

“Integrating with Ciphr will enable us to provide our existing and prospective customers with a comprehensive, end-to-end people management solution. Employees will benefit from a seamless experience, with all their needs met in one place.?

“We are really excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, and are very much looking forward to working together with the Ciphr team to continue our growth journey.”?

Read more about the acquisition here.?

Last month we celebrated Diwali in the office – and had the best time!?

We had:?

• A selection of traditional savoury and sweet food?

• Banners and decorations?

• Diya lamps?

• Rangoli patterns that people could colour in?

Thanks to the Ciphr Culture Club (particularly Faye Morris Newman , Amandeep Kaur Gill and Sophie Hellmuth ) for organising!?

Here’s what Diwali means to Pooja Purushothaman , our cloud operations administrator:?

“Diwali is the festival of lights. It signifies the triumph of light over darkness and clarity over ignorance. It represents new beginnings and prosperity. Celebrating Diwali is a beautiful mix of tradition and festivities, which include:?

• Lighting oil lamps?

• Decorating homes with colourful rangoli (intricate designs) and flowers?

• Offering prayers?

• Enjoying fireworks and sparklers?

• Participating in community celebrations with music and dance?

• Feasting together?

“Since childhood, I have had fond memories of the town being covered in a blanket of lights under the dark sky, with firecrackers and sparklers all around. Families and friends visiting each other, exchanging sweets and gifts. Diwali, with its symbolism of exuberance, togetherness, love and light, remains close to my heart.”?

Our Ciphr hero this month is Jelena Bogdanova ! She exemplifies two of our key values: accountability and service excellence. She’s a solution-focused problem solver, and has the skills and knowledge to fix customer challenges. She’s always prepared to go the extra mile and support her team however she can. And she does it all while being approachable and professional.?

Congratulations, Jelana. Very well deserved.?

We also want to shout out our special mentions this month: Courtney Thompson-Ayerst Assoc CIPD , Jessica Scully (Foundation CIPD) , Sarah Westie PA(Dip)Sup , Caroline Hey , Caroline Lambert, Steve Harrod and Thomas Matthews.

Thank you for all that you do!?

Here are our latest poll results:?

• 51% of you said you don’t feel comfortable talking to your friends and family about money?

• 70% of you believe training and education is the best way to tackle bullying in the workplace, followed by clear anti-bullying policies (19%), and promoting EDI (4%)?

• 51% of you said you took time for yourself to reduce stress in your day-to-day life, followed by exercising/getting active (31%), and talking about it (11%) ?

• 51% of you said building strong relationships is the best way to ace your new HR manager role, followed by understanding the business (33%) and identifying quick wins (14%)?

Further reading:?

• Advice for HR teams to help tackle workplace bullying??

• Your first 90 days in a new HR manager job role: tips and strategies for success??

Whatever your specialism, we’re looking ahead to future trends in your sector – whether that’s eLearning, HR or payroll.?

9 December – the future of eLearning in 2025: what’s in store??

Join Tamar Elderton-Welch and Meg Shona Halpin Webster as they gaze into their proverbial crystal balls to give you a glimpse into what could be in store of the eLearning industry in 2025. They’ll be looking at likely hot topics – from soft skills to incorporating AI into your workflows – as well as how eLearning itself might evolve over the next 12 months.???

Register here.?

13 January – 2025 payroll predictions and trends: everything you need to know?

What will 2025 have in store for the world of payroll? A lot can happen in 12 months, but Ciphr’s own experts, as well as payroll professionals across the UK, have shared their views on what 2025 might look like for the payroll profession.?

Hosted by Julie Lally and Claire Warner .?

Register here.?

16 January – what should HR expect in 2025??

Curious about what 2025 holds for HR? While a year can bring significant change, Ciphr’s experts and HR professionals from around the UK have shared their insights on what may shape the HR landscape next year.?

Hosted by Claire Williams and Karen Lough .?

Register here.?

And with that, 2024 comes to a close. We’ve loved spending this year with you, and we can’t wait to see what 2025 will bring. Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you can take this journey with us. See you in January!?