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The food allowance is a benefit granted by companies to their employees in order to help them pay for meals and food during the working day.
Depending on the format in which it is awarded and the amount allocated, this allowance has associated tax benefits for both the employer and the employee. As such, it represents a valuable tool for maximizing employee liquidity without increasing the tax burden.
But in practice, who is entitled to food allowance in Portugal? Find out for yourself.
All public sector workers are entitled to a meal allowance as compensation for the costs of eating during their working day.
Order no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated the amount of the food allowance granted to public sector workers to €6.00/day.
With retroactive effect to January 1, 2023, this figure is still in force and also serves as a reference for the maximum daily amount exempt from taxation in cash. In other words, when the food allowance is paid in cash, it has the following tax benefits up to €6.00/day: exemption from TSU for the company and exemption from TSU and IRS for the employee.
The obligation to pay food allowance to private sector workers is not provided for in Código do Trabalho (CT). This benefit is a supplement to the employees’ monthly salary and, since labor legislation does not require it, the decision to grant it or not is at the discretion of each employer.
Thus, as far as the private sector is concerned, workers are only entitled to receive food allowance if it is provided for in their individual employment contract or in a collective bargaining agreement.
Where it is awarded, companies have complete freedom to set the amount they pay their employees. The legislation does not set any minimum or maximum limit for the private sector.
In addition, employers can also decide whether to give the allowance in cash or on a meal card. Bearing in mind that the maximum amount exempt from taxation on a card is €10.20/day – 70% more than in cash – this format is becoming increasingly favored by companies in Portugal.
Law no. 83/2021, of December 6, establishes that remote workers have the same rights and duties as other company employees in the same category or identical function.
As such, as long as the food allowance is included in the individual or collective employment contract, professionals working remotely are still entitled to receive it.
The food allowance is a way of ensuring that workers have access to nutritious food during their working day, regardless of where they work.
Article 154 of Código do Trabalho, which refers to the conditions of part-time work, establishes that part-time workers are entitled to food allowance, in the amount provided for in the individual employment contract or in a collective bargaining agreement.
If the daily working period is 5 hours or more, the employee is entitled to receive the full stipulated amount. If the normal working period is less than 5 hours, then the amount awarded is calculated in proportion to the number of hours worked.
Companies that provide a free canteen service are exempt from paying the food allowance. This is because the employer is already ensuring that employees have access to a proper meal during their working day.
If you have an Edenred Refeição card, you should already know that you can use it in more than 38,000 physical establishments in mainland Portugal and the islands. These establishments include restaurants, cafés, pastry shops and bakeries, supermarkets and hypermarkets, butchers, fishmongers, grocery stores, among others.
But did you know that you can also use your meal card to shop online? By linking your Edenred Refeição card to MB WAY, you can buy meals and groceries easily and conveniently, without leaving your home. All you need to do is select MB WAY as the payment method in the participating online stores and then enter your phone number to approve the payment in the app.
Discover with us some of the websites and online stores that accept Edenred Refeição payments.
Do you usually order your groceries from Continente‘s online store? Between ready-made meals and food products, there are many options to fill your pantry and use your Edenred Refeição balance.
With Auchan, you can also do your food shopping, pay with the Edenred Refeição card and choose the most convenient delivery method for you: to your home, collection from an Auchan store, a Pickup point, among others.
Mercadão is the place where you can shop online for Pingo Doce products. Find out if home delivery is available in your area or choose to order online and collect from a Pingo Doce store near you.
El Corte Inglés Supermercado products are also available to order online, with the possibility of home delivery or collection from one of the Supercor or El Corte Inglés stores in the country.
At 360hyper‘s online store, you can store at supermarkets such as Makro, grocery stores such as Amanhecer, and organic stores such as Miosótis, among others. Take the opportunity to pay with your Edenred meal card via MB WAY.
Celeiro has a wide range of products for healthy eating, organic products, as well as gluten-free and lactose-free alternatives, for example. When ordering online, you can use your Edenred Refeição.
At Prozis, you can also buy various products for a nutritious and balanced diet. As well as being able to use the Edenred Refeição card on the site, you can also access a 10% discount available to all Edenred users.
Did you know that you can use your Edenred Refeição to pay at these online stores? Discover other available establishments here.
In recent years, especially since the pandemic, the issue of employee well-being has been addressed with greater concern and consistency in an organizational context.
At the same time, a 2024 Gallup study found that the percentage of professionals who believe that their company cares about their well-being has fallen by less than half compared to 2020 (from 49% to 21% of respondents).
The truth is that while many companies are genuinely concerned about the well-being of their employees – and develop policies that are intrinsically linked to their values and organizational culture – others tend to adopt a discourse on well-being that doesn’t translate into practical measures.
In this context, the concept of carewashing has emerged in discussions about people management and employee benefits. Find out what it is and what its consequences are.
Read also: Employee well-being: 4 priorities for 2025
Carewashing occurs when there is a discrepancy between the well-being initiatives and programs advertised by the company and the reality of employees’ working conditions.
Employers project an image of concern for workers’ well-being without a real commitment to implementing measures that promote it – in a relevant and sustainable way.
For example, we can consider carewashing when a company offers mindfulness programs or yoga classes, but at the same time neglects systemic problems related to excessive workloads, toxic or non-inclusive work environments, inadequate management practices, among others.
Carewashing can have a number of damaging consequences for companies.
The existence of a transparent organizational culture is something highly valued by employees, but also by other stakeholders such as customers, partners or investors, for example.
Carewashing can damage the company’s credibility and generate some skepticism about its reliability.
Employees quickly realize when the theory doesn’t match the practice, i.e. when what is communicated doesn’t happen in reality.
This discrepancy can lead to dissatisfaction and demotivation among professionals, who feel that their expectations have been disappointed. Ultimately, there can be significant impacts on performance and productivity.
People value healthy workplaces that promote their well-being. When this doesn’t happen, and companies fail to deliver on their promises, it’s natural for employees to look for other opportunities.
Carewashing can contribute to an increase in turnoverhigh turnover has costs related to the recruitment and initial training of new professionals, but also to the loss of knowledge and qualified talent.
In today’s world, where information spreads quickly, the reputation of a company that practices carewashing can suffer considerable damage.
By being associated with negative and non-transparent practices, the organization can damage its public image and its brand. Consequently, this reputational damage can influence the stability of the business, the company’s results and its competitiveness and attractiveness.
In short, communicating wellness promotion strategies as a simple marketing ploy will bring companies numerous negative consequences in the long run.
Instead, organizations must intrinsically put their employees at the heart of their concerns and shape an authentic, transparent and sustainable organizational culture.
The restaurant sector is highly competitive and the battle between small restaurants and large chains can often seem unequal. With higher budgets and more robust structures, chain restaurants have other tools to attract and retain their audience.
However, even if they don’t have the same size, the same resources or the same levels of notoriety, small establishments can find inspiration in the strategies and good practices developed by the chains. Discover some examples with us.
Nowadays, having a consistent online presence and working on your restaurant’s visibility on digital channels and social networks is very important for business success. The big chains don’t neglect the power of a strong digital presence and incorporate it into their strategy:
Maintaining your restaurant’s online presence makes it easier for people to find you, for potential customers to want to visit you after looking at the menu or seeing photos of the dishes, and for them to make a reservation. As such, it is a fundamental aspect to consider in order to attract and retain customers.
Many restaurant groups promote loyalty through initiatives such as points cards (physical or virtual) and exclusive discounts for repeat customers.
Although these programs may seem complex, they can actually be replicated relatively simply by smaller restaurants. A small establishment can implement a stamp card, through which customers can enjoy some special advantage after a certain number of visits (for example, a coffee, a dessert or a free dish).
These offers, however insignificant they may seem, create a feeling of closeness and appreciation in people that can lead them to become regular customers.
One of the main strengths of the big restaurant chains is their ability to offer a consistent experience, not only in their different establishments, but at all points of contact with customers.
Consistency and predictability generate trust. When a customer already knows a restaurant, they expect it:
For this to happen, it is crucial to define clear standards of quality and excellence and to train teams to follow these standards rigorously.
Thanks to their structure and resources, the big chains are able to adapt quickly to customer preferences and changes in consumer habits (such as the introduction of vegetarian options, healthier alternatives or the reduction of plastic in takeaway packaging).
Small restaurants should take care to listen to their customers, gathering their opinions and adapting their menus and service to respond to emerging preferences and trends. This adaptability, and commitment to continuous improvement, demonstrates a genuine concern for the public.
In short, it can seem daunting to run a small restaurant when you know that the big chains have resources that are out of their reach. But small restaurants can take inspiration from some of these strategies to enhance their unique characteristics, which should be valued and contribute to their differentiation in the market.
World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7th. This date, established by the World Health Organization in 1950, aims to raise awareness of public health issues and promote the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits.
This promotion of people’s well-being and quality of life is also the responsibility of companies towards their employees. Well-being, in the multiple dimensions that make it up – physical, mental, emotional, social, financial and professional – is a determining factor in the satisfaction and motivation of professionals and should be an intrinsic and uninterrupted concern of organizations.
As such, employers must design a holistic strategy that allows them to support the health and well-being of their employees. One of the foundations of this strategy should invariably be an extra-wage benefits package that facilitates access to quality healthcare and increases employees’ purchasing power on expenses that can represent a large slice of their budget.
Edenred Flexível plays an important role in this context. Find out how this benefit can help your company support employees at different times in their lives.
Edenred Flexível is an extra-salary benefit that companies can give to employees to help them cover education, vocational training, health and well-being and social support costs.
As its name suggests, it is a flexible benefit because it adapts to the different life stages, needs and interests of employees. Each person can decide to use the amount granted by the company on the products and services most useful to them.
As it is a social benefit, it has a different tax framework from the same amount paid together with salary: both the company and the employee are fully exempt from TSU.
For this reason, Edenred Flexível is a tool that employers have at their disposal to maximize the liquidity of their employees while maintaining tax efficiency.
Read also: 5 Reasons to assign Edenred Flexível
Edenred Flexível is a benefit that can be used to pay for expenses related to education (schools, colleges, study centers, books and manuals, school supplies and computer equipment to support study, etc.) and training (universities, training centers, language schools and the like).
At the same time, this benefit can also be used to pay for products and services in the area of health and well-being, as well as social support. Workers who have this benefit can therefore use it for their own expenses or those of their family members.
Some of the establishments and services where Edenred Flexível is accepted are:
In addition to these establishments, there are also several orthopedic and geriatric stores, herbalists and alternative medicines, nursing homes, day care centers and home support services that accept payments with the Edenred Flexível card.
Edenred Flexível is a benefit in electronic card format. As such, this card can be used to make payments at more than 3,500 physical establishments.
In addition, the Edenred Flexível card can be linked to MB WAY, which not only allows you to make payments at physical establishments via your cell phone, but also to make online purchases.
As you can see, Edenred Flexível can be an important ally for companies looking for effective ways to support their employees’ health and well-being.
This benefit guarantees access to a comprehensive network of health establishments and services and allows each person to decide, at any given time, where it is most useful for them to use the amount available. In addition, its use is extended to employees’ family members, thus contributing to an improvement in their quality of life and general well-being.
If you want to give this benefit to your employees, our team is available to help.
With a very important role in the monthly budget of many workers, the food allowance is a supplement to the salary that companies can give to employees in order to increase their purchasing power when it comes to spending on meals and food.
However, this social benefit tends to generate some questions, both on the part of the workers and the employers themselves. Find out how the food allowance works in our country and get answers to some common questions.
Although it can be confused with remuneration, the food allowance is actually a social benefit that complements salary. This benefit is granted by companies with the aim of supporting employees with their food expenses during the working day and can therefore be used to purchase meals or foodstuffs to prepare them.
Ultimately, the aim of this subsidy is to guarantee access to adequate and nutritious food and, consequently, to contribute to the health, well-being and quality of life of workers.
The food allowance is a benefit whose value is legislated for public sector workers. However, the obligation to provide it is not provided for in the Labor Code (CT), so it is not mandatory by law. It is therefore at the discretion of each private company whether or not to grant this social benefit to its employees.
Even so, most employers choose to grant it in order to maximize their employees’ disposable income for meals and food expenses.
In April 2023, the food allowance was set at €6.00/day for the Public Sector, and this figure will still be maintained in 2025.
In the case of the private sector, on the other hand, payment of the allowance is not compulsory and, for this reason, there is no minimum or maximum limit. It’s up to each company to decide whether and how much they want to give their employees.
Since it is a social benefit, the food allowance has a different tax framework to the salary wage and both the company and the employee may have tax benefits associated with it.
The taxation of the allowance depends on the amount paid and the form in which it is paid. If the allowance is paid in cash, together with the salary, the employee is exempt from paying TSU and IRS up to a daily amount of €6.00. In turn, the company is also fully exempt from TSU. Above €6.00/day, the respective deductions apply to the remaining amount.
If the allowance is given via a meal card, the exemption limit is 70% higher, i.e. 10.20€/day. Up to this amount, companies are exempt from TSU and employees are exempt from TSU and IRS. From this amount onwards, the respective Social Security contribution and withholding tax also apply.
Practical example:
Considering that a worker receives €10.00/day in food allowance. If he receives this amount in cash, he is exempt from tax up to €6.00 and has to pay IRS and Social Security on the remaining amount – in this case, €4.00. If you receive the €10.00/day in a meal card, you don’t pay any taxes and receive the full net amount.
Article 24 of Código do Trabalho states that workers have the right to equal opportunities and equal treatment in employment and working conditions. This right must be verified, among other things, in access to “remuneration and other benefits”, which includes food allowances.
Since it is the company that chooses to allocate this supplement to the salary in order to support employees’ food costs, the principle of equality must be respected. As such, employees from the same company who are in the same circumstances should receive the same amount of allowance.
According to Article 154 of Código do Trabalho, part-time workers cannot be treated less favorably than full-time workers in comparable situations.
Thus, if the payment of food allowance is included in the individual employment contract, or is provided for in a collective bargaining agreement, part-time workers are entitled to receive it.
If the working period is 5 hours or more, the stipulated amount must be paid in full. If it is less than 5 hours, the amount of the allowance is calculated in proportion to the number of hours worked.
The purpose of the food allowance is to ensure access to decent food during the working day, regardless of where the employee works.
Thus, if the allowance is provided for in the individual or collective employment contract, workers are entitled to receive it, even if they are working remote (as provided for in Law no. 83/2021, of December 6).
If the employer provides a cafeteria or canteen service free of charge, then payment of the allowance is waived.
In addition to providing a canteen service, companies can also provide a food allowance.
The food allowance is paid for each day actually worked, i.e. it is not required to be paid on days when the employee does not work.
This applies to vacation days and absences due to illness (sick leave), but also to other situations such as: periods of parental leave or marriage leave, justified absences due to the death of family members or assistance to family members, unjustified absences, when exercising the right to strike, when serving a preventive suspension and when serving disciplinary sentences.
Read also: 8 questions you may have about the Edenred Refeição Card
Meetings are part of everyday life for many professionals. These moments are fundamental for streamlining communication within a team, or between teams, for debating ideas and making strategic decisions that impact employees and the business.
But while their importance is undeniable, do all meetings meet these objectives? The truth is that when a meeting isn’t run well, it can easily become unproductive and inefficient: participants become demotivated and uninvolved, and the quality of decisions and results suffers.
If this is a frequent reality for you, discover with us 7 practical tips to make your meetings more productive.
Read also: 10 platforms to increase productivity at work
According to the State of Meetings Report 2025, a professional can spend an average of 392 hours a year in meetings, which corresponds to almost 50 working days.
At the same time, organizations devote an average of 15% of their collective time to meetings. However, 67% of these meetings are considered unproductive and 92% of employees admit to multitasking when they are in a meeting.
So, although meetings are fundamental to promoting collaboration, creativity and innovation, this can only truly happen if these moments are well managed and conducted.
Before arranging a meeting, be clear on the answer to the question “what is the purpose of this meeting?“. If it’s just to share information or ask for an opinion, can’t you do it another way (e.g. by email or message)? If it’s to make a decision, isn’t it enough to talk to those who have the power to decide?
If it still makes sense to hold the meeting, having a clear objective will help you conduct it more effectively. On the other hand, if that objective is not clear to the participants, the meeting can become frustrating and fruitless.
Try to detail, in practice, what you want to see discussed or resolved by the end of the meeting. Share these topics with the participants beforehand, so that everyone is prepared and can intervene in a more relevant way.
Based on this agenda, establish the time needed for the meeting.
The more people who attend a meeting, the more likely it is to become inefficient. Be selective and ensure that you invite only those interested in the topic in question and those with decision-making power. If someone whose presence is paramount cannot attend, then postpone the meeting.
If you have any doubts about the need to convene someone, or if it’s not clear to you who the decision-maker is, find out before you schedule the meeting.
Lack of punctuality tends to be socially accepted, and something that people end up overlooking, but it is an aspect that leads to significant losses of time. It therefore results in less efficient and productive meetings.
Try to make participants aware of the importance of adhering to schedules and respecting other people’s time. Chronic delays are often a symptom of a deeper time management problem rooted in the organizational culture itself.
It is essential that there is a person responsible for running the meeting. This person should try to ensure that all stakeholders are heard, that they do not deviate from the central topic and that the objectives of the meeting are met in the time available.
Always bear in mind that a meeting should be geared towards an outcome. As such, it’s important to end with a summary of what was discussed or decided with a view to achieving that goal.
End each meeting with a concrete action plan on the next steps, the responsibilities of each stakeholder and the deadlines to be taken into account.
It is not necessary to draw up an exhaustive report of each meeting, but it is very important to share notes with the main ideas discussed and the actions expected of each participant.
This formalization helps to increase the sense of responsibility of the people involved and can serve as a reminder when a task is missing.
By adopting these good practices, and by doing so in a structural and transversal way within an organization, you will maximize the potential that meetings have as tools for collaboration and innovation.
If you want to boost your productivity and efficiency, it’s essential to move from a paradigm of meetings that are too long and too frequent, with unstructured agendas and too many participants , to a paradigm of short, concise meetings, with the right people and focused on discussing specific topics.
Did you know that, as well as saving money when you buy food for your meals, you can also cut costs by adjusting the way you cook?
We all know that supermarket shopping accounts for a generous slice of a family’s monthly budget, but what doesn’t always occur to us is that the way we prepare our meals, as well as the appliances we use, also weigh on the bill. And a lot!
That’s why it’s important to rethink the way you cook, not only by adopting new cooking methods, but also by using kitchen equipment that uses less energy. Find out how!
Most people use it to defrost food or heat up meals, but this piece of equipment, which is present in almost every Portuguese kitchen, is extremely useful, economical and versatile.
Not only can it be used to cook any food, but it is also more energy efficient than a stove or oven, as it requires only two thirds of the energy that these appliances consume. So much so that, according to data released by the Instituto de Diversificación y Ahorro de Energía (IDAE), if you choose to cook in a microwave instead of an electric oven, you can reduce your energy consumption by 70%.
In fact, although some people say that cooking or heating food in the microwave can contaminate the food, several studies have proven that there is no basis for this possibility. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, as long as they are used properly and respect safety standards, there is no problem in using microwaves to cook or heat food.
When using the stove:
When using the oven:
More tips for saving money in the kitchen:
It’s unavoidable: the general increase in prices has a direct impact on the purchasing power of workers and families. In 2021, the inflation rate began to rise gradually and, although there has been a slowdown since 2023, the truth is that prices continue to rise.
The European Commission’s economic forecasts predict an inflation rate of 2.1% in Portugal by 2025 and several essential goods have already seen the usual increase at the start of the year.
In this context, employers must take a proactive role in anticipating and supporting the challenges faced by employees. In particular, employee benefits are a powerful tool for increasing employees’ disposable income in essential areas and helping to improve their quality of life.
The purpose of paying meal allowances is to ensure that employees have access to meals and food so that they can eat nutritiously during the working day.
When awarded through a social voucher or meal card, it ensures that this purpose is fulfilled and, therefore, both the company and the employee have associated tax benefits. In the case of the employee, the total exemption from IRS and TSU up to €10.20/day provides increased liquidity compared to paying the same amount in cash.
If a worker receives €10.20 a day in meal cards, they will earn €325 more per year than if they received the same amount in cash, together with their salary (applying a rate of 11% TSU and 21% IRS). Assuming an average price of €10 per meal, this annual gain corresponds to around 32 more meals.
Find out more about Edenred Meals.
Companies can also support the childcare expenses of employees with children under the age of 7. Childcare vouchers, such as the Edenred Creche, are designed to ensure greater liquidity for childcare costs, nurseries, kindergartens and similar establishments.
For this, employers have tax benefits when granting them (total exemption from TSU and a 40% increase in IRC) and also employees when receiving them (total exemption from TSU and IRS).
For example, if the company allocates €1,000 a year to eligible employees – with children or dependents between the ages of 0 and 6 inclusive – they receive the full amount if the allocation is made through Edenred Creche, but only receive €680 net if the allocation is made in cash, together with their salary (considering an 11% TSU and 21% IRS rate).
This can be a valuable help in supporting employees with expenses that can typically represent a large chunk of their family budget.
By using employee benefits, it is also possible to increase workers’ purchasing power for expenses related to their children’s education or their own professional training.
Edenred Student, for example, can be used to pay for schools, colleges, universities and similar establishments. Employees can use the amount granted by the company to pay for the education of their children and dependents from the age of 7, or to pay for their own professional training if they wish to complete a certification, course, master’s degree, etc.
Edenred Flexible, on the other hand, is intended for the purchase of books and textbooks, school supplies and computer study aids.
Both benefits are fully exempt from TSU for the company and the employee. As such, if the company decides to grant €1,000 a year through one of these benefits, the employees have an annual gain of €110 compared to paying the same amount in cash (applying a TSU rate of 11%).
As well as being used for education and training expenses, Edenred Flexible also allows you to support employees with their health and senior care costs. This benefit can be used in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, opticians, nursing homes, day care centers, among other similar establishments.
Health benefits are among the most valued by employees, especially when they can be extended to their families, as is the case with Edenred Flexível. By granting this benefit, companies are facilitating access to health care for their employees and their families, thus promoting their well-being and quality of life.
Again, the associated tax benefits – total exemption from TSU for both company and employee – allow organizations to maximize the liquidity of their employees without increasing the tax burden.
The food allowance is a very important salary supplement for a significant proportion of workers in Portugal. The amount granted by companies to their employees is intended to compensate them for the cost of having a meal during their working day.
But what does Portuguese legislation say about food allowance? What is it, how can it be paid and who is entitled to it? These are just some of the questions we answer in this article for you.
The food allowance is a social benefit that companies – both public and private – can grant to employees to ensure that they have access to a decent meal during their working day.
As such, the amount of the meal allowance can be used to purchase meals or foodstuffs to prepare them.
The meal allowance was introduced into Portuguese legislation in 1979. Decree-Law no. 297/79, of August 17, established exceptional rules for the food allowance, which was thus excluded from the payment of professional tax up to the maximum amount allocated to public sector workers.
However, although this reference has existed since 1979, there is still no specific legislation regulating the conditions for issuing, awarding and using meal tickets in our country.
The tax framework applicable to the food allowance is laid down in the IRS Code (CIRS) and the Social Security Contributions Code.
Because it is a social benefit, food allowances are treated differently from salaries. Depending on the amount awarded and the format in which it is awarded, both the employer and the employee may have tax benefits associated with it:
The amount of the food allowance for public administration workers – in this case, €6.00/day – serves as a reference and corresponds to the maximum exemption amount when the allowance is paid in cash.
If it is granted in the form of a ticket or meal card, there is a 70% surcharge, and the maximum amount exempt from taxation is €10.20/day.
The allowance is paid for each day actually worked, i.e. its payment is not required on days when the employee does not work (e.g. during vacations or holidays, in cases of illness, during parental leave or marriage leave, in the event of unjustified absence or when exercising the right to strike).
Bearing in mind that the food allowance is a supplement to remuneration, and that legislation in Portugal does not oblige it to be paid, the way in which it is allocated to employees is up to each company.
With regard to the format in which it is awarded, the food allowance can be granted:
The food allowance card is an increasingly popular option for companies in Portugal, as the associated tax benefits allow companies to maximize their employees’ disposable income without increasing the tax burden.
Since it is an extra-wage benefit and is not included as mandatory in the Labor Code, the food allowance is only due if it is provided for in an individual or collective labor contract.
Although employers are not obliged to grant it, most companies choose to do so in order to maximize employees’ purchasing power for food expenses.
Even so, according to the most recent figures from the Gabinete de Estratégia e Planeamento do Ministério da Segurança Social for 2022, 1.7 million workers in Portugal – around 6 out of every 10 employees – were still not receiving food subsidies at the time.
The legislation does not set any minimum or maximum limit for the payment of meal allowances.
The amount paid to public sector workers, which is €6.00/day, serves as a reference for the maximum daily amount exempt from taxation in cash. In turn, the maximum tax-free amount in meal cards is €10.20/day (70% more than in cash).
However, this does not mean that employers cannot grant any other amount. Private sector companies are free to pay any amount to their employees: if they give more than €6.00 in cash, or more than €10.20 in a meal card, the respective discounts apply to the remaining amount.
All public sector workers are entitled to the food allowance. In addition, workers in the private sector are also entitled, in cases where this allowance is provided for in their employment contract (individual or collective).
These also include:
Do you have any additional questions about the food allowance? Don’t hesitate to contact us, our team is always happy to help.
After being awarded the Prémio Cinco Estrelas award once again, Edenred Portugal has once again been awarded the Marca Recomendada 2025 seal by Consumers Trust.
For the fourth year running, Edenred has obtained the best satisfaction rating on Portal da Queixa in the meal card category.
This distinction is the result of the work of the entire team and an uninterrupted effort to provide the best possible experience for customers and users of Edenred benefits.
The Marca Recomendada seal is a vote of confidence from consumers. This distinction recognizes brands for their performance and customer orientation on Portal da Queixa by Consumers Trust.
In 2025, 177 brands received the Marca Recomendada seal. The methodology used is based on calculating the average satisfaction rating that brands obtained over the 12 months of the previous year.
According to Sónia Lage Lourenço, CEO of Portal da Queixa, “The ‘Marca Recomendada 2025’ distinction is more than recognition, it’s a celebration of Edenred Portugal’s dedication and commitment to delivering customer service that stands out for its excellence.”
In fact, passion for customers is one of the values that guides Edenred’s work. Every day, we strive to ensure maximum satisfaction for the entire ecosystem surrounding Edenred benefits: customers, users, participating establishments, partners and employees.
As such, we are very honored by the renewal of this distinction and thank everyone who continues, year after year, to place their trust in our work!
Human resources departments are crucial to the success of companies, as they manage their most valuable asset: people.
Professionals in this area are responsible for processes ranging from recruitment to onboarding, training and development, salary processing, vacation and leave management, among many others.
Some of these processes tend to involve a high administrative burden, as well as manual and repetitive tasks. But it doesn’t always have to be this way. The emergence and consolidation of digital technologies and artificial intelligence means that HR managers are now able to automate much of their recurring work.
Come and discover with us what HR automation is and some practical examples of tasks that can be automated.
HR automation is the use of technology to carry out human resources management tasks automatically. The aim is to optimize workflows, reducing the need to manually carry out processes that tend to be repetitive and time-consuming.
Automating processes improves operational efficiency and allows HR professionals to focus on more strategic projects related to people management and business growth.
Automating human resources processes and tasks brings with it many benefits:
If you list all your HR team’s processes, from recruiting a candidate to the eventual departure of an employee, it’s likely that many of them are standardized and recurring. It is these processes that can most likely be simplified and automated.
During the process of hiring new professionals, tasks such as:
The phase of integrating new employees is also, par excellence, a period in which many tasks can be automated:
Manually approving and managing employees’ vacation days is prone to human error. On the contrary, HR management software makes it possible:
Monthly payments are a recurring task – since they have to be made every month – and are typically time-consuming. What’s more, any human errors have a direct impact on employees’ pay (they may be paid less or more, or they may be paid late, for example).
In this sense, there are stages of payroll processing that can – and should – be automated:
Allocating and managing employee benefits can also involve some administrative work, especially if your company has a comprehensive benefits plan, with benefits in various areas – for example, food, health, childhood, education, among others.
It is necessary to validate the eligibility of employees for certain benefits (such as childcare benefits), deal with requests to issue benefits (for example, meal cards), make transfers of the amounts stipulated for each employee, among other processes.
In this context, tools such as Edenred’s Client Portal enable centralized, simple and autonomous management of the multiple benefits granted by the company to its employees.
The existence of training and skills development opportunities is one of the aspects that employees value most about the companies they work for. As such, it is important to put together a solid training plan that contributes to the growth of professionals, but also to their satisfaction and involvement.
In order to do this, the training program must be based on digital tools that enable it:
Just as when an employee arrives at the company, when they leave it involves a number of tasks on the part of the HR department. It is usually necessary to:
These processes must be well defined and standardized, so that many of the steps involved can be automated. For example, the exit survey can be sent automatically, by email, with a form that makes it possible to capture and systematize the professionals’ responses. Analyzing this data can provide valuable information on why people are taking on other professional challenges.
As we can see, HR automation can be applied to a large number of processes carried out by human resources departments.
Start by identifying the areas in which manual work is most prevalent and may be generating inefficiencies. Then try to figure out which platforms are best suited to simplifying these tasks and optimizing workflows.
Although implementing some automation processes may involve some initial effort, the balance in terms of productivity and agility will certainly be positive in the medium and long term.
The phenomenon of job hopping is not new, but it has become more common in recent years, especially as new generations enter the job market.
This trend, which consists of “jumping from job to job”, is most prevalent among Generation Y – the Millennials – and Generation Z. Several studies indicate that professionals from these generations spend the least time in their jobs.
It is essential for human resources managers to understand their employees’ motivations and the reasons that can lead to job hopping. Find out what these reasons are and how flexible benefits can play an important role in this context.
Read also: How to engage Generation Z employees?
The term “job hopping” refers to the tendency to change jobs frequently. It happens when professionals change jobs several times in a short period of time.
This phenomenon tends to occur more in the technology sector, followed by sales, marketing, communication and design.
People can change jobs for a variety of reasons. And while some of these causes may be involuntary or unrelated to the workers – due to the economic context, market developments or changes in the companies themselves – there may also be various individual motivations for taking on a new professional challenge:
Taking each of these reasons into account, organizations must adopt a holistic strategy that allows them to face the challenges posed by job hopping. One of the axes of this strategy must invariably be the construction of a robust flexible benefits plan.
Flexible benefits play a major role in motivating and retaining employees, because:
Many employers already recognize the importance of providing flexible benefits and, according to WTW’s Benefits Trends Survey, 57% of the companies surveyed say they aim to design benefits plans that adapt to their employees’ constantly evolving expectations.
Is this the case for you? Find out which types of employee benefits different generations value.
Edenred Refeição is the most widely used meal card in Portugal. This benefit is given by companies to their employees in order to ensure access to a decent meal during the working day.
Social meal vouchers have a different tax framework from the payment of meal allowances in cash, as they guarantee that the amount granted is actually used for food expenses. As such, employers are able to maximize their employees’ monthly liquidity in spending on meals and food.
If you own a restaurant or food retail establishment, find out about the advantages of accepting payments with this card.
Every month, employers allocate the value of the meal allowance to their employees via the Edenred Refeição card. This amount can only be spent in Edenred’s network of member establishments, which ensure that the meal card is used for its intended purpose (to purchase meals or foodstuffs for cooking).
By being part of this network, you increase the chances of Edenred Refeição users visiting your establishment. As well as attracting potential new customers, you’re also in a better position to retain them, as these customers tend to become repeat customers because they know they can use their meal card in your establishment.
The use of social meal vouchers promotes consumption in local restaurant and food retail businesses. When choosing a restaurant for lunch, the more than 700,000 Edenred users give preference to establishments where they can use their meal card.
Attracting and retaining these customers naturally contributes to increasing your establishment’s turnover, generating more revenue and using installed capacity more efficiently and profitably.
Accepting payments with Edenred Refeição just means working with what you already have. You don’t need any specific payment terminals, as the Edenred meal card is parameterized in the ATM network. In this way, customers can make payments using the physical card or their cell phone via MB WAY.
What’s more, there is no investment or membership fee involved in accepting Edenred Refeição. If you don’t have any transactions with this card, you don’t have to pay anything.
By joining Edenred’s network, your establishment is featured on the MyEdenred App, an application used by more than 700,000 Edenred Refeição users to find establishments that accept this benefit. This search can be done by geo-referencing or directly by the name of your establishment.
Take advantage of the Establishment Portal, powered by Mygon, and ensure that your establishment is publicized with photographs, links to your website and social networks, and all the details of the characteristics of the space.
In addition to the MyEdenred App, Edenred member establishments have exclusive conditions for joining digital platforms that aim to help boost business.
This is the case with Mygon, which allows you to create promotional campaigns (for new customers or at off-peak times, for example), or DIG-IN, which offers website creation services, e-commerce, take-away solutions and home deliveries, among others.
Edenred offers all its member establishments a Discount and Advantage Program, which gives them access to a wide range of discounts and exclusive offers on useful services for running their business.
These discounts are available on mobility, energy, telecommunications and advertising brands, among others. The list of partner brands is growing all the time, so you can find advantages in areas that are really useful to you, your employees and your establishment.
Did you know about all the advantages of joining the Edenred network? If you would like to join, don’t hesitate to contact us.
The exemption from working hours is one of the types of working hours provided for in Código do Trabalho. It is a working arrangement that gives workers flexibility and greater autonomy in managing their time.
However, it is a topic that can raise some questions, both for the workers themselves and for those responsible for human resources.
Find out what Portuguese legislation says about exemption from working hours.
The exemption from working hours, provided for in Article 218 of Código do Trabalho, consists of greater flexibility in the execution of the employment contract with regard to its hourly component.
This working arrangement requires a written agreement between the employee and the employer and can be implemented in different ways. Find out which ones.
The exemption from working hours can take one of the following forms:
If the type of time exemption to be applied is not expressly defined, the first option prevails.
The exemption from working hours may apply to workers with specific duties:
Workers with other jobs can also be exempt from working hours, as long as there is a written agreement with their employer, as long as the law allows it or through collective bargaining agreements (agreements between employers and trade unions in a particular sector).
Article 265 of Código do Trabalho states that workers with exempt working hours are entitled to a pay supplement. This additional remuneration can be defined by a collective bargaining agreement or, if one does not exist, it must be based on the following:
The exemption from working hours does not cancel out the duty of attendance on the part of employees. As such, companies must keep records of their employees’ entries and exits, as well as the number of hours worked during the day and week.
In the case of the possibility of extending the normal working period, overtime is considered to be any activity that exceeds the number of hours that were initially planned to be increased. For example, in a case where it has been agreed that a worker who is exempt from working hours can have their normal working hours increased by 2 hours on Mondays, if the worker needs to work more than the additional hours already planned, they are entitled to overtime pay.
The same is true in the case of observance of agreed normal working hours, in which the worker must also be paid overtime if he or she works more hours than those included in the normal working period.
In both situations, the worker is entitled to the working time exemption allowance and, at the same time, the overtime.
The exemption from working hours does not compromise workers’ right to rest. They will continue to be able to enjoy their weekly rest (compulsory or complementary), compulsory holidays and daily rest hours between their respective working days.
In the latter case, daily rest periods must be at least 11 hours, in order to guarantee workers’ recovery. In other words, if workers finish work later one day, they must start work later the next.
Did you know all these aspects of the working time exemption scheme? It’s important to consider this information before accepting a job with exempt working hours and to assess whether the scheme meets your expectations and needs.
Did you know that you can use your Edenred benefits completely digitally? While Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante work via the education wallet in the MyEdenred App, the benefits in card format – both Edenred Refeição and Edenred Flexível – can be linked to MB WAY.
If you have either or both of these cards and have not yet linked them to your MB WAY account, here are three good reasons to do so.
Forgot your wallet? Don’t have your card with you? With MB WAY, you can make payments in physical stores with your smartphone. All participating establishments that accept payments with Edenred Refeição or Edenred Flexível cards also allow you to use MB WAY via QR Code or NFC.
So use MB WAY to pay with:
Check out the more than 41,000 establishments in the Edenred network.
As well as being able to use MB WAY in physical establishments, you can also make payments on websites and online stores. In this case, you need to select this payment method at the checkout and enter your phone number to approve the payment.
You can shop online with Edenred Refeição (at Continente, Auchan, Mercadão, 360hyper, Prozis, Celeiro, among other stores) and also with Edenred Flexible (at Wells, FNAC, Bertrand, Staples, WOOK, among other stores).
Discover the websites and online stores that accept payments with Edenred cards via MB WAY.
By having your Edenred cards linked to MB WAY, you can not only make purchases in online stores, but also in applications and digital home delivery platforms. Some examples are Uber Eats, EatTasty or Dona Marmita, which allow you to order meals and pay with your Edenred meal card.
When confirming your order, choose MB WAY as your payment method and make sure you select Edenred Refeição (if you have other cards added to your MB WAY).
Don’t have your Edenred cards linked to the MB WAY application yet? The association process is very simple:
1 – Go to an ATM, insert your Edenred Refeição or Edenred Flexível card and select the “MB WAY/MB NET” option;
2 – Choose the “MB WAY Membership” option;
3 – Enter the cell phone number associated with your MB WAY account and then the PIN you use in this application;
4 – When you receive the MB WAY notification on your cell phone, confirm the last four digits of your Edenred card number and you’re done!
According to the 2022-2023 Global Wellbeing Survey, carried out by AON in more than 1100 countries around the world, the main concern identified by companies for the next five years is employee wellbeing.
Well-being at work is related to how the workplace, working environment, tasks and professional demands, among other factors, can influence the health and happiness of workers.
Improving the well-being of employees is directly related to their motivation and satisfaction, and therefore to the productivity and overall success of organizations.
However, promoting people’s well-being can be challenging and complex, given the multiple dimensions that make it up. Find out what these dimensions are and what priority aspects you need to address in your company in 2025.
Well-being is seen as a holistic and comprehensive concept, based on the following variables:
In an ideal scenario, all these dimensions should be considered by the leaders of organizations in their strategies. However, recognizing that it can be difficult to move forward on all fronts at the same time – and effectively – these are the four axes that your company must not neglect in 2025.
The World Health Organization estimates that every year 12 billion working days are lost due to mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
In this sense, employers must be an active agent in promoting the mental health of their employees and must place this topic at the heart of their human resources management strategies.
By 2025, companies are expected to integrate mental health promotion measures into their organizational culture in an intrinsic, proactive and preventive way (and not just reactively to existing problems). Some concrete initiatives include:
In 2021, Portugal was considered, among 26 European countries analyzed, to have the highest risk of burnout. As such, companies need to develop solid strategies to prevent and combat burnout and mitigate the psychosocial risks associated with work.
In order to do this, it is necessary to consider the individual factors and the organizational factors that can favor the emergence of burnout and search for it:
Teleworking has exploded during the pandemic, and today many workers no longer do without remote or hybrid working arrangements. As this becomes a reality for many organizations, it is essential to ensure that these working arrangements are boosting employee well-being.
For this to happen, it is necessary:
Don’t forget that aspects such as inflation or interest rates on home loans continue to have a significant impact on the management of many families’ monthly budgets.
Companies need to know the reality of their employees, collect information about their needs and expectations, and analyze this data in order to be able to set up remuneration and extra-salary benefits policies with relevance and added value for people.
With a clear perspective on what employees value, organizations can provide benefits that adapt to different needs, interests and life stages. In this way, they can help mitigate the financial stress associated with specific areas, such as food, health or education, for example.
Any context in which there are human interactions can be susceptible to conflict. Workplaces are no exception.
Companies are made up of diverse groups of people with different personalities and opinions. As such, disagreements are inevitable.
However, managing these differences is fundamental to strengthening the organizational culture and building a team spirit that promotes collaboration, creativity, innovation and productivity.
Read also: 8 steps to good teamwork
There are various reasons and situations that can trigger conflicts in the workplace:
The so-called Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management Model is an instrument according to which, in conflict situations, the people involved can adopt five postures or strategies for resolving the conflict.
These five strategies differ in their levels:
It is an approach to conflict in which the person is neither assertive nor cooperative, i.e. it is assumed that they have no interest in defending their own interests or satisfying the interests of the other party. As the name suggests, there is a flight and a withdrawal from the conflict.
This strategy tends to be adopted when the cause of the conflict and the relationship between the two parties are considered unimportant.
Since, in the workplace, the causes of a conflict are expected to be important, as well as people trying to maintain a cordial and lasting relationship with their colleagues, this strategy is not very prevalent in a professional context.
Competing in the sense of defending a position or an argument, of pushing ahead with your objectives. This is the strategy with the highest level of assertiveness and the lowest level of cooperativeness.
Adopting this approach in situations where the relationship with the other party is considered important – as in the case of work colleagues – can jeopardize trust, collaboration and even productivity.
However, in more urgent or crisis scenarios, it may be necessary to opt for the competitive style of conflict management, as someone needs to assert themselves and take control.
Unlike the previous approach, it is the least assertive and the most cooperative. In these cases, the person ends up neglecting their own opinions and objectives in order to agree with and satisfy the objectives of the other party.
This attitude tends to be adopted when the relationship with the other person is more important than the cause of the conflict. This can happen if you don’t have a sufficiently formed opinion on the matter or if the other party takes a more categorical or even hostile stance, for example.
Accommodation is very visible in a professional context, but it’s important to realize that if people often tend to agree in order to avoid conflict , valuable opportunities for innovation, growth and creative problem-solving may be missed.
Compromise is the more moderate approach, i.e. one in which people are assertive and cooperative in equal doses. It implies more compromise than competition, but less compromise than accommodation.
The aim is to reach mutual understanding and a solution that is satisfactory to both parties. This may involve evaluating the pros and cons of each position and some concessions from the parties involved.
The strategy of compromise is very recurrent in the workplace, where people recognize that sometimes it is necessary to partially sacrifice their points of view and objectives for the sake of maintaining a good relationship with colleagues.
Collaboration is at the opposite end of the spectrum from avoidance, i.e. it is the most assertive and the most cooperative. Collaboration consists of trying to find a solution that satisfies both parties.
Unlike compromise, in which the people involved only partially achieve their goals, collaboration involves working together to achieve a positive and satisfactory result for everyone.
Collaboration is the ideal approach in the workplace, as people should cherish their relationships – with their peers and managers – as well as valuing their ideas, perspectives and goals. Furthermore, collaboration is a key element in building healthy, constructive, productive and creative work environments.
It’s no news that motivated employees are more involved and productive in their work. Nor is it news that benefits packages play a major role in motivating professionals.
In this context, it’s obvious that money matters. Financial benefits ensure greater disposable income and allow you to support employees in essential areas, contributing to their well-being and quality of life.
However, non-financial benefits should not be overlooked by companies. According to McKinsey & Company’s “McKinsey 2024 Performance Management Survey”, more than half of the employees surveyed say they feel more motivated when their company’s benefits policies combine financial and non-financial benefits.
But what kind of non-financial benefits can employers give their employees to motivate them? Discover some examples with us.
Non-financial benefits are incentives that companies give their employees as a form of recognition and motivation and which do not involve monetary compensation.
Although companies still need to budget for these benefits, there is no retribution or direct payment to the employee, as is the case with financial extra-salary benefits (meal allowance, childcare support, health support, among others).
Combined with financial employee benefits, non-financial benefits help to increase satisfaction and engagement, reduce turnover and boost productivity.
Time off and vacations are an opportunity for professionals to rest, recharge their batteries and spend quality time with their families and friends.
You can provide additional vacation days on employees’ birthdays, during festive seasons (Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve or Carnival) or simply extra days that each employee can use when it’s most convenient for them.
Only a healthy balance with personal and family life will allow employees to be satisfied and motivated in the professional sphere. When people feel that there is a flexible and adaptable integration between personal and professional life, they are in a better position to perform well at work and engage with the organizational culture.
For this to happen, try to incorporate benefits such as:
It is undeniable that there is a direct relationship between the well-being of employees and their motivation. As such, prioritize employees’ physical and mental health through initiatives such as:
Fostering a good working environment is essential if professionals are to be satisfied. Companies should promote informal moments for people to interact and strengthen connections outside the work context. When we socialize with our colleagues and realize that we have common interests, the workplace becomes more pleasant and meaningful.
At the same time, team building activities are also an important tool for fostering a sense of unity and collaboration between members of the same team and between teams.
Have you ever wondered whether the physical space in which your employees work is contributing to their motivation? The truth is that a workplace that is pleasant, accessible and comfortable is crucial for people to feel good in it.
Ensure that employees have ergonomic chairs, natural light and the ideal temperature to perform their duties. Create visually appealing spaces and provide rest areas where professionals can take their breaks. Invest in a workplace that is functional, but also aesthetically pleasing, and where employees enjoy being.
Most professionals look at training opportunities and career progression as an important factor when choosing a company to work for. Having a robust skills development plan that focuses on reskilling and upskilling is very important for keeping employees motivated.
Ensure access to courses, workshops and certifications so that people can improve their skills and develop new abilities. Do it in a personalized and individualized way, so that each employee works on their professional growth and realizes that the organization is making an investment in that growth.
In short, non-financial benefits are a key element in motivating employees. However, they only work in conjunction with a solid financial benefits policy. It is the combination of these two components that allows companies to improve their employee value proposition (EVP) more significantly and effectively.
The meal allowance is a social benefit granted by companies to their employees in order to guarantee access to a nutritious meal during the working day.
Although it is not compulsory, the meal allowance is one of the most popular employee benefits in Portugal and most employers choose to grant it in order to support employees with their food expenses.
At a time when the price of food continues to weigh heavily on family budgets, the amount workers receive in meal allowances can be a valuable help.
Discover the values to consider in 2025.
The approval of the State Budget for 2025 introduced new changes regarding the meal allowance, namely the maximum amount exempt from taxation on meal cards.
The amount of the meal allowance paid to public administration workers remains at €6.00/day. On the other hand, if the allowance is paid through a social voucher or meal card, the maximum amount exempt from taxation will be 70% more (until 2024 it was 60% more).
In practice, this means that if companies choose to grant the allowance in the form of a meal card, the tax exemption will now apply up to the amount of €10.20/day (until 2024 this amount was €9.60/day).
Thus, taxation varies depending on the format in which the allowance is granted to workers:
If your company gives you €10.20/day in meal cards, the total net amount you receive over a year in meal allowance is €2,468.40. If the same amount is paid in cash, and the respective IRS and Social Security deductions are applied, the annual amount becomes €2,143.16.
This means that, by receiving the allowance in cardboard form, you have an annual gain of 325.24€. In a scenario where a meal costs around €10, this gain is equivalent to an extra 30 meals a year.
