Employee Benefits, London

AKQA is committed to developing wellbeing and supporting life choices for our team.

We provide an extensive range of benefits, including enhanced policies for new parents.

The healthier our lifestyles, the better resilience and longevity we are likely to have. We believe in providing resources that will alleviate distractions allowing employees to do their best work.

Health and wellbeing

To keep you active and healthy both physically and mentally.

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Bupa Medical

We provide the option of private medical insurance for you, your partner, and your dependents via Bupa.

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Bupa Dental

Employees can enrol in a dental plan provided by Bupa, which offers multiple levels of cover for you, your partner and your family. The cost of cover will be deducted from monthly pay.

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Help @ Hand

Through the Help @ Hand app, you can book remote GP appointments, speak with medical professionals such as mental health counsellors or physiotherapists, and access resources to help support your physical, emotional and financial wellbeing.

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Eye tests and glasses

Employees are entitled to an annual eye care voucher which covers the cost of an eye test and contributes towards the cost of glasses should you need them.

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Cycle to work

Save money and cycle to work on a new bike with Cycle-Scheme. We help you buy a bike tax-free, making considerable savings once you’ve passed your probation.

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Flu jab

Every year we maximise your chances of having a healthy winter season by offering free flu jabs.

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EAP - Employee Assistance Programme

A free, confidential external support service available 24/7 via TELUS Health, giving you access to practical information on topics including work, family, relationships, money and health. You also have access to a team of trained counsellors.

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Mental health allies

AKQA has several trained mental health allies who are part of the WPP Mental Health Allies programme, to support you in feeling safe and staying healthy.

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NABS

NABS provide free, impartial advice on personal or work-related matters for people in the advertising and media industry. The team also offer career coaching and mentoring.

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Headspace

AKQA offers a free subscription to Headspace, an app that teaches you meditation and mindful living. The app has hundreds of themed sessions on everything from stress to sleep. Plus, bite-sized meditations for busy schedules.

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Gym membership

We offer employees access to discounted gym memberships at various gyms across different locations and tiers.

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Adjustable desks in the studio

We give you the option of using an adjustable desk in the studio as a way of reducing the risks associated with sitting down for long periods of time.

Learning and development

To help you grow and develop in your role, and to reach your full potential.

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AKQA Insight

AKQA Insight is the home of our thought leadership, providing access to our best presentations in one place. The platform fosters growth with a variety of expert-led courses, AKQA-hosted events, tailored e-learning programmes and employee resources.

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New Manager School

Managers have a significant impact on business outcomes, employee engagement and performance. We offer our New Manager School programme to all line managers, designed to equip them with the skills needed to excel in their roles.

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Future Readiness Academies

Employees have access to the WPP Future Readiness Academies. This e-learning programme is centred around four pillars – communications, experience, commerce and technology. Gain the skills needed for a changing digital landscape.

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LinkedIn Learning

Employees can benefit from a LinkedIn Learning subscription, giving access to thousands of online courses and video tutorials. Whether seeking new skills or polishing old ones, this range of resources is designed with careers in mind.

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Coursera

Gain access to Coursera, a widely respected e-learning platform, backed by leading universities and organisations worldwide. It offers thousands of courses across various disciplines to help build new skills and invest in your career.

Lifestyle choices

To ensure a healthy work-life balance.

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Annual holiday

We offer 25 days’ holiday per year plus bank holidays; three of these days are used over Christmas. We offer an additional day of annual holiday for each completed year at AKQA, up to 30 days.

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Birthday day off

We offer birthday days off, which can be taken any day within the birthday week.

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Remote working

AKQA offers a model which includes a combination of in-office and flexible working. In practice we come into the office 3 days one week and then 2 days the next, alternating across weeks.

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Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

All AKQA employees have a range of people-led ERGs open to them. These groups include Slack channels or affinity groups that unite employees around a common identity or interest.

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Refreshments

There is free fresh fruit available every morning as well as coffee machines and a range of herbal teas and drinks in the kitchen. You will find milk alternatives in the fridge to tailor your hot drinks to your preference.

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Anniversaries and long service awards

We celebrate each year of service contributed to AKQA with an anniversary gift, it’s our way of saying thank you. We also recognise the contributions of long servers with a financial reward at five, 10, 15, and 20-year milestones.

Recruitment referral scheme

AKQA pay a referral bonus for any candidate recommend who ends up being permanently employed, subject to conditions.

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Discounts

Explore offers and discounts, some as high as 20%, that are exclusive to AKQA employees.

Saving and protection

To help you plan for the future and for times when you may need support.

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Pension

We offer a generous pension scheme with varying level of contribution which employees can opt into from their first day, otherwise they will be automatically enrolled after three months.

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Mortgage advice

We host drop-in clinics twice a year offering a free mortgage consultation. The mortgage broker offers independent advice to first time buyers, buy-to-let and general mortgage advice.

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Income protection support

Employees may be eligible for our Permanent Medical Insurance (PMI) scheme if they’ve been off work due to illness or injury for more than 26 weeks. The scheme pays up to 75% of an annual salary, up to five years, until a return to work is possible.

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Life Assurance

As an AKQA employee, you are eligible for our life assurance scheme. This entitles someone nominated to receive a payment of four times your annual salary.

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Season ticket loan and electric vehicle scheme

Once you have passed probation, you can apply for an interest-free loan of up to £10,000 for an annual travel ticket from home to the office. If you want to buy an electric vehicle, the Octopus EV Salary Sacrifice Scheme, can help you reduce your monthly costs through savings on NI and income tax.

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Maternity and adoption leave

Our maternity package entitles employees to 26 weeks full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay. Employees with over five years of service receive a further enhanced package. Parents who are adopting are entitled to the same.

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Partner and shared parental leave

Partners are entitled to up to eight weeks of paid leave for use within a year of their baby’s arrival. During a child’s first year, 50 weeks of leave can be shared between new parents. Employees are entitled to the same enhanced package as maternity leave, this includes children born via surrogacy and adoption.

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Fertility leave

If employees are planning for, or undergoing any fertility treatment, they are entitled to up to five days of leave on full pay a year.

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Parental leave

Parents are entitled to four weeks of unpaid leave per year per child.

Prioritising you is essential to your wellbeing, particularly during the ongoing challenges in the world. Self-care strategies allow you to take charge of your mental and physical health. In addition to organised opportunities through sport, yoga and meditation, we’ve compiled a wide range of self-care resources for families and individuals, combined with continuous positive lifestyle encouragement and support for our employees.

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