BMJ Group is a global healthcare knowledge provider, best known for publications such as The BMJ. The company’s mission is to build a healthier world, and that starts by prioritising the wellbeing of its own people.

“How people feel has a direct impact on how well they engage and perform at work,” explains Chris Jones, CEO of BMJ Group.

“How our staff are able to cope with the different challenges that life throws at them, and how we can provide them with expert services and sources of guidance to help them make the best decisions around their own wellbeing, is crucial.”

Financial wellbeing: no longer ‘just a perk’

“Employee wellbeing is critical to what we want to achieve as an organisation, both strategically and financially,” Chris continues. “You can draw a line between the financial wellbeing of your people and the financial wellbeing of your company.”

Financial concerns are the No.1 cause of workplace stress, and a key driver of employee turnover. BMJ Group was already offering staff a range of wellbeing initiatives, but employee feedback revealed a growing need for structured financial support.

“We had feedback from employees and their broader families about needing guidance around financial challenges. This led us to Bippit.”

“Supporting your people with financial wellbeing is as important as any other aspect of employee support. Anything that relieves stress and helps you focus on your work is a good thing, which is why Bippit has such clear and quantifiable benefits for our company: lower absenteeism, lower turnover, and an ability to attract and retain top talent.”

Trusted expertise for every employee

Bippit provides real, human support from financial experts with FCA-recognised qualifications. Every employee is matched with a dedicated financial coach who offers tailored guidance through unlimited messaging and video calls.

“Before we had Bippit in place, it wasn’t clear where people were going for reliable financial guidance,” Chris recalls. “Often, I would look up one specific thing, but the website I was reading came from a particular standpoint. You could never be entirely sure if the guidance you were getting was neutral.”

“The opportunity to match our team with Bippit’s experts who specialise in financial coaching seemed like a perfect fit. Far more effective than the more generic services we had seen elsewhere.”

Of her own experience using Bippit, Moira adds: “I found the Bippit app really easy. It was a quick sign-on process, and the coach provides you with a clear plan to take action. I like the sense of just being able to talk, knowing you’re speaking with someone who has no hidden agenda.

Boosting pension engagement and reducing costs

Employee pension contributions not only improve financial futures, but they can also help businesses save on costs at a time when employer National Insurance (NI) contributions are rising.

By offering salary sacrifice schemes, employers can reduce their NI contributions as the portion of salary sacrificed for pension contributions is not subject to NI. As an example, a 500-employee organisation could save up to £45,938 a year through this approach.

This is where Bippit comes in. Providing expert-led pension education, with employees 40% more likely to increase their pension contributions after receiving Bippit’s support.

“I have several pensions because I've worked in different jobs throughout my career,” Ben explains. “The main question I had was whether I should consolidate them or keep them separate. I also wanted to know whether I should increase my contributions or put that money toward overpaying my mortgage.”

“We’ve had Bippit in place at BMJ Group for about a year and a half now, and one of the great things is that it can be used and accessed by people in all sorts of different situations.”

Breaking down barriers to financial wellbeing

Financial guidance is often seen as a privilege, accessible only to those with significant wealth. BMJ Group wanted to break this cycle and ensure financial wellbeing support was available to all employees, regardless of background.

“One area we are really keen on is social and economic mobility,” Chris says. “We know that access to financial coaching is unequal, but introducing this partnership with Bippit helps level the playing field, giving everyone access to expert guidance.”

“Sometimes, the people making the decisions about employee benefits are financially stable themselves, and don’t fully appreciate the experience of those who have financial worries. I am proud that we have not ignored this important area of wellbeing.”

“Getting in control, and feeling in control of their financial journey, has been a game-changer for our staff.”