Make your simulation at any time here.
and long weeks and bridges in 2025. With good planning, this year brings many opportunities to relax, recharge and enjoy quality time with your family, friends or yourself.
Read also: Meal card allowance: Advantages for companies and employees
Edenred Portugal has been recognized with the Prémio Cinco Estrelas 2025. This distinction was achieved for the third consecutive year in the meal card category.
Edenred’s overall satisfaction rating was 7.97, in a process of evaluating products, services and brands that involves companies and consumers.
This recognition reaffirms the satisfaction and confidence of the Portuguese in the quality and excellence of the Edenred brand.
Prémio Cinco Estrelas is an evaluation system that has existed in Portugal since 2014, with the aim of identifying the best products, services and brands on the national market.
The methodology used is based on the evaluation of five variables (in parallel with five specific characteristics of each brand in its consumer category):
In 2025, 171 winners were highlighted, including 115 brands, 28 personalities and 18 media organizations.
Year after year, we are very pleased and honored with this distinction. We would like to thank all our customers and users who continue to place their trust in the work of our team!
Making use of leftovers from other meals is the best way to actively contribute to a more sustainable planet and, at the same time, reduce the time and money we spend in the kitchen. With a little creativity, you can not only prepare tasty meals, but also combat food waste. And who wins? First of all, the planet, of course, and then us!
So it doesn’t matter if you’re an undisputed anti-waste chef or if you’re just starting out, because we’re going to make your life easier with these 3 sustainable, practical, healthy and tasty recipes!
Read also: Healthy and economical cooking [eBook]
Recipe for 4 people
Preparation: 30 minutes
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Recipe for 5 people
Preparation: 30 minutes
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Recipe for 4 people
Preparation: 30 minutes
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As the world of work continues to evolve, human resources managers face daily challenges in managing their people effectively.
You need to hire the right talent, keep employees satisfied, motivated and involved, ensure their well-being, while adding value to the business itself and aligning human capital management with the organizational culture and the company’s goals.
In this context, it’s essential to keep up to date with the best practices and new trends. And for this, reading some books plays a very important role.
Come and discover with us eight books that all human resources managers should read, whether they are already experienced professionals or just starting out in this field.
Author: Simon Sinek
One of the stories in this book tells of the transformation carried out by Bob Chapman in a company that was experiencing difficulties and in which the employees were dissatisfied. Instead of trying to replace the disgruntled professionals, this CEO sought to create the conditions for them to work with greater motivation. The result was an increase in productivity and profit.
This is just one of the examples presented by the author, who wants to demonstrate that organizational success is closely linked to the well-being and satisfaction of employees. When people feel valued by their leaders, they tend to wear their shirts more and join forces towards a common goal.
Author: Laszlo Bock
The author of this book was Vice President of People Operations at Google and shares his experience in this organization, which has become one of the most attractive to work for in the world.
Some of the lessons that HR managers can learn from this book are the importance of favoring a culture of innovation and creativity, of giving employees a voice and power, of hiring the best talent (even if recruitment takes longer), of reformulating the “top-down” leadership approach, of using data to make decisions, among others.
Author: Erica Keswin
In this book, the author seeks to corroborate the importance of bringing authenticity and humanity into the workplace. By sharing practical examples – from companies such as Lyft or Starbucks, for example – Erica Keswin shows how interpersonal relationships can create healthier work environments and be a driving force for success in organizations.
To achieve this, organizations need to develop a people-centered culture that prioritizes the well-being and health of professionals, promotes human relations and community involvement.
Author: Bärí A. Williams
The premise of this book is this: to create an inclusive workplace, you have to ask difficult questions. As such, the author conducted 25 interviews in which people from underrepresented groups share their stories and experiences about identity, privilege, prejudice and discrimination.
This book paints a picture of what it means to be a minority in the workforce and, as such, is a must-read for leaders and HR managers looking to create more inclusive workplaces.
Authors: Dave Ulrich, David Kryscynski, Mike Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank
This book addresses one of the main challenges facing HR managers today: the so-called “war for talent”. At a time when companies are experiencing serious difficulties in attracting and retaining talent, the authors argue that leaders should focus on helping professionals thrive within the organization.
Employees need to feel that the collective contributes to their individual progression, i.e. that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Ultimately, companies that manage to train their professionals and increase their human capital will have a competitive advantage in the job market.
Author: Lucy Adams
The central question posed by the author of this book is: how can managers lead, manage, involve and support their employees differently if they want to survive and thrive in such a volatile market? It is very relevant reading for HR managers looking to innovate and transform their practice.
This shift towards a more disruptive approach to people management must be based on three pillars: treating employees as adults and not as children; treating employees as consumers or customers (and not with a universal strategy for everyone); treating employees as human beings.
Author: Amy C. Edmondson
How to create psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation and growth. This is the main topic covered in this book, which defines psychological safety as “an environment in which people feel comfortable expressing themselves and being themselves”.
The author is a professor at Harvard Business School and has compiled 20 years of research to demonstrate the correlation between psychological safety and professional performance. When workers feel they can share their ideas and make mistakes, a culture that favors creativity and innovation is strengthened.
Authors: Kirsten Edwards and Martin R. Edwards
Human resources departments have more and more data at their disposal, which they must be able to work with and analyze in order to make more informed decisions. It is in this context that the authors present different case studies involving metrics and data analysis related to diversity, turnover (including predictive analysis of turnover), employee performance and productivity, among others.
This book provides a practical approach to developing predictive analytics in HR, which make it possible to identify trends and patterns and, at the end of the day, optimize talent management.
Regular physical activity is a key element in promoting physical and mental health. According to the World Health Organization, physical activity contributes to the prevention of diseases such as cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease, while also helping to reduce symptoms of depression or anxiety, for example.
The organization’s recommendation is for adults to do at least 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity a week and to do muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. However, 31% of adults do not meet these targets.
If one of your resolutions for 2025 was to take more care of yourself and start living a healthier lifestyle, but you don’t like going to the gym, we have the solution for you. There are some activities and sports that have been gaining prominence in Portugal and that you might like to try this year. Find out what they are!
Padel has seen strong growth all over the world and in Portugal it is also gaining more and more fans. It’s a racket sport that combines elements of tennis and squash and is played in doubles.
Depending on the level of the players, a game of padel can be highly dynamic and a good way to exercise, improve coordination, agility and cardiovascular endurance.
What’s more, since it involves four people on the pitch, it also has a social and fun component. It can therefore be an excellent opportunity for a refreshing break from the daily grind.
Pilates is a method of physical exercise and stretching focused on flexibility, mobility and improving posture. At the same time, it also helps to lose weight and tone up, as it involves exercises that work the whole body.
This modality can be practiced using only the weight of the body or using equipment, such as the Pilates Reformer, which has become popular in our country.
Pilates sessions are often versatile and adapted to different physical levels and limitations, as well as being safe and low-impact. They can therefore be a good way to relieve stress, help prevent injuries and improve your quality of life.
Indoor cycling has seen a growth trend, especially with the spread of specific studios for practicing this sport.
Cycling is an intense and challenging activity, ideal for those looking to burn calories and improve their cardiovascular endurance. Classes are usually accompanied by lively music, which makes them fun and more engaging.
Born in the United States, this sport combines boxing, kickboxing, muay thai and crossfit exercises. It has been gaining popularity for providing a very complete, dynamic and fun workout.
Fitboxing alternates functional training with the bag and is usually done to the beat of lively music. For this reason, it helps to improve cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength, as well as relieving stress and promoting mental health.
O pickleball has become popular in recent years in the United States and has also conquered several European countries, including Portugal. It combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis and can be played both doubles and singles.
Its practitioners consider it to be an easier sport to learn and play than tennis or even padel, and it also promotes a high degree of socialization. It is also considered an accessible, democratic game, suitable for people of all ages.
Have you tried any of these? From paddle tennis to pilates, cycling, fitboxing or pickleball, there’s something for everyone. The important thing is to find an activity that gives you pleasure and keeps you motivated to fight sedentary lifestyles and adopt a more active lifestyle.
Read also: 9 healthy habits to adopt on a daily basis at work
With the arrival of 2025, it’s natural to start thinking about how you can distribute and plan your vacations in the new year.
In this context, public holidays turn out to be a good opportunity to rest and disconnect from the routine on a more regular basis. And when they are tied to the weekend or allow you to bridge the gap, you can maximize the number of days you can take off from work in a row.
Find out which day of the week each of the 2025 public holidays will be on and what the possibilities are for long weekends and bridges throughout the year.
In 2025, 10 of the 13 compulsory national holidays will be on working days. Easter Sunday, October 5th and November 1st will be on weekends.
In addition to these, you should consider the municipal holiday in the town where your company is located and Carnival. In the case of the latter, it’s not a public holiday, but it is a day that some municipalities and companies grant to employees. In 2025, it will be celebrated on March 4 (Tuesday).
The mandatory national holidays are as follows:
Since there are three public holidays on Fridays and two on Mondays, there are five long weekends:
What’s more, if you have the opportunity to take a day of your vacation to bridge, you can enjoy four consecutive days on the following occasions:
These are the possible combinations of long weekends and bridges in 2025. With good planning, this year brings plenty of opportunities to relax, recharge and enjoy quality time with your family, friends or yourself.
The world of work is constantly evolving. As technology and artificial intelligence become more of a reality in business, and as new generations join the workforce, HR leaders and managers need to be ever more attentive. More attentive to all the changes, the challenges they bring and the priorities they need to set to address them.
If you are a human resources manager, a company leader or a professional interested in labor market trends, this article is for you.
Gartner’s “Top 5 priorities for HR managers in 2025” study surveyed human resources managers in more than 60 countries and identified five challenges that will stand out next year in the area of people management. Come and discover them with us!
Only 23% of HR managers surveyed believe that current leaders are prepared to respond to the future needs of their organization. As companies need to become more agile and adaptable, professionals in leadership positions must be equipped with all the tools and resources they need to do their jobs and manage their teams.
Having leaders with up-to-date skills, who remain resilient in the face of change, is fundamental to ensuring not only the operational success of businesses, but also that organizations are competitive and sustainable.
For this to happen, it is important that leadership programs are rethought and start to promote the regular exchange of experiences and good practices between leaders. This connection established between peers can prove very valuable for their ongoing training.
Read also: Upskilling and reskilling: importance for employees and companies
Less than 1 in 4 employees say they understand the values that guide their organization’s culture (State of Employee Experience Survey, 2023). At the same time, 57% of HR managers who took part in the Gartner study admit that their company’s managers are unable to convey the desired vision of the organizational culture to their teams.
In fact, organizations find it difficult to materialize their culture at all levels of their structure and in the daily work of the various professionals. However, the absence of a solid and clear culture for everyone has a significant impact on employee satisfaction, retention and productivity.
Only a strong and adaptable organizational culture – and alignment between that culture and day-to-day initiatives – allows companies to navigate times of uncertainty and transformation.
As such, leaders should focus on helping their employees understand the core values that support the organizational culture and clarify what behaviors are expected in order to achieve that culture.
With rapid technological developments, the professional profiles that organizations are looking for are highly dynamic. This results in serious difficulties in identifying and anticipating the skills needed in the medium and long term. 66% of HR managers surveyed in the Gartner study admit that their workforce planning only considers the number of employees, while 61% agree that this planning is done on an annual basis.
This approach is neither scalable nor sustainable, as it leaves organizations unprepared and weakened to respond to scenarios of change (changes in the market and in competitors’ strategies, mergers and acquisitions, transformations in the socio-economic context, etc.).
In this sense, it is essential to adopt more strategic workforce planning:
According to the Gartner study, 74% of HR managers believe that managers are not prepared to lead change and 73% believe that employees are saturated with change.
In fact, employee resistance to change is one of the main challenges facing organizations today. With the sheer volume of transformations taking place at an ever-increasing pace, employees tend to feel overwhelmed and demotivated, which has an impact on their well-being and performance.
For this reason, leaders need to be able to manage change effectively. And that means realizing that change is something that happens through employees, not something that is just handed down to them. Listening to employees, training them, involving them in decision-making and recognizing them for their good work are essential for transitions to be effective, productive and constructive – for business and for people.
Technology, artificial intelligence and data are no longer a future trend. Rather, they are a reality at all levels of organizations and, of course, in people management.
Human resources departments are going through a phase in which they have to take advantage of what is known as people analytics in other words, they must base their decision-making on the data they have, both on candidates and employees. Obsolete processes must be abandoned, intuition put aside, and more precise and informed decisions made to improve recruitment, the employee experience, employee engagement and performance.
HR managers must look at data, artificial intelligence and other technologies holistically. In other words, they should not only think about how these tools make it possible to optimize operations and automate daily processes, but more than that, how they can have a significant impact on the business and how they can contribute to the organization’s competitiveness in its sector and in the job market.
More than adopting tools, it’s about strategically rethinking functions, competencies and policies, and promoting a culture of agility and innovation.
The job market is highly dynamic, as a result of the changes that are taking place in the world. As societies change, it’s natural that existing professions have to adapt and new ones emerge.
This has always been the case, and today it is happening at an increasingly rapid pace. Rapid technological development is a key factor in the creation and enhancement of certain jobs, but it is not the only one. Aspects such as the socio-economic context (such as the rising cost of living and the economic slowdown) or the wider application of ESG criteria in companies, for example, also have a strong impact on the world of work.
In this regard, the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report 2023” made a five-year forecast of the jobs that are experiencing the greatest growth and those that are declining the most.
Discover some of the areas that are already in high demand by employers and are expected to continue to be valued in the near future.
Information and communication technology (ICT) jobs are the fastest growing and have the most job vacancies. In a world where technology changes every second, it is inevitable that companies – both small and large – will have to adapt, not only to meet the needs of their customers but also to respond to their own internal challenges.
As such, many of the profiles most sought after by companies are related to technology. But there are others too.
With the emergence of new artificial intelligence tools, companies are looking for talents who know how to use them and make the most of their potential. According to Forbes, by 2025, having AI skills will be as important as having digital literacy.
Being “fluent” in artificial intelligence means knowing how to give the right coordinates to get the best results, while at the same time not neglecting certain human skills that AI cannot replicate.
According to the World Economic Forum report, having a workforce with sustainability skills is essential if organizations are to achieve their ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) goals.
The pressure on companies to adopt more sustainable and socially responsible practices is increasing, as the market and legislation itself tend to be stricter. In fact, the obligation to report their actions and results in terms of ESG will become a reality for many companies in the coming years.
Therefore, skills in this area – such as environmental and social awareness, responsible innovation, among others – will become a trend in the coming year.
As the world becomes more connected, cyber threats are also spreading. Companies face the challenge and need to ensure that their operations are safe and protected from possible attacks.
In this context, the hiring of cybersecurity professionals – such as cybersecurity specialists or information security analysts – has been on the rise. It is estimated that by 2025 there will be 3.5 million vacancies in this area worldwide, which is 350% more than in the last eight years.
The term “Fintech” refers to financial technology, i.e. platforms and software that allow companies and consumers to manage their finances digitally. This combination of technology and finance has led to new jobs and this growth is expected to continue.
Professionals with profiles linked to programming and finance, who can develop solutions for digital payments, risk analysis and automated investments, will therefore be valued.
The World Economic Forum’s report predicted an increase of between 30% and 35% in the demand for profiles linked to data analysis between 2023 and 2027. These profiles include, for example, data analysts and scientists, big data specialists, business intelligence analysts, data engineers, among others.
This increase is easy to understand given the growing digitalization of business, which brings with it a large volume of data – from customers, sales, employees, among many others – that companies need to know how to store, work with and use in order to make more informed and effective decisions.
Since technology is expected to be the major driver of innovation and growth in the most diverse sectors of activity, companies can be expected to look for professionals with the skills to carry out this same innovation.
Fostering digital transformation, and managing it effectively, will be a critical topic for organizations in 2025 – and beyond. As such, digital transformation specialists will be a very valuable asset for companies.
But being an expert in digital transformation involves much more than adopting the latest technologies. On the contrary, it involves a strategic vision that gives technology a central role in responding to business challenges, that favors a culture of creativity and agility, and that regularly evaluates the effectiveness of initiatives so that there is a balance between innovation and risk management.
The FOOD Barometer 2024 revealed that 88% of Portuguese pay more and more attention to healthy food and 51% of those surveyed have changed their eating habits in the last year to eat better and healthier.
At the same time, 83% of Portuguese think that restaurants should offer a healthier menu, with fresh produce, more vegetables, clear nutritional information and vegetarian and/or vegan options.
In this context, restaurants and their managers must adapt to meet their customers’ demand for healthier meals.
To ensure healthy meals, restaurants need to focus on offering dishes that are representative of a varied and balanced diet. For this to happen, it is necessary to recapture the true essence of healthy eating and value the Mediterranean food pattern.
But how? Find out in the eBook we have for you.
The approval of the State Budget for 2025 brings with it important changes for companies and workers, including an increase in the exemption from the meal allowance when it is granted through a social voucher (meal card).
Find out with us what’s going to change!
After being increased to €8.32/day in November 2022, and to €9.60/day in April 2023, the maximum amount of the meal allowance exempt from taxation on cards has risen again, this time to €10.20/day.
However, this change has a significant difference to the previous ones: it only applies when the meal allowance is paid by card. The maximum amount exempt from taxation will remain at €6.00/day if the allowance is paid in cash, together with the salary.
In practice, the amount exempt from tax on meal cards used to be 60% more than the legal limit for public workers and, from now on, it will be 70% more. As such, the amounts to be considered are now as follows:
This change allows companies to maximize their employees’ purchasing power in food expenses without increasing their tax burden. The allocation of a daily amount of up to €10.20 in meal cards has the following tax benefits:
If the meal allowance is paid in cash, these tax benefits continue to apply up to a maximum daily amount of €6.00.
This measure can be a valuable tool for employers to be able to support their employees at a time when the cost of living and the price of food continue to have a very significant impact on family budgets.
Read also: Meal allowance: Everything you need to know
“The only constant is change”. This phrase by the philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus is more than 2,500 years old, but it’s still relevant today. And as well as applying to people’s lives, it can of course also apply to organizations.
Businesses are constantly evolving and there may be several factors that require them to adapt: the emergence of new technologies, the emergence of new competitors, changes to legislation, socio-economic trends, mergers or acquisitions of new companies, changes to the structure of the organization, among many others.
According to Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2024 study, 97% of organizations were planning a significant transformation this year. At the same time, Oak Engage’s Change Report 2023 indicated that around 1 in 3 employees (37%) tend to be resistant to change in a professional context.
So how can organizations and their managers address change and involve employees in an effective, productive and constructive way?
Find out with us what change management is and what good practices are associated with it.
Change management is an approach that involves implementing strategies, policies and processes to help employees adapt to organizational change. It’s about empowering different professionals and teams to be able to accept and deal with change.
This change could consist of:
Managers and company leaders must recognize that good change management is essential if the company and its professionals are to get through the transitions smoothly.
The anticipation of change, and the proper preparation of teams, will influence the impact and success that this change will have on the organization.
In addition, since organizational change is inevitable – due to the market and competition, technological developments, the response to crisis situations – being prepared to manage change is an essential skill for all leaders.
Managing change can be a complex process, as it requires employees to adapt and adopt new ways of doing things. If changes are not handled and managed well, they can become a stress factor for employees.
For this reason, there are some good practices for managing change more effectively:
There are various methodologies and approaches to change management, which aim to systematize how companies should address transitions while maintaining employee satisfaction and motivation.
One of these models is by John Kotter, a professor at Harvard Business School, who proposes 8 steps for managing change:
Learning how to preserve food for longer is essential for anyone looking to save money and combat food waste.
Food, especially fresh food, degrades easily and requires special care when buying and preserving. First of all, when you’re shopping, it’s essential to check the expiry date, but also the condition of the food, namely if it’s been stepped on or dried out (in the case of fresh food), and if the packaging is damaged.
In addition, when you put your shopping in bags, the solids and heavier products should be placed at the bottom and the more fragile ones on the surface. As far as refrigerated and frozen products are concerned, they should be transported in thermal bags to try and maintain the temperature until you get home.
As soon as you get home, store food in the right places. Food that needs to be stored in the freezer and fridge should go first. The rest should be stored in the pantry, which should be cool, dry and out of the sun.
Always pay attention to the storage method indicated on the packaging, as well as the expiration date after opening. In the case of preserves, once opened, if they are not consumed in their entirety, they should be removed from the packaging, placed in a glass container with a lid and kept in the fridge.
Finally, organize the pantry, fridge and freezer according to the expiry dates of the food and put those with the closest expiry date at the front.
Read also: Healthy and economical cooking [eBook]
With the exception of minced meat, which must be cooked within 24 hours, meat can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Fish, on the other hand, can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours until it is cooked. Remember not to overfill the fridge, as too much food makes it difficult for the cold air to circulate and prevents the food from keeping properly.
Unlike the fridge, you can place food anywhere in the freezer because the temperature is uniform. However, before you freeze your food, do the following:
Freeze portions in labeled, dated and appropriate packaging to avoid changes such as “frostbite”, which dries out the surface of the food and forms a whitish crust. Once defrosted, never refreeze. Bear in mind that the shelf life of frozen food varies according to the characteristics of the food and, over time, it loses flavor, color, texture and nutritional value.
Christmas is just around the corner and the festive season tends to be an important time for organizations. Christmas celebrations are a good opportunity to reinforce the organizational culture and encourage employee engagement.
However, this engagement can – and should – be promoted through other initiatives that go beyond the traditional Christmas dinner.
Discover some ideas that will enable you to motivate and recognize employees, boost team cohesion and connect them to the company’s values and purpose.
Read also: 7 tips for engaging remote workers
Rather than just decorating the space, invite employees to take part in the decorations. Each person can help put up lights, add an ornament to the Christmas tree or put props on the walls, for example.
In addition, you can create a wall with Christmas wishes and encourage employees to leave a message.
The fact that people have the opportunity to actively participate in the decorations, rather than just seeing the workplace already decorated, can help increase their sense of belonging to the organization.
This festive season is, as its name suggests, a time of celebration and togetherness. That’s why the usual Christmas parties are, par excellence, a way of bringing employees together in a more relaxed and informal atmosphere.
Plan your company’s Christmas events in such a way that people can strengthen the ties that bind them together and also their connection to the company itself. If you have hybrid or remote employees, planning activities that foster team spirit is even more important, since people are physically distant.
Leaders should take advantage of the Christmas holidays to show their appreciation for the effort and work put in by their teams during the year.
When employees believe that their work will be recognized, they are 2.7 times more likely to feel highly engagement with the organization. So, although recognition should be present throughout the year and should be intrinsic to the organizational culture, the festive season is an excellent opportunity to thank employees for what they have done and achieved.
Consider rewarding this effort through non-financial rewards – such as a personalized gift or a basket, for example – but also financial rewards, as is the case with Edenred Gift.
This digital gift card is designed precisely to reward and encourage employees and can be used in dozens of major brands. Each employee decides to spend the amount received where it is most useful to them.
The festive season is also a good time to carry out team building activities that help strengthen the bonds between different professionals and teams. You can choose themed activities that are related to Christmas and that promote collaboration, team spirit and a good working environment.
If you’re out of ideas, here are some tips for team building activities to suit all budgets.
The Christmas spirit is also related to generosity and sharing, with the willingness to help those who need it most. Encouraging employees to give a little of their time to support a cause will help them engage more robustly with the community, but also with the values and purpose of the organization itself.
Look for associations and NGOs that have volunteer programs with companies, or that simply need help (with collecting goods, preparing suppers, distributing gifts to children, etc.), and organize all the practical and logistical aspects so that employees can contribute.
Although the Christmas season is exciting and happy for many people, it can be synonymous with stress and anxiety for others. Various factors can make some of your employees feel more overwhelmed or discouraged during this period: financial difficulties, distance from family members, loneliness, mourning the loss of someone, among others.
For this reason, try to incorporate programs to promote well-being and mental health into your internal communication calendar. This could include initiatives such as yoga classes, meditation sessions or access to therapy sessions with specialized health professionals, for example.
With December just around the corner, you’re probably already thinking about the Christmas presents you need to buy this year.
Finding the ideal gift can be challenging, especially when we’re trying to offer something that is both useful, different and within budget. And even more so when you’re accumulating presents for the children, the rest of the family, Secret Santa gifts and so on.
If you’re looking for inspiration for Christmas gifts at an affordable price, here are 20 suggestions of up to €15. All the products suggested are from brands that are part of the Edenred Discounts and Advantages Program, i.e. brands on which Edenred users can enjoy exclusive discounts.
See the details of each advantage in your MyEdenred App and find out how you can access it!
The Ritual of Mehr energizing car perfume with 96% natural ingredients and recyclable glass.
Black Pig Gin theme park, with tastings and guided tours for adults and a safari with animals and other activities for the younger ones.
A trampoline park experience with a choice of five locations. The ideal gift for children to spend fun times.
Supermate Rosali Liquid Lipstick by Quem Disse, Berenice? gives intense, even and long-lasting color with an opaque effect.
An experience to surprise your Secret Santa, including a choice of spa circuits, wine tastings, boat trips and more.
Entry for one adult + one child to the Fluviário de Mora in Évora. Discover this public aquarium dedicated to freshwater ecosystems and immerse yourself in an educational and entertaining journey.
Organic cotton socks by the Portuguese brand Chulé, produced in Portugal and with patterns inspired by traditional elements of our culture.
Light-textured lotion enriched with Ayurvedic ingredients that leave the skin moisturized and delicately scented.
Vases for flowers, aromatic herbs and even fruit, to be grown indoors all year round. It’s a design product that combines sustainability with a healthier lifestyle.
Mineral lip sunscreen with SPF15 made from natural ingredients. It helps to deeply moisturize and repair the skin of the lips, making it a good gift for both summer and winter.
A reusable notebook from the Portuguese brand Infinitebook that is an alternative to paper notebooks by preventing the waste of sheets. It cleans easily and is ideal for taking notes at work or university, for example.
Toy that includes four rings of different sizes to stack on the base and four colored shapes to insert into the corresponding ring.
Entrance ticket to the National Palace of Sintra, a monument located in the town of Sintra which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.
The 3D Fun Art Museum has around 40 sets with 3D images and optical illusions that make for very entertaining photographs. The experience of visiting this museum is ideal for all ages.
Ultra-light gel enriched with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and quinoa oil for maximum moisturizing effectiveness.
Women’s printed scarf in one size (50cm x 50cm).
Pack that includes a Zen experience in more than 120 places to choose from throughout the country. The ideal gift to give someone a moment of relaxation and harmony.
Reusable bottle in the perfect size for children. It is made of stainless steel, light, resistant and versatile.
Nourishing milk with shea butter and sunflower oil to relieve sun-exposed skin (suitable for body and face). The packaging is plastic-free.
This book is suitable for developing fine motor skills and stimulates both touch and hearing. It is machine washable and has a ring to attach to the baby carriage.
Note: Edenred is not responsible for any price or stock changes after the publication of this article.
For many people, the month of December tends to involve higher spending than other months of the year. The festive season brings with it some additional expenses, such as presents for family and friends, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals, the usual group dinners and then New Year’s Eve.
The Christmas allowance is, in this context, a valuable aid for individuals and families to have more time off their budgets during this period.
But how does the Christmas bonus work in practice in Portugal? Come and find out with us.
The Christmas allowance, also known as the 13th month, is a right of workers in Portugal that is provided for in Código do Trabalho. It consists of a monetary sum paid by the employer to the employee, equal in value to one month’s pay (article 263 of Código do Trabalho).
This allowance turns out to be an extra salary, which is paid before Christmas and which has the precise purpose of helping workers meet the expenses associated with the Christmas season.
They are entitled to the Christmas allowance:
Instead, they are not entitled to the Christmas allowance:
The calculation of the Christmas allowance varies according to the number of days actually worked during the year.
If the employee has worked for the entire calendar year, the amount of Christmas allowance to be received is equivalent to one month’s pay. In other words, the Christmas allowance is equal to 100% of the gross monthly salary.
If, on the other hand, the worker has not completed a year’s work, Article 263 of Código do Trabalho states that the amount of the Christmas allowance must be “proportional to the length of service in the calendar year”. This happens:
In these cases, the allowance is calculated as follows: (basic pay / 365 days) x number of days worked.
It is important to note that, in any case, the meal allowance does not form part of the basic salary to be taken into account when calculating the Christmas allowance.
The Christmas allowance must be paid by December 15th of each year or, in the case of public sector workers, in November of each year.
The payment terms are as follows:
Normally, the Christmas allowance is paid in full before the Christmas season. However, in the private sector, some companies choose to split the payment of the allowance into twelfths. This means that the amount of the allowance is divided by the 12 months of the year and paid monthly together with the salary.
For the allowance to be paid in twelfths, there must be an express agreement between the company and the employee.
Both in the event of illness and parental leave, the Social Security system provides for the payment of Christmas allowance compensation (as well as vacation pay and other similar payments).
These benefits are intended to compensate, in this case, for the Christmas allowance that the worker did not receive, in whole or in part, because they were unable to work for 30 or more consecutive days.
In cases of illness, compensation benefits are granted provided that:
In the case of parental leave, the employer must pay the Christmas allowance. However, the payment of this allowance may be reduced, in proportion to the period of parental leave, and may be compensated through the award of compensatory benefits, provided that:
Código do Trabalho does not provide for any exception or special regime for part-time workers.
As such, part-time workers are entitled to receive Christmas allowance in the same way as full-time workers. That is, 100% of their gross monthly salary if they have worked the full calendar year or the amount proportional to the months worked if they have not worked the full calendar year.
The Christmas allowance is subject to IRS taxes (according to the tables in force) and Social Security contributions.
In the case of IRS withholding tax, the tax is levied autonomously. In other words, to calculate the tax to be withheld, only the gross amount of the allowance is taken into account and not the cumulative amount of the allowance with the basic monthly salary. This prevents a possible increase in the IRS bracket.
The same happens when the Christmas allowance is paid in installments, and the proportional part of this tax must be withheld at source from each payment.
Edenred Portugal has been elected Superbrands 2024. For the second year running, this distinction recognizes Edenred as a brand of excellence in the Portuguese market in the Corporate segment.
The renewal of the Superbrands seal reinforces Edenred’s solid track record in the non-wage benefits sector over its 40 years of activity in Portugal. It also reinforces the trust that clients and users continue to place in our work, products and services.
The trophies were officially awarded on October 29 at the 20th Superbrands Gala at Casino Estoril.
Superbrands is an independent international organization present in 90 countries, in which it identifies and promotes the main brands of excellence highlighted by consumers in the most diverse sectors of activity.
The selection of Superbrands is the result of a three-stage process.
Firstly, Portuguese consumers spontaneously identify the brands that stand out for them in the following dimensions: unique brands; brands they trust the most; brands they identify with; brands that meet their needs and aspirations; best-known brands. In total, more than 1,000 valid interviews were carried out.
In the second stage, the Superbrands Council ranks the brands most referenced by consumers according to defined criteria.
Finally, the choices of the consumer panel and the vote of the Superbrands Council are weighed up. It is the combination of these two views that results in the list of brands considered most relevant in the market.
After having already renewed the distinctions of Marca Recomendada and Prémio Cinco Estrelas, this is also a recognition that leaves the entire Edenred team very satisfied and honored. So thank you very much!
According to Reward Gateway, 7 out of 10 professionals would like their employers to do more to motivate them and one of the main reasons why these professionals feel demotivated is the lack of recognition.
In fact, recognizing employees is fundamental to keeping them motivated, satisfied, involved and committed. And Christmas is, par excellence, a time when organizations should recognize people’s dedication and reward them for the good work done throughout the year.
If you still don’t know how you’re going to give gifts to your employees this year, here are 5 reasons to choose Edenred Gift.
Edenred Gift is a 100% digital gift card that companies can give to their employees as a reward or incentive instrument. This gift card can be used for a wide range of products and services.
Edenred Gift can be awarded to any employee the company wishes to reward or recognize, and it is up to the company itself to choose the amount to be awarded to each employee.
By giving a gift like the Edenred Gift, you are recognizing the value of your employees and conveying that their contribution is fundamental to the company’s success. This ultimately has a positive impact on employee motivation and satisfaction, and therefore on employee engagement and retention.
Edenred Gift can be used for dozens of brands in areas such as fashion, technology, leisure, streaming platforms and much more. Some of these brands are: IKEA, Galp, Primark, Amazon, Decathlon, Adidas, H&M, Apple, Nike, Mango, Toys R Us, Rituals, Spotify, Sephora, Spartoo, Vertbaudet, among many others.
Depending on the brand, the balance available in Edenred Gift can be used in online stores, physical stores or both.
Edenred Gift allows you to meet the diverse needs and interests of employees, as it can be used flexibly in the various member brands. The employee can choose to use the entire amount received on a single brand or split the balance between several brands.
The network of participating stores is constantly expanding so that employees can use this card wherever it is most useful to them.
After the company allocates the Edenred Gift on the Client Portal, employees receive an email with their digital card code. From there, they can register on the platform where they can choose the store, or stores, where they want to use the amount received.
After processing, the gift cards for each selected store are sent by email and employees can use them.
The Edenred Gift may be exempt from TSU (as long as it is not awarded on a regular basis, is not based on objective criteria, is not expected to be received and is awarded once every 5 years).
In this way, your company can increase its employees’ purchasing power without adding to the tax burden.
November 8th is the annual European Day of Healthy Food and Cooking. This date was launched by the European Commission with the aim of raising children’s awareness of the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and encouraging them to adopt healthier eating habits. Ultimately, the aim is to halt the growth of childhood obesity in Europe.
This is a purpose shared with the FOOD Program (Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand), an initiative launched in 2009 by the Edenred Group with the support of the European Union and which, in Portugal, is developed in partnership with Direção Geral de Saúde. The program has two main objectives:
As adults become more aware of the need to adopt a healthier and more balanced diet, these habits and patterns can be instilled more consistently in the younger generation.
Download the eBook we have for you and discover practical tips that you can apply in your daily life to cook healthier and more economically at the same time.
Read also: How to eat healthily without spending a lot of money?
World Savings Day is celebrated every year on October 31. This date aims to make consumers aware of the importance of having savings habits and discipline in managing the family budget.
Because they have tax advantages associated with them, Edenred benefits – Edenred Refeição, Edenred Creche, Edenred Flexível, Edenred Estudante – provide greater purchasing power in essential areas.
In addition, Edenred users also have access to the Discounts and Advantages Program, with exclusive advantages on more than 60 brands in different categories. Take a look at some of the partner brands where you can save by being an Edenred user and see how you can access each discount on the MyEdenred App.
Link your Edenred Meal card to Repsol Move and enjoy a discount of:
Are you a pizza fan? You can enjoy Pizza Hut‘s wide variety of pizzas in PAN Dough, Traditional and the Cheesy Bites specialty. Enjoy a 10% discount on table service at Pizza Hut restaurants and pay with your Edenred Meal card.
Find the best face and body care and home fragrances at Rituals to help you slow down and relax. As an Edenred user, you can enjoy a 20% discount on purchases over €20, both in physical stores and online.
Looking for accommodation in Portugal, Spain, Brazil or Cuba? Enjoy a memorable stay in one of the Vila Galé group’s units and take advantage of the exclusive conditions for Edenred users: 10% discount on accommodation, services and Satsanga SPAs & Wellness, as well as other advantages.
Find quality clothing to suit you and your children. Edenred gives you a 10% discount on the Lanidor Woman and Lanidor Kids collections (the discount can be combined with other current promotions up to a maximum of 50%).
Do you like Samsung technology? Keep up to date with the latest launches in smartphones, smartwatches, televisions and home appliances and enjoy a 5% discount on all products in the online store. This discount can be combined with other existing offers.
Experience unforgettable moments and get ideas for unique gifts. Discover all the Odisseias experiences and packs in Restaurants, Adventure, Spa and Beauty, Leisure and Hotels and enjoy discounts of up to 25%.
Take care of your eyesight with the help of Alberto Oculista and enjoy discounts of up to 50% on various services and products: discounts on frames and prescription lenses, discounts on contact lenses, contact lens care products, sunglasses and much more.
If you’re not yet a NOS customer, Edenred offers you exclusive conditions when you join: a €5 discount on monthly fees, applicable to any package; 24 months of TV Cine; 2 tickets for the price of 1 at NOS Cinemas; among others.
You can count on Chicco to accompany you in the challenge of parenthood. Find innovative, quality products for pregnancy, outings, playtime, feeding and bedtime. Edenred gives you a 10% discount on all products in Chicco’s physical stores.
Do you need your car serviced? Change the tires or charge the air conditioning? Do you need to buy a roof box or a bicycle rack? Visit a Norauto center and enjoy a 5% discount on all products and services.
Want to improve your level of English? Discover the British Council‘s courses and classes, recognized worldwide for their high quality. Edenred users can enjoy a 10% discount on courses for themselves and a €60 discount on courses for school-age children. Courses can be paid for with Edenred Student.
IATI has travel insurance suitable for any experience, anywhere in the world. Enjoy your trip with full protection and get a 5% discount on all IATI insurances.
Take care of your smile and your oral health. Edenred offers you special conditions of access to various specialties and services at MALO CLINIC. Find out in your MyEdenred App what the advantages are and how you can take advantage of them. Take the opportunity to pay with your Edenred Flexible card.
Do you want to adopt more sustainable consumption habits? Pegada Verde is an online store with eco-friendly products for every routine, inside and outside the home, and for the whole family. As an Edenred user, you can enjoy a 10% discount on all the products available in the online store.
Cooking at home can be a good opportunity to prepare healthy and economical meals. However, you need to know how to shop. It’s not enough to go to the supermarket and put the first option on each shelf in the basket.
There are little tricks you can put into practice at home to make sure you’re successful when it comes to shopping. Best of all, you’ll reduce your bill and make life easier.
Are you ready to start saving at the supermarket? Discover some practical tips with us.
Read also: How to eat healthily without spending a lot of money?
Start by understanding what your real needs are. Look at the products you’re running out of, the ingredients you’ll need to cook the week’s meals, the storage space available and make a shopping list.
If you know the current promotions in the supermarkets you go to, the better. This doesn’t mean you have to stop buying the artisan bread you can’t give up for breakfast, but it will help you make smart choices and reduce the weight of your bill.
While you’re at home, prepare your reusable shopping bags and remember one of the golden rules: eat before you go out. It’s been proven that shopping while hungry is a disaster for your wallet and your diet. You’ll tend to make impulse purchases and choose gluttonous foods with low nutritional content.
There are countless strategies used to get us to consume, so learn to spot them and resist them. Once again, the shopping list can help you. Keep an eye out for products on sale, but avoid deviating from what you have planned.
Bear in mind that retailers often place the products they want to sell at eye level, and that they are not always the cheapest or most nutritionally adequate options. Look for the ones that are out of the way.
It’s impossible to escape the displays next to the checkout counters with attractive, low-priced products, strategically placed there to get you to buy while you wait your turn in the checkout queue, but you should resist these impulse purchases.
Finally, define a “safe” route to get around and reach the essential products. Bread, dairy products and meat are usually located at the back of the supermarket, so that customers walk down more aisles and buy products they don’t need.
Buying online can be the solution for those who don’t have time or prefer to shop without leaving home, but it’s essential that you check the conditions of home delivery and compare prices between different supermarkets before choosing the one you’re going to shop at.
…can you receive the weekly supermarket promotions in your email? This is one of the best ways to plan your shopping, compare prices and take advantage of promotions!
Always carry your own bags. This small gesture is enough to reduce your ecological footprint and save you money.
Portugal came third in the European DEI Index, a study developed by EY that compares the progress of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in companies in nine European countries. The dimensions in which Portugal scored highest were gender diversity, cultural diversity and the existence of employee networks. In contrast, Portugal scored lowest on the indicator measuring diversity in disability.
Although satisfactory, these results show that there is still a long way to go when it comes to diversity, inclusion and equity in organizations.
It seems clear that companies in general are becoming more and more diverse (according to EY, around 70% of the global population can be included in some diversity group). However, they are not necessarily more inclusive. Employees don’t always feel that their individuality is welcomed, respected and valued.
In this context, it is essential that organizations define indicators and metrics that allow them to evaluate their efforts to promote diversity, inclusion and equity in a concrete and measurable way.
Read also: 6 Benefits of diversity and inclusion in companies
Measuring diversity can be challenging, especially for global companies, which need to identify which groups are under-represented in each geography.
But the challenge increases when we talk about measuring inclusion. Referring to the way in which each individual should feel equally welcomed, valued and respected, inclusion can be a little more “invisible” and difficult to classify.
Even so, it is essential for organizations to evaluate the success of their strategies for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), so that they can check whether the objectives are being achieved and identify areas for improvement.
An organizational culture that intrinsically favors diversity and inclusion must begin at the moment of recruitment. Any bias, even if unconscious, can lead HR managers to disregard candidates from different groups, such as women, ethnic minorities, people of a certain age or people with disabilities, for example.
Some metrics you can monitor are: the percentage of applications received from people from under-represented groups; the percentage of candidates from under-represented groups at each stage of the recruitment process; and the percentage of candidates from under-represented groups who are selected.
It’s important to look at diversity in your company at all levels. Could it be that in entry-level roles, your teams are diverse, but the same is not true in leadership and C-level roles?
If this is the case, it is likely that your company is measuring diversity in the company as a whole and, consequently, neglecting these discrepancies in the leadership and management functions. Instead, you should analyze diversity in a segmented way for each level of the hierarchy.
Consider the different demographic aspects – such as gender, age, race or ethnic group, for example – and assess the percentage of employees from under-represented groups in relation to the total number of employees at each hierarchical level. For example, if your company has 20 managers and only two of them are women, this means that only 10% of management positions are held by women.
It is important to follow this logic for the different demographic criteria, since it is possible for there to be diversity and inclusion with a certain group and, at the same time, prejudice with others.
Measuring employee satisfaction on a regular basis is key to finding out what they think about various issues, including diversity, inclusion and fairness.
By applying an eNPS – Employee Net Promoter Score – you can ask questions that allow you to understand whether people feel satisfied and happy at work and welcomed, respected and recognized by their colleagues and managers.
Once again, it is important to analyze the results as a whole, but also concretely at each hierarchical level within the organization. This finer analysis can make it possible to identify patterns and nuances between different levels. In addition, you should also analyze, in particular, the degree of satisfaction of the different under-represented groups.
Another metric for determining whether your company’s diversity and inclusion strategy is succeeding is the employee retention rate. Companies may find it easy to hire diverse talent, but it is essential to build a healthy, safe and inclusive working environment in which people remain satisfied and motivated.
In this sense, measuring the retention rate by demographic group can help you see if there are any discrepancies and, if so, identify any problems with inclusion. For example, such an analysis may detect that the retention rate is much higher for men than for women.
To calculate the annual retention rate in your company, all you need to do is divide the number of employees at the end of the year by the number of employees at the start of the year and then multiply by 100. For example, if your company had 100 employees in January and only 90 in December – (90/100) x 100 – the annual retention rate is 90%.
Apply this logic to the different under-represented groups and compare the different retention rates, of these groups with each other and of these groups in relation to the overall retention rate.
The turnover rate, or turnover is also an important indicator of employees’ levels of satisfaction with their jobs and with the company. A high turnover rate is a sign that people are not satisfied, and one of the reasons for this dissatisfaction may be related to gaps in inclusion and fairness.
Measure the voluntary turnover rate in your company (employees who decide to leave) and, again, compare the overall turnover with the turnover seen in under-represented groups.
At the same time, it is crucial that you carry out an exit interview and try to understand what drives people to take on a new professional challenge. The perspective of someone who is leaving of their own volition is essential so that you can identify aspects to improve in the workplace and in the organizational culture (particularly if these aspects are related to a lack of diversity, equity and inclusion).
Finally, don’t just consider voluntary turnover, but also involuntary turnover. If the involuntary turnover rate is high in under-represented groups – compared to the overall involuntary turnover rate – it could mean that there is some kind of unconscious prejudice or even discrimination against the people who belong to them and that the company is not trying to retain these employees in proportion to the rest.
Fairness or equal pay exists when people who work in the same organization, and have the same functions, receive the same pay, regardless of their individual characteristics (such as age, gender, nationality or others).
This is a fundamental aspect when we talk about diversity and inclusion, especially when we realize that there is still a long way to go, particularly in our country. According to Eurostat data, the pay gap between men and women has been widening in Portugal: while in 2018 women were paid 8.9% less than men, in 2022 they would be paid 12.5% less for the same jobs. At this rate, it is estimated that wage parity between men and women will not be achieved until 2071.
In this context, it is essential that companies analyze salary distributions by gender, but also in other underrepresented groups, so that they can detect any gaps.
It’s true that measuring pay equity can be challenging, since salaries are determined by various factors, such as the experience and qualifications of employees or even external factors, such as the company’s sector of activity or its geographical location. However, the company can control other aspects that impact pay equity, such as the definition of entry-level base salaries, salary adjustment policies, salary reviews and salary transparency.
This metric is directly related to diversity in leadership and management positions. To ensure inclusion and maintain diversity at all organizational levels, companies need to ensure that their career development and promotion policies are fair and available to all employees.
As such, monitor the overall promotion rate in your company, but also the promotion rates at the various hierarchical levels and for the different demographic groups. This analysis can allow you to identify discrepancies that are indicative of unequal opportunities. For example, are fewer women promoted to leadership positions than men? Or do some groups have more technical roles and fewer managerial roles?
In an organization that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion, and that prioritizes meritocracy, promotion rates will tend to be balanced between the different demographic groups.
In short, organizations’ diversity, inclusion and equity policies must be intrinsically linked to their purpose and organizational culture.
Embracing diversity and promoting inclusion implies a cultural transformation that must involve not only those responsible for human resources, but the entire company and every single employee.
World Mental Health Day is celebrated annually on October 10th. This date was established by the World Federation for Mental Health (FMSM) in 1992 with the aim of promoting knowledge about mental health and, at the same time, combating the prejudice and stigma that persist around this issue.
The official motto of the 2024 World Mental Health Day global campaign is “It’s time to prioritize mental health in the workplace”. This initiative aims to highlight the impact that the workplace and working environment can have on the well-being of professionals, as well as reinforcing the role of organizations in protecting and promoting the mental health of their employees.
Burnout syndrome is considered the workplace epidemic of the 21st century and, in Portugal, the data is alarming. According to a study by the Portuguese Laboratory for Healthy Working Environments (LABPATS), three out of every four workers surveyed had at least one symptom of burnout and almost half had three symptoms.
On this World Mental Health Day, learn about some of the signs that can help you recognize burnout.
Read also: How to manage stress at work?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome that occurs when people are unable to manage the chronic or prolonged stress associated with their work. It is characterized by:
There can be numerous causes of burnout and each person may have different coping mechanisms and skills. Here are some of the signs to look out for.
On an emotional level, there may be symptoms such as sadness, apathy, demotivation, discouragement, frustration, anger, a sense of injustice, anxiety, low self-esteem, among others.
Some common signs are difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, difficulty or slower performance of tasks, decreased creativity, reduced decision-making ability, persistent thoughts about work (ruminations) or the need for control.
Since burnout results from chronic stress, it is important to recognize that there may also be associated physical symptoms. Some of these signs could be migraines, dizziness, shortness of breath, tachycardia, gastrointestinal problems, changes in sleep patterns and appetite, cardiovascular problems, profound tiredness, chronic fatigue or muscle tension.
Burnout can also affect relationships with family, friends and work colleagues. There can be greater isolation, a lack of empathy or changes in communication patterns (the way people communicate can become more impersonal, more critical, more sarcastic, more confrontational or even more aggressive).
Behavioral changes can be varied, such as adopting a constantly critical or harsher attitude, greater impulsiveness, irritability or a propensity to consume substances (alcohol, tobacco, drugs or medication).
Burnout tends to bring with it more negative behavior towards work, greater demotivation and dissatisfaction, feelings of low professional achievement, decreased commitment and productivity. At the same time, it can lead to more delays, greater absenteeism from work and more frequent sick leave.
Burnout has overlapping symptoms with some mental health conditions, such as depression. It should be noted that the difference between burnout and depression is based on the context in which the symptoms appear, i.e. where and when the symptoms tend to occur.
While burnout originates specifically in a work context – and if the person removes themselves from that context and the professional challenges they are going through, they can improve and recover – depression tends to be more generalized and affect the other areas of the person’s life.
Nevertheless, burnout can be accompanied by depression. This happens when the person, even if they have already moved on from the professional experiences that led to burnout, continues to feel depressed (sad mood, low self-esteem, apathy, lack of interest in activities that used to be enjoyable, lack of energy, appetite, tiredness).
If you are experiencing burnout syndrome, some tips for coping better and alleviating the symptoms could be:
The workforce is changing. It’s no news that, in today’s job market, employees have very specific expectations of organizations and of issues such as flexibility, work-life integration or diversity and inclusion. And the same goes for benefits packages.
A universal approach to the granting of extra-wage benefits, which does not take into account the specificities and needs of each individual, will increasingly lose its relevance and effectiveness.
Instead, companies should focus their efforts on developing flexible, people-centered benefit plans. But what does it mean, in practice, to adopt a human-first approach to the allocation of non-salary benefits?
Read also: Guide to creating a flexible benefits plan in your company
As consumers, we want brands to provide us with a personalized experience, i.e. one that is tailored to our interests and needs. And this also applies to our role as employees of a company.
When designing their benefits plans, organizations must necessarily consider the individual expectations and needs of each employee.
This is even more important in a context where companies are made up of an increasingly diverse group of people. The existence of employees from different generations, with different backgrounds and objectives, reinforces the need to customize benefit plans to the level of the individual.
Adopting a human-first approach when developing extra-salary benefit plans means getting to know your employees. And, in particular, knowing some of their demographic and psychographic information.
How old are the employees? How are their households made up? What is their level of education? What is their lifestyle like? What are their personal and professional aspirations and goals?
Gathering this information, identifying and taking into account the particularities that distinguish people, will enable your company to design benefits packages that are more in line with the life stages and interests of each employee.
Listening to employees is a key element in the process of creating an extra-salary benefits plan (and, indeed, in any process within an organization).
There’s nothing better than asking people what they value so that the benefits granted are really useful and relevant. There’s no point in giving benefits that don’t add any value and that people end up not using.
In addition, by involving employees, you are also conveying that their opinions are important and are taken into account in decision-making.
Technology and the power of data will take on an increasingly central role in human resources management. HR professionals must be prepared to make the most of technology so that they can reduce the burden of administrative tasks, scale their operations and also develop flexible and personalized benefits plans.
By collecting and working with employee data, companies must be able to understand the main needs, expectations and interests of each individual. And, on the basis of this analysis, define relevant benefits packages for the different employees.
They must also be able to evaluate the success of their benefits policy and identify opportunities for improvement, so that they can add value continuously and consistently.
The trend is for organizations to incorporate more and more adaptable work structures, meeting the desire for flexibility on the part of employees.
This flexibility must be granted at the level of the working arrangements practiced in the company (hybrid or remote arrangements, where possible and valued by the workers), but also at the level of the extra-wage benefits granted.
Employees want to be able to use their benefits where it is most useful and convenient for them, according to their interests, needs, life stages and objectives – whether they are more immediate or medium/long-term.
For example, with Edenred Flexível, employees can decide to use the money they receive on books and school supplies for their children, an English course for themselves, health and wellness expenses or nursing home fees for relatives, for example. And these are just some of the possibilities.
Companies with a people first culture put the health – physical and mental – of their employees at the heart of their concerns, developing programs and concrete measures to promote it. And this should also involve the benefits awarded.
In fact, employees themselves expect organizations to look after their health and well-being in a holistic way, through all the aspects that are part of the employee experience.
That’s why a benefits plan that focuses on the individual must necessarily help to improve their physical and mental well-being, as well as their social and financial well-being. In practice, it should facilitate access to health care (for the employee themselves, but also for family members), help promote healthier habits and maximize purchasing power for essential services.
Firstly, extra-wage benefits packages must take into account the first principle of equality. In other words, they must not be discriminatory or give rise to unequal treatment for people who are in the same position (employees in the same job or in the same professional category, for example).
In addition, benefits must embody the company’s own culture of diversity and inclusion. It is essential to ensure that the granting of benefits recognizes, respects and does not discriminate against the individuality of each employee, regardless of their age, gender, nationality, among other characteristics.
Alongside all this, ensure that your company’s benefits package complies with social benefits legislation. Having a human first approach also means knowing the legislation and giving employees the assurance that all legal and tax requirements are being met.
On June 9, 2023, the National Sustainability Day was established in Portugal, which has since been celebrated every year on September 25.
Council of Ministers Resolution 56/2023 states that, since sustainability is a global goal that requires local action, it is urgent to bring this topic onto the national agenda.
As such, this date aims to promote knowledge and empower all social actors with a view to “consciously changing behaviors with the potential to transform a sustainable future”.
Portugal was the first country in the world to officially celebrate this date and September 25 is symbolic: it was on this day in 2015 that the 193 Member States of the United Nations approved the 2030 Agenda and adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Learn more about the 2030 Agenda and discover the five principles that underpin it – the so-called 5 Ps of Sustainability.
Read also: ESG: The sustainability criteria that companies cannot ignore
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by the Member States of the United Nations in 2015 and officially entered into force the following year. This broad agenda sets out priorities for sustainable development at a global level, seeking to establish a global partnership to unite efforts around them.
To this end, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 concrete targets have been defined, which aim to address issues such as combating hunger and poverty, preserving the environment, gender equality and equal opportunities, access to education, among others.
With the ambition of “leaving no one behind“, these SDGs aim to respond to critical challenges for humanity and are based on 5 structural pillars:
These principles underpin the 2030 Agenda, which aspires to build a more sustainable, fairer, more equal and more prosperous world.
Find out in practice what these 5 Ps of Sustainability consist of.
People are at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which generally seek to ensure social inclusion, equity and respect for human rights.
We need to join forces to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can live a dignified life and reach their potential.
For this to happen, it is vital to eradicate poverty and hunger, to promote access to quality health, drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene for all.
In addition, issues such as reducing inequalities, gender equality and access to inclusive, quality education cannot be neglected either.
The second P refers to the planet, i.e. the urgent need to preserve the environment and combat climate change. Only the preservation and renewal of the planet’s resources and its ecosystems can guarantee the well-being of future generations.
It is absolutely essential to promote more responsible and sustainable consumption habits, reduce waste production and waste, safeguard biodiversity and tackle global warming. In fact, following the approval of the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement was signed, which set the goal of keeping the increase in the average global temperature below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
The SDGs that aim to respond to these challenges are related to the development of renewable energy sources, the construction of more sustainable cities, the promotion of more environmentally friendly consumption patterns, the adoption of practical measures to combat climate change, the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems, as well as oceans and marine resources.
This third pillar relates to economic growth, which must be the driving force behind a more prosperous life for all without compromising social and environmental sustainability.
That prosperity involves aspects such as eradicating poverty in all its forms and promoting sustained and inclusive economic development that benefits everyone and every country.
Some of the foundations for this economic development include full and decent work for all people, with fair wages and high levels of productivity (through innovation and technological advances). At the same time, it is necessary to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, as well as upgrading existing infrastructures and modernizing industries.
Sustainable development cannot be achieved unless societies are at peace, free from conflict, fear and violence.
Peaceful and inclusive societies, based on fair, accountable and effective institutions, are a prerequisite for sustainability and social cohesion.
In this sense, it is essential to implement concrete measures that contribute to curbing all forms of violence, eliminating abuse, exploitation, torture and trafficking, promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice.
The last pillar of the 2030 Agenda concerns the need to build a global partnership for its implementation. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can only be achieved with proper collaboration and cooperation between various entities: governments, the international community, civil society associations and organizations, private sector companies, among other actors.
All these entities must share knowledge, mobilize resources and join forces in order to implement – and have implemented – concrete and effective measures for sustainable development.
This need is reflected in the 17th SDG, which provides precisely for an exchange of good practices and collective action to enable the other 16 goals to be met.
Want to know more about Edenred’s contribution to promoting sustainability and making the world a better place for everyone? Take a look at our Ideal Policy.
The Edenred Refeição card is a benefit given by companies to their employees to help them cover the cost of meals during their working day.
Since the meal allowance is a supplement to remuneration, and the meal card is not a bank card, you may have already had doubts about how to use it.
That’s why we want to help you clarify some of the questions you may have about Edenred Refeição. Find out with us the answers to some common doubts.
Read also: 10 things you need to know about the Edenred meal card
Edenred Refeição is not a means of payment, but a social voucher designed to guarantee workers access to nutritious food while at work. As it is a social benefit, it has a differentiated tax treatment, being exempt from IRS and TSU up to the amount of €10.20/day.
This tax saving results in greater liquidity for expenditure on meals and food. For example, if you receive €10.20/day in meal allowance through Edenred Refeição, you could receive €315 more net per year than if you received the same amount in cash. You can simulate your real savings here.
This increase in purchasing power on food is accompanied by the possibility of saving on many other products and services that are useful to you. With the Discounts and Advantages Program, aimed at Edenred users, you can enjoy discounts on fuel, insurance, telecommunications, energy, professional training, animal services, among others.
There are more than 60 brands with exclusive advantages. To discover all the brands, and find out how you can access their discounts, all you need to do is go to the “Advantages” section of your MyEdenred App.
With Edenred Refeição, you can check the balance and movements of your card at any time and wherever you are. Download the MyEdenred App, available on iOS, Android and HUAWEI, or register at MyEdenred.pt, and associate your card number.
As well as being able to access your balance and movements in real time, you can also take advantage of other features, such as searching for member establishments or the possibility of suggesting new establishments that are not yet part of the network.
The MyEdenred App is also where you can access the Discounts and Advantages Program.
Even when you forget your physical card, you can make payments with Edenred Refeição using your cell phone. If you usually use MB WAY, you can link your card number to your account in this app and start making contactless payments at Edenred member establishments.
Find out step by step how to link your Edenred card to MB WAY.
If you don’t know your Edenred Refeição PIN, you’ll need to request a new code from our user support team. You can do this by calling 707 500 360, available every day between 8am and midnight.
You should do the same if you have missed three PIN attempts and your card has been blocked.
If your Edenred card is lost or misplaced, you should immediately block it in the MyEdenred App. All you have to do is click on your card and then select the “Block card” option. In this way, and while you can’t locate it, you prevent the risk of it being used by third parties.
Then, if you find the card, you can unblock it in the MyEdenred app and use it again as normal.
If you can’t find your card, you should ask for a replacement via our user support line (707 500 360, available every day between 8am and midnight). We will send you a new card with the same balance that was available on the old card when it was blocked.
As already mentioned, Edenred Refeição is not a means of payment, but a social voucher, the purpose of which is to ensure that employees have access to a balanced diet during the working day. Social meal vouchers emerged after the Second World War, when employers, instead of having canteens, began distributing meal vouchers to workers so that they could have lunch in local restaurants and have a decent meal.
Since social vouchers have this purpose, and in order to ensure that they are used to purchase meals and food, Edenred Refeição can only be used in catering and food retail establishments that have a commercial agreement with the issuing entity (in this case, Edenred).
What’s more, the Edenred meal card can also only be used on national territory. This is because another of the objectives of social benefits is to stimulate economic activity and generate a virtuous circle that boosts the local economy and contributes to society.
As such, Edenred Refeição can be used in a network of over 38,000 member establishments in mainland Portugal and the islands. This network includes restaurants, supermarkets, cafés, pastry shops and bakeries, butchers, fishmongers and other similar establishments.
With the MyEdenred App, you can find out at any time if an establishment is part of the Edenred network. You can find all the member establishments near you or you can search by the name of a particular establishment. You can also filter by restaurants or food stores.
If you want to use your Edenred Refeição in an establishment that is not yet part of our network, you can suggest that establishment in the MyEdenred App. Enter some details so that our team can get in touch with those responsible and close the partnership. When this happens, we’ll let you know that you can now use your card at the establishment you suggested.
You can also make suggestions for establishments here. Here’s a tip: if you don’t know some of the details, such as the address or telephone number, we suggest you look at the invoice for the payment you made at that establishment.
Yes, as long as you link Edenred Refeição to MB WAY. As well as being able to use MB WAY to make contactless payments in physical establishments, you can also make online purchases on platforms and apps that offer this payment method.
Some of the sites and apps where you can use the Edenred Meal card are Uber Eats, Continente, Auchan, Mercadão, 360hyper, EatTasty, DIG-IN, Prozis, Celeiro, among many others.
To use Edenred Refeição, you just need to select this card when finalizing the purchase and validating the payment in the MB WAY application.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
The widespread use of remote working has brought undeniable benefits, particularly when it comes to a more harmonious integration of personal, family and professional life.
However, this new reality for many workers and companies, consolidated after the pandemic, also brings challenges. And employee engagement with the organization is one of the main ones.
According to a Gallup study, only 28% of remote workers say they feel connected to the purpose and mission of the company they work for.
And while it seems obvious that all companies will want to increase their employees’ levels of engagement, it may not be so obvious how they can do so when people are physically apart.
Find out with us why organizations shouldn’t neglect the engagement and sense of belonging of remote workers and 7 tips to boost it.
Read also: How to engage Gen Z employees?
Employee engagement refers to the way in which employees feel passionate about their work, valued and committed to the values and purpose of the organization in which they work.
In today’s highly competitive and dynamic job market, ensuring high levels of engagement is essential:
If a good preboarding and onboarding experience is crucial to properly welcoming the employee and helping to shape a positive perception of the company, this is even more true in the case of remote workers.
Since professionals are physically distant, the support they need to feel accompanied and integrated is probably greater.
You need to provide all the practical information about the job and the company, set up the work material, make the relevant introductions and presentations to the team, set the agenda for initial training and schedule these meetings, among other things.
It may be relevant to create a checklist with all the topics that need to be addressed in a remote onboarding process, since some of them may – and certainly will – differ from a face-to-face integration.
Finally, you could consider implementing a “sponsor” program for new employees. The figure of a sponsor can play a very important role in helping to clear up any doubts about processes and to accompany professionals at an early stage, thus facilitating their adaptation.
Remote teams communicate with each other on a daily basis via instant messaging, video calls or emails. However, if these communications remain strictly professional and formal, it can be difficult to develop a closer and more meaningful relationship between colleagues.
Having a good working environment is very important for boosting employee morale, engagement and a sense of belonging.
For this reason, you should promote informal and casual moments for people to relax, have a coffee – at a distance, but together – take a break and talk about topics that aren’t necessarily work-related.
No matter how robust the onboarding process is, it is very likely that remote workers will still have questions about procedures, who is who in the company, which channels to use at any given time, etc.
Providing a library of resources that is as complete and accessible as possible is essential if remote workers are not to feel lost. This library should contain information about the company, internal policies, guides and procedures, among other materials deemed relevant.
Update this library regularly. To do this, gather feedback from newly hired employees and ask them what kind of resources and information they would have liked to have had access to.
This sharing makes professionals feel more empowered, as well as facilitating collaboration and improving productivity.
Employees who feel recognized and valued tend to be more satisfied and therefore more engaged.
Recognizing the good work people do can be more difficult from a distance. However, it is crucial not to neglect a solid culture of feedback and recognition:
Several studies have already shown that a company’s commitment to continuous employee training has a clear impact on employee satisfaction, motivation and engagement. And, of course, it’s not because employees are working remotely that they are no longer interested in developing their skills.
So, if your company doesn’t already do so, you should start designing a training plan for remote workers. This plan should
In the case of face-to-face work, companies are able to control the conditions of the physical space in which employees work. However, this is not the case when people work from home.
Even so, you should make sure that the professionals have all the equipment and materials they need to carry out their work comfortably and safely.
In addition, you can also allocate a remote working allowance or supplement, so that people can set up their workspace in a functional and pleasant way.
Since most companies tend to neglect this aspect, the fact that yours doesn’t will help to increase employee satisfaction and engagement.
You can’t expect employees to be engaged with the organization without knowing their needs, expectations and objectives.
Collecting feedback from employees is essential in order to understand what is wrong and what can be improved. This applies to all employees and especially to those who are remote – who you don’t meet on a daily basis and so it can be more difficult to get to know their opinions.
You can ask for feedback in a more formal way, through internal satisfaction questionnaires, and also in a more informal way, asking for opinions on internal processes, the organizational culture, the company’s management, the remote working system, among other aspects.
With the arrival of September comes the need to prepare for the return to school.
If you have children, and depending on their age, you may have to buy textbooks and school supplies, pay nursery fees, school fees or university fees.
For those – with children or not – who are thinking of investing in developing their skills, it may be necessary to sign up for courses or training or to buy books, for example.
Whatever stage of life you’re at, or whatever your goals are at the moment, there’s an Edenred benefit to suit your back-to-school needs. Find out which one!
Do you have children or dependents under the age of 7? Then you can use Edenred Creche to cover the cost of nurseries, day-care centers, kindergartens and similar establishments.
This benefit is fully exempt from IRS and Social Security for its recipients, which means that it provides greater purchasing power compared to the same amount in cash.
So, given that childcare costs tend to represent a large slice of a family’s monthly budget, Edenred Creche can be a decisive help.
More than 3,200 public and private establishments in Portugal accept Edenred Creche payments, which can be made 100% digitally via the MyEdenred App wallet.
If you need to pay tuition fees at schools, colleges or universities, Edenred Estudante is the benefit you should use. With total exemption from Social Security, it results in more disposable income to pay for professional training or education expenses for children aged 7 and over.
So, if your company has granted you this benefit, you can use it if you have children or dependents of school age or if you want to invest in your own training (undergraduate, postgraduate, masters, etc.).
Available in a 100% digital wallet format, Edenred Estudante allows you to make payments via the MyEdenred App in more than 2,800 public and private establishments in Portugal. Some examples are Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Universidade Europeia and Instituto Politécnico do Porto.
If your vocational training goals don’t necessarily involve university, but rather more technical training, then Edenred Flexível could be the right benefit for you. This card is accepted at numerous training centers, language schools and more.
In addition, if you need the support of tutoring centers or study centers to monitor the school performance of your children or dependents, you can also use Edenred Flexible.
This benefit can be used in physical format – to make payments with the card at participating establishments – or it can be used to pay for courses and training online, via MB WAY.
For example, you can use Edenred Flexível to pay for English courses at Wall Street English, to develop skills at Escola de Negócios Business School or to subscribe to the Escola Virtual digital platform, with an educational offer from pre-school to 12th grade.
In addition to accepting payments with Edenred Flexível, these three entities also have exclusive advantages for Edenred users.
Before the start of the new school year, you may need to buy textbooks, books recommended in the National Reading Plan or other school support books.
In this case you can also use the Edenred Flexível card, which is accepted at numerous stationery and bookstores, such as Bertrand, FNAC, WOOK or Porto Editora, for example. You can choose to make your purchases with Edenred Flexível in physical stores – using the card or MB WAY – or buy online, also using MB WAY.
In addition to books and textbooks, you can also use this benefit to buy school supplies and computer support equipment, such as computers. You can do this at stores such as Staples or Note!
In total, Edenred Flexível can be used in more than 3,500 participating establishments in Portugal. With total exemption from Social Security, this benefit allows you to increase liquidity, not only in education and professional training expenses, but also in health and social support.
Read also: Do you have an Edenred Flexível card?
Good leadership in companies is fundamental, both for the success of the business and for the experience of employees.
But leadership goes far beyond managing teams and people. It is an art that involves various angles: communication, strategy, integrity, authenticity, trust, inspiration, among others.
Leaders play a crucial role in employee satisfaction and motivation. And they have a huge influence on the lack of it. 80% of workers have considered changing jobs because of their direct manager, while 45% of professionals have even decided to resign.
But what does it really mean to be a good leader? Discover with us 9 characteristics that distinguish good leadership.
Good leaders necessarily have good communication skills. Without communication, it is difficult for any of the other characteristics associated with good leadership to have value and succeed on their own.
Clear and transparent communication is essential if leaders are to build a relationship of trust with people, involve them and guide them towards what is expected of them. It allows professionals to understand their role without ambiguity and to know how they can contribute to the company’s common goals and success. It also helps to minimize mistakes and misunderstandings.
Conversely, when there is no good communication, employees can feel more discouraged and lost, resulting in lower motivation and even productivity.
When we talk about good communication, we are also referring to non-verbal communication – body posture, gestures, eye contact – which must be congruent with verbal communication and reinforce its messages.
Everyone likes to feel listened to and, of course, in a professional context this is no exception. Leaders must be open to listening to their people and have the ability to pay attention to their opinions, problems, doubts, challenges or insecurities.
Being a leader is not just about talking, but much more about listening. However, active listening is often neglected by professionals in leadership positions.
Listening attentively and with genuine interest is a matter of respect and empathy. It’s about dedicating your time and attention to the other person and making them feel considered and valued.
Connecting with others on an emotional level is one of the defining characteristics of a good leader.
Emotional intelligence is linked to the ability to understand, manage and express emotions. Empathy is the ability to feel compassion, to put yourself in other people’s shoes, to understand their needs and to consider the complexity of the challenges they face (rather than jumping to conclusions about their behavior).
Since the role of a good leader is not to command, but to guide and inspire, these traits are fundamental to creating a healthier working environment in which people’s individuality is respected and understood.
A good leader devotes their time to sharing knowledge and helping others to grow. They also focus on providing opportunities for skills development and encouraging people to find something that challenges and excites them, both at work and outside of work.
Professionals value their managers and employers investing in their ongoing training. And several studies show that when this doesn’t happen, employees are very likely to look for a new professional challenge.
For this reason, leaders must work towards the growth of their teams, taking into account what each person would like to learn or develop.
Not all leaders have the ability to exercise their power and responsibility in harmony. Only true leaders do.
This implies that leaders take responsibility and accountability for their mistakes – and also for the mistakes of their teams, rather than blaming them.
In addition, leadership is expected to be authentic and upright, to behave and make decisions ethically and transparently. Employees need to feel confident in their leadership, to feel that it defends them and treats them fairly.
Adaptability is a key characteristic of leaders, especially in today’s constantly evolving market. More than being prepared to manage change, leaders must drive it.
Driving change means encouraging the sharing of new ideas, creativity and experimentation. And it also means accepting risk and error.
By being part of an environment and organizational culture that embraces innovation and allows for failure, employees feel that their perspectives are valued.
This doesn’t mean that people in leadership positions have to be upbeat all the time. But it is absolutely essential that they maintain a positive and optimistic attitude, especially when things go wrong.
Good leaders have the ability, even in the face of adversity, to foster enthusiasm, maintain motivation and show that they believe in better results in the future.
A true leader doesn’t aspire to be the smartest person in the room, but that doesn’t mean they don’t try to acquire the knowledge and skills to do their job properly.
A common trait of great leaders is their constant curiosity and desire to learn more. They seek to learn because they want to perform well in their work, but also for personal development and fulfillment.
On the other hand, managers who don’t show this drive to keep up with the latest trends and best practices are bound to find it more difficult to adapt to change, innovation and the challenges of their sector.
The truth is that there is always room for improvement and this also applies to leaders. And who better to identify points for improvement in managers than their employees?
A confident leader asks his teams what’s wrong. He conveys to people that his honest feedback is essential if they are to improve. He gives people space and time to develop their opinions and share their views on what can be optimized.
In short, leading people in a positive, transparent, empathetic and inspiring way can be a highly challenging task. Being a good leader takes time – and requires a lot of focus and practice.
After all, we’re talking about interpersonal relationships that involve complexity and therefore require a lot of flexibility and adaptability.
Communicating clearly and effectively at work can be challenging, as companies are made up of people with different cultures, experiences and points of view.
However, knowing how to communicate effectively is fundamental to collaboration. Good communication reduces conflicts and misunderstandings and helps to improve people’s motivation and satisfaction in the workplace.
According to the study The State of Business Communication study, poor communication in the workplace tends to increase stress levels and reduce job satisfaction and confidence.
If you think you can improve the way you communicate – with your colleagues, with your bosses, with your teams – discover the tips we have for you.
Read also: 8 steps to good teamwork
Communication in a professional context can take place by various means: face-to-face, by email, by telephone, in virtual meetings, via instant messaging or other internal channels.
Make sure you know your company’s guidelines on which channels to use at any given time. These guidelines, or best practices, may vary depending on whether you are communicating with direct colleagues or with colleagues from other departments, for example. Always bear in mind that your approach may have to be adapted depending on the interlocutor and also on the moment.
Good interpersonal communication is important in a professional context, but also in a personal one. Basically, whenever you have to relate to other people. Some of the main communication skills are:
It’s not always easy to understand people’s tone when communicating in writing, via email or instant messaging, for example. Talking face-to-face, or by video call, helps to mitigate any miscommunication, gets the message across more clearly and saves time.
In addition, face-to-face interactions tend to strengthen professional relationships, as there is greater proximity.
Communicating isn’t just about what we say. The tone we use in our speech and our body language also convey a message.
Sometimes what we say isn’t aligned with how we say it. That’s why it’s very important to also consider non-verbal communication skills.
For example, shaking your legs could mean you’re anxious or crossing your arms could mean you’re disinterested. It’s essential to ensure that your posture is conveying the right message and, at the same time, you should also know how to interpret these signals in other people.
It is often said that more important than knowing how to speak is knowing how to listen. In fact, listening to other people is a fundamental foundation for human interactions.
The more actively you listen to what they have to say, the easier it will be for you to receive and grasp the message. And this will lead to clearer, less ambiguous communication.
In addition, show your interlocutor through your body language that you are paying attention to what is being said: for example, by smiling or nodding.
Communicating effectively involves speaking, listening and giving feedback so that both parties understand each other. It also involves listening to other people’s ideas and opinions, rather than just trying to impose your own.
Don’t just listen in order to give an answer, but show that you are genuinely listening and paying attention to the other person. Reinforce this interest by maintaining eye contact.
Another important aspect of communication is transparency. You need to be able to express your needs and intentions clearly and unequivocally. And, what’s more, at the right time.
For example, if your line manager assigns you a task that you won’t be able to complete due to lack of time, it’s best to convey that message right away and be straightforward about your workload.
Many of the misunderstandings surrounding human relationships result from the fact that people imagine stories instead of just considering the facts.
Let’s consider the following example: you’ve sent an email to a colleague making a request and that colleague replies saying that he needs more information in order to follow up. This is a fact. But if you think that this colleague replied because he doesn’t want to collaborate or help, then that’s a story. You have no way of knowing if that’s true or not, it’s just your interpretation of the fact.
Sometimes it’s unavoidable to build stories around facts, but it’s very likely that this can lead to miscommunication. So, in your interactions in a professional context, try to base yourself only on facts.
If your job involves exchanging written communications – by email or instant messaging, for example – then it’s important that you know how to write effectively.
You should try to write correctly, concisely and with well-structured ideas. In addition, you should adapt the way you write to the person you are communicating with, be it a colleague, a leader, a client, a supplier, etc.
To improve your writing skills you can:
According to data from the Salesforce 2022 Global Digital Skills Index, 94% of workers value the training provided by companies and would stay longer at those companies if they invested in their professional development.
In fact, without growth opportunities in their companies, workers tend to be more dissatisfied and, consequently, more inclined to look for other opportunities and leave.
Investing in continuous employee training brings numerous benefits:
For all these reasons, the professional development of employees must be seen by company managers as a core part of the organizational culture.
Ensuring that professionals keep up to date – and improve their skills in line with the latest trends, innovations and best practices in their sector – is crucial if they are to progress in their careers.
And although this path must be taken by the workers themselves, employers have a social responsibility to encourage lifelong learning, growth and quality of life from a broader point of view.
This can be done by granting social benefits to support vocational training, such as Edenred Estudante.
Read also: Upskilling and reskilling: Importance for employees and companies
Edenred Estudante is a social benefit that companies can give to their employees to support them in their education and professional training expenses. The aim is to increase the income available for spending on schools, colleges, universities and similar establishments.
Because it is a social benefit and not a means of payment, Edenred Estudante has a different tax framework to cash payments, which results in tax savings for the company and increased purchasing power for employees.
This social voucher is available in wallet format. The company loads the Edenred Estudante with the stipulated amount and the employee, after adding it to their wallet in the MyEdenred App, can now make 100% digital and secure payments.
In addition to being used for the employee’s own professional training – to pay for undergraduate, postgraduate, master’s degrees, etc. – it can also be used to pay for the education of the employee’s children or descendants from the age of 7.
The granting of extra-salary benefits results in numerous advantages for organizations and employees. In particular, by granting a benefit such as Edenred Estudante, which helps to promote the continuous training of professionals, you are ensuring that:
Has your company not yet awarded Edenred Estudante to its employees? Our team is available to help you find out more about this solution.
We’ve been working with Edenred for several years to implement Edenred Refeição and, more recently, we’ve also joined Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante. The solutions are delivered quickly and the implementation process is also very simple. Customer service is efficient and helpful whenever we need it.
Working with Edenred is more than working with a service provider. It means having a reliable partner who is always available and collaborative. We have established an excellent relationship with our KAM, which we value because we know that we can always count on him to help us resolve any issues or questions that arise during our journey together.
We’d like to point out that, since we’ve been working with Edenred, we haven’t experienced any faults with them. In all our interactions, whether with the sales team or the customer service team, they have always responded to what we have asked for, so we are satisfied overall.
The operation of the benefits management platform is impeccable, easy to consult and with a complete history of all transactions. The reimbursement period is also adequate. .
Edenred is a very organized company. It is very easy for users to use the card. It also has good partnerships with partner establishments.
Edenred has a service that works very well, using a digital platform to send and receive childhood vouchers. It has the advantage of keeping a record of the vouchers received for consultation.
The card is very practical and can be used in many places (many restaurants and other commercial establishments). The app is super useful.
A very practical system with a wide range of establishments. The MyEdenred app works very well and even offers discounts on fuel!
A card where we have the food allowance available to use in most restaurants and supermarkets. It also gives us advantages by having discounts on various brands, for example on fuel.
By now, many Portuguese are already enjoying their long-awaited summer vacations. And in order for these vacations to be enjoyed more peacefully and without compromising the family’s monthly budget, the vacation allowance plays an important role.
Find out with us the answer to some common questions about vacation pay in Portugal.
Vacation allowance is compensation given by companies to their employees so that they have more time off when they take their vacations.
It is often called the 13th month because it functions as an additional salary paid to the worker.
They are entitled to vacation allowance:
According to Article 264 of Código do Trabalho, the vacation allowance comprises “the basic salary and other remunerative benefits that are a consideration for the specific way in which the work is carried out”. In other words, in practice, the value of the vacation allowance corresponds to the worker’s basic monthly salary.
This amount includes the basic salary and other items such as time off or shift work, for example.
On the other hand, it does not include any per diems, allowances, meal allowances or transport allowances, for example.
In the year of joining a company, the employee is entitled to two days’ leave for each month of the contract, up to a maximum of 20 working days. These vacation days can only be taken six months after the start of the contract. However, many companies end up allowing employees to take leave earlier if they want to.
The calculation of the vacation allowance takes into account the employee’s basic salary and the time worked. In practice, the amount of allowance to be paid is proportional to the time worked so far.
The vacation allowance must be paid “before the start of the vacation period and proportionally in the event of interpolated vacation” (Article 264 of CT). This means that if workers have more than one vacation period during the year, the allowance must be distributed and paid before each of these periods.
However, most companies in Portugal choose to pay this in full only once a year. This usually happens in one of the summer months, when most people go on vacation.
First of all, it’s important to note that in the month in which the worker receives their vacation allowance, they must also receive their monthly salary.
What some employers choose to do is not pay the meal allowance in the month in which they pay the vacation allowance (in other words, they divide the annual amount of the meal allowance by 11 months). Find out if this is the case in your company, so as to avoid any surprises when you go on vacation.
As for the vacation allowance itself, it must be paid together with basic pay, except in situations where another form of payment is defined: for example, through collective bargaining agreements or in twelfths.
In the case of twelfths, the company can pay in this way, but only if the employee does not expressly wish not to receive the allowance every month.
Yes, vacation pay is subject to IRS withholding tax and social security contributions.
As far as the IRS is concerned, the amount received as vacation pay is subject to autonomous withholding. This means that, when calculating the tax to be withheld, the amount of the allowance is not added to the monthly salary (if this were the case, the withholding tax could be higher).
Read also: What kind of taxes are levied in Portugal?
Since its inception, Edenred has made it its mission to improve people’s quality of life, add value to society and contribute to the preservation of the planet.
This strong social and environmental commitment is reflected in the Ideal Policy, which includes concrete measures to meet various targets, including the promotion of healthy and sustainable eating and the fight against food waste.
In this context, Edenred promotes the FOOD Barometer every year. This initiative – developed under the FOOD Program with the support of the European Union and Direção-Geral da Saúde – aims to find out about the population’s eating habits and find trends in the demand for and supply of healthy and nutritionally balanced meals.
This questionnaire, which asks questions on topics such as healthy eating, food waste or the impact of inflation on eating habits, is aimed at..:
Can we count on your contribution? Please respond using one of the buttons below.
Thank you for your cooperation with this questionnaire!
Stay tuned for the results of the FOOD Barometer 2024, which will be released in October, and discover the main trends in Portugal and around the world!
According to the Top Employers 2024 edition, many organizations are seeking to promote the well-being of their employees while struggling to balance their HR budgets.
These two fronts can be addressed in a complementary way through social benefits. These benefits aim to increase the purchasing power of employees in essential areas of their lives, while ensuring tax advantages for the companies that grant them.
With Edenred’s multi-benefit platform, companies can consolidate their extra-salary benefits policy, improve the value proposition for employees and guarantee fiscal and operational efficiency.
Discover all the advantages with us!
With Edenred’s multi-benefit platform, your company can centrally allocate benefits in different areas.
It is possible to support employees’ expenditure on food, children, education, professional training, health and well-being and social support. It is also possible to reward employees’ dedication with rewards and incentives.
This integrated offer of extra-salary benefits adapts to the different needs, interests, life stages and expectations that different employees may have of your company.
Edenred benefits are intended to facilitate employee access to certain essential goods and services. By ensuring that the amount allocated by the employer is actually used for its intended purpose, these benefits have associated tax advantages for the employee.
As such, this results in greater liquidity for the employee compared to the allocation of the same amount in cash. People have more purchasing power to support expenses that can represent a large slice of their family budget, such as health costs, school expenses, among many others.
This increase in disposable income, as well as the organization’s concern for their well-being and quality of life, contribute to improving the value proposition for employees.
In addition to the employees, the company itself also enjoys tax advantages by granting social benefits. The tax framework varies depending on the type of benefit granted. Even so, compared to paying the same amount in cash, social vouchers always represent a tax saving for the employer.
In this context, organizations can focus on their efforts to promote employee well-being and satisfaction, without increasing the tax burden.
Both your company and your employees can manage all their benefits in a simple, digital and centralized way.
In the case of companies, the Client Portal allows them to: assign new benefits; top up benefits; request the issue or replacement of cards; consult invoices; access personalized support.
In turn, employees can add their benefits to the MyEdenred App, where they can: check their balance and movements in real time; find participating establishments and suggest new ones; access the Discounts and Advantages Program; make 100% digital payments via the education wallet; among other features.
Edenred has been present in the Portuguese market for 40 years. This accumulated experience is based on a rigorous knowledge of and compliance with all the legal and fiscal requirements governing social and non-social benefits in our country.
In addition, with various certifications in cybersecurity and quality, we ensure security in all transactions, as well as compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.
By developing your company’s benefits policy with the Edenred multi-benefit platform, you can also count on the support of a specialized team.
Edenred offers a personalized service, both to the company itself and to its employees, who may also have questions about the use of their benefits.
Many Portuguese take their vacations in August. If that’s the case with you, you’re probably already counting down the days to that much-desired – and much-needed – break from work and the daily grind.
And while vacations are synonymous with rest and relaxation, they can also mean increased expenses.
If you’re looking to keep your finances under control during this period, discover some tips we have for you.
Planning should be the watchword if you want to avoid unpleasant surprises when it comes to the cost of your vacation. If you’re booking a vacation for next month, it’s likely that all prices will be highly inflated, since we’re already in high season.
Ideally, you should look at the various options for destinations, transportation, accommodation and activities well in advance. Booking early will allow you to find more affordable prices on accommodation, travel (by plane or train) and even activities you might want to do (like boat trips, for example).
Do some research and use price comparison websites. If you have the flexibility, choose to travel on less popular days with lower fares.
This is a fundamental aspect that many people tend to overlook: after all, how much can you spend on your vacation?
Make a list of all the expected expenses, such as travel, accommodation, food, leisure activities, any local trips, souvenirs and other additional purchases. Depending on your destination, you may have other associated expenses, such as insurance, tourist taxes, visas, etc.
Do this calculation and see if the amount is within your real possibilities. Then stick to the budget you have set. A practical way of doing this can be to set a maximum daily amount that you can spend and monitor whether you are sticking to it.
Many airlines, booking sites, accommodations and other tourism companies have loyalty programs. These programs allow repeat customers to obtain discounts and advantageous conditions on future bookings.
In the case of leisure activities, visits to museums and other attractions, you can see if they are available for booking through platforms such as Odisseias, Lifecooler, Tiqets or Mygon. These sites offer promotional campaigns for various experiences and activities in Portugal, but also in other countries.
What’s more, Edenred users have additional advantages when buying vouchers or tickets through these partner brands. Find out which ones by accessing the Advantage Discount Program in your MyEdenred App.
Since vacations provide a break from routine, it’s also natural to feel less inhibited about making purchases you wouldn’t normally make. However, impulse purchases – however cheap and innocuous they may seem – can jeopardize the budget you have set for your vacation.
Always keep this budget in mind and avoid waste and superfluous spending. Try to spend money only on things that are meaningful to you and the people you’re on vacation with.
If they are not included in the accommodation you have booked, food costs can represent a very considerable slice of your budget. Here are some practical tips to help you:
Read also: How to save on food? 9 practical tips
Just as you should plan your vacation in advance, you should also start putting some money aside to finance it.
Take a portion of your monthly vacation budget and put it into another account or a specific savings account. Having the money available for the vacations separate from your current account will also help you to better monitor your spending and be more aware of how much you can afford to spend.
Do you follow these good practices when you go on vacation? Although this may be a period of greater carefreeness and less discipline, it is essential to ensure responsible and conscious planning in order to maintain your family’s financial well-being.
The extra-salary benefits that companies give their employees are more useful and relevant the more flexible they are. That is, the more adaptable they are to employees’ needs and interests.
These needs and interests tend to vary depending on the stage of life employees are going through. For example, when they have young children, they can be expected to value childcare benefits, since the cost of crèches, nurseries and the like can represent a large slice of the family budget.
Find out how Edenred Creche can help companies consolidate their extra-salary benefits policy and maximize employees’ disposable income.
The Edenred Creche is a social benefit that companies can grant to employees in order to help them cover the costs of childcare and education for children under the age of 7.
Edenred Creche is not a means of payment, but a social voucher, in that it aims to guarantee workers access to a certain product or service. In this case, access to services related to the childhood and education of children or dependents up to and including the age of 6.
As it is a social benefit, Edenred Creche has a different legal and fiscal framework to cash payments. Decree-Law no. 26/99, of January 28th (amended by Law nº. 82- E/2014, of December 31st), establishes the conditions for issuing and allocating childcare vouchers.
One of the aspects that employers must ensure is the principle of universality: childcare vouchers have associated tax benefits for both the company and the employee, but only if they are granted to all eligible employees, i.e. all employees with children or dependents under the age of 7. If they are not awarded in accordance with this principle, the benefit is considered supplementary remuneration and the relevant taxes apply.
Ensuring this universal nature, childcare vouchers such as Edenred Creche have the following tax benefits:
These tax advantages apply to any amount granted, as there are no legal limits on the amount granted to employees.
As it is a social benefit, and aims to ensure that the amount awarded is used only for the purpose for which it is intended, Edenred Creche can be used in a network of establishments with a contract with the social voucher issuer – in this case, Edenred.
As such, Edenred Creche can be used in more than 3,200 public and private establishments in Portugal: crèches, nurseries, lactariums, kindergartens and the like.
See the network of participating establishments here.
Edenred Creche is a 100% digital social voucher that works as follows:
The provision of non-salary benefits, such as Edenred Creche, allows companies to improve their value proposition for employees. This has an impact on their motivation and, consequently, their productivity. Thus, the main advantages of this benefit for organizations are:
These advantages extend to the employees themselves:
The concepts of productivity and efficiency are often confused. However, although they are related, they are different ways of measuring the work of a company’s employees.
Discover with us the difference between productivity and efficiency and learn some tips for optimizing them in your work.
Read also: 10 platforms to increase productivity at work
Productivity refers to the quantity of goods produced, or number of tasks completed, over a given period of time.
Efficiency, meanwhile, refers to the number of resources needed to produce a particular item or complete a task. It relates to a worker’s ability to produce more with less waste of resources.
It can be said that while productivity is focused on quantity, efficiency is focused on quality. This is because productivity refers precisely to the amount of work that is completed during a period, as opposed to efficiency, which measures the ability to do the same amount of work with fewer resources (whether human, physical or financial, for example).
So productivity and efficiency are different metrics and are evaluated in different ways:
These two metrics are related, but they often compromise each other: good productivity can mean less efficiency, while a good level of efficiency can reduce productivity.
However, by adopting some good practices in your working method, you can optimize both.
Professionals who manage their time better are more productive and also more efficient. One approach that many experts believe leads to more effective time management is dividing daily working time into blocks.
According to this perspective, workers should divide their day into blocks of time, each dedicated to one task. For example, a person working in the sales area might set a block for viewing and responding to customer emails, another block for making calls, and another block for operational work to close and activate contracts.
By having a list of tasks established at the outset, and an estimated time allocated to each one, you no longer have to decide which tasks to focus your attention on. This reduces the risk of procrastination and multitasking.
To better manage your time at work, you can also count on various apps and platforms that can help you be more organized and disciplined.
Whether you’re remote or working in person at your workplace, there can be many distractions throughout the day. From messages on your cell phone, to social media alerts, to background noise from colleagues or family members at home, among many others.
According to the 2023Work Trend Index Annual Report, 68% of workers surveyed say they don’t have enough time for uninterrupted concentration during their working day.
And if some external distracting factors are harder to get around – such as colleagues making calls or having meetings, the noise of printers or other equipment, cars with sirens going off outside, children at home crying or pets interacting with you, for example – there are other situations in which it’s more within your power to stay focused:
Contrary to what you might think, people’s ability to multitask – to perform two or more tasks simultaneously – can lead them to work less productively and less efficiently.
Multitasking tends to harm productivity and efficiency as it leads to greater distraction and can lead to more errors, which could be avoided if the worker concentrated on a single task at a time.
Perfection is an unattainable goal. Working towards it will waste more time and lead to stress and anxiety. As a result, your productivity and efficiency levels will drop.
Don’t neglect your perfectionism, commitment and effort, but try to set realistic and achievable goals. Focus on your progress and small successes rather than striving for perfection.
Some people tend to focus too much work on themselves. When you’re too busy, or when you know that someone else is better able to do a certain task, ask for help.
If you have this decision-making power, delegate tasks directly to other colleagues. If you don’t have this responsibility, let your line manager know that you need to share the workload.
Reducing your workload will allow you to focus more on the tasks at hand and therefore more productively and efficiently.
It’s impossible to talk about productivity and efficiency without talking about automation. Automating tasks, especially routine and repetitive ones, is one of the main drivers of more efficient work.
Depending on your role, this could mean scheduling automatic emails to candidates and employees, scheduling social media posts, scheduling meetings, generating team performance reports and alerts, among many other possibilities.
When these more operational tasks become automatic, professionals can focus their attention on more strategic issues for the business. Not only does it take them less time to do their work – they are more productive – but they do it with greater added value for the organization – and therefore more efficiently.
It’s not always easy to start work in a new company and with a new team. It’s very important that professionals feel prepared and supported when taking on a new challenge.
Contrary to what you might think, the onboarding of an employee in an organization begins even before their first day at work. The period preceding the entry of the newly hired employee is called preboarding and several studies have shown that it is a crucial stage in promoting subsequent talent retention.
But what is preboarding really? What are the benefits of a robust preboarding process? Find out with us.
Preboarding refers to the welcoming and follow-up process that companies carry out after a candidate accepts a job offer and until their first day at work.
It’s a decisive stage in the employee’s journey, which involves not only bureaucratic, administrative and logistical aspects, but which should also serve as a way for companies to encourage involvement and integration into the organizational culture from an early age.
The period between the candidate’s acceptance of the offer and their first day of work can be considerable – for example, if they have to give notice to their current employer – so it is crucial that professionals feel supported during this transition process.
There is a direct relationship between preboarding and a positive employee experience. Even so, 64% of professionals claim not to have undergone any preboarding process (Talentech, 2021).
A solid preboarding process allows the employee to feel accompanied and informed, but it also helps to generate enthusiasm around this new challenge and helps to promote a sense of belonging in this still preliminary phase.
Since first impressions count, and tend to last and shape the opinion of professionals, it is very important that organizations demonstrate proximity, organization and availability from the outset.
It sounds simple, but not all companies do it. Sending a welcome email will make professionals feel welcomed, valued and excited about starting work.
Use this email to share relevant information and to show that the team is looking forward to the new colleague.
Most people prefer to know what they can expect during their first days at a new company. Create an agenda with a brief explanation of the planned integration moments, also indicating the people involved in each one.
With this planning, newly hired people will feel more situated and prepared.
Preboarding is the ideal time to prepare all the documentation for a new employee. During this period, you can request the necessary information to be included in contracts, insurances, etc.
Anticipating the arrival of a new employee also involves practical aspects such as the desk they will sit at or the computer they will use, for example. And all this must be taken care of before the first day of work.
Make a list of needs by department or function so that these procedures are in place every time a new employee joins.
Leaders are unlikely to forget to inform their teams that they will be getting a new colleague. However, as HR manager, you can always provide some guidelines on how they can do this.
It’s important to clarify what this new employee’s responsibilities will be and what projects he or she is expected to be involved in.
One of the main objectives that companies should address during preboarding is employee engagement.
Encouraging enthusiasm and developing a sense of belonging can only happen through communication that demonstrates that you are available to answer any doubts or questions.
Preboarding tends to be overshadowed by onboarding, but the truth is that both phases can have a very significant influence on professionals’ perceptions of the company.
On average, the Portuguese spend almost 38 years of their lives at work. That’s more than 13,000 days in a professional context which, if not spent in a positive, pleasant and healthy environment, can have significant impacts on their well-being and their physical, mental and emotional health.
Several studies have shown that an unhealthy working environment can lead to stress, anxiety and even burnout and depression.
But what characterizes a healthy working environment in practice? Find out for yourself.
A healthy working environment means that both managers and employees work together to promote actions and behaviors that ensure everyone’s well-being and safety.
The World Health Organization states that a safe and healthy working environment exists when people can carry out their work:
A healthy working environment meets the various needs of workers, whether physical, emotional or professional. In other words, it’s an environment in which people feel fulfilled, while at the same time safeguarding their health, well-being and quality of life.
The workplace itself, i.e. the physical place in which people carry out their work, must be clean, well-kept and guarantee the comfort and safety of professionals.
For this to happen, certain conditions must be met, such as:
These points may be more difficult to ensure in the case of companies whose employees are remote, as they are the ones who build and control their workplace. Even so, organizations should take an active role in assessing people’s working conditions and should try to improve them wherever possible, providing the necessary tools and equipment to do so.
Since people spend so much time at work, it is crucial that it contributes to their overall well-being. This can happen through:
A flexible and adaptable integration between personal, family and professional life is something that workers value and which naturally favors their health, quality of life and happiness.
Thus, companies with a healthy working environment have an organizational culture that:
Prejudice can lead to various problems in the workplace, including legal issues. Identifying the existence of prejudice, even if unconscious, is a fundamental step towards building a more inclusive, tolerant and healthy working environment.
People can only feel comfortable and welcome in an environment in which they feel they can express their individuality and in which they recognize that this individuality is respected and valued. And this inclusion, and respect for the unique characteristics of each person, is everyone’s job: employees in relation to their peers and leaders.
In addition, if anyone has any concerns about the inclusion and integration of an employee, they should have channels at their disposal to demonstrate this (in individual meetings or anonymous internal questionnaires, for example).
A positive and healthy work environment is also one in which people feel professionally fulfilled and challenged. Organizational leaders need to understand their employees’ professional aspirations and then design and implement strategies to meet them:
Recognizing and rewarding employee effort and performance also contributes to a healthier working environment. This recognition should be regular and should be done not only by leaders, but also by colleagues among themselves.
The truth is that hearing words as simple as “thank you” or “good job” can boost people’s confidence, satisfaction and motivation. Therefore, these expressions of recognition should be shared with the rest of the team or company, so that other people can replicate them.
Do you want to consolidate your company’s extra-salary benefits package? Are you looking for ways to improve the value proposition for employees and support them in key areas?
Find out what the Edenred education wallet is and how it can help your company increase its employees’ purchasing power for childcare, education and professional training expenses.
The wallet is a way of allocating Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante benefits. When an employee receives one or both of these benefits, they add them to their wallet in the MyEdenred App, through which they can make 100% digital payments.
In the case of Edenred Creche, the employee can pay for the services of establishments such as crèches, nurseries, kindergartens and the like.
In the case of Edenred Estudante, you can make payments to schools, colleges, universities and other educational establishments.
It all starts with the allocation of benefits by the company, which selects the benefits and amounts to be granted to each employee on the Client Portal.
After the award, the employee receives an email informing them that they have received the benefit and indicating that they should add it to their wallet in the MyEdenred App.
As soon as the company loads the respective benefit, the employee can start using the balance in their wallet to make payments at participating establishments. All they have to do is select the establishment, enter their details and the amount to pay.
After confirming all the information, the payment is automatically validated in the MyEdenred App.
The Edenred education wallet has several advantages for both the company and the employee.
For the company:
For the employee:
No. The employee receives the amount allocated by the company and uses the available balance directly through the wallet, there being no need to have an associated bank account.
Employees can check their balance and movements in real time on the MyEdenred App.
No. Employees can use the balance available in their wallet for various payments.
The wallet has two layers of security: when the benefit is added to the MyEdenred App and when the payment to the establishment is validated via SMS token.
If you’ve ever applied for a job, you’ve probably wondered how you could stand out from the rest of the applicants.
This can happen thanks to your hard skills, soft skills, but also the so-called mad skills. These skills are also evaluated and increasingly sought after by companies’ human resources managers.
According to Robert Half’s Confidence Index, 66% of recruiters value these skills when analyzing candidates.
Mad skills, or crazy skills, can be translated into Portuguese as skills that are out of the ordinary, atypical or particularly original. They refer to a unique set of attributes and characteristics that candidates have and which are the result of their life experience: their hobbies, travels, interests, etc.
These experiences are not necessarily related to the job in question, but they can shape the way these professionals carry out their professional activity and can give rise to more creative and disruptive perspectives in the workplace.
For example, if a candidate plays team sports, this could indicate that they work well as part of a team. Or if you’ve been abroad on a volunteer experience teaching disadvantaged children, it could mean that you’re an adventurous, communicative and dedicated person. Or if your hobby is creating ceramic pieces, then you’re likely to be creative, meticulous and attentive to detail.
Hard skills are technical competencies. They refer to the knowledge that professionals acquire through courses, workshops, certifications, internships or previous professional experience.
Basically, these are the skills that can be taught. For this reason, they are the ones for which your CV is most unlikely to stand out in a recruitment process: because it’s natural that other candidates have them too.
Soft skills are interpersonal and socio-emotional competencies. They are characteristics that can result from schooling and previous professional experience, but are also related to people’s personalities, experiences, culture, upbringing, etc.
Some examples of soft skills are problem-solving skills, organization, leadership, critical thinking, conflict management, communication, creativity, punctuality, among others.
Some of these skills may be more or less important to recruiters, depending on the job in question. However, it is essential that you can demonstrate them in job interviews, ideally on the basis of concrete past examples. For example, explain how you managed to break a deadlock in your previous job thanks to your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Mad skills are your most unique characteristics and, therefore, the ones that will stand out the most in a job interview. They represent skills that, although not directly related to the requirements of the job vacancy, can be very relevant to the way you carry out your work.
As such, keep in mind that, whenever it’s appropriate, you should be able to talk about your mad skills and explain why you think they can add value to the organization.
Try to be authentic and convey enthusiasm when talking about your hobbies, interests and passions, giving specific examples and mentioning how they contribute to the professional – and person – that you are.
Organizations are increasingly looking for diverse people with different backgrounds and life experiences. Diversity gives rise to different perspectives, ideas, approaches and solutions. Ultimately, it fosters innovation, creativity, originality and growth.
That’s why it’s important to be able to demonstrate your individuality when you’re taking part in a recruitment process. The combination of your hard skills, soft skills and mad skills will make you “stand out from the crowd”.
According to ManPowerGroup’s “Talent Shortage Portugal 2024” study, 81% of Portuguese companies admit to having difficulty or a lot of difficulty in filling open opportunities. Of the 41 countries analyzed, Portugal is the fifth with the greatest shortage of talent.
In this context, providing a good experience for candidates who show interest in your company’s vacancies is more important than ever.
But what does a good candidate experience mean in practice? Why is it important and what can you do to improve it?
The candidate experience refers to all the interactions established between an organization and a professional from the moment they apply for a position until they join the company – or not.
This process is typically marked by several phases, which can contribute to the candidate forming a positive or negative opinion of the company. The “Candidate Experience Report 2024” reveals that 52% of the candidates surveyed have already turned down a job offer due to a negative experience during the recruitment process.
For this reason, a good candidate experience can not only help to improve employer branding but also ensure a competitive advantage for the organization on the job market and in its sector of activity.
As we can see, the candidate’s experience has a direct bearing on the company’s ability to hire the human capital it needs. If candidates have good experience during the recruitment process, they are more likely to accept any offer. As a result, the company will find it easier to hire the profiles of workers that suit its needs, which has an impact on the efficiency and growth of the business.
At the same time, the fact that candidates have a positive experience in their first interactions with the company can also help them to share this opinion with others and become ambassadors for the organization. In other words, the company can make significant gains in terms of notoriety and reputation.
Make sure that the descriptions of the advertisements for open opportunities in your company are simple and to the point:
Some application processes tend to be long and complex, which can lead candidates to give up:
Maintaining regular and consistent communication is one of the best practices for ensuring a good candidate experience:
Job applicants are more than just numbers. Companies with a people first culture put all people at the heart of their strategy, i.e. employees but also candidates.
This means humanizing and personalizing interactions and communications with candidates involved in recruitment processes.
Use technology to address candidates in a more individualized way and, even for those who end up not filling the vacancies, thank them for their availability, give a reason why they weren’t selected and leave a more personal note (for example, some strength they demonstrated in recruitment). This approach will allow candidates to maintain a positive perception of your company, despite the rejection.
Digital technologies and artificial intelligence can be very valuable allies in improving the candidate experience.
Whether it’s to make the application process faster and more intuitive, to make it easier to schedule interviews, to give feedback to candidates or to personalize the whole experience throughout recruitment… The possibilities are many and at the same time make the whole process more efficient and productive for human resources managers.
Make sure the candidates have all the information they need about what to expect at the interviews:
At the end of the interviews, give candidates the opportunity to ask questions, reinforce what the next steps will be and anticipate when the company is expected to make a decision.
It is essential that candidates understand unambiguously how they are being assessed and what skills are being sought and prioritized. Explain to candidates why you need to ask certain questions or administer certain tests, for example.
The more transparent the process, the less the mismatch of expectations and the better the candidates’ experience.
Have you ever had to travel for work on behalf of your company? Then the concept of subsistence allowance is probably not new to you.
Subsistence allowances are an item inherent to various professional activities and apply to three categories: transportation, accommodation and food.
Find out what they are in practice and what Portuguese legislation says about subsistence allowances.
Subsistence allowances are financial support granted by the employer to employees when they have to travel on company business, inside or outside the country.
For example, if an employee needs to have a meeting with a client in another city, or take part in a fair or conference, the company uses subsistence allowances to cover the costs associated with this trip: transport (fuel, tolls, parking meters, public transport tickets, etc.), food and accommodation, if necessary.
These costs can be covered by the company in advance or, alternatively, within 30 days of submitting proof of payment: receipts and invoices requested with the company’s VAT number.
Subsistence allowances apply to both public and private sector workers. However, there is no legislation in Portugal that regulates this in the case of private companies.
There is, however, Decree-Law 106/98 of April 24, later clarified by Decree-Law 137/2010 of December 28 (as last amended by Decree-Law 33/2018 of May 15), which applies to the public administration and is used as a reference by private sector companies. Even so, they are free to define their own subsistence allowance policy, as well as the amounts to be allocated.
This decree-law establishes rules on the payment of subsistence and transportation allowances for journeys undertaken on public service. It defines the types of travel covered by the payment of subsistence allowances, as well as the minimum distances eligible for reimbursement.
The journeys covered are:
In both cases, the amount of the allowance is calculated on the basis of the employee’s salary.
As far as meal allowances are concerned, the reference values are those of the meal allowance and the respective allocation format: if it is allocated in cash, together with the monthly salary, the reference amount is €6.00/day; if it is allocated on a meal card, this amount rises to €10.20/day.
An important aspect to bear in mind is that the maximum limits set for the public sector are those that are tax-free for the employee, even in the private sector.
In other words, if the company gives the employee a higher amount than that defined, the remaining amount will be subject to personal income tax as category A income and to social security contributions.
This is the case, for example, with the meal allowance: if the company pays €6.50/day in cash, the employee will have to pay IRS on €0.50, since the maximum amount exempt in cash is €6.00/day.
In recent years, we have seen significant advances in data analysis. The ever-increasing amount of data that organizations are able to obtain and analyse has a very profound potential impact on their business. But it can also have an impact on the management of their human capital.
The knowledge that companies accumulate about their candidates and employees can make them better able to manage their people more effectively. It all depends on how prepared they are to collect, analyze and take advantage of the data they have.
Come and find out what people analytics is and what its great added value is for organizations.
People analytics refers to the collection and analysis of data related to people and the organization, with the aim of optimizing results in critical areas for the company. O people analytics allows HR managers to make decisions based on data and improve processes related to talent management, thereby enhancing the employee experience.
The data that HR managers have at their disposal can help them better understand employee behavior, expectations, needs and motivations. By working this data well, it is possible to draw insights that can be very useful for improving processes in areas such as recruitment and selection, performance management, productivity, engagement, compensation and benefits, among others.
Data-driven human resources management is seen as one of the major challenges for HR professionals in 2024. The dynamism and competitiveness of today’s job market demand it.
Aspects such as the new working models established during the pandemic, the entry of new generations into the workforce or the shortage of talent in some sectors highlight the importance of companies supporting their HR strategy with technology.
Harnessing the power of data allows companies to become more focused on their people, gaining competitive advantage and attractiveness in the job market.
Collecting and analyzing data should begin even before professionals become employees of the company. Even in the candidate attraction and recruitment phase, data can be very useful for measuring metrics such as:
People analytics also plays a key role in monitoring the performance and results of the professionals who make up the different teams, making it possible to take decisions with a view to optimizing processes and the business:
People analytics is also important for measuring certain metrics related to how many employees are leaving and for what reasons, the average turnover rate per department or the company’s retention rate. This data also makes it possible to carry out predictive analyses of which employees are most likely to leave the company.
All this data can be very valuable for developing strategies to reduce turnover. For example, let’s say you realize that a significant proportion of the IT team leaves the company after a year or so because they find better salary conditions in other companies. This means that, in order to retain and engage talent in this area, it may be necessary to review the compensation and extra-salary benefits policy.
According to the Workmonitor 2024 study, developed by Randstad, diversity, equity and inclusion are aspects that are increasingly valued by employees: 65% of respondents highlight gender pay equity as an important practice for them in an organizational context and 42% reiterate the importance of a diverse workforce.
Here too, people analytics can be very valuable. Use the data to understand where your organization stands in terms of gender parity (across the board and in management positions), the inclusion of people from different age groups, races, nationalities or the inclusion of people with some kind of disability or incapacity, etc.
If there is room for improvement in some or all of the topics, try to design a strategy that intrinsically promotes diversity, equity and inclusion.
Read also: 6 Benefits of diversity and inclusion in companies
Ultimately, rigorous and continuous analysis of internal data can also help companies reduce costs.
Whether it’s through greater efficiency in hiring, a reduction in acquisition costs or in the number of recruitment processes needed to meet the company’s needs, the implementation of measures that boost productivity or the investment in skills development plans that enhance the performance of professionals… these and other analyses can, on the one hand, help the company save money and, on the other, achieve better business results and grow.
We know that human resources data can often be confusing, scattered and difficult to aggregate and work with. However, that can’t be a reason not to start taking advantage of people analytics as soon as possible.
Continuing to put things off could cost you your company’s differentiation and competitiveness in the job market.
Lunch or dinner out, brunch or a late afternoon with snacks… are these some of your favorite plans?
The truth is that our monthly budget doesn’t always allow us to go out to restaurants as much as we’d like. But there are some websites and apps that can help you save on your meals out. Find out what they are!
DIG-IN is an application that allows you to find restaurants near you, consult photos, menus and timetables, among other information. You can also make table reservations, order home delivery and takeaway.
By subscribing to DIG-IN PRO, you can access discounts at hundreds of restaurants. For all Edenred users, you can subscribe to DIG-IN PRO with a 25% discount, which increases your savings even further.
Mygon is an online booking platform with promotional campaigns in areas such as health and beauty, accommodation, leisure and also restaurants. If you’re looking for discounted restaurants, you can search by area of the country and by type of cuisine, for example. You can buy a voucher or, alternatively, make a free reservation on the platform and pay directly at the restaurant.
In addition to the existing campaigns, Edenred users also have additional exclusive advantages: a €5 voucher to spend on a campaign of their choice and Premium status, which gives access to extra discounts of up to 50% on the purchase of gift vouchers.
Are you looking for more affordable experiences for yourself or to give away? At Odisseias, as well as being able to book stays, leisure activities or spa and beauty services, you can also buy restaurant experiences at discounted prices.
If you are an Edenred user, you can also enjoy a 5% discount on the purchase of experiences in the gastronomy category. And the discounts can go up to 25% on experiences in other categories and in packs. These advantages are valid for online purchases on the Odisseias website.
At Lifecooler it is also possible to buy packs or individual experiences at a discount in various areas. One of these is gastronomy, with promotional campaigns and restaurants to suit all tastes.
Edenred is offering all users a 15% discount on the purchase of experiences and packs on the Lifecooler website.
See here all the brands and services with discounts for Edenred users.
TheFork is an online platform focused on the restaurant sector that allows you to make table reservations at restaurants in various cities across the country. Some of the restaurants available for booking also offer exclusive discounts of up to 50%.
You can search for restaurants by filtering only those with promotions, but also by type of cuisine, average rating or average price, for example.
Users of Edenred benefits can also find restaurants with discounts via the MyEdenred App. Restaurants with promotions appear at the top of the list when you search for participating establishments in the app.
You can search only for restaurants with promotions, near you or in a specific location, and make a reservation directly on the app.
Did you know about all these sites and apps? Finding the best campaigns and promotions on each of them can allow you to discover new restaurants, enjoy good meals and have a good time at a more affordable price.
The meal allowance is an extra-salary benefit that companies can give to their employees in two formats: cash or meal card (social voucher).
Paying your meal allowance by card has numerous advantages and is therefore an increasingly popular option for companies in Portugal. Find out the main reasons why!
Read also: Meal allowance: Everything you need to know
When companies pay the meal allowance in cash – together with the employees’ monthly salary – they are exempt from TSU tax up to a maximum of €6.00/day. However, if they pay the allowance using a meal card, the total exemption from TSU applies up to the amount of €10.20/day (70% more than if paid in cash).
In this way, companies can give a higher meal allowance without increasing their tax burden. This tax benefit associated with the meal card can enable companies to save around €241 per employee per year. Do your simulation here.
Just like for the company, the meal card also has associated tax benefits for the employee: total exemption from IRS and TSU up to a maximum of €10.20/day. As such, granting the allowance in this format allows employees to increase their purchasing power when it comes to spending on meals and food.
Let’s take this example: if your company gives its employees €10.20/day in meal cards (x 22 working days x 11 months), they will receive a total of €2,468.40 at the end of the year. However, if the same amount is given in cash, and an IRS rate of 21% and TSU rate of 11% are applied, the total received per year is €2 153.32. In other words, the employee receives an extra €315.08 net per year in meal cards.
This increase in disposable income is especially relevant at a time when we continue to see an increase in the cost of living and inflation in foodstuffs.
The meal card is a social benefit whose purpose is to ensure that workers have access to nutritious food during their working day. To this end, it can be used to purchase meals or foodstuffs for cooking.
By giving your employees the meal allowance card, you are guaranteeing that this money is spent on food, thus promoting the quality of life, health and well-being of your employees.
Bearing in mind that the meal card makes it possible to give employees more liquidity and, at the same time, contribute to their quality of life, there is a direct relationship with an increase in their job satisfaction and motivation .
Thus, by giving this extra salary benefit in cards, companies have an increased ability to attract and retain human capital.
In the case of the Edenred meal card, users have access to the Discounts and Advantages Program, through which they can enjoy exclusive discounts on more than 60 health and wellness brands, insurance, mobility, energy, leisure and much more.
In this way, there is not only more disposable income from the meal card itself, but also easier access to certain goods and services that are relevant to employees.
Social meal vouchers are a socially responsible tool in that:
In addition, in the specific case of Edenred Refeição, it is a greener card, contributing to the circular economy.
All these aspects reinforce the meal card as a very valuable social tool, with a leading role in issues such as eradicating poverty and hunger, promoting good health and reducing inequalities. In fact, Edenred Refeiçãocontributes to seven of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Find out more about Edenred’s sustainability strategy.
The fact that companies give out meal cards creates a virtuous circle in which employees have more purchasing power and, as a result, local establishments see their business boosted.
One of the aims of social vouchers is precisely to boost economic activity. At the same time as promoting inclusion and boosting consumption, they make a notable contribution to the development of the economy, with several national and international studies demonstrating their positive economic impact.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
Mother’s Day is always celebrated on the first Sunday in May in Portugal. This day is another opportunity to celebrate unconditional love and pay tribute to the mother figure in your life.
If you want to avoid material gifts and prefer to provide a different and memorable moment on this day, there are many options. Discover seven ideas for experiences and activities you can offer this Mother’s Day.
Invite your mother, or the women in your life, to embark on an experience of harmony, serenity and well-being. Discover the Satsanga Spa & Wellness at Vila Galé Hotels and take advantage of the exclusive direct discount of 10% for Edenred users.
How about inviting your mother for brunch? Odisseias has a pack with over 60 places to choose from all over the country. Edenred users can also enjoy an 18% discount on the entire pack category at Odisseias.
Does your mother need to relax and let go of the stresses and worries of everyday life? There’s nothing better than sharing a relaxing massage with her. Discover more than 100 experiences to choose from and enjoy the exclusive 18% discount at Odisseias.
Make sure you have a Mother’s Day full of smiles and laughter at the 3D Fun Art Museum in Lisbon. Let yourself be fooled by the optical illusions in dozens of scenes. Buy your tickets online at Tiqets, skip the line and enjoy a 10% discount.
Visiting the Lisbon Oceanarium is always a great way to spend quality family time. Take advantage of the trip and enjoy a unique view from the cable car in Parque das Nações. Book this joint experience at Tiqets and don’t miss out on the exclusive advantage for Edenred users.
Still not sure what you want to offer your mother or want to give her the chance to choose for herself? Lifecooler’s Mother I Like You Pack includes various experiences such as massages, tastings, wine tastings, walks, horseback riding and much more. Enjoy a 15% discount on purchases in Lifecooler’s online store for being an Edenred user.
Get the family together and get ready for a fun, challenging and mysterious experience! The objective is simple: unravel mysteries to escape a room in the allotted time. Book your Lisbon Escape Hunt experience at Mygon and enjoy a €5 gift voucher on your first booking.
Did you like these ideas for surprising your mother figure this Mother’s Day? We’re sure that if you choose any of these activities, it will be a very special Sunday!
These and other discounts are available to all Edenred users through the Discounts and Advantages Program. See how you can take advantage of these benefits in the MyEdenred App.
Born roughly between 1997 and 2010, the people who make up Gen Z have already begun to enter the job market. With them come new perspectives and new challenges for organizations.
This is the first global, digitally native generation and it is fast on its way to becoming the most educated generation ever to work.
It is estimated that by 2030, professionals from this generation will make up a third of the workforce. It is therefore essential for companies to understand what characterizes them – what they are looking for, what they value, what they stand for – so that they can attract, engage and retain these talents.
Generation Z was born into a world connected by the internet and in which devices such as computers and cell phones are part of everyday life. This generation is used to accessing information quickly and values flawless digital experiences.
In this sense, the professionals of this generation expect technology to be part of their work and to enable them to carry out their tasks efficiently and effectively. The fact that they have a very intuitive relationship with technology means that they have higher expectations of its use in a professional context.
For this reason, try to take advantage of the potential of technology in recruitment processes, in onboarding, in internal training or in aspects as simple as employees booking their vacations. By making these interactions more digital, the employee wins (in terms of experience) and your company wins (in terms of efficiency).
Many of the people who make up Gen Z have entered – or are entering – a job market in which hybrid and remote working arrangements are a reality. It is also an increasingly global market and geographical borders are no longer necessarily synonymous with a lack of professional opportunities. As such, professionals from this generation tend to believe that their work can be done anywhere.
Flexibility at work, flexible working hours and the possibility of working remotely or hybridly are aspects that are highly valued by Generation Z, as they help them achieve the much-desired integration between personal and professional life.
Several studies have shown that, when accepting a job offer, Gen Z workers take into account the company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Having a respectful, egalitarian, diverse and inclusive work environment is therefore a crucial factor in attracting and engaging talent and boosting their sense of belonging.
If this is not the reality in your company, then now is the right time to think about strategies to promote diversity consistently. And it all starts with recruitment: incorporate the good practices of so-called blind hiring in order to mitigate the unconscious bias that tends to influence the way managers assess candidates’ character, skills and competencies.
Having a more diverse and inclusive workplace, made up of people with different backgrounds and experiences, will enable you not only to boost the engagement of Gen Z workers, but also to build an environment of greater innovation and creativity, improve your company’s overall reputation and, ultimately, generate better results.
Read also: 6 Benefits of diversity and inclusion in companies
More than any other, Gen Z looks to continuous training as a key element in their professional success. The lack of training and professional development opportunities is one of the main reasons why these workers leave a company. Developing skills, participating in challenging projects and generating a positive impact are aspects that Gen Z professionals value.
In this sense, it is essential to design career plans and training programs that allow employees to consolidate their knowledge or even acquire new skills that are relevant to them and the company.
According to a Randstad study, 80% of Gen Z professionals prefer to work for a company that is aligned with their values. Some of these values could be gender equality and pay equity, sustainability or work-life balance, for example.
Building an organizational culture that addresses these issues in an intrinsic, transparent and responsible way is crucial to keeping Gen Z motivated and satisfied.
Many people from Gen Z went through a period of great economic uncertainty and it is likely that they saw their parents go through some financial instability during the 2008 crisis. As such, this is another very relevant aspect for this generation, who are looking for financial security and fair compensation in line with the work they do.
In addition, employees of this generation also have a high propensity to value employee benefits, in particular benefits linked to health and well-being.
When it comes to benefits, the watchword is flexibility: it is crucial to provide access to flexible benefits that adapt to your needs and expectations.
As Gen Z continues to shape the world of work and pose challenges for organizations, it is crucial that they are able to adapt and embrace evolution.
At the end of the day, these strategies for engaging Gen Z have a more global effect and help promote the retention and satisfaction of professionals from all generations.
Edenred Flexível is an extra salary benefit that companies can give to their employees to help them with education, training, health and social support costs.
With TSU exemption for both the company and the employee, this benefit contributes to an increase in the employee’s monthly liquidity (since it can be topped up monthly, just like the meal card, for example), without increasing the employer’s tax burden.
If your company has awarded you the Edenred Flexível, you can use it in a network of more than 3,500 member establishments across the country. You can do this at:
We give you 12 examples of establishments where you can use the balance you have available on your Edenred Flexível card.
Wells has a network of around 300 stores across the country where you can make purchases in the areas of pharmacy, health and hygiene, optics, orthopedics, among others. You can pay with Edenred Flexível at physical points of sale and also in the online store.
Do you need to buy books and textbooks for your school-age children? Or books to support your own professional training? Do you need to buy school supplies and computer study aids? You can do so with your Edenred Flexível, in FNAC ‘s physical stores or in the online store.
Edenred Flexível also covers the health sector and can be used in various hospitals and clinics. The Lusíadas Saúde Group has several units throughout the country and accepts payments with this card.
Do you have a Staples store near your home or work? Then the next time you shop there, you know you can pay with your Edenred Flexível card. You can also do this in the online store.
This health group has several units in mainland Portugal and the islands and offers services such as clinical analysis, medical examinations, consultations and specialties, among others. Discover all the laboratories and clinics of Joaquim Chaves Saúde and use your Edenred Flexível.
For your professional training and skills development, or for your children’s education, Bertrand has the books you’re looking for. Use your Edenred Flexível card in the more than 50 bookshops across the country or in the online store, via MB WAY.
Edenred Flexível can also be used for oral healthcare. Discover all the units in the Médis Clinics network and pay for your dental appointments and treatments with this card.
Learn or develop your English at Wall Street English, with 100% online courses or at any of the 35 centers in our country. As well as being able to pay for your courses with Edenred Flexível, you can also enjoy exclusive advantages for being an Edenred user: 10% discount on enrolment and tuition for one person or 15% discount on enrolment and tuition for two people or more.
MALO CLINIC is another chain of dental clinics where you can use Edenred Flexível. As an Edenred user, you can also enjoy exclusive conditions for access to various specialties and services. Find out how in your MyEdenred App.
Lisbon Digital School is a DGERT-certified digital marketing and innovation training provider. If you want to develop skills in the areas of Product and Innovation, Digital Performance and Advertising, Growth and Strategy, Social Media, Data Analysis and many others, you can pay for your training – face-to-face or online – with Edenred Flexível.
Edenred Flexível can also help you take care of your eyesight. The Ergovisão Group is a chain of opticians where you can use this card for appointments or products (glasses, contact lenses, etc.).
The LabMED Health Group is present in various parts of our country, with various services available: clinical analysis, optics, dentistry, psychology, nutrition, among others. When you go to one of their clinics, you can pay with your Edenred Flexível.
Read also: 15 products and services you can pay for with Edenred Flexível
If there are any establishments near you – in the areas of education, training, health and social support – that do not yet accept payments with Edenred Flexível, you can suggest them at any time.
Our team will take care of everything and inform you when the establishment joins the Edenred network.
Technological developments and progress in artificial intelligence have transformed the human resources sector in recent years. At the same time, the new working models that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic and the entry of new generations into the job market – Generation Z – have also posed new challenges for HR managers.
HR 5.0 is a recent trend in the field of human resources that aims to adapt to all these challenges, taking advantage of the potential brought by technology.
Come and discover with us what HR 5.0 consists of and what its advantages are.
HR 5.0 refers to the use of technology as a facilitator to, on the one hand, improve the employee experience and, on the other, automate tasks and improve productivity.
This approach puts the employee at the center of decisions and relies on technology – digital platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analysis – to manage human capital in a more agile, efficient and relevant way for employees.
It’s called HR 5.0 because it refers to the fifth generation of human resource management:
Adopting HR 5.0 has a very positive impact on the growth and sustainability of organizations. By taking advantage of technological tools that allow them to reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks – such as salary processing, vacation and leave management, scheduling interviews, etc. -human resources managers will be able to focus on strategic planning and optimizing the value proposition and employee experience.
Thus, some of the main benefits of HR 5.0 are:
The next edition of Rock in Rio Lisboa will have a special flavor. In the year in which it celebrates 40 years of activity in Portugal, Edenred will be an official partner of the event.
This partnership will allow you to use your Edenred Meal card in the festival’s restaurant area. Find out all about it!
You can use your Edenred Refeição to pay for food at the restaurants on the Rock in Rio Lisboa site, using the physical card or via MB WAY.
Still haven’t linked your card to MB WAY? Find out how here.
Edenred will plant a tree for every €40 spent with Edenred Refeição on the Rock in Rio site during the four days of the festival.
This initiative will be carried out in collaboration with the Tree-Nation platform and aims to reinforce Edenred’s strong global commitment to sustainability and the preservation of the environment.
With the motto “Edenred in Rio: We feed emotions at Rock in Rio 2024”, this partnership aims to celebrate music and culture, but also to strengthen Edenred’s mission to accompany you at every moment of your life and, at the same time, contribute to a better world.
Are you going to Rock in Rio? See you there?
A significant part of our day is spent at work. And sometimes, when we’re immersed in the day-to-day tasks and demands of our job, it becomes difficult to prioritize our health and well-being.
However, if you try to incorporate some healthy habits into your daily routine, you could see very positive effects on your physical and mental well-being, as well as your work performance and productivity.
Discover with us nine healthy habits that are easy to adopt in your day-to-day work.
Are you tempted to buy food from vending machines? Or buy cakes or chocolates from the bakery near your workplace? Favoring more balanced and nutritious options in your meals and snacks is an important step towards being healthier.
Avoid cookies, potato chips, salty snacks, pre-cooked meals and other processed foods high in salt, sugar or saturated fats. Instead, opt for more fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, wholegrain foods, among others.
If your job requires you to spend a lot of time sitting down, it’s very important that you take short breaks throughout the day to stand up and stretch. Sitting for too long can result in back and neck pain, for example. Therefore, standing up for a few minutes will help you stimulate blood flow and increase your energy.
Also to avoid possible back and neck problems, professionals who are mostly seated should try to maintain a good posture at their desk.
First of all, choose an ergonomic chair. Then make sure your feet are flat on the floor, your wrists and forearms are straight on the table and your shoulders are relaxed. Keep the computer monitor at eye level and, if you make calls, try to use a headset to avoid the continuous movement of holding the phone. If you feel any discomfort during the day, try correcting your posture and stretching.
Working in front of a computer for several hours can cause discomfort, tiredness and eyestrain. You should therefore try to follow some good practices if your work involves prolonged exposure to the computer screen:
Being more productive doesn’t necessarily mean spending more time at work. In fact, several studies show that taking frequent breaks has benefits for workers’ productivity.
Take advantage of these moments to replenish your energy and, if possible, to incorporate other habits that contribute to your well-being, such as taking a short walk in the fresh air or eating something healthy.
If you don’t have much time in your day to exercise, reducing your use of the elevator and taking the stairs to work more often can be a good way to increase your heart rate (even for a short time).
Several studies show that climbing stairs has a direct relationship with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease: this risk is reduced by 16% if you climb between 6 and 10 flights of stairs a day.
Sometimes people tend to get so caught up in work and their daily tasks that they forget to drink water. But staying hydrated is essential for maintaining energy, preserving concentration and attention levels, and reducing stress and tiredness.
Always keep a reusable bottle nearby so you can refill it at any time. If you find it difficult to drink 1.5l or 2l of water a day, you can opt for teas or flavored waters. Set goals for the amount of water you should drink and, if necessary, set reminders so you don’t forget.
Although this habit has to be adopted outside of work, its effects are felt – a lot – during the working day. Getting enough sleep the night before will help you be more focused and have more energy to perform your tasks.
So try to follow these recommendations to get quality sleep:
The relationship between stress and your health is direct: stress can cause physical symptoms (such as headaches, fatigue or muscle tension, for example) and psychological/emotional symptoms (anxiety, irritability, moodiness, apathy, among others).
The truth is that the work environment can have a very significant effect on your well-being and mental health. That’s why it’s crucial that you equip yourself with the tools you need to reduce work-related stress.
An absolutely decisive part of the success and competitiveness of organizations depends on their ability to involve and retain their human capital. To do this, those responsible for human resources must be prepared to give up obsolete visions and processes and to incorporate tools and approaches that are more in line with the current world of work.
One of these approaches is design thinking. Come and discover with us what design thinking is, how it can be applied to human resources and why it can have a very positive impact in this area.
Design thinking is a people-centered approach that consists of finding solutions based on the needs of the stakeholders involved. The focus is not on the challenge or problem itself, but on who is being impacted by it.
Simply put, design thinking focuses on people and their experience, rather than on processes. That’s why one of the five pillars of design thinking is empathy.
Design thinking is based on five pillars:
Based on these five principles, processes involving design thinking are typically developed in five phases:
The very name “human resources” contains the crux of the matter: the fact that companies are made up of people. People who have their own specificities, goals, expectations and needs.
In this sense, the essential function of HR professionals should already be to understand people, to understand the work environment and the challenges it presents. And this is deeply linked to design thinking. By prioritizing the people perspective, design thinking can help optimize the entire employee experience.
Thus, some of the areas to which design thinking can be applied are:
Find out what experience candidates have in a recruitment process for your company. At the same time, find out what the needs of newly hired employees are so that they adapt and feel welcome.
By collecting feedback at these two crucial moments to shape professionals’ perceptions of your organization, you can propose and test solutions to optimize the experience.
Use design thinking to draw up and personalize career development plans. Understand the needs and objectives of different employees and, based on this, provide flexible, relevant and adaptable professional growth opportunities.
Performance management presupposes that the work carried out by employees is aligned with the company’s business objectives.
In this sense, a design thinking approach can help HR managers and leaders define clear and precise objectives and design plans that encourage good performance and productivity.
Design thinking can also be used to reduce any unconscious biases in recruitment and to find strategies for attracting more diverse talent.
It can also help to design a more inclusive organizational culture that, in practice, improves the experience of minorities or marginalized groups and effectively celebrates diversity.
The empathy adjacent to design thinking should help HR managers and managers to understand the socio-economic context in which employees are inserted, to consider their needs and possible difficulties, and to prioritize their financial well-being.
In turn, the ideation phase should help to analyze possible solutions, whether in terms of salary or extra-salary benefits that help to improve the value proposition for employees.
Applying design thinking to HR processes implies being really interested in and committed to answering the following question: “What needs to be done to guarantee a good experience for professionals from the moment they join the company until the moment they leave?”.
As soon as human resources departments base their decisions and measures on people’s needs, rather than hunches or opinions, the impact on employee experience and engagement is noticeable.
Some of the benefits are:
In short, design thinking has the potential to reinvent human resources and the growing adoption of this model by many organizations reinforces its importance and value.
The probationary period is a fundamental phase for both the company and the newly hired employee.
Although the recruitment and hiring process has already taken place – in which those in charge have already been able to assess the professional’s skills and the professional, in turn, has been able to form an opinion on what it will be like to work for the company – the truth is that both parties can only see whether they have made a good choice when they start work.
This is the purpose of the trial period. Find out what it is and what Portuguese legislation says about this mechanism.
The trial period refers to the initial time during which an employment contract is executed, in which the employee and the employer assess the interest in maintaining it (article 111 of Código do Trabalho).
It is during the probationary period that the company most effectively assesses the professional’s abilities to perform the job in question. At the same time, the employee assesses whether the company and the job match their expectations and objectives. Basically, it’s a period of adaptation and getting to know each other.
This period begins on the day the employee starts to perform the duties for which they were hired and, although it is a trial period, it counts towards the employee’s length of service in the company.
According to Law 13/2023 – which introduced several changes to Código do Trabalho as part of the so-called Agenda do Trabalho Digno – employers must inform the employee, within a maximum of seven days, of the duration and conditions of the trial period. If this is not done, it is assumed that there is no trial period.
The length of the trial period varies according to the type of contract.
For most of these contracts, the trial period lasts 90 days. However, there are cases in which it can be longer:
In fixed-term contracts, the duration of the trial period may be one of the following:
In this type of contract, the existence of a trial period must be stated in the agreement and cannot exceed 180 days.
Yes. If there is a written agreement between the two parties, or through a collective bargaining agreement, the duration can be reduced. There are also situations in which the trial period can be excluded. For example:
Both the employee and the company can terminate the contract during the trial period without prior notice, unless there is a written agreement to the contrary. However, there are two exceptions:
If this notice is not complied with, the employee is entitled to payment of the salary corresponding to the missing days of notice.
In addition, in the specific case of some employees, the company is obliged to notify the CITE (Commission for Equality in Labor and Employment) of the termination of the contract within a maximum of five working days. This obligation applies to the following groups of workers: pregnant women, women who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding, workers on parental leave and care workers.
Finally, in the case of people looking for their first job and the long-term unemployed, the employer must notify the ACT (Authority for Working Conditions) of the termination of the contract within 15 days of the termination.
Did you know all these characteristics of the trial period? This legal framework applies to private companies in Portugal, while public sector entities are governed by specific regulations.
In any case, this is an important tool that companies and professionals have at their disposal as part of their employment relationship.
Recruitment is often an arduous and challenging process for human resources managers. From screening CVs and selecting candidates, to conducting interviews and evaluating them… recruiters go through a wide range of processes and tasks.
The good news is that many of these tasks can be simplified and streamlined using artificial intelligence tools. 67% of HR professionals believe that AI has a positive impact on recruitment processes.
But how can artificial intelligence tools make recruitment processes more efficient? Find out with us!
Read also: 7 soft skills that artificial intelligence can’t replace
There are some solutions based on artificial intelligence that allow you to find potential candidates more quickly and effectively.
This is done using machine learning tools and algorithms that are prepared to analyze internal company databases, social networks (such as LinkedIn) and other online platforms. After this analysis, these tools are able to identify potentially relevant professionals for a given role, whether they have applied for a vacancy or not.
This is a critical stage in the recruitment process and probably one of the most manual and time-consuming. You have to assess all the applications received and identify the people who should be interviewed, which involves reading CVs and analyzing different qualifications, experiences and skills.
Artificial intelligence technology makes it possible to extract and systematize relevant data on candidates and compare these profiles with the requirements of the job in question. In this way, recruiters can focus on the professionals with the greatest potential for the job, making the most of their time and resources.
Artificial intelligence-based talent assessment tools are increasingly being used by companies. These solutions make it possible to use skills tests that are relevant to the job in question and automatically generate reports showing the candidates’ strengths and areas for improvement.
This can be customized and adapted to the needs of each company and each recruitment process, and can be integrated with other internal platforms to maximize efficiency.
There are already technologies that, during interviews, can analyze the candidates’ tone of voice, posture and facial expressions, allowing them to generate analyses of the professional’s verbal and non-verbal communication and even their level of emotional intelligence.
Combining this data with the content of the answers the candidates actually gave in the interview gives HR managers a more complete understanding of the professional – and whether or not they are suitable for the job.
It is very likely that the professional’s experience at the moment of onboarding will shape their perception of the company over time. That’s why it’s so important to ensure a positive and satisfying experience. And here too, artificial intelligence can help.
Some tools make it possible for the welcome and initial training period to become more personalized and relevant for the newcomer, boosting their involvement with the teams and the company culture. In addition, AI is also beneficial in cases of large volumes of new hires, as it streamlines the organization’s onboarding procedures.
As we’ve already seen, artificial intelligence is already helping many human resources professionals to recruit talent, since it allows them to..:
Although all these advantages are undeniable, the truth is that there are still some risks associated with using artificial intelligence in recruitment.
Some companies have already reported problems, usually related to the prevalence of bias. If machines are trained in a biased way, then they still won’t be able to eradicate unconscious prejudice, which is typically more associated with humans.
Other problems pointed out are that AI has difficulty understanding and valuing more unusual experiences or that candidates can manipulate the technology.
In this sense, it is essential to strike a balance between the challenges and obstacles that AI can clearly help to overcome and the importance of the human element that must continue to guide recruitment processes. After all, when we talk about talent, we’re talking about people.
The meal allowance is a salary supplement that many companies give their employees. The aim is to ensure that employees have access to a nutritious and decent meal during their working day. To this end, the amount allocated as a meal allowance can be used to pay for meals or foodstuffs to be prepared.
The allowance is usually paid when the monthly salary is paid and relates to each day actually worked. In other words, it is not paid during vacation periods or when the employee is absent for any reason.
But do you know if the meal allowance is an employee right or just a benefit? Are companies obliged to give it or not? Find out with us.
Read also: Meal allowance: Everything you need to know
In fact, contrary to what some people may think, companies are not obliged to pay meal allowances to their employees. It is not covered by the Labor Code and is an employee benefit that private companies may or may not grant.
The allowance is only payable if it is provided for in the individual employment contract or collective agreement.
In this sense, if your employment contract mentions the payment of the allowance, then you are entitled to receive it, even if you are a part-time worker or teleworking, for example.
As it is not compulsory, there is no minimum or maximum limit on the amount to be awarded. However, the amount allocated to public sector companies – currently €6/day – ends up serving as a benchmark, and this is also the amount that is exempt from taxation in cash.
When given as a meal card, the exempt amount becomes €10.20/day. This specific tax framework is due to the fact that, with a social voucher or card, there is a guarantee that this amount is actually spent on food.
Most companies prefer to pay the allowance by card, precisely because it allows them to maximize liquidity – compared to paying in cash – without increasing the tax burden on the employee and the company.
Find out here all the figures to consider for 2024.
In short, the meal allowance is a social benefit and an important tool that companies have at their disposal to support their employees and increase their purchasing power when it comes to spending on meals and food products.
Once this benefit is included in the employment contract, it becomes your right.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
Do you want to reward the dedication of your employees? Generally, the first few months of the year are a time when companies award prizes for employee performance in the previous year. These incentives are an important tool for keeping professionals engaged and motivated.
If you’re looking for a solution to reward and encourage your employees, discover Edenred Gift!
Edenred Gift is a 100% digital gift card that companies can give to employees as a reward or incentive instrument. This card can be used flexibly with dozens of major brands in areas such as:
The amount given to the employee via the Edenred Gift digital card can be used in full on a single brand, or it can be spread over several brands. In this way, the employee has the flexibility to spend their balance where it is most useful and convenient for them.
Some of the brands where Edenred Gift can be used are: Pingo Doce, IKEA, Primark, Amazon, Decathlon, Adidas, H&M, Mango, Apple, Nike, Casa, Toys R Us, Cinemas NOS, Rituals, Sephora, Spotify, among others.
Depending on the brand, the Edenred Gift balance can be used in online stores, physical stores or both.
Do you have any questions about Edenred Gift? Check out the frequently asked questions or don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.
Start increasing your employees’ satisfaction and motivation with this digital gift card!
Have you ever hesitated when asked what your salary expectations were at a job interview? Was it because you were unsure about the difference between gross and net salary?
In fact, the difference between the two is not always obvious to everyone. But it’s essential to be aware of the aspects that influence both amounts, not only when accepting a job, but also as a matter of financial literacy. After all, we’re talking about your monthly salary and your budget.
The gross salary is the total amount paid by the company to the employee before taxes, deductions or withholdings are applied. Typically, it is the highest figure on your payslip.
The gross salary can be made up of components such as the employee’s basic pay, any commissions or bonuses, vacation and Christmas bonuses, other allowances (e.g. sick pay), vacation pay, among others.
Various deductions can be made from the gross salary, the most common of which are Social Security deductions and IRS withholding tax. In the case of IRS, the amount deducted depends on various factors such as the amount of the gross salary itself, the worker’s marital status, the number of dependents, among others.
The net salary is the final amount after the respective taxes and deductions have been applied. This is the amount actually received by the worker. By checking the details of your payslip, you can better understand the difference between your gross and net salary.
The sum of the net salary also includes any extra-wage benefits received by the employee which are exempt from deductions/contributions. This is the case, for example, with the meal allowance, which is exempt from IRS and TSU up to a maximum of €9.60/day in meal cards or up to a maximum of €6.00/day in cash. This makes it possible to maximize the liquidity of employees in meal and food expenses.
Read also: Meal allowance: Everything you need to know
The growth of companies is closely linked to the training and skills of their professionals. It is people’s skills that enable businesses to be prepared for change, unpredictability and innovation.
In this context, the concepts of upskilling and reskilling are of fundamental importance, not only for the performance of organizations, but also for the careers of the employees themselves.
Find out with us what upskilling and reskilling are and how important they are for professionals and businesses.
Upskilling consists of developing skills and updating knowledge in the area in which the professional already works. It’s about increasing mastery and expertise in a particular topic.
Some examples of upskilling could be professionals working in digital marketing taking a certification in SEO or project managers taking training in agile methodologies.
Many employers and managers still believe that employees leave only for financial reasons. However, the lack of training and professional development opportunities is one of the main causes of turnover in companies. Professionals, especially those from the younger generations, like to feel challenged and fulfilled in their work and value organizations that invest in their growth and progression.
In this sense, investing in employee training improves employee retention and, by reducing turnover, also reduces recruitment costs.
What’s more, companies with better-trained professionals bear fruit in terms of productivity, creativity and innovation, which contributes to their competitiveness and growth.
Naturally, when employees are given opportunities for ongoing training, they feel greater confidence in their work, greater satisfaction and motivation. This can also lead to a reduction in stress levels associated with feelings of stagnation.
Reskilling refers to the acquisition of new knowledge with a view to retraining the professional, i.e. developing a new skill in order to perform a new function.
Companies must provide their employees with retraining opportunities in order to remain competitive and adjust to the new challenges of the market and their sectors of activity.
According to the World Economic Forum, more than 1 billion professionals need to be retrained by 2030, as their jobs will be radically transformed by technological advances and the digital transition.
Company managers are already facing gaps in hiring certain profiles of professionals, such as in areas related to Artificial Intelligence, Data Analysis, Cybersecurity, Sustainability, among others.
One way of getting around this talent shortage is by implementing retraining programs, which allow employees already working for the company to acquire these new and increasingly relevant skills. In this way, the organization avoids the difficulties and increasing costs of finding profiles with these qualifications on the market.
In addition, investing in employee reskilling also helps to eliminate unnecessary costs inherent in functions that are becoming redundant or irrelevant, in other words, it increases efficiency and competitiveness.
At the same time, when companies better prepare their employees for the challenges of the future, they increase levels of satisfaction and motivation, productivity and a sense of belonging.
Workers who fail to adapt to changes in the labor market will necessarily fall behind in their careers.
When professionals have relevant skills, and are up-to-date and trained in areas that are highly valued in companies and the job market, they will have greater job security (the likelihood of becoming unemployed is lower). In addition, they will typically have more opportunities for career progression and access to better salaries.
As the business world changes at a faster pace than ever before and there is talk of a 4th Industrial Revolution, companies will only be able to remain relevant and competitive if their employees are trained and up-to-date. And this is only possible with training.
Without continuous learning opportunities, professionals – and companies – run the serious risk of becoming obsolete.
After being awarded the Prémio Cinco Estrelas Award once again, Edenred Portugal has also been awarded the Marca Recomendada 2024 seal by Consumers Trust.
For the third year running, Edenred has obtained the best satisfaction rating on Portal da Queixa in the meal card category.
This distinction is the result of the continuous attention and effort of the entire team to provide the best possible experience for customers and users of Edenred benefits.
The Marca Recomendada seal is a vote of confidence from consumers. This distinction rewards brands for their performance and the attention given to customers on Portal da Queixa. This year, 138 brands received the Recommended Brand seal.
The methodology used is based on calculating the average satisfaction rating that brands obtained over the 12 months of the previous year.
Passion for customers is one of Edenred’s values. Our work is driven, every day, by this purpose of guaranteeing the maximum satisfaction of all the people who have Edenred benefits.
For this reason, we are very pleased and honored with this distinction and would like to thank all our clients and users who continue to place their trust in our work year after year.
Thank you very much!
It’s no longer news that giving employees extra benefits has a significant impact on their satisfaction, motivation and retention. According to Randstad’s Human Resources Trends 2023-2024 study, 48.9% of the companies surveyed admit that improving the benefits granted is one of the strategies to combat the shortage of talent.
As more and more organizations recognize the important role of benefits in addition to salary, the importance of choosing the right partner also comes to the fore.
But what aspects should you take into account when choosing an employee benefits provider for your company? Come and find out with us.
The scope of the benefits offered is one of the main aspects to consider. A diverse range of benefits is better able to meet the diverse needs and expectations of different employees.
In the case of Edenred, we have a multi-benefit offer with tailor-made solutions in areas such as food, children, education, vocational training, health and well-being and senior expenses, for example.
The granting of employee benefits to employees should not be synonymous with an additional administrative burden for human resources managers. In this sense, it is important to understand how the implementation of benefits works, but also all the processes inherent in their allocation and management.
What kind of information will be needed about employees? What platforms will be used? What impact will it have on the company’s established procedures? These are the questions you should ask your potential supplier.
The digitalization of benefits is another key aspect to consider. Digital platforms provide a more convenient, intuitive, consistent and flexible experience for everyone involved: for companies, in assigning and managing benefits, and for employees, in using them.
Edenred, for example, offers its client companies the Client Portal (for managing benefits, top-ups, requests and renewals, checking invoices, etc.) and users the MyEdenred App (for checking the balance of the different benefits, making payments via the App, searching for participating establishments, accessing the Discounts and Advantages Program, etc.).
A company that provides employee benefits must guarantee the security of all processes, including all transactions carried out by both companies and employees. In addition, it must ensure compliance with the legislation that regulates the granting of different benefits.
In this sense, it is essential to analyze the credibility and reputation of the supplier, trying to predict the quality of the service they will provide.
The experience of using and managing benefits goes far beyond the solutions themselves. It’s natural that, throughout the process, there are doubts and constraints, both on the part of the company itself and on the part of the employees.
It is therefore essential to assess the level of support that the supplier provides, ensuring that a dedicated service is available.
Sustainability concerns – whether environmental, social or in terms of corporate governance – are also a relevant criterion when choosing any supplier. Organizations are increasingly looking for good performance in terms of ESG criteria throughout the value chain.
In the case of Edenred, the Ideal policy establishes concrete measures in three spheres:
Through this policy, Edenred contributes to 12 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These are the main aspects to take into account when choosing a partner for your company’s extra-salary benefits. Remember that a choice based on these factors contributes not only to increased employee satisfaction, but also to the long-term stability and competitiveness of the organization.
Have thoughts like “I’m not up to this job”, “I’m worthless” or “I’m a fraud and eventually others will find out” ever occurred to you?
So it’s likely that you’ve already experienced the so-called imposter syndrome. But don’t think it only happens to you. In fact, it’s estimated that 70% of people suffer, or have suffered, from this psychological phenomenon.
Find out what imposter syndrome is in practice and what you can do to combat it.
Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon, or a pattern of thinking, that causes people to doubt themselves, their worth and their abilities.
Those who experience this pattern of thinking believe that:
This phenomenon was first identified in 1978 by clinical psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes and can be associated with negative consequences such as self-sabotage, anxiety, stress and even burnout.
It’s natural that, at certain points in your life, especially at times of transition and adaptation – starting a degree course, a new job, etc. – you may have doubts or fears about your abilities. However, the chances are that these doubts don’t always correspond to the reality of the facts.
Try to think rationally about what might make you unprepared for a particular project/task and, conversely, what makes you competent for that same project/task.
Remember that whenever you think you don’t know how to do something or that you don’t have any skills, you can always learn or develop them.
If you can rationally identify in yourself the abilities that enabled you to achieve a certain result, you will also be in a better position to identify your merit in that event.
Don’t downplay the importance of your achievements, adopt a more positive attitude and accept compliments when someone gives them, rather than trying to change the subject straight away.
This doesn’t mean that you stop being a perfectionist and lower the bar for the quality you like to deliver. Even so, you have to accept that perfection doesn’t exist and realize that you have to set realistic goals and standards.
It’s more reasonable to focus on the progress you’re making than to strive for perfection. And it’s very likely that this progress will include some failures. But it is by dealing with these failures that you will be able to learn and evolve towards the success you seek.
Everyone has their own abilities and hardly anyone can do everything and do it well. Even when it seems to you that someone has everything under control, they probably don’t.
Avoid comparing your value to that of other people. Instead, focus more on yourself, what you’re already good at and what you can – always – improve. It’s okay to admit that you need to learn something, and that today you may not know something, but tomorrow you will.
Talking to someone about your feelings of being an “imposter” can help you deal with your doubts and worries and even realize that they are unfounded.
Try venting to friends, family, work colleagues (although, in this case, comparison with peers may be one of the factors that increase the phenomenon) and you may even realize that other people feel the same way.
If the signs of imposter syndrome are already negatively affecting your life, your day-to-day life and your relationships, then it’s best to seek the help of a mental health professional, such as a doctor or psychologist.
Retaining talent is considered by most HR managers to be the main challenge for 2024, according to a Randstad study.
In a job market that is more dynamic and competitive than ever, companies’ Employee Value Proposition (EVP) must invariably include the provision of flexible benefits to employees.
Having a robust flexible benefits plan results in significant advantages for organizations: it favors attracting and retaining talent; it increases the satisfaction, motivation and productivity of professionals; it improves employer branding.
But what are the main aspects to consider when defining a flexible benefits strategy? Here are seven pillars that characterize a solid, adequate and competitive flexible benefits plan.
Personalization is one of the key elements of a flexible benefits plan. Depending on the stage of life they are going through, their expectations and needs, each employee will value different aspects when it comes to the extra salary benefits they are granted.
Early career professionals may value benefits linked to training and professional growth, while people in older age groups may prefer benefits linked to health and social support, while childcare benefits will only be useful for those with young children.
It is essential that companies get to know their employees and understand their needs, so that the benefits they offer can meet them effectively. Adopting a generic, “one size fits all” approach will make your benefits plan unhelpful and ineffective.
A flexible benefit plan should not be a mere list of disconnected initiatives presented without a clear purpose. That purpose must be closely linked to promoting employee well-being in all its dimensions: physical, mental and emotional, social and financial.
The benefits granted must demonstrate that the company cares about people in all aspects of their lives. Therefore, aspects such as maximizing purchasing power, access to health care, professional training opportunities, promoting work-life integration, among others, should be ensured.
The truth is that although the concept of flexible benefits is relatively new to some people, many companies already recognize their importance and include them in their value proposition for employees.
If your non-wage benefits plan is differentiating and competitive in the job market, it will be an additional reason to:
Find out what your competitors, or other companies in the same industry as yours, are offering employees. This will give you an insight into good practices and allow you to adjust your company’s strategy if necessary.
With the exception of Decree-Law no. 26/99, of January 28th (amended by Law no. 82-E/2014, of December 31st), which enshrines social vouchers for the payment of crèches, kindergartens and nurseries, there is no specific legislation on extra-wage benefits in Portugal.
However, since the granting of social benefits has associated tax advantages – both for the company and the employees – it is essential that organizations properly frame the benefits granted in the applicable tax regime and that they comply with the Labour Code, the Personal Income Tax Code, the Corporate Income Tax Code and the Social Security Contributions Code.
This is a fundamental aspect to consider in extra-salary benefit plans. Their allocation must not be discriminatory or give rise to unequal treatment for people in the same circumstances (employees in the same job, the same professional category, etc.).
Ensuring that the benefits policy is equal, and that all professionals receive the same benefits (for which they are eligible), is key to avoiding feelings of discrimination and injustice.
In the case of childcare benefits, this principle of universality is a legal requirement, i.e. childcare vouchers only have the associated tax benefits if they are granted to all eligible employees (with children up to and including the age of 6). If they are not, they are considered supplementary remuneration and the corresponding taxes apply.
Communicating benefits to employees is a step that some human resources managers end up neglecting. However, it is also fundamental.
Workers need to know, clearly and unambiguously, what benefits are available, what values are assigned, when the assignment is made and what choices they can make.
Use your internal communication tools to present the flexible benefits plan effectively and transparently, explain what people need to do to access the benefits (if anything) and reinforce the communication if there are deadlines associated with it.
Employees’ expectations of their employers are also reflected in the experience they have in managing and using their flexible benefits. In this sense, companies must take advantage of technology and digital platforms to provide a comfortable, intuitive, consistent and relevant experience for employees.
Technology reinforces the very flexibility of the benefits, as it allows them to be used anywhere and at any time: examples of this are the possibility of using the meal card on home delivery platforms or the possibility of paying the monthly fee for a nursery school completely digitally.
In addition, the digitization of benefits must be applied to the entire process, i.e. also to the management and allocation phase by those responsible for human resources. This reduces the administrative burden, streamlines procedures and mitigates any operational risks.
Edenred has been awarded the Prémio Cinco Estrelas 2024. This distinction was achieved for the second year running in the meal card category.
The satisfaction rate obtained was 78.5%, in an evaluation process involving companies and consumers.
This recognition reinforces the satisfaction and confidence of the Portuguese in the excellence of the Edenred brand, which, in 2024, celebrates 40 years of activity in the national market.
Prémio Cinco Estrelas is an evaluation system that aims to identify the best products, services and brands on the market.
The methodology used is based on the evaluation of five variables (in parallel with five specific characteristics of each brand in its consumer category):
In 2024, 176 winners were highlighted, including 135 brands, 23 personalities and 18 media outlets.
At Edenred, we are very pleased and honored by this distinction and thank all our customers and users who continue, year after year, to place their trust in our work, products and services.
Thank you all very much!
The 2023 study on financial literacy developed by the “International Network on Financial Education” of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/INFE) revealed that Portugal ranked 13th in the global indicator of financial literacy.
This survey, carried out in 39 countries, looked at three dimensions: financial attitudes, financial behavior and financial knowledge. In this last indicator, our country comes in only 21st place.
In addition, Portugal ranks below the average of the participating countries when it comes to defining long-term financial goals and saving proactively.
Financial literacy is fundamental to managing your money better, to knowing how to save and invest and, ultimately, to making conscious and informed decisions that have an impact on our financial well-being.
If you’d like to improve your financial literacy, here are five personal finance courses that can help you.
Read also: 5 Podcasts about personal finance and savings
DECO’s Proteste Investe portal provides independent financial information on topics such as term deposits, savings accounts and PPRs, among others.
Among the various resources available is the “My Money” e-learning course, which aims to share knowledge in the area of personal finance and help people make decisions that improve their day-to-day management and help them achieve their goals at different stages of life.
Todos Contam platform is a portal of the National Plan for Financial Education that provides useful information and resources for managing personal finances and making financial decisions at different stages of life.
In addition to various simulators (for mortgage loans, consumer credit, PPR, among others), it has e-learning courses on topics such as: planning the family budget, saving and investing, knowing taxes, setting up a business or taking out insurance.
Finance for All program was created by the Nova SBE Finance Knowledge Center with the aim of increasing levels of financial literacy in our country. The content taught covers the following topics:
This training plan is free and can be attended online or in person at the Nova SBE campus in Carcavelos. At the moment, registration is temporarily closed, but you can leave your contact details so that you can be contacted when new vacancies open up.
MoneyLab presents itself as a financial education and literacy project whose aim is to make citizens more responsible and aware of their financial decisions.
This platform offers various resources, such as articles and simulators, as well as the “From Zero to Financial Freedom” training course. This course, which has several modules, begins by covering more general topics such as the relationship with money or the family budget, then moves on to subjects such as savings habits, types of investments or tips for choosing good investments.
Udemy positions itself as a marketplace for teaching and learning, with courses in dozens of areas, including personal finance. Some of the courses available are:
There are paid courses, but also free ones, and most are available in Portuguese or with Portuguese subtitles.
Is one of your resolutions for 2024 to develop your skills? Entering a new year is typically a time for setting goals and training tends to appear on many people’s wish lists.
Whether on a personal or professional level, developing new skills brings countless benefits:
Edenred users have advantages at various schools and training centers. Discover with us some of the training areas where you can enjoy exclusive conditions.
English is the most widely spoken language in the world. Being able to communicate in English can help you to get to know new people and cultures better, but also to succeed in your professional occupation or to embrace new career opportunities.
If you would like to learn or improve your level of English, Edenred offers you exclusive advantages in the:
Did you know that Programming, UX/UI Design, Data Analysis and Cybersecurity are some of the skills that will be most valued in the job market in 2024?
If you’d like to consolidate your knowledge in any of these areas, or take your professional career in a completely new direction, you can do so with the help of Ironhack‘s intensive bootcamps.
Edenred users have exclusive advantages when registering and, if they do so during the month of January, they can enjoy a €500 discount.
These are just some of the training areas available at FLAG, which also has courses in Systems, CAD, Video & Motion or Data Science, for example. Training is available in person or remotely and at flexible times.
Edenred users wishing to sign up for one of the available courses can enjoy a 5% discount on the cost of the course.
Scopphu offers a wide range of training courses in the areas of Leadership and Management, Technology and Innovation, Creation and Strategy and Executive Management. The platform’s approach is based on agile methodologies, and it represents organizations such as ScrumAlliance, Scrum.org and the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Edenred users can enjoy a 10% discount on the cost of calendar training.
Sustainability is a topic that we cannot ignore as individuals, but also as professionals in a particular company. The market, and legislation, are increasingly strict in relation to the social and environmental practices of organizations.
In this sense, the Sustainability Business School is an academy that aims to provide tools and transmit good practices in the area of sustainability in a corporate context. To this end, it has two training courses: Chief Impact Officer Certification and Executive Master in Corporate Sustainability and ESG. Edenred users wishing to sign up can enjoy a 15% and 5% discount respectively.
The main purpose of the Happiness Business School is to promote happiness in the workplace. More positive, happier and less toxic organizational cultures help employees to be more satisfied, motivated and fulfilled.
This school offers Happiness Manager and Chief Happiness Manager certifications, as well as courses in Positive Communication or Mindfulness Programs, all with a 15% discount for Edenred users. It is also possible to attend the MBA in Organizational Happiness, in which case the discount is 5%.
Escola de Negócios offers advanced, executive and intensive training, so that professionals from different areas can invest in lifelong learning and respond to the numerous challenges of the job market and their sectors of activity.
There are several online courses, taught live, in areas such as Management and Administration, Taxation, Human Resources, Sales, Logistics, among others. Edenred users can enjoy a 5% discount on tuition fees for all available courses.
Would you like to develop skills in any of these areas? Did you know about these exclusive advantages for users of Edenred benefits?
Maybe this was the little push you needed to invest in yourself and your personal and professional growth!
The meal allowance is one of the most popular extra-wage benefits in Portugal. Although it is not mandatory, the vast majority of companies choose to grant this benefit to their employees in order to ensure that they have a decent meal during their working day.
Since the meal allowance is a supplementary benefit to the salary, the legislation does not set any limits – minimum or maximum – on the amount awarded to workers. The only reference is the amount paid in the public sector.
Find out with us what figures you should consider for your meal allowance in 2024.
Order no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated the amount granted to public administration workers to €6.00/day. This amount will be maintained in 2024 and determines the maximum amount exempt from taxation in cash.
On the other hand, if the allowance is granted through a social voucher or card, the maximum amount exempt from taxation is 60% more, i.e. €9.60/day.
Thus, the taxation of the meal allowance varies depending on the format in which it is given to workers:
| Cash | Meal card | |
| TSU exemption for the company and TSU and IRS exemption for the employee | Up to €6.00/day | Up to €9.60/day |
The meal card is an increasingly popular option for Portuguese companies, as it allows them to maximize their employees’ disposable income without increasing their tax burden.
For example, suppose you wanted to pay your employees €9.00/day in meal allowances.
If they chose to give this amount in meal cards, each employee would receive, on average, 232€ more per year than if they received the allowance in cash.
Your company, on the other hand, would save an average of 172€/year per employee thanks to the TSU exemption inherent in the card.
Make your simulation at any time.
At a time when the price of food continues to trend upwards – the basket of essential goods monitored by DECO reached its second highest value since 2022 in November 2023 – maximizing workers’ liquidity through the meal allowance is a very important way of mitigating the effects of inflation.
Note: in December 2024, the maximum exempt amount on the card will be €10.20/day.
The job market is constantly evolving, particularly thanks to rapid and uninterrupted technological advances.
In this context, it is expected that certain specialties and skills will become increasingly important within the different industries.
Discover with us five technical skills that will be valued on the job market in 2024.
Companies are collecting more data than ever before: on the behavior and characteristics of their customers, on the performance of their products or services, on their competitors…
But this data is of little use if you don’t have the ability to analyze it, interpret it and use it as the basis for a wide range of decisions.
In this sense, people with data analysis profiles – data analysts, data scientists – are playing a very important role in organizations’ businesses.
UX design, or design focused on user experience, aims to provide an intuitive and meaningful user experience on digital platforms such as websites or mobile applications, for example.
As technology becomes more and more sophisticated and enables the development of new functionalities and possibilities, the need for qualified UX designers becomes more pressing in companies from different sectors.
People with this profile are very important for understanding consumer behaviors and needs and designing ways to improve their experience.
As businesses have become increasingly digital, the number of cyberthreats and cyberattacks has increased day by day. That’s why protecting organizations – their systems, their data and their customers’ data – is becoming urgent and paramount.
Companies have seen a growing need for qualified professionals who have experience in the field of information technology and who can help protect their digital assets and infrastructure.
Data storage in the “cloud” has emerged as an alternative to physical data storage centers and is naturally more economical, efficient and scalable.
The demand for professionals qualified in cloud applications, such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, is expected to become increasingly relevant. These professionals can work in sectors as diverse as technology, financial services, health, etc.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already revolutionizing many industries today and are expected to continue to do so in an increasingly relevant way.
The ability to work with AI tools, and to capitalize on the added value it brings to optimize work processes and models, will be highly valued in 2024 and beyond.
Even so, it’s important to remember that although artificial intelligence has a very transformative potential, this doesn’t mean that it will replace flesh-and-blood professionals. The development of these technical skills does not exclude the power and value of the soft skills that only humans can have: emotional intelligence, creativity, collaboration, adaptability, etc.
If you currently work in a completely different sector, but would like to acquire skills in one of these areas, explore so-called retraining courses – such as those offered by Ironhack – and find out how they can help you.
Human resources management is an area that is constantly evolving. And the last few years have been proof of that.
From the pandemic and the emergence of new working models, to the growing importance of technology and artificial intelligence, to the entry of new generations with different expectations in the labor market… The challenges for human resources managers are ever greater.
According to the study “Total Compensation 2023”, published by Mercer, the turnover already exceeds pre-pandemic levels and most companies are finding it difficult to retain talent.
That’s why it’s important to keep up with trends in people management and incorporate relevant measures that allow organizations to maintain their attractiveness on the job market and in the sector of activity in which they operate.
An organizational culture centered on its people – on their experience and involvement – should be one of the top priorities for companies in 2024.
Those in charge need to shape a work environment in which people genuinely want to be present and to design an overall satisfying employee experience: one that promotes work-life integration the personal and professional development of employees, their physical and mental well-being and their quality of life. If professionals don’t find these characteristics in your company, they are likely to look for them elsewhere.
Take advantage of technology to optimize the employee experience:
The job market is more globalized than ever. Teleworking, and the digitalization of many businesses and functions, are blurring physical borders and allowing professionals to work for companies anywhere in the world, regardless of their nationality or where they live.
More traditional perspectives on the workplace and working models need to be rethought and companies need to be flexible and adaptable.
What’s more, organizations can potentially be made up of four generations of workers: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millenials and Generation Z. It is necessary to manage this diversity and meet the different interests and expectations, valuing the experience of older employees and boosting the potential of younger ones.
In 2024, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion should continue to be a priority for organizations. 84% of Portuguese workers say that their company should pay more attention to diversity and inclusion and, therefore, this is a fundamental aspect for their experience, their involvement with the organization and their sense of belonging.
Measures to consolidate diversity, equity and inclusion in your company should include:
Human capital in companies is not only becoming more diverse, but also more qualified and demanding in its relationship with employers. This is true in many spheres, particularly with regard to remuneration and benefits.
Find out what your employees’ goals and expectations are with regard to their remuneration conditions and non-salary benefits. These objectives and expectations are likely to vary from person to person, depending on their interests and stage of life.
That’s why you should design a flexible benefits plan that meets individual needs: for example, health insurance, childcare benefits for those with young children, education support benefits for those with school-age children, training support benefits for employees who want to develop their skills, health and social support benefits to cover your own expenses or those of family members, mobility support, and so on.
Evaluate the effectiveness of your company’s benefits plan so that they remain relevant and attractive.
According to a study by the Portuguese Laboratory for Healthy Work Environments, 80% of professionals in Portugal have at least one symptom of burnout and half already have three symptoms: exhaustion, sadness and irritability.
This is a context to which companies cannot remain indifferent and which will have to be a priority in 2024. A holistic approach is needed to promote well-being in the workplace, whether in the company or at home. This must necessarily include:
As the different sectors of activity evolve, the functions performed by professionals also require adaptation. It is essential that companies give employees all the tools they need to update their knowledge and skills and adjust them to the needs that arise.
In 2024, retraining and continuing training programs will have to be seen as an investment that contributes to employee productivity, satisfaction and retention. Ultimately, for the competitiveness and growth of the organization itself.
Ethical and sustainable practices carried out by companies are also becoming major factors in attracting and retaining human capital. Professionals favor socially responsible companies that are aligned with ethical and transparent conduct, environmental preservation and involvement with local communities, among other aspects.
Organizations that are intrinsically committed to these principles, and demonstrate this commitment to society, are more valued by candidates and by their own employees, who feel more motivated and involved in this purpose.
For many professionals in different industries, particularly those who have started working in remote or hybrid arrangements in the context of the pandemic, work and personal life are more intertwined than ever.
When our workplace can be our sofa or our kitchen table, it can become more difficult to separate the personal from the professional and find a balance between the two.
As these boundaries tend to blur more and more, the concept of work-life balance has given way to a new perspective called work-life integration. Come and discover the main differences with us.
Work-life balance is a simpler and more linear, but also more rigid, approach to the question of the boundaries between time spent working and time spent on personal life. It involves dedicating a certain part of the day to professional tasks and responsibilities and another part to personal commitments, in a compartmentalized way.
From a work-life balance perspective, it’s about the ability of workers to set clear boundaries between work and everything else outside of work, making sure that one thing doesn’t interfere with the other.
However, for many people – depending on their profession, their working pattern, the phase of life they are going through, etc – it can be difficult to demarcate the two so obviously. Not only may they not be able to switch off completely when working hours end, but, conversely, they may also have to accommodate personal commitments during working hours.
It is in the context of these specificities that the concept of work-life integration is gaining strength.
Work-life integration refers, as the name suggests, to a more adaptable integration between personal and professional life. Instead of trying to set specific hours for each thing – which can be frustrating for people whose professions don’t allow them to have the typical 9am-6pm schedule – workers make a commitment that allows them to coordinate professional and personal responsibilities in a more flexible way.
Balance is achieved not by dividing up schedules, but by people being able to do the different tasks when they need to be done or when it makes the most sense to do them. For example, if you need to go to the dentist at 4pm, you can leave work in the middle of the afternoon and, when you return, you can stay at work until 7pm to make up for it. Or if they need to look after a sick child, they can telework.
When professionals feel that they have this flexibility and freedom, they are likely to experience greater satisfaction in all areas of their lives, their stress levels will decrease and their well-being will increase. In fact, several studies indicate that generations Y and Z tend to favor this more flexible integration between work and personal life rather than a more rigid balance between the two.
In short, the work-life balance perspective is based on a clear separation between personal and professional life, while work-life integration assumes that professional tasks and personal commitments can occur simultaneously during the day, as long as this is reasonable and healthy for the worker.
But how can you promote a healthy integration between the personal and professional spheres in your life?
Achieving a healthy balance between your personal and professional life can take time. It’s a process that requires adaptation, both on your part and that of the company you work for.
What’s more, work-life integration can mean different things to different people and can change as circumstances change.
But it will be easier once you understand what works best for you.
Aspects such as the pandemic, the socio-economic context and the entry of new generations of workers into the labor market have contributed in recent years to a change in professionals’ expectations of companies.
It is estimated that Generation Z could represent 27% of the workforce in OECD countries by 2025 and the people who make up this group – born between 1997 and 2010 – have higher expectations of companies and their work than ever before.
In addition, the trend of low unemployment rates and the scarcity of talent mean that professionals have greater authority and influence to convey and claim their interests.
For this reason, it is essential for companies to find out what their employees and potential candidates value and to be aware of trends in order to attract and retain their human capital.
Discover 5 aspects that professionals will expect from companies in 2024.
According to Gartner, companies still have a way to go in terms of looking at employees as people and not just as workers. This means recognizing, on the one hand, that work is just one part of people’s lives and, on the other, that it should contribute to their quality of life – and not the opposite.
In this sense, it is fundamental:
Investing in employees’ health and well-being has a direct impact on reducing absenteeism and increasing their satisfaction, motivation and productivity. Ultimately, it contributes to their involvement with the organization and retention.
Read also: Ideas to help employees lead healthier lifestyles
Factorial’s “Retaining Talent in the Digital Age” study reveals that more than half of Portuguese highlight competitive and fair salaries as the main action organizations can take to retain talent.
Although professionals value other aspects beyond their salary, the truth is that remuneration is something that cannot be underestimated. In 2024, a good salary component will undeniably be something that workers will expect from their employers.
This is all the more understandable given the inflationary context we have been experiencing over the last year, with the rising cost of living having a strong impact on families’ budgets.
Mitigating the impact of inflation can also be done by granting extra-salary benefits, since some of these benefits make it possible to increase purchase power without increasing the company’s tax burden.
Employee benefits are increasingly valued and can be expected to continue to be so next year – all the more so the more flexible they are.
The benefits granted by companies must be adapted to the needs, interests and life stages of employees:
Ask your employees about their needs and the most valued benefits, so that their implementation is really useful.
Flexible working models will continue to be favored by professionals, in particular the hybrid regime (some days working from home and other days at the workplace).
According to a Qualtrics study carried out in 32 countries, hybrid work will be a very important aspect of employee engagement in 2024. In turn, the Deloitte study “Gen Z and Millenial Survey 2023” concluded that more than half of those surveyed, who are part of these two generations, prefer hybrid work because they consider it to be positive for their mental health.
At the moment, the hybrid work model is the most popular in the Portuguese job market and the widespread preference for this option will prevail next year.
People like to feel that organizations invest in them, in their training and in their growth. This investment is a sign of recognition and empowerment.
According to the GoodHabitz study “The Current State of Personal Development in Organizations”, 84% of employees consider their personal development to be important and 4 out of 5 believe that it is essential for employers to invest in it.
In 2024, try to design a solid career progression program in your company and provide opportunities for professional training and skills development. The results will be positive in terms of performance and productivity, but also in terms of employee satisfaction and involvement.
As the job market evolves, the concerns of leaders and managers should not only be how to make their businesses grow, but also how to make their people feel heard, valued, recognized and involved.
More than ever, people are looking not only at the price of the products they buy, but also at the impact they may have on the planet.
When it comes to choosing a particular product, consumers tend to increasingly favor more environmentally friendly options, which are produced from plants or recycled materials, which are biodegradable or whose packaging is recyclable, or which can be reused and replace other single-use goods.
If you’re trying to acquire greener consumption habits and are looking for sustainable gift ideas this Christmas, here are 15 ideas for products you can find in the Pegada Verde online store.
Read also: Practical tips to reduce waste at Christmas
Kit with biodegradable pot, ready-to-use substrate and seed ball with flowers such as poppy, pimpernel or golden gooseberry.
Two seed capsules based on clay and organic matter, available in four plant mix options: wildflowers, save the bees, Mediterranean garden and Atlantic garden.
Candle made from waste vegetable oils and oils, carbon neutral, and candle holder made from glass bottles.
Chulézinho socks are made in Portugal with GOTS certified organic cotton.
Solid perfume made from beeswax and sweet almond oil, produced by hand in Portugal and with recyclable and reusable packaging.
Vegan cream, not tested on animals, and free of microplastics. Available for daily care (almond) and intensive care (avocado).
Set with Água Mole soap (a choice of eight fragrances) and a Luffa soap dish, handmade in Portugal.
Lipstick with a natural and organic formula, made from plants and registered with the Vegan Society. Its packaging is made of paper, with 70% less plastic than traditional lipstick packaging.
Varnish made from renewable raw materials of natural origin, such as corn, cotton, wheat and cassava.
Set of three Beesweet organic honey nectars, a Portuguese brand of organic certified hive products.
Box of three organic olive oils produced in the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region and FSSC 22000 certified (Food Safety System Certification).
Cardboard box with glass jars inside: organic virgin olive oil produced in Trás-os-Montes, organic rosemary honey from Trás-os-Montes and Ruby Reserve Port wine.
Reusable 1L stainless steel bottle, suitable for hot or cold drinks.
Foldable and transportable lunchbox, suitable for hot or cold food.
Set consisting of a reusable straw, a reusable 500ml bottle and a snack bag.
Do you like these sustainable gift ideas? Edenred is also giving you an exclusive 10% discount on the entire Pegada Verde online store.
Find out in your MyEdenred App how you can take advantage of this discount and see the full list of benefits.
Artificial intelligence has seen unprecedented developments in recent months. The technological advances that have taken place, particularly with regard to generative AI (artificial intelligence that has the ability to create new ideas, content and resources), are opening the door to the transformation of countless sectors of activity.
According to a study by Goldman Sachs, artificial intelligence could help increase global GDP by 7% and productivity by 1.5 percentage points over a 10-year period.
These possibilities brought about by developments in artificial intelligence have raised a number of questions relating to the job market: if many tasks can now be carried out using AI, does this mean that machines will replace flesh-and-blood professionals?
The truth is that by simplifying and automating various tasks, artificial intelligence will not necessarily eliminate human labor, but transform it. Professionals will be challenged to reinvent the way they work and will be valued more for their soft skills – interpersonal and socio-emotional skills – which artificial intelligence cannot replicate.
Discover with us seven soft skills that artificial intelligence can’t replace.
Machines have a great ability to analyze data, but they have no ability to critically evaluate that data or draw complex conclusions from it.
Critical thinking will continue to be a highly valued skill in professionals, as it allows them to analyze problems from different perspectives, consider past experiences and anticipate the impacts of certain decisions.
No robot or algorithm can match the human ability to think “outside the box” or solve complex problems.
While artificial intelligence can analyze data and find solutions based on that data, this is not the case with more complex problems that need to consider other variables or require more creative solutions.
Emotional intelligence is another skill that artificial intelligence cannot replace: identifying and understanding emotions is something that machines cannot do.
This soft skill is fundamental in professions that involve contact with other people – such as teaching, sales, medicine, among many others – and the emotional connection required by these positions is something that AI cannot achieve.
Like emotional intelligence, empathy is a human ability that technology cannot replicate. And it is also a fundamental and highly valued skill in many professional contexts (and, of course, in our lives more generally).
Empathetic people contribute to a more understanding, tolerant and inclusive working environment.
This is a critical issue when it comes to artificial intelligence. Unlike people, machines have difficulty weighing up the different variables inherent in a given dilemma and making a fair decision.
Ethics, morality and self-awareness are characteristics associated with humans and are decisive in many decision-making processes, whether personal or professional.
This can be an ambiguous topic: since generative artificial intelligence has the ability to create new things, we can consider that there is creativity involved. However, even when machine learning tools are used, AI is still programmed and somewhat predictable.
Creativity, on the other hand, is associated with spontaneity, imagination and inspiration. And these characteristics are, and will be, increasingly sought after in professionals, who must be open to the use of new technologies and use them to further enhance their creativity and originality.
There are other interpersonal skills that artificial intelligence cannot replace. This is the case with active listening, respect and generosity, for example.
In addition, although machines are becoming increasingly adept at listening and formulating speech, there are a number of skills related to non-verbal communication that are still exclusive to humans.
In short, the speed at which technology is evolving can – and will – pose major challenges for professionals. But above all, they will be challenges in terms of adaptation and collaboration.
The question is not so much about the tasks and skills that artificial intelligence can replace, but more about how professionals can perfect the soft skills that will allow them to take advantage of all these emerging potentialities.
Human capital is an organization’s most important asset and, for this reason, its dedication must be recognized and rewarded.
Awards and incentives are a fundamental part of companies’ value proposition to their employees and a very important aspect in motivating and encouraging them to maintain good performance.
From now on, your company can do so through Edenred Gift.
Edenred Gift is a digital gift card that can be used at dozens of major brands in areas such as fashion, technology, leisure, streaming platforms and much more.
Adidas, Pingo Doce, Decathlon, IKEA, Mango, Netflix, Toys R Us or Rituals, for example, are some of the stores where Edenred Gift can be used.
This network of establishments is always growing, so employees can use Edenred Gift wherever it is most useful and convenient for them.
Want to know more about Edenred Gift? Our team is always happy to help.
In a highly dynamic and competitive job market, in which the satisfaction and motivation of professionals is not solely the result of the salary they receive, the concept of employee experience has become increasingly important.
According to the Employee Experience Guide 2022, employees value a professional context that helps them learn and reach their potential, they like to feel that they are valued and recognized, and they are looking for a real sense of belonging to the organization in which they work.
That’s why leaders need to design and optimize the entire employee experience, from recruitment to eventual departure.
The employee experience refers to all the interactions an employee has in the company where they work, whether they are interactions with technology or systems, with the workplace itself, with colleagues and leaders or with organizational policies.
The employee experience can change over time and, moreover, it is subjective in that it is very much related to how people feel.
For this reason, it is crucial that human resources managers understand the importance of assessing employee satisfaction and adapting the company’s value proposition with the aim of improving the whole experience.
The starting point for optimizing the employee experience is to ask them how they feel.
These internal questionnaires are a very valuable tool for measuring the pulse of professional satisfaction and motivation, for gauging whether people feel valued and for identifying opportunities for improvement (they certainly exist).
An organizational culture that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion plays a fundamental role in the employee experience. New generations of professionals tend to be more demanding of these values, which cannot be seen by companies as a mere buzzword to improve their reputation.
Organizations must be intrinsically diverse, equitable and inclusive, so that employees feel welcomed, respected and valued.
Having a flexible working model has ceased to be a benefit and has become, for many, a given.
According to a survey by the German institute Ifo, the Portuguese do, on average, 0.8 days of teleworking a week, but would like to do twice as much. These figures demonstrate the importance that many professionals attach not only to remote working but, more generally, to flexible working models (hybrid arrangements, flexible working hours, four-day working week, etc.).
Employees see a direct relationship between flexible working and their quality of life, so flexibility is a key aspect for organizations to consider in order to optimize the employee experience.
First impressions count for a lot and tend to last over time. An unsatisfactory onboarding experience can negatively influence the employee’s perception of the company from then on.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a well-structured welcoming process: one that explains the company’s processes to the employee, but also the culture and values of the organization; one that starts by assigning tasks, but also encourages relationships with colleagues and makes people feel welcomed and accompanied.
It seems logical that professionals have a more positive experience in companies that care about their well-being and implement concrete measures to that end.
According to the Global Wellbeing Survey, 82% of companies see employee wellbeing as a priority, but only 55% of organizations actually invest in strategies to promote it.
Improving the employee experience largely involves developing measures that put people and their well-being at the heart of the organization’s concerns.
This strategy has to be holistic and can include aspects as diverse as providing flexible benefits, encouraging physical activity, offering mental and emotional support, encouraging work-life balance, recognizing and rewarding people’s dedication, fostering professional development, having an inclusive culture, promoting social moments that foster informal connections between people, among many others.
Edenred Portugal was distinguished as a Superbrands 2023 brand, thus establishing itself as a brand of excellence in the Portuguese market in the Corporate segment.
This distinction is the result of the solid work that Edenred has done over the last 39 years in the non-wage benefits sector and a recognition of the trust of its clients and users.
The official presentation of the stamps took place at the 19th Superbrands Gala at the Fundação Oriente in Lisbon.
Superbrands is an independent international organization present in 89 countries, in which it identifies and promotes the main brands of excellence highlighted by consumers in the most diverse sectors of activity.
The Superbrands are identified by weighing up the choices of the consumer panel and the vote of the Superbrands Council.
On the one hand, 1,000 valid interviews were carried out with consumers representative of the Portuguese population, who were asked to highlight three brands for each of the following dimensions: unique brands; brands they trust the most; brands they identify with; brands that satisfy their needs and aspirations; best-known brands.
On the other hand, the Superbrands Council ranked a list of more than 1,300 brands according to the criteria: market dominance; longevity; goodwill; loyalty; and acceptance.
It is the combination of these two visions that results in the list of brands considered to be the most relevant in the market.
After having already received the Marca Recomendada Award 2023 and the Prémio Cinco Estrelas Award, this is also a distinction that leaves us all, at Edenred, very satisfied and honored!
Whether it’s a family dinner, a get-together with friends or when we’re alone at home and don’t feel like cooking… how many times have we been “saved” by Uber Eats?
If you often order from Uber Eats, you can now pay with your Edenred Refeição! Payments with your meal card are now available on this home delivery app.
It’s very simple! Payment is made via MB WAY.
First of all, make sure your Edenred Refeição is linked to MB WAY. Then all you need to do is choose this payment method at the checkout of your Uber Eats order and, finally, confirm the payment with MB WAY.
Make sure that when you validate the payment on MB WAY, the Edenred Refeição card is selected.
You can link your card to MB WAY to make contactless purchases in physical establishments, online purchases or orders on delivery platforms such as Uber Eats.
All you need to do is insert your card into an ATM, sign up for MB WAY and then confirm the process on your cell phone. See the step-by-step instructions for linking Edenred cards to MB WAY.
Then you can start using Edenred Meal on Uber Eats!
Not yet registered with Uber Eats?
Edenred and Uber Eats are offering a €6 discount on the first order over €12 for all new users registered with the app. All you need to do is enter the promotional code EDENRED6 at checkout.
According to Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), the savings rate of Portuguese families has been falling since the pandemic. During the first quarter of 2021, the Portuguese managed to save 13.7% of their disposable income. However, in the first quarter of 2023, this percentage fell to just 5.8%. There hasn’t been such a low savings rate since 2008.
With prices rising across the board in recent months, it naturally becomes more challenging to put some money aside. However, it is precisely in contexts of inflation such as the one we are experiencing that having a financial cushion is crucial.
On this World Savings Day, discover some practical tips for acquiring savings habits on a daily basis.
Read also: 5 Podcasts about personal finance and saving
The first step to saving money is to understand how much you spend. Monitor all your expenses (even those that seem insignificant, like that coffee you drink every day) and record this information. You can do this in a more archaic way, on a sheet of paper, but we suggest you do it in an Excel file or in a mobile application designed for this purpose.
Organize your expenses by category – credit, fuel, food, telecommunications, etc. – so that you can see how much you spend on average each month in each of these areas.
Then you’ll be able to identify certain expenses that you can possibly reduce or eliminate.
Creating a personal or family monthly budget is a good way to plan and manage your available money. This budget should include your expenses in relation to your income and take into account non-recurring charges (such as car insurance or IUC, for example).
This monthly budget should also include savings. In other words, you should set aside a portion of your income each month. Start with a savings target that you think is reasonable and that you can meet.
If you’re starting to adopt savings habits, start with small amounts, even if they seem insignificant. However insignificant it may seem to you, if you can make it a recurring habit, it can make a difference in the medium to long term.
What’s more, as you see your piggy bank grow, it will motivate you to save more and more.
Sometimes we tend to confuse the concepts of wanting and needing. Do you really need to drink coffee out every day or can you drink coffee at home? Do you really need to buy a new cell phone? Do you really need a new computer or can you repair the one you already have?
Rethinking some of these decisions and behaviors can help you manage your budget more rationally and, at the end of the day, save money.
In point 2, we said that you should consider, from the outset, the part of your income that you want to put aside. This means doing it at the beginning of the month, as soon as you receive your salary.
Define the amount you want to save each month and put it away straight away. If you only do this at the end of the month, after you’ve paid all your planned expenses – and those you didn’t plan on – it’s very likely that you won’t be able to save the amount you wanted to.
It may seem silly to pay yourself before paying for essential expenses and goods, but this is a valuable weapon when it comes to acquiring savings habits.
If you keep money in the same account where you receive your salary and from which you pay your bills, you are more likely to fall into the temptation of spending the money you were trying to save.
A good practice is to keep your savings in a separate account from your current account. That way, you’ll have more visibility of the amount you’re spending and the amount you’re saving.
It’s never too late to start adopting these strategies and try to make your savings habits more consistent and effective. As difficult as these actions may seem at first, they will easily become more intuitive as time goes by.
The labor market is currently made up of four generations of workers. Because they are at different stages of life and have very different needs and objectives, these workers value different aspects of the benefits offered by companies.
The answer to this broad spectrum of needs and expectations invariably involves flexible benefit plans. Find out what they are and why you should implement them in your organization.
Flexible benefits are a complement to financial remuneration and aim to guarantee access to certain goods and services that are valued by employees according to their stage of life, objectives and needs. These benefits are flexible because they allow each employee flexibility in choosing when to use them.
Some examples of flexible benefits could be, for example:
The popularity of flexible benefits has increased in recent years and the flexible benefits plans offered by companies are increasingly valued by candidates when it comes to embracing a new professional challenge.
By offering flexible benefits, organizations show that they care about their employees – about their satisfaction and well-being – and that they are willing to invest in their future.
The main advantages of flexible benefit plans are:
In short, implementing a flexible benefits plan in your company will bring numerous advantages. Together with other measures and strategies, it can help convey that the organization has a culture that puts people first.
So if you don’t already offer flexible benefits to your employees, the first step is simple: start by asking them what kind of benefits they value and would like to receive.
Since February 2022, which coincides with the start of the war in Ukraine, we have seen a general increase in prices. Expenses in areas such as energy or fuel, for example, have taken a heavier toll on Portuguese wallets. But there is another category in which price increases have been notorious: food.
DECO monitors the price of a food basket with 63 essential goods and, between February 2022 and September 2023, this basket became €36.91 more expensive (up more than 20%).
This rise in prices poses significant challenges to the management of many families’ budgets, especially since food is not an area in which people can – or should – eliminate spending.
However, there are some habits and strategies that can help you mitigate the effects of inflation and manage your food budget more rationally and optimally. Find out how to save on food with the following tips!
Read also: How to eat healthily without spending a lot of money?
Planning is one of the key words when it comes to saving on food costs. Anticipating the meals you’re going to have during the week allows you to buy only the ingredients you need, avoiding spending money on superfluous food that could end up spoiling.
In this way, you’re better able to control your food costs and, at the same time, avoid food waste.
There are small habits that, although they may take a bit of extra work, allow you to make more rational purchases and therefore avoid unnecessary spending:
When you shop online, you’re more likely to stick to your shopping list because you’re not in a physical store looking at dozens of other products that might catch your eye.
What’s more, as you add products to your cart, you’ll also have a more immediate idea of how much you’re going to spend.
Explore platforms such as Mercadão or 360hyper, which also offer exclusive advantages to users of Edenred benefits.
If you have cooked large quantities, freeze the excess and save it for a day when you don’t have your meal ready. By freezing leftovers from meals you’ve already cooked or certain foods you haven’t eaten, you’re preventing them from spoiling and therefore making better use of your budget. You’re also saving time.
Seasonal fruit and vegetables are fresher, tastier and more nutritious. In addition, they also tend to be cheaper, as production costs are lower and they are not subject to such long transportation and refrigeration processes.
Equal Food offers fruit and vegetable baskets from local producers at a more affordable price than the average market price. Edenred users also have additional advantages when ordering their baskets on this platform.
Keep a closer eye on the expiry dates of the products you buy. Start right at the moment you are buying the food: look at the labels and make sure the expiry date matches the period in which you expect to consume the products.
At home, organize food and packaging in such a way that those you need to eat first are ahead of those with a longer shelf life.
With this strategy you are once again avoiding waste and saving money.
Instead of opting for juices, soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, for example. We all know that drinking water is essential for our health and well-being, as well as being the cheapest drink.
Drinking more water is therefore better for your health and also for your wallet.
We’ve already touched on this point in previous tips, but the truth is that saving on food has a lot to do with the rigorous use we make of food and meals.
Too Good To Go has countless tips for zero-waste recipes that you can put into practice in your daily life to make the most of the food you have at home.
By requesting an invoice from a restaurant, you’re not saving money immediately, but you are contributing to receiving a larger tax refund in the future. VAT is deductible at 15% up to a maximum of €250.
The meal card is one of the formats through which companies can give their employees a meal allowance. This has become an increasingly popular option for Portuguese companies, as it allows them to maximize the amount given to employees without increasing the tax burden (compared to cash payments).
Ask all your questions about how meal cards work in Portugal.
The meal card is an electronic card pre-loaded by the company with the amount stipulated for the payment of the meal allowance. The company loads this card, usually when the monthly salary is paid, with the amount of the allowance corresponding to each day worked by the employee.
Like debit bank cards, the meal card is also protected by a PIN code.
Read also: 10 things you need to know about the Edenred meal card
Paying meal allowances by card has numerous advantages for companies and employees, one of the main ones being the associated tax benefits .
Up to €10.20/day – 70% more than when paid in cash – employees are exempt from TSU and IRS and companies are exempt from TSU. This allows employers to maximize their employees’ disposable income for food expenses without increasing the tax burden.
This is particularly important at a time when families are facing a sharp rise in the price of food.
Meal cards are intended for the purchase of meals or foodstuffs with a view to cooking them. They can therefore be used in restaurants or food retail establishments such as supermarkets, cafés, pastry shops, bakeries, butchers, fishmongers and the like.
No. The meal card is a reloadable prepaid card and is not linked to any bank account. Employees and companies don’t need to worry about this.
No. The balance on the card can be divided between several purchases.
No. If the balance is not spent in full, the remaining amount accumulates for the following month. This amount remains available until the card expires.
No. The meal card can only be loaded by the company with the amount defined for the payment of the meal allowance. No money can be deposited on the card, no withdrawals can be made and no money can be transferred to or from the meal card.
Yes. This is the case with the Edenred meal card, which can be linked to MB WAY and therefore allows contactless payments to be made via cell phone and online purchases on member websites and platforms.
Do you have any more questions about meal cards? Check out our frequently asked questions section or contact us. We’re always happy to help.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
According to the study “Closing the Food Waste Gap“, developed by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), it is estimated that one third of the world’s food is lost or wasted every year and that the global average of food waste per household is 75kg per year.
The same study predicts that by 2030, more than 840 million people will be hungry, which corresponds to a tenth of the world’s population.
Food waste therefore raises numerous moral and social issues. But it is also a global environmental problem.
When we waste food, we are also wasting water and other resources that were used in its production. In addition, food waste contributes greatly to greenhouse gas emissions.
The fight against food waste must invariably involve small actions that we, as citizens, can take in our daily lives. And this care must be taken when we eat at home, but also when we eat out.
Discover some practical tips that you can incorporate into your routine to make going out to restaurants more sustainable and responsible.
Especially when you already know a restaurant, you already know whether the portion sizes are suitable for you or not. If the portions served are excessive, let them know that the quantities on your plate can be reduced.
Try to figure out which side dishes are included in a given dish: rice, salad, vegetables, French fries, sweet potatoes…
If you don’t intend to eat any of these side dishes, let the person serving you know beforehand. That way, you won’t be served that side dish unnecessarily on your plate.
The above tip applies to side dishes, but also to specific ingredients or foods that a dish may contain. For example, if you order a salad that has tomatoes in it, but you don’t like tomatoes, it’s better to ask them to remove the tomatoes than not to tell them and end up leaving them on the plate.
The truth is that most of the meals served in restaurants are too large for just one person. And even when certain dishes say they are for two people, they may be enough for three.
Try to anticipate the quantities coming to the table and manage this. The same can be done with starters and desserts.
In buffet restaurants, rodízio restaurants or so-called all you can eat restaurants, people often exaggerate the amount of food they think they can eat.
Try to be more rational in your choices: put smaller portions on your plate and repeat until you are satisfied, rather than bringing excessive amounts to the table straight away.
If, at the end of the meal, you have food left on your plate, ask to take it home. Most restaurants provide take-away boxes for this purpose too.
If you anticipate having leftovers, you can reuse boxes you already have at home and take them to the restaurant. In this way, you are also combating the consumption of packaging.
If you want to commit yourself even more to the fight against food waste, find out which restaurants are also taking an active role in this cause. For example, which establishments make their surpluses available on platforms such as Too Good To Go or have partnerships with charities such as Refood.
Give priority to restaurants and other food establishments that implement concrete measures to reduce food waste, favor the local economy and support disadvantaged local communities.
The Edenred Group was founded in 1962 and since then has made it its mission to make the world of work a better place for everyone.
This commitment is evident in Edenred’s activity in all 45 countries in which we are present and is broken down into three fundamental pillars:
Learn more about each of these pillars that shape our social responsibility policy.
As far as the “People” pillar is concerned, Edenred wants to establish itself as a benchmark organization in terms of professional development, respect for human rights, diversity and inclusion. It also aims to promote people’s well-being through healthy and sustainable eating habits and to contribute to local development.
Some of the initiatives that support these objectives are, for example:
The main objective of the “Planet” pillar is to preserve the environment by reducing the carbon footprint, reducing the consumption of natural resources and waste, and developing greener solutions and services. The goal is ambitious: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Finally, through the “Progress” pillar, Edenred is committed to creating value responsibly throughout its ecosystem. To this end, it carries out its activities and establishes partnerships in an ethical manner and focuses on the digital transition, always with a strong concern for aspects such as cybersecurity, compliance and data protection.
Did you know about our Ideal Policy? Find out more on the Edenred Group website.
Vacations are, par excellence, a time when people can relax, disconnect from work and relieve stress. However, these positive effects associated with vacations don’t always last once they’re over.
Returning to a professional routine can be difficult and some people may experience what is known as post-holiday syndrome. In fact, it’s estimated that 4 out of 10 people experience symptoms of post-vacation depression.
But what does this post-holiday syndrome actually mean? And what can you do to make your return to work less difficult?
This syndrome refers to a set of signs and symptoms that people may experience when they return to work after a period of vacation. These symptoms can have an impact on professional routine and productivity, but also on day-to-day life and personal relationships.
Some of these symptoms may be
Adopting some strategies even before you go on vacation can help you minimize any negative effects associated with your return. Some good practices are:
When it comes to the work itself, there are also some strategies that can help you:
Don’t forget that a harmonious work-life balance is also crucial, especially in the post-holiday period:
If you are experiencing the symptoms described above on a more continuous or permanent basis (and not just for a few days after your vacation), consider seeking professional help.
If these signs persist over a longer period of time, it may be an indication that something may not be right with your mental health and a professional will be able to help you deal with the situation.
Two of Edenred’s major commitments are to improve people’s lives and preserve the planet and, in this context, issues such as healthy and sustainable food are of fundamental importance.
Every year, Edenred promotes the FOOD Barometer, an initiative developed under the FOOD Program that aims to learn about the population’s eating habits and find trends in the demand for and supply of healthy and nutritionally balanced meals.
It is a questionnaire aimed at consumers (workers who use Edenred social benefits) and restaurants (and other food retail establishments), which asks questions on topics such as healthy eating, food waste or the impact of inflation on eating habits.
Can we count on your contribution? Please respond using one of the buttons below.
The FOOD Program – Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand – was launched in 2009 by the Edenred Group with the support of the European Union and, in Portugal, is developed in partnership with Direção-Geral da Saúde.
This program has emerged as a response to the growing problem of obesity and aims to raise awareness:
Thank you for your cooperation! Stay tuned for the results of the FOOD Barometer, which will be released in November 2023.
At Edenred, we work every day to innovate and improve the experience of all those who have to do with our benefits: client companies, users and partner establishments.
We recently took another step towards digitizing our solutions. Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante are now available in 100% digital format. These childcare, education and training benefits can now be added to a wallet that allows payments to be made via the MyEdenred App.
Find out how it all works!
Companies wishing to grant their employees Edenred Creche and/or Edenred Estudante benefits can now do so using this new format. The process is very simple:
With the wallet, managing and using Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante benefits becomes easier and more convenient for everyone: company, employee and establishment.
Do you have any questions about the new 100% digital format for Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante benefits? Check out the frequently asked questions section or contact us.
If you would like to offer these extra salary benefits in your company, our team will be happy to give you more information.
The back-to-school period is typically synonymous with a spike in expenses for families with school-age children.
It’s necessary to provide textbooks, buy backpacks and all the material that can’t be reused from the previous school year, pay tuition fees for children attending higher education…
The good news is that all these expenses can be paid for with Edenred Flexível. This employee benefit can be granted by companies to their employees with the aim of helping them to pay for education and training. With exemption from Social Security, it results in greater purchasing power in these areas.
Read also: 8 practical tips to save on your children’s back-to-school expenses
This employee benefit, in the form of an electronic card, can be used extensively for numerous products and services. In addition, it can be used both to make payments in physical establishments and to make online purchases on member websites and platforms.
Use your Edenred Flexível to pay:
Did you know it was possible to use Edenred Flexível for all these services? In addition to the areas of education and training, this benefit can also be used for charges related to health and social support.
Discover on the MyEdenred App or on our website the more than 2,400 establishments where you can use the Edenred Flexível card.
For contactless payments via your cell phone or for online purchases, don’t forget that you can link Edenred Flexível to MB WAY.
Social benefits, or social vouchers, emerged after World War II, in the 1950s, in the United Kingdom. Instead of setting up canteens, some employers began distributing meal vouchers to their workers, so that they could have lunch in local restaurants and have access to a decent meal during their working day.
This model was quickly adopted in France and Belgium and was later gradually introduced in dozens of other countries.
In Portugal, meal vouchers were included in the legislation in 1979, child support vouchers in 1999 and other social benefits to support education, health and social support in 2009.
But what are social benefits in practice? What types are there? What are their characteristics and objectives? Come and find out.
Social benefits, or social vouchers, are “granted collectively to workers by public or private employers to enable them to access specific products and services that improve their working conditions and facilitate their work-life balance”(Social Vouchers International Association).
In order to ensure this access, social benefits can be used in a network of member establishments that have a contractual relationship with the entity issuing these benefits (as is the case with Edenred).
The purpose of social vouchers is to contribute to a higher disposable income for their beneficiaries, who thus have more purchasing power to support expenses in fundamental areas such as food, education or health, for example. In this way, these benefits promote people’s well-being and a better quality of life.
Various national and international studies, such as the OECD study “Social Vouchers: Innovative Tools for Social Inclusion and Local Development” (2021), have reinforced the positive economic impact of social benefits, as well as their role in inclusion and local development.
This is particularly evident in the context of inflation that we have been experiencing in recent months, as social vouchers maximize liquidity in expenses that represent a large slice of family budgets (such as food, for example).
At the same time, social benefits can also be used as a tool to combat inequalities by public entities – such as governments, municipalities or IPSS – which can thus guarantee access to certain goods and services for the most disadvantaged communities.
Social vouchers aim to facilitate access to goods and services in various areas, such as:
Social benefits have their own legal framework, which regulates their use and ensures that they are used for their specific purpose.
The companies that award them, as well as their recipients, have certain tax benefits associated with them, which vary according to the type of benefit. These tax advantages represent a tax saving for the company and greater liquidity for employees compared to giving the same amount in cash.
Other characteristics of social vouchers are:
For those with school-age children, back-to-school is a time of year when expenses multiply. You have to make sure they register, buy books, backpacks, school supplies and much more.
Since these costs can represent a large chunk of a family’s budget, companies can set up an extra-salary benefits policy to help their employees cover these expenses.
Discover the benefits you can offer your company to support employees with children this back-to-school season.
Edenred Creche is a social benefit aimed at helping to cover the childhood expenses of children or dependents between the ages of 0 and 6 inclusive.
It provides tax savings for the company and greater liquidity for the employees who benefit from it, thanks to the associated tax advantages:
This benefit can be used in more than 3,200 participating establishments in Portugal, including nurseries, crèches, kindergartens and the like.
Edenred Estudante aims to help employees pay for the education of their children or dependents from the age of 7 or their own training costs. It can be used not only to pay tuition fees at schools, colleges and universities, but also to buy books and manuals, school materials and computer support for study, study and tutoring centers, language schools, etc.
This benefit is exempt from TSU for both the company and the employee and therefore provides greater liquidity for education and training expenses (compared to the allocation of the same amount in cash).
Edenred Flexível is a benefit which, like Edenred Estudante, can also be used for education and training expenses (the difference lies only in the format, which in this case is a card).
However, it can also be used more widely to pay for products and services in the areas of health and social support. For example, if employees need to buy glasses for their children, they can use this benefit at opticians.
By granting any of these extra salary benefits to your employees, they can also access Edenred’s Discounts and Advantages Program, which includes discounts on dozens of brands. Some of these are in the field of education and training – such as the Porto Editora Virtual School, Wall Street English and the British Council – which can also be useful for supporting and boosting the academic performance of your employees’ children.
The Edenred meal card is a social benefit through which companies give their employees a meal allowance. The aim is to help them cover their food costs, thus helping them to have a proper meal during their working day.
Want to know more about this benefit? Find out 10 things about Edenred Meal.
Although it is an electronic card, pre-loaded by the company with the amount stipulated for the payment of the meal allowance, the truth is that Edenred Refeição is not a means of payment, but a social voucher.
The aim of this benefit is to guarantee workers access to nutritious food during their working day. To this end, it can be used to purchase meals or food products for cooking.
The payment of meal allowances by card is an option increasingly favored by companies, as it has several advantages associated with it. One of the main ones is the tax benefits.
Up to the amount of €10.20/day, the company is fully exempt from TSU and the employee is fully exempt from TSU and IRS. On the other hand, if the allowance is given in cash, these exemptions only apply up to a maximum of €6.00/day. This means that companies can allocate a higher amount without increasing the tax burden, thus increasing employees’ purchasing power when it comes to food expenses.
One of the aims of social vouchers is to stimulate economic activity and generate a virtuous circle that boosts the local economy and contributes to society as a whole. For this reason, these benefits can only be used on national territory.
Edenred meal cards issued from September 2022 are now more environmentally friendly, made of degradable PVC. In this way, they degrade more quickly in the natural environment and have a lower environmental impact.
At the same time, all the cards have also become more inclusive: the round notch on the right-hand side allows blind people to know the correct position of the card every time they make a payment.
Companies that provide the meal allowance via the Edenred meal card can choose to personalize it with their brand and visual identity. The cards can include the company’s logo, its color palette or other visual elements alluding to the brand, which can help reinforce its notoriety. At the same time, it can also be a way of increasing employees’ sense of belonging to the organization.
Edenred Refeição can be used in more than 38,000 establishments in mainland Portugal and the islands. These establishments include restaurants, cafés, bakeries and pastry shops, mini-markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, butchers, fishmongers, grocery stores and other food establishments.
Find out at any time if an establishment is part of the Edenred network on our website or in the MyEdenred App. If you want to use your card in a place that is not yet part of our network, you can also suggest that establishment.
If you usually use MB WAY, then you should know that you can also link Edenred Refeição to this application. The linking process is done at an ATM, just like with bank cards.
After that, you can start making payments with your cell phone at establishments that accept Edenred Refeição.
As well as being able to use MB WAY to make contactless payments in physical establishments, you can also make online purchases on websites and platforms that have MB WAY as a payment method.
When finalizing the purchase and validating the payment in the MB WAY application, select the Edenred meal card.
Not yet registered with the MyEdenred App? By installing this app, available on iOS and Android, you can manage your Edenred Meal card and any other Edenred benefits you may have.
Check your balance and movements at any time, discover establishments near you that accept the Edenred meal card, suggest new establishments, access discounts at restaurants, block your card if it is lost or misplaced, among other features.
Also on the MyEdenred App, you can access the Discounts and Advantages Program. Edenred users can enjoy discounts on dozens of insurance brands , fuel, leisure, technology, health and wellness, mobility, energy and much more.
All you need to do is look in the “Advantages” section of the app to see how you can access each of the discounts.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
Has your company given you the Edenred Flexível card? This extra salary benefit aims to increase purchasing power in areas that generally represent a large slice of the family budget.
This increase in liquidity results from the fact that this benefit is totally exempt from paying Social Security. For example, if your company grants you €1,000 through Edenred Flexível: considering an average TSU rate of 11%, for example, you are receiving €110 more net than you would if the same amount were granted to you in cash (in this case, you would only receive €890 net).
But in practice, where can you use Edenred Flexível? What kind of products and services can you pay for with this card? Come and find out with us.
If you have children or dependents aged 7 or over, you can use your Edenred Flexível to pay school fees.
Likewise, you can also use this card in establishments that provide services for leisure and extracurricular activities (sports activities, workshops, etc.).
Do you need to buy textbooks, exam preparation books, works recommended in the National Reading Plan or other school support books? You can do so with Edenred Flexível, which can be used in various stationery and bookshops. This is the case at FNAC, Bertrand or WOOK, for example, where you can also shop online using MB WAY.
In addition to books and textbooks, you can also use Edenred Flexível to buy school supplies and computer support. Stores such as Staples and Note!, for example, are part of Edenred’s network of member stores and accept payments with Edenred Flexível in their physical stores and online store.
If your children attend a study or tutoring center, these services can also be paid for with Edenred Flexível.
As far as schools and colleges are concerned, using Edenred Flexível can go beyond paying tuition fees. You can use this benefit to pay for other services provided by the educational institution, such as the purchase of uniforms, transport services or lunch vouchers, for example.
Edenred Flexível can also be used for your own training and skills development. This extra salary benefit is a tool that companies have at their disposal to support their employees’ professional growth.
Would you like to study for a bachelor’s, master’s or postgraduate degree? You can use Edenred Flexível to pay your tuition fees.
If your professional training doesn’t necessarily involve a university, but other types of more technical training or learning a new language, then you can also use your Edenred Flexível. Escola de Negócios or Wall Street English are just a few examples of establishments that accept payments with this card.
The scope of Edenred Flexível goes beyond education and training, and you can also use this benefit for health expenses. If you have clinical analysis charges or need to pay for services in hospitals or clinics, you can use your Edenred Flexível. Some participating establishments are Joaquim Chaves Saúde or the Lusíadas Saúde group, for example.
You can also use Edenred Flexível in pharmacies and parapharmacies. At Wells, for example, you can make payments in physical stores from the north to the south of the country and also in the online store, via MB WAY.
Still in the health sector, Edenred Flexível can also be used in establishments that provide stomatology and dentistry services.
Edenred Flexível can also help you take care of your eyesight and can be used in various opticians.
Also with regard to promoting health and well-being, Edenred Flexível can also be used in herbalists to buy products such as food supplements, teas and medicinal plants, among others.
Edenred Flexível can also be used to purchase products in orthopaedic and geriatric stores, whether for you or your family.
Finally, another area to which Edenred Flexível can also be allocated is social support. You can use this benefit to pay for nursing homes, day care centers or home care services.
Did you know that this benefit could be used so widely?
Find out in detail which establishments accept payments with Edenred Flexível. If there are any establishments where you would like to use this card and which are not yet part of the Edenred network, you can make your suggestion here.
Contrary to what some people may think, growing concerns about sustainability are not just a fad or a whim. Given some of the rules that have been established, particularly at European level, companies will begin to have an obligation to measure and report on certain ESG indicators.
But what are ESG criteria anyway? Why are they fundamental for organizations? And how will they have to be demonstrated over the next few years? Come and find out with us.
ESG is an acronym for Environment, Social and Governance. It refers to a set of criteria that certify whether companies conduct themselves responsibly in these three areas:
ESG is sometimes confused with corporate social responsibility (CSR). Although they are related, these concepts are distinct. A company’s corporate social responsibility concerns policies aimed at promoting sustainability. It is voluntary and qualitative in nature. ESG criteria, on the other hand, are concrete and measurable indicators that quantify the results of the actions carried out by the organization.
The market, and legislation itself, are tending to become stricter with regard to social and environmental issues. In this sense, the demands placed on companies are increasing. It is no longer enough to demonstrate the quality of their products and services, but also to prove their commitment to the sustainability of the planet and society.
Performing well on ESG criteria is becoming crucial for organizations to succeed:
On November 4, 2016, the Paris Agreement came into force, an action plan in which several targets were set to combat climate change. The governments of the countries that have ratified this agreement, including Portugal, have committed to adopting measures to keep the increase in the average global temperature below 2ºC compared to pre-industrial levels.
In view of this commitment, the European Commission presented the so-called European Green Deal in 2019. The ultimate goal of this package of measures is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
One of the great foundations of the European Green Deal – and one that directly concerns organizations – is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CISE or CSRD), formally adopted by the European Union in November 2022.
What this Directive imposes in practice is the obligation for companies to report their actions and results in the area of sustainability. This new law brings with it a set of strict requirements that organizations will have to communicate and, therefore, integrate robustly into their operations.
Having entered into force on January 5, 2023, EU Member States have 18 months to transpose the Directive into their national legislation. Even so, the stages of application of the regulation are already known:
This means that, over the next few years, communicating information and the concrete results of organizations’ sustainability efforts will become a reality.
In any case, this imposition should be seen as an opportunity to improve ESG criteria. More than a legal obligation, it should be an additional reason for companies to invest in more sustainable and socially responsible actions, products and services.
In 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the 193 member states of the United Nations, defined the priorities for sustainable development at a global level.
To this end, 17 concrete goals have been defined on which countries should focus their efforts. These goals are focused on five principles – planet, people, prosperity, peace and partnerships – and cover topics such as combating hunger and poverty, preserving the environment, gender equality and equal opportunities, access to education, among others.
Instituto Nacional de Estatística has been monitoring Portugal’s progress in meeting these 17 goals. The most recent INE data shows that, between 2015 and 2021, most of the indicators analyzed showed a positive evolution. With the exception of goals 5, 12, 14 and 15 (gender equality, sustainable production and consumption, protecting marine life and protecting terrestrial life), all the SDGs showed favorable developments.
With regard to the responsibility of organizations in achieving these goals, a 2023 study by the Business Council for Sustainbale Development (BCSD) reveals that 93% of the companies surveyed include a commitment to sustainability in their mission/vision. However, only 78% say they integrate sustainability into their business strategy and only 55% develop and monitor that same sustainability strategy. At the same time, only 23% of organizations admit to requesting an ESG indicator report from their customers, suppliers and partners.
These figures show that many Portuguese organizations still have a long way to go towards sustainability. The fact that they will have to is unavoidable.
Are you counting down to your vacation? If you have chosen Portugal to enjoy the summer and this period of rest, you already know that our country is rich in experiences and attractions.
Whether on the beach, in the countryside or in the city, discover 10 ideas for activities from the north to the south of the country for a memorable vacation.
If your vacation itinerary includes the city of Porto, then take the opportunity to sail along the Douro River and admire its six bridges from the Ribeira area.
Not familiar with the Alto Douro Wine Region? Then a cruise from Pinhão to Tua might be a good choice to admire these unmistakable landscapes. After the tour, enjoy lunch in a typical local restaurant.
Get a group of friends together and try a bodysurfing lesson, a sport that consists of riding the waves with your own body. It’s sure to be a fun and enjoyable time!
If you’d like to learn how to stand up paddle and you’re in the Comporta area, then combine the useful with the pleasant. Glide through the waves with the guidance of accredited coaches.
Horse riding on the beach can be a memorable experience. If you’re on vacation on the Alentejo coast, take the opportunity and go horseback riding at Praia do Norte in Sines.
If you’re more of a countryside vacation fan and you’ll be in the Alentejo, how about a sailboat ride on the Alqueva? Departure is from the Monsaraz Nautical Center and the experience also includes the option of a snack and/or lunch.
In recent years, the Benagil caves have become one of the main attractions for visitors to the Algarve. Embark on this unique experience and discover the caves aboard a kayak.
A water park is always synonymous with fun, whether for kids or adults. Get the family together and enjoy all the attractions and activities at Aquashow, Portugal’s largest water park.
Krazy World is an interactive zoo that aims to provide the whole family with a nature-filled experience. Discover exotic animals, pools with slides, tree climbing, mini-golf and much more!
Parasailing is an activity that allows you to fly in a parachute attached to a boat. As the boat sails along, you can enjoy the beautiful coastal landscapes of the Algarve.
These activities are available on Mygon, Tiqets and Odisseias. As an Edenred user, you have exclusive advantages on these experience booking platforms. Find out in your MyEdenred App how to access the discounts on each of them.
In the year that Edenred Portugal celebrates its 39th anniversary, we are taking a step into the future and saying goodbye to the brand that has shaped our history so far.
From now on, all Euroticket benefits will be called Edenred. Find out what changes in practice!
We will no longer use the Euroticket name and logo. In other words, the Euroticket Refeição, Euroticket Creche and Euroticket Estudante benefits will now be identified as Edenred Refeição, Edenred Creche and Edenred Estudante. Edenred Flexível will remain the same. Discover the full range of Edenred benefits.
No. All cards in circulation will continue to function normally until they expire. When this happens, they will be renewed and replaced by cards with a new image and the Edenred logo.
Nor does it change anything for those who use the MyEdenred App and for those who have their cards linked to MB WAY. You can continue to use these applications in the usual way.
No. As is currently the case, you will only need to renew your cards when they expire. Until then, you don’t need to do anything.
No. Current Euroticket cards will continue to be used at the payment terminals of Edenred member establishments. As the new cards with the Edenred logo come into circulation, there will also be no need for any updates or parameterization.
Do you still have any questions about this change? Don’t hesitate to contact us, we’re always happy to help.
This transition will not just happen in Portugal, but gradually in the 45 countries where Edenred is present. It aims to simplify the name of the solutions that connect 1 million companies, 60 million users and 2 million establishments around the world every day.
Edenred meal cards are used by more than 500,000 people in Portugal. Some of the companies in which these users work have chosen to develop personalized cards with the organization’s visual identity (co-branded cards).
For this reason, there is a great diversity of meal cards which, even though they are from Edenred, have different images.
Want to know all the cards in circulation? Come and discover them.
Since 2022, all Edenred meal cards issued have been more environmentally friendly, made of degradable PVC. They are also more inclusive, with a round notch on the right-hand side that allows blind people to always know the correct position of the card.
Edenred Flexível is a social benefit that companies can give to their employees in order to help them with their education, training, health and social support costs.
As the name suggests, it is a benefit that gives its users flexibility, in that it can be used to cover expenses in a wide variety of areas. But there are many other advantages associated with this extra-wage benefit.
Discover 5 reasons why your company should offer Edenred Flexível to employees!
Edenred Flexível aims to meet the needs and expectations of the different generations of workers that make up companies and the labor market.
This benefit can be used broadly for education expenses for employees’ children or dependents, for the employee’s own professional training, for health expenses or for nursing home fees and the like.
Edenred Flexível is an electronic card that can be used in a network of more than 2,400 member establishments in the following areas:
This card can be linked to MB WAY for contactless payments via cell phone and for online purchases at participating stores (such as Wells, Staples or Wook, for example).
Because it is a benefit and not a means of payment, Edenred Flexível has tax benefits associated with it:
In this way, by allocating a certain amount to the employee through Edenred Flexível, you make a tax saving that you wouldn’t make if you did it in cash. The employee’s disposable income is maximized.
Edenred Flexível provides greater purchasing power for expenses that can represent a large slice of employees’ family budgets. In addition, as it can be used to pay for healthcare costs, it helps to improve the quality of life of employees and their families.
In this sense, granting this benefit can greatly increase employee satisfaction and motivation.
By assigning Edenred Flexível to their employees, companies can manage their benefits easily and autonomously via the Client Portal. In addition, they have access to a dedicated and personalized customer support line and are guaranteed trust and security with regard to all processes and transactions.
Employees who benefit from Edenred Flexível also have other advantages:
Are you currently creating or consolidating your company’s flexible benefits plan? Then Edenred Flexível could be a solution to consider.
Continuous professional training is a key element in the success of workers and companies.
When employees keep up to date and develop their skills – whether they are technical skills specific to their job or the so-called soft skills – they become more creative, more innovative, more involved and more productive.
However, according to the José Neves Foundation’s “Guide for Companies: How to invest in employee training” (2023), although 50% of Portuguese companies value employee training, less than 20% promote it.
But did you know that vocational training is a right for all workers that is provided for in Código do Trabalho? Come and find out!
Read also: Employee training: an investment, not a cost
According to Article 131 of Código do Trabalho, the employer must promote the development and qualification of employees and ensure that each of them has the “individual right to training, through a minimum annual number of training hours”.
This minimum number corresponds to 40 hours each year. In the case of fixed-term contracts of three months or more, the minimum number of hours must be proportional to the duration of the contract in the same year.
The 40 hours of continuous training per year must be made available to at least 10% of the company’s employees. In other words, although the law provides for annual training, this can be carried out over a period of 2 years.
Employers must bear all the costs of training their employees. In addition, the 40 hours of training must be paid as working hours. In practice, when employees are undergoing training, it is as if they were working as normal.
If the training takes place outside of working hours, the employee must be compensated for the hours spent.
If the mandatory continuing training hours are not completed within 2 years of the employee’s salary, they result in a credit of hours for training on the employee’s initiative and count as working hours, entitling the employee to remuneration (Article 132 of Código do Trabalho).
In the event of termination of the employment contract, the employee must receive the training hours not taken up until then.
Investing in your training and professional development can help you stay motivated, feel more fulfilled and achieve certain career goals.
So, if you’d like to do some training, acquire or improve a skill, share your desire with the people in charge of your company.
Team building activities are a good way to strengthen bonds. They generally allow people to get to know each other better, communicate and share interests and opinions. In addition, they help to reinforce camaraderie and trust, two essential aspects for the success of teams and, therefore, companies.
When people communicate and relate effectively and harmoniously, work becomes more efficient, more productive and more successful. But also more enjoyable and fun!
According to Indeed, team building initiatives bring numerous advantages: they encourage creativity, develop trust and collaboration, increase motivation, promote well-being and a better working environment, promote interactions with other departments, among others.
So if you’re looking for team building activities for your company, here are some ideas to suit all budgets.
Companies are invariably made up of very diverse people. A good way to get to know each other better can be to find out what they have in common and what they are different in.
Understanding some of your personality traits, and those of your colleagues, can bring teams closer together and help people identify their strengths and weaknesses.
There are several popular personality tests, such as the MBTI or others, which can be carried out and discussed within teams if employees are comfortable with it.
This game is widely known and can be a light and fun way for people to get to know each other better. All you have to do is get a group of people together and then each of them has to tell three facts about themselves, one of which has to be a lie. The aim is for the other people to find out which one isn’t true.
In the end, there are no winners or losers. The aim is for people to get to know each other, deconstruct any prejudices and foster communication.
A trivia game about the company, the workplace and the employees themselves is another fun and easy-to-implement activity.
Collect a set of questions related to the company and its people and write them on cards along with the answers. For example, “how many people make up the IT department?”, “what month is the company’s birthday?” or “how many desks are there in the office?”.
Then divide the teams into groups and test their knowledge. The group that gets the most answers right wins.
This initiative will also promote cohesion and proximity between people.
From Pictionary to Party&Co to Cluedo… there are so many options. The truth is that we can all recognize that board games have the ability to bring people together.
You can buy some of these games for your company’s office and informally organize a few moments for people to gather around the table and start playing. Add some snacks and drinks and you’ve got the ingredients for a friendly and fun competition.
As simple as it sounds, you may be surprised at how these moments can strengthen bonds and stimulate creativity.
This game is a classic when it comes to team building activities. The aim is for the teams, using certain materials provided, to build a structure that prevents an egg from breaking when thrown from a certain height.
Start by providing these materials and indicate how much time the groups have to finish building the structure. When the time is up, it’s time to test the structures one by one by throwing the eggs. The team or teams that manage to keep the egg intact (or with as little damage as possible) wins.
This activity will stimulate creativity and innovation, but also communication and teamwork.
Organizing a team lunch may seem like a simple and common initiative, but the truth is that it’s always an effective way of strengthening relationships outside the work context.
Mystery dinners are an excellent way of reinforcing the closeness between people, especially from different teams.
The idea is that the company chooses a few members of each team to attend a dinner and sends out invitations indicating the time and place of the dinner. These invitations should remain anonymous, i.e. the employees who receive them should not share them with anyone. It’s only when they arrive at the restaurant that they realize who they’ll be dining with.
This allows people to get out of their comfort zone a little and, above all, to meet and interact with people they don’t relate to so directly – or on a regular basis – in their day-to-day work.
Who doesn’t like to unwind after a week’s work? Promoting a weekly or monthly happy hour is also a good way for people to connect more informally and socialize without the pressure of work.
There are already numerous escape rooms in Portugal and the purpose is simple: a group of people are locked inside a room, with a certain theme, and have to solve various puzzles in order to escape within the time limit.
These activities have become popular in recent years and are also an effective way of boosting team spirit and mutual support. They also stimulate creativity and problem-solving skills.
You can promote healthy internal competition between teams and find out, after everyone has played, which team managed to escape in the shortest time.
Laser tag is an activity similar to paintball, but which may be more suitable as the risk of someone getting hurt is typically lower. Players divide into teams and are equipped with a “gun” and a sensor. The aim is to point the guns at the opposing team’s players and try to “kill” them by hitting their sensor.
Getting your company’s employees to practise laser tag can be an excellent way of getting out of the routine, taking a few hours off work and strengthening bonds with colleagues.
If you think that promoting a traditional soccer tournament might not be an idea that everyone in the company likes, how about a more fun alternative?
In bubble football, the players are inside giant inflatable bubbles, which can make the competition hilarious!
It could be an idea to consider to increase the good mood within your company’s teams.
Giving employees the opportunity to develop new skills or interests is a way of demonstrating that the company values them. In this sense, cooking workshops can be a good option.
Look for companies or venues that offer this service, put together groups of people from different teams and voila!
Cooking a dish or a meal involves carrying out various tasks that will require organization and mutual help.
What better way to strengthen connections than to spend a day or a few hours making a positive impact on society in some way? Involving employees in volunteering activities will not only strengthen relationships, but also foster a feeling that they are making a difference to a cause or someone’s life.
There’s no shortage of volunteering projects and many associations will certainly be grateful for the help made available. So find an activity or an area that is in some way linked to your company’s values and purpose and then get to work.
Any of these team building activities can be easy to implement in your company. Most of them require very little investment and the results for the cohesion of your teams can be very positive!
People will enjoy getting out of the routine and interacting with colleagues in other contexts, while your company will benefit from all this involvement.
See also: 10 tips to increase employee motivation and satisfaction
When we’re on vacation, it’s easy to fall into temptation and abandon the good eating habits we try to maintain for the rest of the year. Being on vacation also means trying new things, including dishes that aren’t always the healthiest.
But it is possible to maintain a balanced diet even while on vacation. Discover some practical tips!
If you go shopping and cook your meals, base your choices on richer, more balanced ingredients and try to avoid less nutritious foods (such as cookies, potato chips, salty snacks, ready-made meals, processed foods, high in salt, sugar or saturated fats).
When you have lunch or dinner in restaurants, try to make thoughtful choices and favor healthy options whenever possible. Of course, when we’re on vacation, it’s natural to want to try the typical cuisine of the place we’re in or taste dishes we don’t usually eat in our day-to-day lives. And these options are not always the most balanced.
Try to compensate for these choices by ordering salad or vegetables to go with, for example, soup or fruit for dessert. If this isn’t possible, adjust your diet for the rest of the day.
First of all, take care to prepare your own healthy snacks to take on vacation. That way, you’ll be much more in control of what you eat and won’t be dependent on what’s available, for example, at service stations, on planes or in beach bars.
Examples of healthy snacks include vegetable sticks with hummus, nuts, fruit, protein bars, granola, among others.
Also, try to stick to snack times and not go too many hours without eating. Your vacation itinerary should include time for meals.
It seems too obvious. But the truth is that sometimes we tend to go way beyond the amount of food we need to be truly satiated.
This can happen particularly when we’re on vacation, a time when we’re typically more carefree. So knowing how to stop eating when you’re no longer hungry will also help you keep your eating habits more balanced during the vacations.
Whether you’re traveling by car, train or plane, whether you’re going on vacation to the beach or to the city, always take a bottle of water with you.
Especially during the summer, high temperatures make it even more necessary to drink water regularly. Try to do this even if you’re not thirsty: you can use an app or an alarm to remind yourself throughout the day.
If you’re on vacation in a city, explore the main sights on foot or by bike, for example. If you’re on the beach or in the countryside, you can also go for walks or runs.
Being physically active helps to compensate for any extra calories you may be eating during the vacations.
In short, vacations are a time for relaxation and we shouldn’t be so rigid as to deprive ourselves of something we really want to eat.
The key word to keep in mind is moderation. Balance, on vacation and throughout the rest of the year, is key to maintaining healthy eating habits.
Euroticket Creche is a social voucher that companies can give to their employees in order to support them in their childhood expenses.
Charges for nurseries, crèches, kindergartens and the like can represent a large chunk of a family’s budget. In this sense, the Euroticket Creche is a benefit that aims to ensure greater liquidity to support these expenses.
Come and find out with us how this benefit works!
Companies can grant this benefit to employees with children or dependents between the ages of 0 and 6, in order to help them with their expenses for nurseries, crèches, kindergartens and similar services.
The amount granted through this social voucher can be used not only to pay tuition fees, but also to ensure other services provided by these entities (transportation, uniforms, among others).
The amount to be awarded in the Euroticket Creche is defined by the company, in accordance with its extra-salary benefits policy. There is no legal limit to the amount awarded.
As it is a social benefit, the Euroticket Creche has a different tax framework to cash payments, making it possible for both the company and the employee to save tax:
This tax saving allows the company to maximize employees’ disposable income with regard to childcare and education expenses for their children up to the age of 6.
The Euroticket Creche can be used in more than 3,200 public and private establishments in Portugal. These establishments include crèches, kindergartens, nurseries, kindergartens, nurseries and the like.
Do you want to know how much your company could save with Euroticket Creche? Do you have any additional questions about this benefit? We’d be delighted to help you.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Creche benefit was renamed Edenred Creche.
One of the biggest challenges facing organizations today is talent retention. In this context, developing a people-centered culture – one that listens to what employees have to say and values their needs and expectations – is a decisive factor in promoting satisfaction and retention.
But what characterizes a company with a people first culture in practice? Come and find out with us.
This concept is based on the assumption that people are interested in and care about companies when companies are interested in and care about people.
Companies with a “people first” culture are, as the name suggests, centered on their people. They recognize that employees are their most important asset and all processes related to workers are strategic for the organization, rather than merely administrative.
A “people first” culture aims to increase the involvement, satisfaction and motivation of professionals, giving priority to their well-being and happiness. And this effort must be intrinsic to the purpose and values of the organization itself.
Developing and embedding a people-oriented culture involves:
As we can see, having a people-oriented organizational culture is much more than communicating inspiring ideas and phrases to the outside world. It’s about taking action, adopting measures consistently and, above all, that are intrinsic to the organization’s values and purpose.
During a job interview, it’s common for the people interviewing the candidates to make room for them to ask questions about the company or the job.
Some candidates tend to say they don’t have any questions. However, by doing so, they are missing an excellent opportunity to: show interest in the organization; demonstrate that they have researched and prepared for the interview; and to understand whether or not the vacancy is suited to their expectations.
Asking a few pertinent questions can give recruiters a good impression and make you stand out from the rest of the candidates. Here are six good questions to ask at a job interview:
Organizational culture is a very important aspect, as not only must the candidate “fit in” with the company, but the company also needs to meet the expectations of the professional.
Ask this question to find out about the company’s deep-rooted values, working methods, activities, etc.
Are you applying for a new position? If it’s not a new position, has your predecessor been promoted? Or has he or she left the company?
Understanding why the position is open can help you get an idea of the company’s dynamics and what kind of career progression opportunities there might be.
Although job advertisements can list the skills valued in the job, asking the recruiter directly will give you a more concrete idea. For example, imagine that the position in question requires direct contact with the client, but you don’t expect that.
By asking this question, you’ll be able to see not only whether you’re qualified for the job, but also whether you’re actually interested in it.
Remote working has become quite common in recent years and many organizations offer employees the possibility of adopting a hybrid or remote work regime. If this aspect is important to you – for some professionals it has even become decisive – then it is essential to clarify the company’s policy.
If you already know from the outset that you are applying for a 100% remote position, you could, for example, ask how the company engages remote workers.
It’s also important to find out a bit more about the team you’ll be joining if you’re selected. How many people are there and what is their structure, is the working environment good, what challenges do they face, what are their main strengths, etc.
In this way, you can anticipate to some extent what integration and relationships with teammates will be like.
This question will help you know what to expect when it comes to feedback on the recruitment process. Will you have to do more interviews? Does the company have more or less urgency to close the process and choose a candidate?
This information will also be useful for aligning your expectations with those of the company.
Do you ever ask yourself any of these questions when you have a job interview? As we’ve said, asking these questions can help you prove your worth and, at the same time, find out whether or not the opportunity in question matches what you’re looking for.
So, at your next job interview, keep these questions in mind, choose the ones that are most relevant to you and adapt them to the reality of the company and the job in question.
It is undeniable that the health and well-being of employees has a direct impact on their motivation, performance and productivity.
Given that people are an organization’s most important asset, it must put the well-being of its employees at the heart of its concerns and commit to promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Discover some ideas that you can put into practice in your company.
When it comes to health and well-being, prevention is the key word. In this sense, it is very important for companies to carry out preventive initiatives, such as occupational medicine, which aims to promote the well-being of workers in their professional environment.
Make these preventive measures regular and accessible to all employees.
A balanced and nutritious diet helps prevent many diseases and is therefore an essential pillar of a healthy lifestyle. There are many ways to promote healthier eating habits among employees:
Regular physical activity also has long-term benefits, helping to reduce the risk of developing various diseases, reduce stress, improve sleep and much more.
Encouraging employees to be more active can be done in a number of ways, for example:
Physical well-being is obviously important. But we can’t neglect mental health. Stress and exhaustion – whether associated with work or not – can lead to bigger problems in the long term that shouldn’t be ignored.
For this reason, try to promote a pleasant working environment, encourage leaders to practice positive communication and develop surveys to assess employees’ state of mind. If possible, facilitate access to specialized professionals who can help employees with stress reduction techniques or advise them on specific issues they may have.
Your company’s culture should favor employees’ work-life balance, rather than undermine it. This means encouraging employees to adopt good practices such as:
Encouraging employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle has an impact on absenteeism and productivity. But more than that, it conveys that the company cares about its people and is committed to maintaining their well-being.
Edenred was awarded the Inovação em Prevenção Prize in the “Heritage” category.
The 3rd edition of the awards ceremony took place on May 18th at the Ageas Tejo Building in Lisbon.
Inovação em Prevenção Awards are organized by Ageas Seguros and Exame magazine, in partnership with the Order of Economists and ISQ. This initiative aims to distinguish the best business projects in terms of prevention and safety.
The awards are given in three categories:
In the Heritage category, the jury assesses how companies promote business continuity, as well as the prevention and protection of their infrastructures. Aspects such as the protection of buildings, business continuity and cybersecurity, among others, are analyzed.
It was considered that Edenred implements various measures to secure its facilities and assets, as well as to maintain cybersecurity.
We are very pleased with this distinction, which recognizes Edenred’s continuous and consistent work in these areas. Many thanks to the jury for their confidence!
Discover other awards that Edenred has won.
Nowadays, almost every job requires working with other people. What’s more, being successful at a professional level often requires knowing how to work well in a team.
Teamwork is highly valuable as it involves different perspectives, approaches, knowledge and skills, allowing professionals to learn and evolve.
At the same time, we know that dealing with this diversity and working as a team can also be challenging. But there are some tactics that you can put into practice for good teamwork. Come and find out!
Maintain a positive attitude that stimulates and encourages the work of other colleagues. Make yourself available to collaborate when necessary.
Good communication skills are the foundation of any interpersonal relationship and the relationship between teammates is no exception. If you listen actively, convey your ideas clearly and are empathetic and respectful, you will work more harmoniously and effectively as a team.
Often, teamwork doesn’t work well because professionals are not aligned on their common goals. On the other hand, some workers tend to focus on their individual goals, rather than taking a more global view of what is required of the team as a whole.
Being a good team “player” means not only knowing the team’s objectives well, but also recognizing that these take precedence over individual ones.
Since everyone is working towards a common purpose, the exchange of knowledge and resources is crucial to achieving that purpose. Share your experience, information or resources whenever you think it will add value to your team’s work.
Working with colleagues who have different methods to ours can be challenging. That’s why flexibility and adaptability are the watchwords.
Understand that everyone is different and working as a team requires knowing how to deal with that difference.
A problem-solving mindset is one of the skills that companies are most looking for in their candidates. Being solution-oriented, rather than overwhelmed by problems, will also help you collaborate more effectively with colleagues.
By clearly understanding the collective objectives – knowing exactly what your role and that of the other team members is in achieving them – you can advise your colleagues when there is a challenge or obstacle.
However, make sure that criticism is always constructive, well-intentioned and positive in tone. Always be sincere, honest and transparent in your comments and opinions. Working well as a team means not wanting to undermine or belittle anyone.
Conflict is inevitably a natural occurrence in the workplace and within teams. Disagreements are normal, especially during times and projects of greater stress or pressure.
In order to work well in a team, it is essential to have a good ability to manage and deal with conflicts, trying to smooth over any disagreements and proposing practical ideas for resolving them.
Working in a team isn’t always easy. But look at teamwork as an opportunity, not an obstacle: an opportunity for growth and personal and professional development.
Interacting with different professionals – with different profiles and ways of working, with different experiences and knowledge – will give you the chance to deepen your skills and become a more complete and capable professional.
June 1st is Children’s Day and this is a good opportunity to spend quality time with the little ones.
Discover 10 ideas for experiences and activities to do as a family and create great memories this World Children’s Day!
Go back millions of years and learn more about the time of the dinosaurs in this outdoor theme park. There are more than 180 models of dinosaur species and other prehistoric animals to discover, in an experience that children will love.
Riding a horse for the first time can be a memorable experience. Enlist the help of the professionals at the Quinta do Rei Equestrian Center in Pinhal Novo and take advantage of Children’s Day to give the kids at home a unique moment.
Take the kids to discover the charms of marine life and more at this well-known family theme park in the Algarve. With numerous attractions, such as the dolphin show and the pirate bay, it’s sure to be a day filled with joy!
Quantum Park, located in Cacém and Almada, is the largest trampoline park in Portugal and promises an experience full of adrenaline and fun. As well as trampolining, you can also do other activities such as skateboarding, climbing, obstacle courses or soccer, for example.
A day at a water park is also synonymous with play and fun, for the kids and beyond! Slide & Splash, in the Algarve, has slides and pools to suit all tastes, as well as rest areas with grass and sun loungers.
Haven’t your children been to the Oceanarium yet? Then this could be a good opportunity to take them to this very special place, which reveals the charms of the oceans and marine biodiversity. Take advantage of the fact that you’re in Parque das Nações and take a cable car ride over the Tagus River.
The 3D Fun Art Museum in Lisbon promises moments of great fun for kids and adults alike. The various rooms, with 3D paintings that create optical illusions, will allow you to take fun photos and create great memories to look back on later.
Take the kids on a journey through the incredible underwater world at Sea Life in Porto. With various aquariums and habitats, you’ll be able to discover species such as seahorses, turtles, sharks, jellyfish, penguins and much more.
Get the family together and take a different tour of Lisbon with the HIPPOtrip! This amphibious vehicle travels by land and water, taking in sites such as the Belém Tower, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Praça do Comércio, Rossio and Marquês de Pombal.
Give children a Sherlock Holmes-style experience. In the Lisbon Escape Hunt, participants become real detectives and have to solve puzzles and complete missions in order to escape before time runs out. It’s sure to be a thrilling experience!
Did you like our suggestions for celebrating Children’s Day? Then you’ll also like the discounts you can get when you book each of these experiences. Your Edenred gives you:
Discover these and other advantages in your MyEdenred App and see how you can access discounts. If you don’t already use the app, download it now.
When an employee decides to take on a new professional challenge, it is essential that the company tries to understand why. The perspective of someone who is leaving of their own volition is very important so that those in charge can identify aspects to improve in the workplace and in the organizational culture.
Investing time in gathering this feedback can help reduce turnover and optimize talent retention in the organization.
Discover with us 8 questions that your company should ask employees when they leave, which can provide very valuable information.
Asking this question can help you find themes that are common to several employees who have decided to leave. Some examples could be: a lack of career progression opportunities, being overworked or having difficulty maintaining a work-life balance, poor professional training, a lack of feedback and recognition, poor working conditions, among others.
Did the worker leave because of the salary? Because of the extra benefits package? Because they wanted more flexible working hours? Because they wanted to progress in their job? The answer to this question may indicate some aspects that are lacking or need to be consolidated in your company.
Given the current context of talent shortages in various industries, keeping the door open for some professionals to return can be important for companies. For this reason, you should try to understand what, in a hypothetical scenario, could lead the person to return in the future.
Even if it never happens, the answers to this question can help you develop your talent retention strategy.
This question can help identify aspects that future candidates might like – and dislike – about their jobs and the company itself. Positive feedback reinforces what the company is doing well in its value proposition for employees. Negative feedback is useful for adjusting measures and procedures that could be improved and better meet employee expectations.
Lack of recognition is one of the factors that can lead to employee dissatisfaction and demotivation, and ultimately result in them leaving. This question allows us to see whether team leaders and company managers have – and put into practice – a culture of recognition.
Providing employees with all the resources they need to succeed in their job is also a key element. Training, in particular, is often overlooked by companies.
The answers to this question may indicate possible opportunities for improvement in the workplace, in the tools provided and in the professional development initiatives carried out in your company.
This question is very broad and can generate very diverse suggestions: from the company’s salary and benefits policy, to management decisions, to organizational culture or diversity and inclusion efforts, for example. These suggestions can be useful in both attracting and retaining talent.
Even if the person has decided to leave, they can still see the company as a good place to work. On the other hand, if the answer is no, it’s important to find out why.
These questions can be asked in person, in an informal conversation, or through a questionnaire platform (such as Google Forms or SurveyMonkey, for example), which can allow the employee more time and ease to prepare the answers.
Either way, this process is extremely valuable for gathering opinions and information that can help your company improve the satisfaction and motivation of employees who stay – and those who will join the team in the future!
The study “Consumption habits, expenditure and food allowance”, carried out for Edenred Portugal by Netsonda, sought to understand the habits of Portuguese workers in relation to their expenditure on food and the use of the meal allowance.
Discover the main conclusions of this study.
The average monthly amount spent on meals and foodstuffs by the Portuguese workers surveyed exceeds €370 per month.
At the same time, the average monthly meal allowance received by the Portuguese who receive this social benefit – nine out of ten workers – is 127€. That’s an average of €5.90 a day, which covers only a third of their needs.
More than half of the Portuguese workers surveyed admitted to having reduced their spending on food to cope with inflation. This phenomenon cuts across all segments of the population.
Food is the category in which the Portuguese have cut their spending the most, followed by tourism, leisure/sports, fuel and technology.
Of those who have reduced their spending on food, 82% say that this is reflected in fewer trips to restaurants, 62% in the purchase of smaller quantities of products at the supermarket, 62% in greater planning of meals, 25% in a reduction in the quantities and portions of food in restaurants and 11% in a lower nutritional quality of meals.
Of the Portuguese workers who receive a meal allowance, 45% receive it in the form of a card or voucher, while 55% receive it in cash.
For those who receive their meal allowance in the form of a card or voucher, this format has a clear associated advantage: it makes it easier to identify where the amount is spent, thus promoting more optimized budget management. 98% of workers with a meal card know where their allowance is spent.
In addition, the majority of workers who already receive their meal allowance in card say they are satisfied with this format.
This study also draws some relevant conclusions regarding the importance attributed to lunch:
Finally, 40% of workers admit that they don’t always eat a full lunch and consequently experience effects such as fatigue, irritability, headaches or lack of concentration.
This highlights the importance of having a nutritious and decent meal during the working day, which companies try to ensure by providing a meal allowance.
Did you know that you can shop online with Edenred Refeição? As well as being used in more than 38,000 physical establishments – such as restaurants, supermarkets, cafés, pastry stores, bakeries, butchers, grocery stores, among others – it can also be used to make payments in stores and online platforms.
All you need to do is link your card to MB WAY. After that, you can start shopping online at participating establishments that accept this payment method.
You can shop online with your Edenred Meal at dozens of establishments, such as:
In some of these establishments, such as Mercadão, 360hyper or Prozis, for example, you also have exclusive advantages for being an Edenred user.
Is there another online store or platform where you would like to use your Edenred Refeição? You can suggest new establishments on our website or in your MyEdenred App. We’re working every day to expand the network of Edenred stores, so you can use your meal card where it’s most useful to you!
From July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit was renamed Edenred Refeição. Article updated August 2024.
Meal allowance is a social benefit that companies can grant to employees in order to guarantee their access to a nutritious and decent meal during their working day.
Although it is not mandatory, most companies choose to grant it as a supplement to employees’ pay. And they can do this in two ways:
The meal card is an electronic card loaded by the company with the amount of meal allowance to be given to the employee each month.
This amount is available to be used for food expenses and, if it is not spent in the month in which it was allocated, it accumulates for the following month.
Providing meal allowances by card is an increasingly popular option for companies, as it has several advantages over cash allowances. One of the main ones is the inherent tax benefits , both for the company and the employee. But there are others. Check them out.
Example: Let’s say you give an employee €10.20/day as a meal allowance (x 22 working days x 11 months). If this amount is paid in cards, the employee receives an annual amount of €2,468.40. But if it’s paid in cash, the amount can be as little as €2 153.32 (with an IRS rate of 21% and a TSU rate of 11%). In short, the employee receives an extra €315.08 net per year in meal cards.
This greater liquidity for spending on food can be of fundamental importance at a time when rising inflation is affecting families’ purchasing power, especially for foodstuffs.
Did you already know about the advantages of giving your meal allowance by card?
If you’re considering this solution for your company, Edenred Refeição has even more advantages, such as the fact that you can sign up without any commitment or loyalty, you can personalize the cards with your company’s visual identity, you have access to a dedicated customer support line and much more.
Note: Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take account of the new meal allowance rates in force).
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and with it another opportunity to thank her for her unconditional love and pay tribute to the mother figure in your life.
We believe that, more than receiving a present, your mother will love you being there! That’s why we’re giving you five ideas for activities to make the most of Mother’s Day.
Does your mother like to enjoy a good artisan ice cream? Then, if you’re in the Lisbon, Cascais or Porto area, going to one of the Santini ice cream shops could be an excellent option!
There are dozens of flavors available, all with quality ingredients of natural origin. With Edenred , you can enjoy a 10% discount.
Whether it’s on the beach or in the countryside, having a picnic in a beautiful outdoor spot is always a good idea for spending quality family time. Organize all the details and surprise your mother with a meal full of things she likes.
To make sure your food and drinks are always well preserved, you can count on Smartlunch. Find a range of lunch boxes, coolers, thermoses and picnic towels and get 15% off with Edenred. You also get a 12L Polarbox as a gift with purchases of €100 or more.
If your mother has a fast pace of life and you think she needs to relieve some stress, there’s nothing better than taking her to a spa! Share a moment of pure relaxation and tranquillity with her.
Find dozens of spa and massage experiences all over the country at Odisseias, choose the one you want to give your mother and get 25% off with your Edenred.
Our country is rich in cultural diversity and we don’t always have the time to explore everything that’s good here. Mother’s Day could be a good excuse to take yours to a place she hasn’t been to before.
Has your mother never been to the Ajuda National Palace or the National Coach Museum in Lisbon? Don’t you know the Pena Palace in Sintra? Would she like to visit the Serralves Foundation in Porto?
These and many other cultural attractions are available at Tiqets and Edenred users can get up to 20% off their ticket purchase.
Would you like to get away from the routine and enjoy the weekend with your mother or the whole family? The Tróia and Comporta area could be the ideal destination if your mother likes the beach and contact with nature!
If you don’t know where to stay, look no further: the Pestana Tróia Eco-Resort & Residences can offer you a memorable experience, with ecological villas with exclusive access to the beach, swimming pools, bike rides and much more. Edenred offers you special conditions for booking your stay.
Did you like these ideas for surprising your mother figure this Mother’s Day? We’re sure that if you choose any of these activities, it will be a very special Sunday!
These and other discounts are available to all Edenred users through the Discounts and Advantages Program.
On April 3, Law no. 13/2023 was published in Diário da República, which provides for several changes to Código do Trabalho (henceforth, CT) as part of the so-called Agenda do Trabalho Digno.
These changes apply to issues such as remote work, dismissals, work on digital platforms, among others, and come into force on May 1st.
In cases where the activity performed is compatible with remote work and the employer has the resources and means to do so, they can adopt this regime:
In addition, the amount of compensation to be paid to the employee for the additional expenses arising from remote work must be fixed in the employment contract or agreement for remote work. This compensation is considered a cost of the employer for tax purposes and does not constitute the employee’s income if it is equal to or less than the limit set by Ordinance (Article 168 of the CT).
The employer must notify each of the workers concerned in writing of its intention to proceed with collective redundancy. These workers are entitled to compensation corresponding to 14 days’ basic pay, and respective seniority, for each full year of seniority in the company (Article 366 of the CT).
In cases where there has been a collective dismissal or job termination, the company may not use external services – outsourcing – to provide the same functions for the following 12 months (Article 388 of the CT).
When a fixed-term or uncertain employment contract expires, the employee is entitled to compensation corresponding to 24 days, instead of 18 days, of basic salary and respective seniority, for each full year of seniority with the company (Articles 344 and 345 of the CT).
Temporary contracts can now be renewed up to a maximum of four times (as opposed to the current six). In addition, the duration of successive temporary employment contracts for different users, with the same employer or a company in a control or group relationship, cannot exceed four years (Article 182 of the CT).
Companies will now have more benefits and incentives for collective bargaining (Article 485), particularly with regard to:
The amount to be paid to the employee for overtime work when it exceeds 100 hours per year is higher than it was until now (Article 268 of the CT):
Students on vacation or on a school break can enter into an employment contract with a company, which is not subject to written form and does not depend on student worker status.
Even so, the employer must notify Social Security of the conclusion of this contract (Article 89-A of the CT).
The remuneration for professional internships will be at least 80% of the guaranteed minimum monthly salary, which in 2023 is set at €760. The value of IEFP internship grants for undergraduates will rise to €960.
From now on, the employer must inform the employee of the duration and conditions of the trial period within a maximum of seven days. If they fail to do so, it is assumed that there is no trial period.
In cases where the trial period is 120 days or more, any termination of the contract by the company must be made 30 days in advance (Article 114 of the CT).
For young people looking for their first job or the long-term unemployed, the trial period can be reduced or even excluded, depending on whether the duration of a previous fixed-term contract with a different employer was 90 days or more.
With this law, the mechanism for presuming an employment contract will be adapted to the reality of couriers working for digital home delivery platforms.
If two of the six criteria set out in Article 12-A(1)(a) to (f) of the CT are met, such as: the existence of a fixed fee for the work provided or the definition of specific rules for carrying out the same activity, the provider of the activity will be considered an employee of the company (Article 12-A).
In cases where an employment contract is considered to exist, the rules laid down in the CT that are compatible with the nature of the activity performed apply, namely the provisions on social security deductions, minimum wage, vacations, work accident regime, among others.
The father’s compulsory parental leave will increase from 20 working days to 28 days in a row, which must be taken consecutively or in interpolated periods of at least seven days within 42 days of the child’s birth, seven of which must be consecutive and immediately after the birth.
There are also seven consecutive or interpolated days of optional leave, provided that they are taken at the same time as the mother’s initial parental leave. These days must be taken consecutively immediately after the birth (Article 43 of the CT).
Workers who are in the process of adopting or fostering a family are now entitled to time off work on presentation of justification (Article 45 of the CT).
With regard to parental leave, they can take up to 30 days during the transition and monitoring period, and are also entitled to leave to care for their child.
In the event of the loss of a child during pregnancy, parents are now entitled to leave of up to three consecutive days and must present their employer with a declaration from the hospital, health center or medical certificate (Article 38-A of the CT).
In the event of the death of family members, the number of days of leave has increased:
The granting of sick leave will become simpler. The SNS will be able to issue sick leave for up to three days digitally and up to a limit of twice a year per worker (Article 254 of the CT).
Do you use MB WAY? Did you know that you can also link your Edenred Refeição to this application?
Find out how easy it is and the advantages of doing it!
Your meal card just a click away! By associating Edenred Refeição with MB WAY, you can:
Already have MB WAY installed on your cell phone? Then it’s very easy. The membership process is just like that of a bank card.
1 – At an ATM, insert your Edenred Refeição card and select the “MB WAY/MB NET” option;
2 – Then choose the “MB WAY Membership” option;
3 – Enter the cell phone number associated with MB WAY and then the PIN you use in the application;
4 – When you receive an MB WAY notification on your cell phone, confirm the last four digits of your Edenred Refeição card number.
And you’re all set to start paying with Edenred Refeição via MB WAY!
From July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit was renamed Edenred Refeição. Article updated in July 2023.
After the government announced an interim increase in the meal allowance for the public sector on March 24th, this measure has now come into force.
This change brings with it new features with regard to amounts exempt from taxation in cash and meal cards. Find out what will change!
Ordinance no. 107-A/2023 of April 18th updates the value of the meal allowance paid to public sector workers with retroactive effect from January 1st, 2023. This amount increases from €5.20/day to €6.00/day.
This increase also raises the amount exempt from taxation, which continues to depend on the format in which the allowance is granted:
This allows companies to give their employees more liquidity for food expenses without increasing their tax burden. By allocating up to €9.60/day in meal allowance cards, you can see:
This measure aims to maximize workers’ disposable income at a time when the rising cost of living – particularly in food – continues to have a strong impact on families’ budgets.
Note: in December 2024, the maximum amount exempt from card taxation will be €10.20/day.
Productivity is a concern for many professionals in various fields. And although being more productive naturally requires an individual effort of consistency, discipline and organization, there are platforms that can help you with this.
Come and discover with us 10 platforms that can make some of your day-to-day tasks much easier and help increase productivity.
ProofHub is a project management and collaboration tool that helps teams keep their tasks organized and allows everyone to see the progress of projects.
You can assign tasks to specific people, set deadlines for their completion, upload shared files and documents, monitor the time spent on the various activities, among other features.
Like ProofHub, nTask is project management software that helps professionals prioritize their tasks and better plan their workload. This tool allows you to centralize all the tasks in a project in one place, track their progress and obtain reports.
It also streamlines team management, as it allows you to monitor each employee’s tasks, analyze the time spent on tasks, exchange messages, create an agenda for meetings and much more.
Notion is a tool suitable for large companies and small businesses, but also for professionals who want to keep their tasks organized on an individual basis.
It’s a workspace where you can take notes, save documents, create to-do lists and manage your progress. To do this, tasks can be tracked by list, calendar or status, for example.
Google can be one of your best friends when it comes to productivity, as it offers various tools completely free of charge. Google Drive is one of them and can be used both individually and professionally.
This platform, associated with a Gmail account, makes it possible to create and edit: documents (Docs), spreadsheets (Sheets) and presentations (Slides). All these files can be shared with other people with different levels of permission (read or edit, for example). What’s more, they can be accessed and edited on different devices, whether on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
Dropbox is a data storage platform that allows you to store your files – images, videos, documents, etc – in one place and securely. These files are stored in the cloud and are available to access at any time and from any device via your account.
Again, you can use this tool to organize your individual work or, on a professional level, to share files and folders with your teams with different types of permissions.
Calendly is meeting scheduling automation software. Its aim is very simple: to simplify the whole process of finding times when all the participants are available to meet.
This tool can be integrated with the main email and calendar platforms, such as Google, Outlook or Microsoft Office, for example. That way, when you share your availability on Calendly with someone, they can see in real time whether you’re free or busy at a particular time. All this allows you to schedule meetings more quickly.
Streak is an extension for Google Chrome that has been designed so that Gmail users can better manage their inbox and all the work involved in email.
Some of the possibilities offered by this extension are: grouping emails by topic or by state, creating customized templates to speed up the sending of recurring emails, scheduling the sending of emails or receiving notifications when emails are opened and how many times, for example.
Canva is a very popular design tool whose mission is to enable any professional to create visual content easily and anywhere.
This platform allows you to increase productivity by providing thousands of easy-to-use templates for the most diverse types of content: social media posts, presentations, reports, flyers, letters, newsletters, invitations, postcards, among many others.
To do this, it has a vast library of images, videos, icons, illustrations and graphics. Users can also upload their own materials.
Toggl is an application designed to increase productivity by helping professionals save time.
It can be integrated with other tools you use in your work and is very easy to use. As well as allowing you to count the time you spend on your tasks, even when you’re not online, it also allows you to typify your tasks so that you have an idea of where you’re spending the most time and can better plan your working days.
In addition, reports can be generated to monitor the progress of projects and teams.
As we mentioned at the beginning, productivity requires discipline and sometimes it can be difficult to get around distractions and not give in to procrastination.
Freedom is an application that aims to help professionals stay focused and concentrated by blocking social networks, shopping sites, videos, games and more. By installing this application – on your computer, cell phone or Google Chrome – you can decide which sites you want to block and when you want to block them. That way, you can devote yourself to the tasks that really matter and save access to these sites and applications for your break times.
These 10 tools can really help you manage your time better, plan your work better, streamline processes and collaborate more efficiently with your team.
At the end of the day, they can be great allies for maximizing your productivity. But they can’t do so without a commitment on your part that involves dedication and discipline.
With the covid-19 pandemic slowing down, companies and employees around the world have been returning to their offices over the last year. However, many professionals continue to work remotely and, given the chance, prefer to telecommute.
With physical distance, it can be more difficult to monitor employees’ well-being and identify any signs that something might be wrong, both physically and psychologically and mentally.
What’s more, remote working can lead to feelings of isolation and make it difficult to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
For this reason, it is essential that company managers are able to implement measures to promote the health and well-being of remote workers.
When there is no longer a clear physical separation between a worker’s workplace and home, the line between their personal and professional lives can become blurred.
Encourage employees to turn off their computers at the end of the working day, to take regular breaks and to eat their meals away from email and other work-related stimuli.
Identify the tools and equipment that are available in the office and that allow employees to do their jobs more effectively. We’re talking about laptop stands, monitors, external mice and keyboards, headsets, ergonomic chairs, among others.
Not having access to this equipment can lead to a certain amount of discomfort and frustration, as well as having a negative impact on efficiency and productivity.
The benefits of regular physical activity for physical and mental well-being are undeniable. In a context where workers can become more sedentary – because they don’t have to commute to work – promoting regular physical activity habits becomes even more important.
Physical exercise helps to improve concentration, motivation and mood, and helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Your company can give employees access to platforms with online classes, offer discounts at gyms or other sports activities (such as dance schools, tennis and paddle tennis clubs, soccer fields, yoga studios, among many others).
There’s no denying that we are social beings. Providing informal moments for socializing is very important for employee engagement, even more so if they are working remotely.
Organize meetings via video call and encourage more informal interactions with non-work-related topics. These moments are essential to strengthen bonds, but also to promote the mental health and well-being of teleworking employees.
You can ask employees directly how they feel – and whether work is in any way affecting their health and well-being – but there may be some reluctance to answer in a completely truthful and transparent way.
An alternative could be to carry out confidential surveys. In this way, you can find out useful information about employees’ state of mind and about aspects that may not be going well in the company and could be improved with a view to promoting people’s well-being.
With this data, you can define strategies and implement concrete measures to help maximize this well-being.
As remote working continues to establish itself as a preferred option for many professionals, it is essential that companies and their leaders have clear action plans to ensure the well-being of employees.
So if your organization hasn’t yet developed these initiatives, today is a good day to start.
Several studies, including research by Harvard University, have shown that 85% of professional success is due to a worker’s soft skills and only 15% to hard skills (technical knowledge and competencies).
This data demonstrates the importance that soft skills have in building a professional career. Although technical skills, specific to each position, are important, leaders tend to value people with the soft skills considered relevant to the organization more and more.
This is happening at a time when, with all the technological innovations we are seeing, many activities are being automated. However, soft skills cannot be replaced by machines or digital tools.
But what are soft skills?
Soft skills refer to interpersonal and socio-emotional competencies. They are characteristics and attributes related to the way the employee demonstrates professionalism, communicates and relates to others.
Some examples of soft skills are: creativity, integrity, conflict management, problem-solving skills, organization, adaptability, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, among others.
Most interactions in a professional context require some level of interpersonal skills. When you’re negotiating your contract or a salary update, when you’re presenting an idea to a colleague or your boss, when you’re in contact with clients… soft skills are required in the most diverse situations.
Developing these skills is essential if you want to be in a better position to grow your business or progress in your career. All because you can communicate better, lead more confidently and effectively, execute projects more easily and deliver more positive results.
Thus, some of the reasons why soft skills are important are:
The first step is to identify the areas in which you want and/or need to improve. This may involve some reflection or gathering feedback from colleagues and superiors. Sometimes feedback from people in your more personal circle, such as family and friends, can also be useful.
Once you’ve identified the points you need to improve, there are many ways to develop these soft skills: read a book that goes into depth on the subject, take a course, work with a mentor… it all depends on the skill you want to improve.
If you want to improve your public speaking skills, you could take a course that gives you the tools to speak more confidently and fluently in public and then practice at home.
The truth is that most soft skills are enhanced by greater self-confidence and enthusiasm. On the contrary, they are hindered or hampered by anxiety, insecurity and pessimism.
In short, if there’s a skill you’d like to improve because you think it’s useful for your professional activity, today is a good day to start.
Later, when you start to see positive results, you’ll be glad you made that decision!
Nowadays, organizations are made up of professionals from different generations. This diversity adds value to the business and the company, as people at different stages of life have more diverse experiences, skills and points of view.
At the same time, this multigenerational environment can pose a challenge for human resources managers, who need to be able to respond to different needs and expectations, particularly with regard to extra-salary benefits.
It is essential that organizations and their managers recognize the importance of making the benefits they offer more flexible. Only in this way can they remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent with heterogeneous interests.
Today, organizations can be made up of employees from four generations:
These people were born – and have lived – in very different socio-economic contexts. The job market itself is very dynamic and has become increasingly competitive. And these factors end up resulting in different professional priorities and expectations.
In this sense, your company’s benefits plan should be flexible, covering the different areas valued by employees.
People of this generation are more focused on aspects related to their retirement and also health care.
For this reason, these workers tend to value benefits related to these areas: health insurance or extra-salary benefits that allow them to have greater liquidity in medical expenses, dental services or opticians, for example.
One of the main differences between people from this generation and the previous one is that they generally still have children of school age. For this reason, education support benefits are highly valued.
At the same time, they may have family members in nursing homes or helped by home care services, so social support benefits are also very useful.
Finally, people from this generation tend to prioritize their work-life balance, valuing aspects such as flexible working hours or additional vacation days, for example.
The Millenial generation is typically going through the stage of starting a family, so childcare benefits play an important role in this age group.
This was also the first generation to show great interest in greater flexibility in the workplace, particularly in the possibility of working remotely.
Another important aspect is professional development. Career plans, as well as training and skills development opportunities, should not be overlooked by human resources managers.
This is the generation made up of younger people, some of whom are already starting to enter the job market. Like Millenials, they also value flexible working hours and the possibility of hybrid or remote working. After all, they are the first digitally native generation.
This is a generation that places a lot of importance on well-being, both physical and mental, so wellness programs and health benefits should be considered.
In addition, issues such as diversity, fairness and inclusion are central to Generation Z people, who expect companies to play an active role in promoting these values.
As we can see, people at different stages of life can be expected to have different priorities and interests.
In this context, defining a comprehensive and flexible extra-salary benefits plan that recognizes this multigenerational reality will put your company in a better position to ensure employee satisfaction and motivation.
Edenred’s purpose is “Enrich connections. For good”. We believe in the power of great connections, particularly in the synergies created with our client companies. That’s why we present the story of the collaboration between Edenred and Grupo BASE.
As part of her Business Stories project, Marta Leite de Castro spoke to Nalina Kará, Human Resources Director at the BASE Group.
Grupo Base is a Portuguese group with around 600 employees, which owns companies in the automotive (C.Santos VP), logistics (Europeças), industrial (UMM and SLM) and technology (Vera Intelligence for Business) sectors.
As various companies in the group adopted some of Edenred’s benefits, and ensured their satisfaction with them, it made sense to centralize the entire offer of extra-salary benefits in a single supplier.
At the moment, Grupo Base is preparing to have a personalized meal card with its visual identity and standardized for all business units, thus contributing to the sense of belonging of all employees.
Watch the interview in the video below.
If you have a professional occupation, then you have most likely experienced stress related to your work at some point.
A new task or role, a tight deadline to meet, a more difficult relationship with a colleague or boss… the world of work can be a real rollercoaster and lead us into pressure situations that can affect our physical and emotional well-being.
If you’re experiencing this, then it’s time to take action and try to adopt some habits that will allow you to reduce stress levels at work.
Some of the factors that can trigger stressful situations at work may be:
Some signs that you may be experiencing stress related to your work could be:
In situations of chronic work stress, workers can even develop what is known as Burnout Syndrome.
Start by taking note of the situations that cause you stress on a daily basis and how you respond to them. Was it the traffic? A team meeting? A call from a client? Take notes so you can think about the best way to react to these stimuli.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, try putting into practice some basic methods that will allow you to regain control of your work.
Learning to say “no” can also help you minimize stressful situations. Especially these days, many workers can feel pressured to be available all the time, checking emails and messages on their cell phones 24 hours a day. But it’s essential to define periods in which you won’t work or think about work.
Each person may have a different concept of work-life balance. What’s important is that you set boundaries that work for you.
Sometimes stress increases as a result of certain more negative or self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.
As much as you might think there is no connection, the truth is that there is. By investing in your health and physical well-being – through a balanced diet and regular physical activity – you are making yourself more resistant to stress.
So eat a healthy, nutritious diet, don’t go more than three hours without eating, drink water throughout the day and avoid alcohol and smoking.
It’s also proven that physical exercise is an effective way to improve mood, increase energy and relax body and mind. Find an activity you enjoy: it could be walking, running, going to the gym, doing yoga, dancing… the possibilities are endless and will certainly help you relieve stress and find balance.
Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for recharging your energy and maintaining balance. Several studies indicate that the ideal is to sleep between 7 and 8 hours a night.
Neglecting your sleep habits can have a negative impact on your productivity, creativity, problem-solving skills, ability to concentrate and mood.
Avoiding stress as a result of your professional activity necessarily involves taking a moment to disconnect from work. Look for a hobby that gives you pleasure and allows you to break away from the routine. Go on vacation without being tempted to read emails or answer calls from colleagues or clients. Implement meditation techniques in your daily life, if meditation makes sense to you.
Basically, find activities or moments when your mind is occupied with things other than your professional occupation.
Sometimes we just need someone to listen to us, even if they can’t intervene or solve the problem. Talking to someone you trust – a friend, a family member – can help you calm down and deal with stress.
If you still feel overwhelmed and exhausted, talking to a specialist may be an option to consider. Seeing a therapist can provide you with mechanisms for managing stress and coping with the impact it may be having on your mental health.
Edenred’s purpose is “Enrich connections. For good”. We believe in the power of great connections, particularly in the synergies created with our client companies. That’s why we present the story of the collaboration between Edenred and Agência Lusa.
As part of her Business Stories project, Marta Leite de Castro spoke to Joaquim Carreira, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Agência Lusa.
Agência Lusa began operating in 1987 and is the only Portuguese news agency with a national scope. Its aim is to collect and process news material or material of informative interest, to produce and distribute news (to the media, companies, institutions, etc.) and to provide the Portuguese state with a service of public interest in terms of informing citizens.
With the aim of increasing the purchasing power of its employees for their food expenses, in 2018 Lusa decided to start granting meal allowances via the Edenred meal card.
Since Lusa’s journalists are constantly on the move around the country, one of the factors that weighed heavily in the choice of supplier was the fact that Edenred has the largest network of member establishments in the country.
Watch the interview in the video below.
Several studies have shown a direct relationship between diversity in companies and their financial performance. This is the case of the study “Delivering through diversity” by McKinsey (2018), which found that the existence of cultural, ethnic and gender diversity in companies – particularly in executive positions – positively influences their revenue and financial performance.
In fact, the benefits of a diverse and inclusive organizational culture are obvious. And an approach that favors diversity and inclusion must start at ground zero: recruitment.
Any prejudice, even if unconscious, can have a negative impact on this process. When human resources managers allow themselves to be influenced by any preconceived ideas when selecting candidates, they may be underestimating profiles with real potential.
It is in this context that the concept of blind hiring.
Blind hiring refers to the concealment of candidates’ personal and demographic information during the recruitment process (e.g. name, age, gender, ethnicity or religion).
By omitting questions that are not strictly related to professional experience or the skills required for the job, the selection of candidates can become less biased, as aspects that can generate unconscious prejudice are taken out of the equation.
What is unconscious bias?
It consists of a tendency or preference that, even if it is not intentional or deliberate, can affect the way we judge someone’s character, abilities or skills.
Even if we’re not aware of it, we may have some deep-rooted preconceptions. Which, in the case of recruitment processes, can make it difficult to make completely objective and impartial decisions.
It can be difficult to eradicate unconscious bias. Even so, adjusting some procedures when recruiting human capital can result in more unbiased assessments. Some good practices could be:
In practice, it is essential to strive to build an organizational culture as a whole that makes people feel included, respected and valued. Because blind hiring alone is not enough to promote diversity and inclusion, nor to entrench them.
Even so, it’s a relevant exercise in that it can reveal some prejudices, even if unconscious, on the part of those doing the hiring. And the more we are able to identify our prejudices, the more easily we can work on them and put them aside.
Edenred’s purpose is “Enrich connections. For good”. We believe in the power of great connections, particularly the synergies created with our client companies. That’s why we present the story of the collaboration between Edenred and Cognizant.
As part of her Business Stories project, Marta Leite de Castro spoke to Bruno Santos, Human Resources Associate Director at Cognizant.
Cognizant is an American multinational in the IT sector with more than 25 years of experience and almost 400,000 employees worldwide. Its aim is to help client companies use the potential of digital technologies to meet their daily needs and keep their businesses relevant.
It opened in Portugal in August 2018 and, the following year, began offering its employees a meal allowance via the Edenred meal card.
The relationship of trust has continued ever since. In 2022, Cognizant decided to broaden the range of benefits offered to employees by also supporting them with their childhood, education and training expenses using other Edenred benefits.
Watch the interview in the video below.
In recent years, the concept of vocational retraining has come to the fore as an opportunity to start a new career.
In certain areas, professionals may face lower employability rates or few prospects for progression in their profession. In this context, retraining can be a way of investing in new skills and setting a new course.
Come and discover with us what retraining is all about!
In practice, vocational retraining refers to a change of profession. It consists of developing new skills in an area other than that in which people work or have trained.
This change can happen for various reasons: when the person doesn’t like what they do or doesn’t feel professionally fulfilled; when they can’t find job opportunities in their area; when they have no prospects for progression or salary development, for example.
At a time when we are witnessing a technological and digital transition that is shaping the job market, new skills and new worker profiles are emerging that companies need to hire. And if these profiles don’t match the training that most people have, then retraining can be a good strategy.
According to the study “Decoding Global Reskilling and Career Paths” (2021) by the Boston Consulting Group, Portugal is the seventh country in which more professionals say they are willing to retrain.
Globally, digital and information technology professions are the ones that professionals would most favor if they chose to change the direction of their careers. This may be due to the fact that they are typically well paid and offer better opportunities for progression. Next are jobs in marketing, human resources and consultancy.
Do you want to develop new skills and bet on a new career? Ironhack is an international school present in several countries, including Portugal, which promotes learning through various bootcamps and programs.
Some of the courses available are UX/UI Design, Cybersecurity, Web Development and Data Analytics, for example. They can be taken flexibly, remotely or face-to-face on campus in Lisbon. After completing the courses, 85% of graduates find a job within six months.
Users of Edenred benefits have exclusive access to the various courses available.
Edenred’s purpose is “Enrich connections. For good”. We believe in the power of great connections, particularly the synergies created with our client companies. That’s why we present the story of the collaboration between Edenred and EQS.
As part of her Business Stories project, Marta Leite de Castro spoke to Alexandra Caraslindas, Corporate Human Resources Manager at EQS.
EQS is a global group founded in 2005 with more than 200 employees. It offers highly specialized services in the areas of Engineering and Technology, as well as solutions to support companies in the Management of their Assets and Operations.
Since 2017, EQS has had Edenred’s support for extra salary benefits. In 2022, it decided to consolidate its benefits policy by accommodating Edenred Flexível, a benefit that can be used for education, training, health and social support costs.
This decision demonstrates EQS’s clear concern for the well-being, quality of life and satisfaction of its employees.
Watch the interview in the video below.
The job market is highly competitive and today’s generations are the most qualified ever. This means that talents tend to be more demanding of the companies they consider working for.
In this context, organizations in the most diverse sectors of activity have an added challenge when it comes to recruiting candidates and retaining employees.
To counteract this difficulty, many are beginning to realize that defining an attractive flexible benefits policy can enable them to improve their value proposition (EVP) and gain a competitive advantage over competing companies – i.e. those competing for existing human capital.
Want to know more? We’ll explain what flexible benefits are and help you with a step-by-step guide to creating a flexible benefits plan in your company.
Flexible benefits are a complement to the salary package granted to employees and are adapted to their needs, interests and life stages. This flexibility is based on the fact that companies are made up of different people, who may value different aspects when it comes to compensation.
The aim of flexible benefits is to support employees with certain expenses, maximize their purchasing power, but also foster their personal and professional development and promote their well-being and quality of life.
Flexible benefits can therefore be a financial or non-financial reward:
But which benefits are best suited to the reality of your company and your employees?
Follow these five steps to implement a solid and attractive flexible benefits plan for your employees.
The first step should invariably be to find out the opinion of the recipients of the benefits: the employees. Find out what their needs and expectations are by asking which benefits they value most. You could develop an internal questionnaire for this purpose.
This survey is crucial for getting to know workers’ preferences and for defining patterns (for example, by age group, gender, geographical location, etc).
Depending on the benefit, especially with regard to financial benefits, there may be a specific legal and tax framework. It is essential that the company knows all the legal aspects – existence of specific legislation, eligibility of the company and the employee, etc – and tax aspects – tax advantage associated with the benefit, conditions for the existence of the tax advantage, correct accounting, etc – inherent in the attribution of each benefit in order to implement them correctly.
Once you have listened to your employees and know the legal framework for the various extra-salary benefits, start thinking strategically about which ones make sense to give.
Take into account the preferences identified by employees, but also the company’s real needs, objectives and possibilities. In the case of financial benefits, define the amounts to be allocated, the frequency of allocation, the type of benefit and who it is intended for.
Once the benefits plan has been set up, it may be necessary to find a company that specializes in solutions for assigning extra-salary benefits.
Some benefits – such as meal allowances, childcare, education, training or health benefits, for example – have tax advantages for both the company and the employee if they are awarded through social vouchers. It is therefore necessary to find an issuer that guarantees security, quality and compliance with all legal and tax requirements.
Any strategy must include a results analysis stage. And in this case, the results can be in terms of absenteeism, the turnover rate, the average recruitment and hiring time, employee satisfaction and motivation, their involvement with the organization, among others. The important thing is to define the metrics that will allow you to assess whether the implementation of flexible benefits is having the desired results or not.
In addition, don’t see the benefits plan as a closed and unchangeable project. It is more likely – and advisable – that the allocation of these benefits will evolve in line with the needs of employees and market trends and best practices.
The importance of flexible benefits seems undeniable in a context where many managers in various industries are finding it difficult to hire and retain talent.
So if your company doesn’t yet have a solid flexible compensation strategy based on extra-salary benefits, this guide can help you get started!
Investing in your training and personal and professional development is always a win-win situation. And that investment doesn’t always have to be monetary.
There are many platforms, educational institutions or companies that offer free online training and courses in a wide variety of areas.
Come and discover with us 10 websites where you can deepen your knowledge or develop a new skill.
The Portugal Digital platform was created with the aim of accelerating the country’s digital transformation through the digital empowerment of citizens. On this site you can find a number of free courses in areas such as:
These courses are offered by Portugal Digital’s partner companies, such as Accenture, Cisco, Google or Microsoft, for example. You can consult all the free digital training courses here.
Google’s Digital Atelier takes on the mission of teaching content that can help develop companies’ businesses, workers’ professional lives or simply their confidence. And all completely free of charge.
The courses available are divided into three categories:
When you complete a course you receive a certificate from Google that you can download and share (on LinkedIn, for example).
Coursera is a platform with more than 5,400 online courses that has established partnerships with companies (such as IBM, Meta or Salesforce) and international universities (such as Columbia University, Stanford or Cambridge, for example).
You can filter the courses by their duration, by level (basic, intermediate, advanced or mixed) or by the topic covered, which can be related to arts and humanities, information technology, mathematics and logic, personal development, social sciences, among others. You can also filter by language, and there are many courses with Portuguese subtitles.
All you have to do is explore the most interesting courses for you, sign up for free and wait for them to start, as the start dates are already pre-set.
FutureLearn is another platform that aims to promote lifelong learning by offering online courses. Most of the training courses offered have an associated cost, but there are some short courses that can be taken for free.
Some of the topics available are related to digital skills (artificial intelligence, digital marketing, social networks, etc.), inclusion strategies (for example, gender equality in education or inclusive pedagogies) or sustainability (how to design a more sustainable future).
FutureLearn relies on the support of various partner companies such as Samsung, the British Council and Accenture, as well as educational and charitable institutions, to ensure these themes are implemented.
Udacity is another platform where you can find many free online courses. The contents of these courses are co-produced with companies from different sectors of activity (such as Oracle, Amazon, Google or Microsoft) and aim to contribute to the development of digital skills that are valuable in the job market.
Some of the subjects taught are:
You can find training based on your level (beginner, intermediate or advanced) or according to the length of time, which can range from just a few hours to four months.
Udemy positions itself as a teaching and learning marketplace that aims to empower people and help them achieve their goals.
Like some of the previous platforms, Udemy offers paid courses as well as free ones. To find the ones that don’t cost anything, you can search for “free courses” in the search bar.
You’ll find a list of training courses on topics such as Excel, Photoshop, WordPress, digital marketing, personal development, emotional intelligence, among many others.
You can also easily check the duration of the courses, the number of lessons for each one, the level and the language, and most of the lessons are available with audio or subtitles in Portuguese.
Codeacademy is a website that, as its name suggests, is aimed at teaching code. The aim is to share resources and tools that enable people to take advantage of technology.
On this platform you can essentially find courses that enable you to develop websites based on different programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, etc.). You can only consult the catalog of free courses and filter by level.
There are three subscription plans available, the most basic of which is the only free one and includes access to: free training; student communities for questions and exchanges of ideas; resources to support the learning process (such as videos, articles, etc.)
edX aims to encourage people to reach their potential and become agents of change through access to quality education.
The courses offered have free access and paid access: in most cases it is possible to attend the lessons without paying, but typically participation in exams and assessments, as well as obtaining certificates, have a cost involved.
To find courses that are relevant to you, you can filter by level, by language, by the partners who teach them and, of course, by subject, which is divided into areas such as architecture, communication, design, economics and finance, engineering, history, literature, philosophy, mathematics, management and many others.
To teach these topics, edX has the support of renowned institutions such as Harvard, Oxford or Princeton.
LinkedIn Learning is another platform where you can develop your knowledge for free, but only for one month. At the end of this trial period, the subscription becomes paid and you can cancel at any time.
You can set a career goal and, as a result, LinkedIn Learning offers a personalized range of courses to meet that goal. Course topics range from digital marketing, sales, design, web development, customer service, diversity and inclusion, among others.
More than 16,000 courses are available, taught by professionals who are experts in the various sectors of activity. As with the other platforms already mentioned, companies can also subscribe to a corporate plan in order to make the training available to their employees.
HubSpot Academy is a platform that invites people to invest in their personal and professional development by accessing online training adapted to the digital age.
These formations are divided into six main categories:
It’s possible to learn a few topics and take shorter lessons of just a few minutes, or to develop more in-depth topics in longer certifications of a few hours. The instructors are professionals specialized in the different areas at HubSpot.
What do you think of all these platforms with free online courses? Are you interested in trying any of them out?
Remember that there’ s always time to develop your skills and these online courses can be very useful for consolidating your knowledge, obtaining certifications or simply expanding your horizons.
Edenred Portugal has joined Merece Project, a movement that aims to reduce the environmental impact of electronic cards by treating them in an ecologically responsible way.
This is one of several initiatives included in our corporate social responsibility policy aimed at preserving the planet.
What can you do to get your Edenred card recycled?
If you have an Edenred card, you can help it to be recycled and given a second life.
When your card expires, all you have to do is insert it into an ATM and it will be retained. From there, the card will enter the Merece Project recycling circuit.
The aim of this movement is to recycle as many cards with electronic components as possible. Once shredded, the waste is used to make street furniture such as park benches, tables, flower boxes and recycling bins, among others.
At the same time, the movement aims to offset the carbon emissions generated by the production of the cards by planting trees: for every kilo of waste collected, Projeto Merece plants a tree (with a five-year maintenance guarantee).
Since its inception, the Edenred Group has been strongly committed to preserving the environment.
To this end, we strive to reduce our carbon footprint, resources consumed and waste, as well as making our solutions and services more environmentally friendly.
An example of this is the new Euroticket Refeição cards, which are now more environmentally friendly. Made of degradable PVC and composed of 57% sea salt, they enable faster degradation in a natural environment.
Give your Edenred card a second life. Because the planet deserves it!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
In addition to the Prémio Cinco Estrelas, Edenred has now won Marca Recomendada 2023, awarded by Portal da Queixa by Consumers Trust.
For the second year running, Euroticket Refeição stands out with the best satisfaction rating in the meal card category.
The Marca Recomendada seal is a vote of confidence from consumers. It is a distinction that rewards brands for their performance and the attention given to customers on Portal da Queixa. This year, 116 brands received the Marca Recomendada 2023 seal.
At Edenred we work every day to ensure maximum satisfaction for users of all Edenred benefits. We are therefore very pleased and grateful for the trust you have placed in our work.
We will continue to optimize all the processes that allow us to provide an increasingly close, transparent and efficient service.
Thank you all!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit was renamed Edenred Refeição.
Edenred Flexível was created with the aim of responding to the different needs and interests of employees. As its name suggests, it is a flexible benefit because it can be used in the areas and services that are most useful to each employee, depending on their stage of life.
It is an extra salary benefit that companies can give to their employees to support them in their education, training, health and social support expenses. The aim is to maximize the purchasing power of workers in charges that can represent a large slice of their family budget.
By providing greater liquidity, this benefit can be an important contribution to mitigating the effects of inflation and aims to facilitate access to goods and services:
Edenred Flexível is not a means of payment, but a benefit designed to guarantee access to certain goods and services. It therefore has tax benefits associated with it, both for the company granting the benefit and for its employees.
It is an electronic card pre-loaded by the company with the amount to be allocated, and there is no limit on the amount: the company is free to decide the amount to be allocated to employees.
The card can be used in all member establishments in the areas of education, training, health and social support.
To reduce its environmental impact, the card is made from recycled PVC. It is also more inclusive, with a round notch on the right-hand side that makes it easier for visually impaired people to control the position of the card at payment terminals.
Because it is a benefit and not a means of payment (in accordance with Article 48(c) and (d) of the Social Security Contributions Code), Edenred Flexível is able to ensure that the amount granted is actually used for education, training, health or social support expenses. Because of this guarantee, this benefit has a different legal framework. Tax advantages are granted to companies and employees:
Flexible benefits are a key element in companies’ value proposition to their employees in what is an increasingly competitive job market. Discover all the advantages of Edenred Flexível, both for your company and your employees.
Advantages for companies:
Benefits for employees:
Edenred Flexível can be used in a network of more than 2,400 public and private establishments in our country. These establishments include:
Why can Edenred Flexível only be used in participating establishments?
This benefit can only be used in establishments that have a commercial agreement with Edenred precisely because this ensures that the amount granted by the company is used for the purpose for which it is intended (i.e. to support education, training, health and social support costs).
Would you like to know more about Edenred Flexível? Would you like to know how you can allocate this benefit in your company?
The Passion for Customers program is a global transformation program through which Edenred seeks to ensure the best possible customer experience with its solutions and services.
To do this, we collect feedback not only from customers (companies that use our multi-benefit solutions), but also from users (employees who benefit from these solutions) and partner establishments (where the benefits can be used).
When the satisfaction questionnaires were first sent out in January 2022, one of the suggestions for improvement most frequently made by users was related to the scope of the network of establishments in which they could use their Edenred benefits.
Why can Edenred benefits only be accepted at participating establishments?
Social vouchers are not a means of payment, but rather an instrument that allows their recipients to enjoy a certain benefit. For example, in the case of the meal allowance, the aim is for the amount awarded to be spent on meals or foodstuffs, thus guaranteeing people access to decent food while at work.
Thus, and following the guidelines of the transposition of the European Payment Services Directive (PSD2) into Portugal, Edenred benefits can only be used in establishments that are part of a contracted network (with a commercial agreement with Edenred). To ensure that they are used for the purpose for which they are intended, justifying the tax advantage they enjoy.
The existence of a comprehensive network of establishments where they can use their benefits is a determining factor in user satisfaction. That’s why we didn’t ignore this window of opportunity brought about by the Passion for Customers program.
As this is one of our users’ main “pains”, we have concentrated our efforts on expanding the network of Edenred member establishments.
Since the first NPS was sent out, the number of establishments accepting payments with the Edenred meal card has risen from around 31,000 to 38,000.
This optimization has been noticeable in the subsequent phases of sending out the satisfaction questionnaires. The NPS has improved, both in the case of users (who have shown greater satisfaction at being able to use their benefits more generally) and in the case of the client companies themselves, who have shared more positive feedback. This was the case with
“With Edenred it’s easy to shop for meals and food, have lunch in restaurants and it’s very easy to know your balance and see all your movements in real time.”
Michail Malakhanov, User
“We are very satisfied with our collaboration with Edenred. In addition to the service, one of the aspects we highlight is the wide range of establishments where employees can use their benefits.”
F Initiatives, Client Company
“Very complete service! It works in many establishments, both restaurants and markets.”
Gustavo Coelho, User
For companies that provide their employees with non-wage benefits, it is also essential that these can be used flexibly, conveniently and without hindrance. So that employees remain satisfied with the benefits they receive.
It is with this in mind that Edenred carries out its daily work to expand its network of member establishments.
Priority is given to the suggestions we receive every day from our users (on our website or in the MyEdenred App) and also to the areas highlighted as a result of the Passion for Customers program.
Because we don’t just listen to what our customers have to say. We strive to act and improve on what we hear!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Financial literacy is related to people’s ability to understand concepts and put into practice certain financial skills, such as managing personal finances, saving and investing.
According to European Central Bank data for 2020, Portugal was at the bottom of the ranking of eurozone countries in terms of the general public’s financial literacy.
Mastering, even in a basic way, some good practices and concepts related to personal finance management, savings and investment is crucial to making more conscious decisions about your money and assets.
There are many ways to stay informed and improve your financial literacy: from books to television programs, newspapers and magazines and even podcasts. Discover five Portuguese examples with us.
Contas-Poupança started out as a program on SIC’s Jornal da Noite and later became a podcast. Journalist Pedro Andersson discusses various topics related to paying taxes, insurance, credit, electricity and telecommunications costs and much more. It can be very useful to get some tips on how to save or invest.
Money Bar is a podcast developed by Bárbara Barroso, a specialist in personal finance and financial consultancy who was considered the number one financial expert in Portugal in 2019 by Canal História. According to her, this podcast aims to talk about money-related topics in a relaxed and uncomplicated way.
Hosted by Expresso journalists João Vieira Pereira and João Silvestre, this podcast analyzes various political and social economic issues from the point of view of the impact they can have on our wallets. Employment, salaries, interest rates, the real estate market and cryptocurrencies are just some of the topics covered.
The BdP Podcast aims not only to raise awareness of the activities carried out by the Bank of Portugal, but also to cover topics that may be useful in the daily lives of the Portuguese. These topics can be related to monetary policy, financial services, interest rates, fraud prevention, among others.
FIRE Talks Portugal is a financial literacy project that also works through a private education and discussion group on Facebook with the aim of helping people achieve financial independence in Portugal. Led by Luís Lobo Jordão, a financial analyst and investment professional, it develops topics such as inflation, paying taxes, giving tips on the best investments and much more.
Did you already know any of these podcasts? Do you listen to any of them? This can be an excellent way to develop your financial literacy and learn tips that can prove very useful throughout your life.
In recent years, purpose has been a concept widely referred to in the organizational world.
The 2020 “Strength of Purpose” study concluded that consumers are four times more likely to buy something from a company when that company has a strong purpose.
For this reason, many leaders recognize the importance of purpose in organizations. But what is purpose? What characterizes a purpose-driven company and why is it important?
Purpose is the reason for an organization’s existence beyond profits: it defines why the organization exists in a more aspirational way, summarizing why it is important to people.
Purpose is related to the role the company plays in society and the value it adds in the long term, both to people and to the planet.
According to Hubert Joly’s definition in The Heart of Bussiness, the purpose of an organization is what results from the intersection of four variables:
According to Deloitte, what differentiates companies guided by a clear purpose from those without one is longevity and authenticity.
Having a well-defined purpose helps organizations to be more consistent and more relevant to people. When a company has a clear idea of its “why”, it can more effectively meet the needs and interests of its customers, resulting in greater satisfaction and loyalty.
This greater satisfaction and loyalty also tends to be found in employees, who also prefer to work for a company with a strong purpose.
Ultimately, all this contributes to increasing productivity and profits.
Edenred’s purpose is “Enrich connections. For good“. Ever since Edenred created the meal ticket, a small paper voucher, it has generated countless connections: between companies, employees, establishments, public authorities, society in general…
We believe in the importance of these connections, which add value to all parties and promote progress and quality of life. At the same time, we care about how these connections develop on the planet we live on. And this is our purpose.
Having a clear purpose means discovering new opportunities to add value to customers, other stakeholders and the communities in which companies operate. It means focusing on people and the planet, it means being authentic and consistent in what you do and say.
Is your company already guided by a purpose?
Edenred has been awarded the Prémio Cinco Estrelas 2023 in the meal card category. The satisfaction rate obtained was 78.40%, in an evaluation process involving client companies and users.
This distinction reflects the Portuguese recognition of the quality and excellence of the Edenred brand.
Prémio Cinco Estrelas is an evaluation system that annually measures how satisfied Portuguese consumers are with a wide range of products, services and brands. This year, more than 325,000 consumers took part in the process.
The criteria used in this brand evaluation process are as follows:
For 2023, 181 winners were chosen, including 147 brands, 15 personalities and 19 media organizations.
We are delighted to be one of the brands honored and thank all users of Edenred benefits for the trust they have placed in our work.
One of Edenred’s values is “Passion for Customers” and we try to put this into practice every day in the service we provide to our client companies, users and the establishments that make up the Edenred network.
Thank you all very much!
The meal allowance is a social benefit that aims to support workers in their food expenses. There have recently been changes to the amount allocated to public sector workers and, consequently, to the amounts exempt from taxation.
That’s why we think it’s a good time to review what the law says about the meal allowance. Come and find out all about this benefit!
The meal allowance is a social benefit that can be granted by public and private companies to their employees and which aims to guarantee access to a decent meal during the working day.
This allowance is paid for each day worked, which means that the company is not obliged to pay this benefit on days when the employee has not worked (on vacation, on public vacations, due to absence or for another reason).
Although many people take the meal allowance for granted, it is not mandatory for companies to give it to employees. In the case of private companies, employees are only entitled to receive it if it is defined in the employment contract (individual or collective).
Even so, the majority of companies in Portugal choose to grant this extra-wage compensation to their workers.
The meal allowance can be awarded in two different formats:
Payment through a meal voucher or card is the option increasingly chosen by companies, as it has tax benefits associated with it and guarantees that it will be used for the purpose for which it was given. These benefits apply both to the company itself and to the employee, who can receive a higher value than if they were paid in cash, increasing their purchasing power.
As it is only a benefit, the legislation does not set any limit – neither minimum nor maximum – on the amount of subsidy granted by private companies.
The only reference that exists is the amount paid to public sector workers. Ordinance no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated this amount to €6.00/day (until now it was €5.20/day), with retroactive effect from January 1st, 2023.
This is also the maximum amount exempt from taxation when the allowance is paid in cash. If it is paid in vouchers or cards, the maximum amount exempt is €10.20/day.
However, companies have complete freedom to allocate the amount they want.
The taxation of the meal allowance varies depending on the format in which it is granted:
For example, suppose a worker receives €10.00/day in meal allowance. If he receives this amount in cash, he is exempt from tax up to €6.00 and has to pay IRS and Social Security on the remainder – €4.00. If you receive the same amount in the form of a meal card, you don’t pay any taxes and receive the full net amount.
Since the non-taxable amount is higher when the allowance is given in the form of a voucher or card, this means that employees have more disposable income to spend on food. This is why many companies prefer this format: because they can increase the benefit granted to employees without increasing the tax burden.
Why is the tax-free amount higher for meal cards?
Social meal vouchers have a specific framework because they are considered a social benefit, as they can guarantee that the value of the allowance is only used for food expenses (as they can only be used in restaurants and food retail establishments, such as supermarkets, pastry shops, bakeries, butchers, etc). This is not guaranteed when the allowance is paid in cash.
All public sector workers are entitled to the meal allowance, as are all private sector workers whose employment contract (individual or collective contract) includes this right.
Let’s clarify some specific cases:
Do you still have questions about your meal allowance? We recommend that you talk to your company’s human resources and clarify any questions.
Article updated in December 2024 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
The European Commission has decided that 2023 will be the European Year of Skills. The aim is to promote lifelong learning and the development of skills that are important in the labor market.
Aspects such as the digital transition or sustainability, for example, have posed numerous challenges for companies. According to the European Commission:
This context reinforces the importance of adopting measures aimed at investing in the skills of human capital, not only to increase the competitiveness of companies, but also to promote their personal development.
Through a collective effort of the various entities involved, the European Commission aims to:
The above measures have very clear objectives, set within the framework of the EU’s Digital Decade. These goals are set at the level of people’s skills, the digital transformation of companies, the security and sustainability of infrastructures and the digitization of public services.
The European Union’s goal is for 80% of adults to have basic digital skills by 2030.
Companies play a fundamental role in this effort to promote workers’ skills, and they should see training their employees as an investment that will boost creativity, innovation, productivity and competitiveness.
Employee benefits are a key factor that increasingly weighs on employees’ decision to stay with a particular company or take on a new professional challenge.
These supplementary salary benefits are an important – often decisive – criterion that candidates take into account when accepting a job offer.
In 2023, the “battle” for attracting and retaining talent is expected to remain intense in some industries. It is therefore expected that organizations will continue to consolidate their extra-salary benefits.
Find out with us what to expect next year!
Employees tend to value companies that show an interest in their progression and invest in developing their skills.
According to the study “Total Compensation 2022″, carried out by Mercer, support for training and professional development is becoming more important. Around 57% of the companies surveyed are covering the costs associated with employee training (compared to just 46% in 2021).
This support for training can be done in a variety of ways: setting a budget for participation in conferences, training, courses or postgraduate courses, etc.; access to e-learning platforms; enrolment in language schools; holding regular in-house training sessions: among others.
The same Mercer study indicates that 90% of companies offer a health plan, and in 70% of cases this is extended to the employee’s spouse and children.
This trend will prevail in 2023, as this is a widely valued benefit.
2023 will also be the year when companies continue to become aware that people with different lifestyles and at different stages of life have different needs.
Flexible benefits are gaining relevance in the organizational universe to respond to this diversity of employee interests and expectations. Some of these benefits could be
These trends will quite possibly mark the year 2023 as far as the extra-wage benefits granted by companies are concerned.
What are the most important benefits for you?
The field of human resources management is changing at a rapid pace. Aspects such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the entry of new generations into the job market or technological advances, among others, have been shaping the work carried out by HR managers.
But what will be the main challenges these professionals can expect in 2023? We’ve selected five of the main trends in HR management for next year. Come and discover them with us.
Concern for people’s well-being is no longer just a “nice to have” and will become a necessity by 2023. It will be essential for human resources managers to be able to provide employees with all the support they need to ensure their physical and mental well-being.
What for? To prevent burnout, excessive stress and anxiety, and difficulties in finding a balance between personal and professional life.
First of all, try to understand how people feel, both physically and mentally. You can do this by developing anonymous surveys. Then define measures based on the answers given.
Some of these measures could include nutritional counseling sessions and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, incentives for physical activity, support for mental health, the provision of health insurance, stress management workshops, more flexible working hours, the promotion of a good working environment, among others.
Employees’ expectations of the companies they work for have been changing, especially with the entry of the new generations – Millenials and Generation Z – into the job market. This has caused human resources managers some difficulties in attracting and retaining talent.
In this context, providing a good employee experience is fundamental. According to a Gartner study, 47% of human resources managers say that employee experience is their top priority for 2023.
And that experience can involve a very wide range of factors, such as providing all the conditions for people to do their jobs, the possibility of working remotely, the promotion of wellness programs, an adjusted and attractive salary and extra-salary benefits policy, opportunities for progression and professional development, an inclusive organizational culture, a good working environment, among many others.
If these aspects are still poorly consolidated in your company, it is essential that you start working on your Employee Value Proposition because the theme of employee experience will be central next year.
The world of work has changed with the Covid-19 pandemic. It has become clear that many jobs in certain industries can be performed remotely. And this has started to increase candidates’ interest in remote work job opportunities.
Many people are less and less willing to give up this flexibility, which they consider essential for maintaining their work-life balance. Therefore, the possible resistance of some human resources leaders and managers to this idea could put their companies at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting talent and retaining it.
Even more so when the possibility of teleworking brings with it the removal of geographical boundaries, allowing organizations to hire talent from anywhere in the world. This makes the job market even more competitive, as the number of companies in a position to recruit existing candidates – and offer them more attractive conditions – is potentially greater.
In short, you have to weigh up the needs of your employees and the needs of the business itself, trying to reach a compromise that is beneficial to both. If aspects such as collaboration, productivity and employee involvement with the organization are ensured, your company will have a competitive advantage if it considers the different options: face-to-face, hybrid and remote working.
When looking for a new professional challenge, candidates value aspects such as salary, benefits or the company’s reputation. But also a culture with which they identify.
Human resources managers must strive to maintain a diverse and inclusive culture, a culture of recognition and feedback, a culture of respect that prioritizes people.
And all of this must be rooted in the day-to-day running of the organization and not just something that is communicated outwardly.
Technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate and has created opportunities for the development of many areas within companies. Human resources management is no exception.
The emergence of automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning tools can help – a lot – the work of human resources professionals. By automating processes, these tools allow these professionals to spend less time on manual and repetitive tasks. This way, they have more time to focus on their talent management strategies.
Cloud-based applications, self-service tools in which employees themselves manage their data and access information, performance management platforms… the potential is endless. And in 2023 they will make a difference.
These trends reflect what will mark the coming year in the area of human resources management: the centrality of people. The focus will be on employee well-being, satisfaction and experience, with technology playing an important role.
Remember that the job market and the organizational world are highly dynamic. That’s why it’s crucial for you to be informed about these trends. So that your company can adopt the best practices and differentiate itself in people management.
The rise in inflation has been an unavoidable topic in recent months. Last November, inflation in Portugal was 9.9%. And if we talk about food, the price increase is even higher. According to DECO Proteste, on November 30th, 2022, the same basket of food cost €35.59 more than on February 23rd of this year.
This context demonstrates the importance of companies finding ways to maximize their employees’ disposable income, while seeking to promote their well-being and quality of life (particularly with regard to safeguarding a decent diet).
Find out how you can do this by increasing your meal allowance!
Ordinance no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated the value of the meal allowance paid to public sector workers from €5.20/day to €6.00/day, with retroactive effect from January 1st, 2023.
As a result, the amount exempt from taxation on vouchers or cards has also risen to €9.60/day (until now it was €8.32/day).
This means that if you already give your employees a meal allowance in the form of a voucher or card, you can now increase the amount given up to €9.60, while keeping all the tax benefits:
In practice: if you were paying €8.32/day in cards, your employees would receive a total of €183.04/month. Now, if you start paying €9.60/day, that monthly figure will be €211.20.
This increase in purchasing power through the meal allowance allows companies to maximize their employees’ liquidity without this resulting in an increase in the tax burden – either for the company or the employee – since the TSU and IRS exemptions are maintained.
The meal allowance is a social benefit with tax advantages that aims to help workers cover the cost of food during their working day. When it is paid in vouchers or cards, there is a guarantee that the value of the allowance is actually used for food expenses, since meal vouchers can only be used in restaurants and other food establishments. There is no such guarantee when the allowance is paid in cash, which is why the tax benefit associated with social vouchers is higher.
Thus, by increasing the value of the allowance given in vouchers or cards, you are helping to increase disposable income , thereby promoting a decent, balanced and nutritious diet during the working period.
Meal vouchers or cards can only be used in restaurants and other food retail establishments (supermarkets, cafés, pastry shops, bakeries, grocery stores, butchers and fishmongers, among others).
In this way, its use promotes consumption in this sector of activity, boosting business and the local economy.
Ultimately, society as a whole benefits from the circulation and use of these vouchers, which stimulate the labor market, promote employment and reduce the informal economy.
At a time when rising prices are making it increasingly difficult for families to manage their monthly budgets, a rise in the meal allowance could help mitigate the effects of inflation.
Especially when it comes to food and access to basic necessities, this increase can make all the difference!
Article updated in April 2023 (to take into account the new meal allowance rates in force).
Note: in December 2024, the maximum amount exempt from card taxation will be €10.20/day.
Many people are increasingly concerned about eating a healthy and balanced diet. According to data from the FOOD Barometer 2022, released last November, 79% of Portuguese admit to paying more and more attention to healthy eating.
This means that people tend to look for a healthier offer in restaurants, with ingredients and recipes that meet their preferences. The FOOD Barometer 2022 confirmed this idea, concluding that 90% of Portuguese respondents think that restaurants should offer a healthier menu that includes fresh produce, clear nutritional information, a clear indication of “healthy option” on the menu, vegetarian and/or vegan options and more salads.
This is therefore a reality that restaurants cannot ignore. And although it may seem challenging to some, the truth is that it is possible to make small changes that make menus more balanced and without compromising the type of cuisine practiced.
Do you want to know what these changes are? We’ll tell you all about it! But first, let’s try to understand what healthy eating really is.
Different people may have different notions of what is healthy. We can all agree that a salad is a healthy dish and that a serving of fries in oil is unhealthy. But with other foods or meals, understanding can be more complex.
There are many aspects to take into account, such as the amount of sugar, salt or fat, the number of calories, whether the food is fresher/natural or more processed, among others.
According to the National Health Service, a healthy diet presupposes that it should be complete, varied and balanced, providing adequate energy and physical well-being throughout the day. Foods rich in fiber such as vegetables, fruit, cereals and legumes, vitamins, minerals and low in fat should be the daily “staples” of a healthy diet.
Still, it can be an interesting exercise to ask your customers directly what they are looking for in a healthier menu and adapt yours according to their answers.
In order to provide healthier meals, you need to choose healthier ingredients and cooking methods. Some ideas could be:
A note on products that claim to be “fat-free” or “sugar-free”: these products often replace fat and sugar with sweeteners and chemicals, and end up being even less healthy than they originally were. Pay close attention to labels and the composition of foods and ingredients before buying them and using them in your recipes.
You don’t need to change the entire menu. You can start by making small adjustments or giving customers some options you choose that they might not have at the moment. For example:
A healthier menu is also a precise and enlightening menu, with clear descriptions of the dishes that allow customers to make informed decisions.
Some people control the exact number of calories they eat each day or at each meal. So one improvement you can make to your restaurant menu is to add the calorie count of the dishes.
Knowing the exact number of calories in each dish can take some time and effort (if you need it, seek the help of a nutritionist who can help you). But this work will pay off, as your customers will certainly be pleased to have access to this information.
Also with the aim of making your menu more informative, you can use certain symbols that have some indications about the dishes (these symbols should be properly captioned at the end of the menu).
For example, you can use the “V” symbol to indicate vegetarian or vegan dishes, a grill to indicate dishes that are grilled, a leaf for dishes with organic vegetables, a grain for dishes based on wholemeal instead of white flour, a torn grain to indicate gluten-free foods, a chilli pepper for spicy dishes… the options are many and should be adapted to the type of cuisine in your restaurant.
This small change will make a big difference to customers, who will be more confident in their choices.
Convey to your staff the importance of preparing and offering healthier and more balanced meals in the restaurant.
On the one hand, cooks – and other workers involved in cooking – should be aware of the use of healthier ingredients and foods and turn them into tasty and appealing dishes. On the other hand, waiters should inform customers about the options available and encourage them to try these dishes.
Offering your customers more varied and balanced alternatives, as well as communicating that you use healthier cooking techniques, can help you attract new customers and also retain those who show concern about this issue.
Do you already implement some of the ideas we’ve presented above? Are there any others you are developing in your restaurant? Tell us all about it!
The celebration of the Christmas spirit is not limited to the family, but should also take place in the workplace.
Companies, and those responsible for human resources, should take advantage of this time of year to foster a close relationship with employees, recognize the work they have done during the year and reward them with a Christmas present.
Choosing a gift for employees can seem like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be! We’ll give you some ideas below.
Discover some suggestions to suit all budgets:
As you can see, there are countless possibilities for giving gifts to your employees this Christmas. More than the gift itself, what matters is the intention of the gesture, which should make the employee feel valued and appreciated.
Are you going to use any of these tips in your company? Tell us all about it!
The government’s negotiations with some civil service unions have resulted in an agreement to increase the meal allowance. This change also increases the amount of the meal allowance that is exempt from taxation. Find out what will change!
Ordinance no. 280/2022 of November 18th updates the value of the meal allowance granted to public sector workers, which increases from €4.77/day to €5.20/day, with retroactive effect from October 1, 2022.
This increase also raises the amount exempt from taxation, which continues to depend on the format in which the allowance is granted:
For companies that give their employees up to €8.32/day in vouchers or cards, the tax framework is as follows:
This change opens up the possibility for companies to increase their employees’ liquidity through the meal allowance without this resulting in an increase in the tax burden.
Note: in December 2024, the maximum amount exempt from card taxation will be €10.20/day.
Christmas is just around the corner and with it the traditional Secret Santa. Does your company or team usually organize a Secret Santa gift exchange? Have you thought about opting for a charitable gift?
Several organizations and social solidarity institutions offer solidarity products whose purchase price contributes to the sustainability of the actions and projects they carry out.
So, by buying these gifts for Christmas, you are making your contribution to the important work that these organizations do in a wide variety of areas.
Immerse yourself in the spirit of generosity and solidarity this Christmas and surprise your Secret Santa with one of these gifts!
Did you like these suggestions? We’re sure your Secret Santa will like your choice too!
From food, to presents, to decorations… Christmas is a time when consumption tends to multiply. And that consumption comes at a cost, not only to our wallets, but also to the environment.
This time of year is typically marked by very high levels of waste. According to Quercus, the amount of waste produced at Christmas 2020 was 24% higher than the rest of the year.
As consumers, we should be aware of the environmental impact this festive season can have and adopt more environmentally friendly consumption habits and actions.
So here are some tips you can put into practice this Christmas!
And don’t forget: in the case of packaging and materials that can’t be kept for the following year – aluminum packaging, plastic or glass bottles, cardboard boxes, among others – separate them so that they can be recycled.
Do you adopt any of these habits at home during the Christmas season? Do you have any other ideas for avoiding waste at this time of year? Share them with us!
Food waste is a global problem that we should all be aware of.
On the one hand, it’s a moral problem: according to a UN report, the number of people affected by hunger in the world was around 828 million in 2021. On the other hand, it’s an environmental problem that calls into question the sustainability of various resources involved in food production (such as soil, water, energy, etc.).
According to INE data, in 2020 each Portuguese person wasted an average of 183.6 kilos of food. And although it’s families who waste the most, in second place are catering establishments.
For anyone who cooks and sells meals every day, reducing food waste must be an ever-present concern. And the truth is that more and more restaurants are aware of this reality, not only because of the importance it has for the sustainability of the planet, but also because of the savings it can represent.
Do you have a restaurant and would like to know some practical tips for reducing food waste in your establishment? Come and discover them with us!
Make sure you only buy the ingredients you need to meet the demand of your business. It can be tempting to buy larger quantities – for example, if your supplier offers a discount – and build up stock. However, these foods can end up spoiling if they are not used.
In order to be able to plan wisely and with balance, it is essential to have a good understanding of your restaurant’s consumption patterns (most ordered dishes, volume of meals served, etc.).
Storing food in the right place and at the right temperature is crucial to preserving its quality and therefore avoiding waste. Make sure your fridges are the right temperature and that you use the most appropriate containers to store your food.
Also use a label system to identify the dates on which perishable products arrived, the dates on which they will expire and the number of doses in each container, for example.
Have you ever heard of this method of managing goods? In Portuguese it means “first in, first out” and assumes that the first food to arrive in your restaurant’s pantry or kitchen should be the first to be used/sold.
For this to happen, you should take care to place the newest products behind the older stock already stored in cupboards, on shelves or in fridges. This way, the oldest foods or ingredients will be used first, preventing them from going to waste.
Always having an accurate idea of the products you have in stock is fundamental to preventing waste. This means keeping a detailed list of all the food you have stored, ideally with expiry dates and quantities.
Keeping this inventory up to date on a daily basis will allow you not to forget that you have certain products in stock available for use.
Seasonal produce is not only fresher, tastier and more nutritious. They are also more durable. Using out-of-season food means using producers who are not local and that the food has to travel longer distances to reach your restaurant. They will therefore spoil more quickly.
Thus, favoring menus based on seasonal products is not only a more sensible choice in terms of waste, but also allows you to support local producers.
Do your customers often leave food on their plates at the end of meals? Then it’s likely that the size of the portions you’re serving is not right. Not only do people often not eat the entire main course, but it’s even more common for side dishes such as French fries or salad to be left over.
Quantity is not synonymous with quality and adjusting portion sizes can avoid wasting food that has already been prepared. Even so, if you carry out this analysis in your establishment, do it sensibly and with discretion, taking into account the amount you charge for the respective dishes (the price of the meal should be fair in relation to what is served).
Make it easy for customers to take their leftovers home. When you clear the table and notice that people haven’t eaten everything, encourage them to take what’s left.
For this, it’s important to have packaging and boxes suitable for takeaway. But here too you need to keep the environment in mind: avoid plastic solutions and opt for other more ecological and sustainable alternatives.
Instead of throwing organic waste in the garbage can, put it in a composter. This includes fruit and vegetable peelings, grains and seeds, old bread, tea bags, coffee grounds and much more.
Composting prevents this waste from ending up in a landfill, which produces harmful gases into the atmosphere. In addition, many restaurants that already compost make use of the organic compost that results from this process as a natural fertilizer for their gardens, for example.
Give your restaurant’s surplus to associations that support people in need of food. By doing so, you’re reducing the environmental impact of waste and, at the same time, helping people in need to have access to decent food.
Find out which organizations are active in your restaurant’s geographical area. Refood, for example, is already present in many Portuguese cities and carries out voluntary work that consists of collecting food in good condition from restaurants and food establishments (food that would otherwise go to waste) and then distributing it to people and families in need.
Charities may have certain rules or restrictions on the food and meals they can collect. This can mean that even after donating your surplus, you still have some leftovers (such as soups, salads or other products).
In such cases, ask your employees if they would be interested in taking the food home with them. Most likely, they will be very happy to be able to take these meals for free.
Reducing food waste is a key element in both environmental and social sustainability. By adopting these practical tips in your restaurant, you are making your business more environmentally responsible and aware, but also contributing to less inequality in access to food.
So today is a good day to start putting these ideas into practice!
According to Deloitte, 85% of CEOs have accelerated the digital transformation processes in their companies since the Covid-19 pandemic. The reality brought about by the pandemic has posed numerous challenges for organizations, which have felt the urgency of becoming more technological and more digital in order to remain competitive or even to survive.
However, for some, this effort may have been unsuccessful and, for others, it may not have happened at all. The truth is that many companies are still struggling to start their digital transformation processes and this continues to be one of the most discussed topics in an organizational context.
So come and learn more about the concept of digital transformation and how it can be implemented.
Digital transformation is a process of fundamental change in the way organizations operate their business, communicate and interact with customers. It implies a break with more traditional procedures and a transition to a digital culture (Digital Marketing Institute, 2022).
Digital transformation is neither linear nor the same for all companies and industries. Rather, it is a complex process that forces organizations to rethink the way they do business and how the integration of technology and digital tools can contribute to their growth.
There are three key aspects that reveal the importance of digital transformation in companies:
Since the notion of digital transformation varies widely from company to company, it is crucial to define what it means for yours.
In addition, understanding the motivations for your company to become more digital is a critical part of the process. Is it because you want to redesign your products or services to be more digital? Is it because you urgently need to optimize your customer support and communication channels? Is it because you want to automate and streamline internal procedures? Understanding why your business will want to embark on this journey is fundamental.
There is no universal formula or recipe that all companies can use to carry out their digital transformation. So you’ll have to find your own.
Once the strategy has been defined, we need to ensure that everyone involved is on the same page. As we said above, digital transformation implies a cultural change. It must therefore be clear to everyone why it is being developed, with what objectives and impacts and, above all, convey that everyone’s contribution is important.
This is the core of digital transformation, right? Digital technologies and tools open doors to a host of new potentialities, new ways of doing and thinking about business, which contribute to its growth and competitiveness.
However, make sure that the platforms you choose to underpin your digital transformation process are the ones that best suit your company’s needs.
Also, don’t make the mistake of wanting to change or adopt all the tools at once. This transition should be a continuous and incremental process: more like a marathon than a sprint.
Many digital transformation projects tend to fail, or not reach their full potential, due to a lack of skills. The qualification of human capital is a critical success factor.
Empower your teams with the digital knowledge they need to be an active part of this process.
Your digital transformation strategy will change procedures, routines and working tools. It’s even possible that new roles will be created or changed within the organization.
It’s natural that some changes are easier to adopt than others, that some processes may work better than others. What is fundamental is that you are in a position to evaluate all of this, to understand what is going well and what is not, so that you can readjust approaches and improve.
In fact, any company that has already started its digital transformation will describe it as a journey. This transition takes time and, in order to make progress, there are bound to be setbacks.
But the benefits of making your company and your business more digital are undeniable. So today could be a good day to start!
Paying taxes is an ever-present reality in our daily lives. The purchases we make, the salary we earn, the banking operations we carry out… these and many other actions are subject to taxation.
That’s why it’s essential to know the types of taxes levied in our country, as they have a significant impact on the management of our personal finances.
Do you know all the taxes in Portugal? Do you know the difference between direct and indirect taxes? Come and find out with us!
In Portugal, taxes can be direct or indirect:
The Municipal Property Tax is levied on the owners of real estate and land, taxing the value of these properties. The amount payable is levied directly on the value of the property and is defined by each municipality on the basis of a table issued by the state (which aims to regulate the values charged).
There is also the so-called Additional to IMI (AIMI), which acts as a surcharge on IMI and aims to tax taxpayers with valuable real estate assets.
The Municipal Property Transfer Tax is levied on transfers of ownership of real estate. In practice, it is levied when a property is bought or sold in Portugal.
The amount to be paid varies depending on the value of the property, ranging from 1% to 8%.
Imposto do Selo is the oldest tax in the Portuguese tax system and is not only levied on property, but also on consumption. It is a tax levied on contracts, documents, titles, books, papers or other acts that are not subject to VAT.
One of the most common situations in which this tax is levied is when buying a house using a mortgage. But it can also be levied on other consumer credit contracts, other operations carried out by financial entities, other document issues or other transactions.
Personal Income Tax is a tax levied directly on the income earned by workers. The rate to be applied is calculated on these earnings, which can be consulted in the IRS Tables in force, and is based on criteria such as the value of the gross monthly salary, marital status or the number of dependents, for example.
Corporate Income Tax is levied on companies operating in Portugal. It is a direct tax levied on income earned during the tax period, in this case the previous year.
Derrama is a municipal tax paid together with the Corporate Income Tax (IRC) and is also levied on the taxable profit of legal persons. The rate applied varies depending on the municipality in which the company is based.
Despite being called a tax, Taxa Social Única (TSU) functions as a kind of tax that both individuals and companies have to pay. In total, the TSU corresponds to 34.75% of each employee’s gross monthly salary, of which 23.75% is paid by the company and the remaining 11% is deducted from the employee’s salary.
The purpose of this tax is to guarantee the financing and sustainability of Social Security.
Value Added Tax is probably the best known tax in Portugal. It applies to transfers of goods and services, imports or intra-Community acquisitions of goods and services. In other words, when any consumer buys a good or service, they have to pay not only the cost of it, but also the respective VAT rate.
This rate varies between 0 and 23%. Services exempt from VAT are 0%, as is the case with medical services, services provided by nurseries, non-profit associations, among others. The reduced rate (6%) is applied to some food products, pharmaceuticals, books, passenger transport, hotel accommodation, among others. The intermediate rate (13%) applies to other food products, restaurant services, shows, exhibitions, cinemas, zoos, among others.
The Tax on Alcohol, Alcoholic Beverages and Sugar-Added Bever ages is applied directly to the price of products such as beer, wine, fermented beverages, spirits, ethyl alcohol, beverages with added sugar or other sweeteners or concentrates intended for the preparation of beverages. The rate varies according to the type of product.
The Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products also has a significant impact on people’s wallets, especially those who commute by car (or companies that own fleets), as it is levied on the price of fuel.
But in addition to petrol and diesel, it also applies to other oil and energy products, hydrocarbons used as fuel (with the exception of peat) and electricity.
The Tobacco Tax is a third excise duty and is levied, as its name suggests, on the price of cigars and cigarillos, cigarettes, heated tobacco and other types of tobacco.
Vehicle Excise Dut y is levied when you buy a car or motor vehicle, and is paid only once, on the first registration. Currently, this tax is already included in the sale price. In the case of imported vehicles, the tax is paid by the importer.
The tables that determine the value of the ISV are published annually and are based on the vehicle’s cylinder capacity and the environmental component.
The Single Circulation Tax (Imposto Único de Circulação), which replaced the old “car stamp”, is paid once a year, in the month of the vehicle’s registration. This tax is levied on the ownership of a vehicle and not on its circulation.
For diesel vehicles, there is also the so-called Additional IUC, an extra tax levied on owners of more polluting vehicles.
Did you know about all these taxes? Whether direct or indirect, on consumption, monthly or more punctual, they play a considerable role in our lives. So plan your family budget well to anticipate and accommodate the payment of all these charges.
Are you a Benfica member? Did you know that you can link your Euroticket Refeição card to your Sport Lisboa e Benfica membership card and enjoy exclusive benefits?
By linking the two cards you can accumulate a balance to convert into club products.
This is not the only advantage you get from being an Edenred user. You can enjoy many other exclusive discounts in areas such as health and well-being, fuel, mobility, energy, technology, leisure and entertainment, among others.
Log in to your App or the MyEdenred Portal and find out how you can access each of the advantages.
Watch the video below and learn more about the Discounts and Advantages Program, designed with you in mind!
From July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit was renamed Edenred Refeição.
One of the most effective ways of keeping teams motivated is through a solid policy of recognition and the awarding of prizes and other compensation.
Bonuses are generally a supplement to salary and can be awarded in two ways: in cash or in kind (through gift vouchers, stays, trips, cars, hampers, among others).
Awarding prizes is a measure that many companies adopt in order to recognize and reward the work of their employees. This makes them feel more committed to the objectives set – whether individually, for their team or for the company as a whole – and motivated to maintain their good performance.
But bonuses can also be used to support employees in other circumstances. For example, in the current context of inflation and rising living costs, companies can provide some kind of additional compensation to offset the loss of purchasing power by employees.
Is this your case? Are you thinking of awarding some kind of prize or incentive to your employees and still don’t know how? Get to know Compliments!
Compliments are gift vouchers that companies can give to employees in order to reward them for their work, encourage them to maintain their dedication or to increase their liquidity.
This award instrument can be used on a wide range of products and services in areas such as fashion, technology, leisure, hotels, health and well-being, cosmetics, among others, in a wide network of participating establishments.
There is no limit on the amount and the company can choose the amount to allocate to each employee (and can also choose to allocate to one employee and not to another).
If the Compliments are not granted on a regular basis, i.e. if they are granted only once during a five-year period, both your company and the employee benefit from full exemption from social security.
With the end of the year approaching, this can be a good way to recognize the work done by your employees throughout the year and boost motivation levels for the year ahead!
Different people, at different stages of life, have different… needs. It was with this in mind that Edenred Flexível was created, the social benefit that will allow you to combine more education, training, health and social support in a single card.
Come and find out all about Edenred Flexível!
It’s a social benefit that companies can give to their employees to help them have more purchasing power to cover expenses that usually represent a large slice of their family budget.
These expenses can be related to:
It’s a benefit that gives you greater flexibility because you can decide to use it in the areas and services that are most useful to you depending on the stage of life you’re in.
As it is a social benefit (an instrument designed to facilitate access to education, training, health and social support services), Edenred Flexível has associated tax benefits.
The amount your company gives you through Edenred Flexível is completely exempt from social security deductions. This makes it more liquid than paying the same amount in cash.
As an Edenred Flexível user, you have access to the Discounts and Advantages Program, which gives you exclusive discounts on fuel, technology, leisure, entertainment, energy, mobility, health and well-being and much more.
To find out how you can take advantage of these discounts, all you need to do is register with the MyEdenred App. Here you can also check your card balance and movements, find establishments that accept payments with Edenred Flexível, suggest establishments that don’t yet, among other features.
If you have more than one benefit – for example, Edenred Flexível and Euroticket Refeição – you can enter the details of both cards in the MyEdenred App and manage both in the app.
Your Edenred Flexível card can also be linked to MB WAY, for contactless payments with your cell phone or to make online purchases at participating establishments. See the step-by-step instructions for linking your card to MB WAY.
Do you think Edenred Flexível would be useful to you? Would you like to know more about this benefit?
Recruiting and hiring talent is highly challenging for human resources managers. But retaining them isn’t exactly any easier.
Gone are the days when people dedicated their entire working lives to a single company. Nowadays, workers no longer feel the need to stay in a job they’re not happy with. Especially if they have prospects of easily moving on to another job.
Several studies have shown that an employee leaving can cost the company up to a third of their annual salary (not only because of the loss of productivity, but also because of the consequent recruitment costs).
That’s why keeping employees satisfied, involved, motivated and productive should be a priority for companies.
Although they may leave for reasons unrelated to the company and their work, most of the time the reason is likely to be one of the following:
People are the source of innovation and growth in your company. But this is only true if they are satisfied.
Motivated employees work harder, get more involved in problems and solving them, help their colleagues more… on the other hand, if they are dissatisfied and even open to new professional challenges, they become less involved and productive.
This is why developing an employee engagement and retention strategy is essential: because it improves performance, decreases friction, reduces turnover and, ultimately, contributes to the company’s growth.
Having a solid onboarding program is the first step in promoting retention. Even if the employee has just joined, the initial support offered from day one can define their entire future experience.
No matter how satisfied they are with their tasks, no matter how good their relationship is with their colleagues and boss, at the end of the day employees need to feel that they are being fairly rewarded for their work. This means not only having a competitive salary, but also being able to access employee benefits that suit their needs.
Companies need to frequently evaluate and adjust their salary, benefits and incentives policies.
Benefits such as flexible working hours or the possibility of hybrid or remote working are highly valued by employees, especially after the pandemic. Not having these conditions can lead many employees to look for another company where they can work.
An employee who is happy and healthy, both physically and mentally, is more likely to be satisfied and motivated at work. So put your employees’ well-being first.
Provide a health plan, encourage physical activity (by paying for gyms, yoga classes, etc.), develop time management and stress management workshops, among others.
Talking regularly and more informally with team members, rather than just doing an annual performance review, is a good way to keep employees more committed.
It’s crucial to provide regular feedback on the employee’s work, but also to make them feel heard and ask for their own feedback: on the company’s development goals, any discomfort or displeasure, suggestions for improvement or any other topic.
Give your employees the opportunity to identify areas for growth and encourage them to develop these skills.
Many leaders believe that investing in their employees’ professional development means preparing them to be better at their next job if they leave the company. However, investing in the skills of human capital bears immediate fruit for the business in terms of productivity and innovation.
Feeling that their work and commitment are not valued can lead employees to look for another professional challenge. Therefore, make sure that your company adopts a culture of recognition and that each team and employee knows that their contribution is important.
Many companies also materialize this recognition by awarding productivity prizes or bonuses. If your budget is limited, ideas such as organizing a team lunch or offering a symbolic gift can also help employees feel valued.
A healthy work-life balance is crucial for satisfaction. If employees are constantly overwhelmed with work, if they often have to work overtime, if they can’t reconcile work with personal commitments… it’s very likely that they’ll start looking for alternatives to maintain this balance. And by alternatives, I mean other companies.
Encourage setting limits, such as not looking at emails outside working hours or setting times for meals and breaks. If you have to work overtime, consider giving yourself some extra reward or time off later.
These are some of the main areas of action that companies should consider in order to boost talent retention. Are there any other measures that you consider relevant or that you already implement in your company?
Portugal typically has very low savings rates. Factors such as low financial literacy or the high tax burden on income, for example, mean that the Portuguese are some of the lowest savers in the Eurozone.
However, the importance of saving is undeniable. Life is unpredictable and having a savings account is essential for dealing with unforeseen circumstances that may arise: unemployment, health problems, car or appliance breakdown, among many others. In addition, people can also save to achieve a certain goal: going on vacation, buying a certain item or saving money for retirement, for example.
We know it’s not always easy to save and many families face serious challenges in managing their fixed expenses, often being unable to put money aside. But there are some tools that can help you manage your spending more methodically and better organize your personal finances. Tools that can be with you at any time, on your cell phone.
Discover with us five suggestions for apps that will help you manage your spending and save money.
You Need A Budget is one of the world’s most popular personal finance apps. Users can set a budget for various categories of fixed expenses – such as food, transport, tuition, leisure, among others – and also add one-off expenses – such as car insurance, vacations, Christmas presents, etc. They can also include savings objectives.
Establishing a realistic budget for the different categories of expenditure and objectives can help you become more disciplined about what you spend. Rather than recording expenses that have already been made, the logic of this app is mainly about planning expenses in advance.
The idea is to become more intentional and thoughtful about what you do with your money and not to live beyond your means.
Available: iOS and Android.
Cost: Free trial for 34 days (no credit card required) and then 14.99$/month or 98.99$/year.
Toshl Finance was considered by the New York Times to be one of the best apps for tracking expenses. This app will allow you to automatically connect all your bank accounts (more than 40 banks in Portugal) and keep track of your expenses, being able to enter them quickly and easily.
Like YNAB, you can also set budgets for various categories of expenditure, and the app can notify you when there are deviations from the established limits.
In addition, various tutorials on finance are available if you are interested in learning more about the subject.
Available: iOS, Android and desktop.
Cost: Free trial for 30 days (credit card required) and then from 1.67$/month.
Most banks already offer their customers a mobile application for managing their accounts. The services provided vary from bank to bank, but they all have the basic functions of checking your balance and movements, which is very useful for keeping track of your spending throughout the month.
Most of these applications also include options for controlling spending, setting budgets and savings targets.
If you don’t use your bank’s app, see if it’s available, install it and explore the features that can help you manage your expenses and save money.
Saving money also means avoiding unnecessary expenses, such as paying any fines to the state. To this end, the Tax Authority has launched an application that allows you to keep up to date with payments in progress or already due for the following taxes: IMI, IUC, IRS, IRC and VAT. This way, you are always aware of the taxes you have to pay and avoid possible delays.
You can also check the status of your refunds (e.g. IRS) and generate payment references, namely via ATM or MB WAY.
Available: iOS and Android.
Cost: Free.
The MyEdenred App is a tool for managing the value of the meal allowance you receive on your Euroticket Refeição card.
Since this meal card can only be used for food expenses, it allows you to better control the amount you spend each month in this category – in restaurants, supermarket purchases, etc – and can therefore help you save. Using the app, you can check your balance and movements with the card at any time.
What’s more, by using the App, you have access to the Discounts and Advantages Program, which gives you exclusive discounts on insurance, fuel, leisure, mobility, health and well-being, entertainment, technology and much more. These discounts can help you save on certain products or services you need to buy.
Available: iOS, Android and desktop.
Cost: Free.
Did you already know about these apps? By taking advantage of the features of these platforms, and even combining the use of some of them, you can become more organized in managing your monthly budget and be in a better position to achieve your savings goals!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
The challenge of attracting talent is a clear reality in Portugal. According to ManpowerGroup’s Talent Shortage Survey 2022, Portugal is the second country with the greatest shortage of talent. 85% of Portuguese employers say they have some or a lot of difficulty recruiting and hiring the right candidates.
In an increasingly competitive job market, developing a consistent and attractive Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is crucial for companies. It is your EVP that will enable you to attract much-needed talent.
But how? Come and find out what the Employee Value Proposition is and why it’s so important.
“Companies that effectively implement their EVP can reduce turnover by around 70% and increase the involvement of new employees by around 30%.”
Gartner
The EVP consists, as its name suggests, of the value proposition that the company presents to its employees. This expression derives from the concept “Unique Value Proposition”, widely known in the marketing world, and which refers to the unique value that a given product or service has and which makes it stand out from the competition.
Applied to the organizational and human resources context, it is an ecosystem of measures and benefits that the company provides in exchange for the skills, experience and performance of its human capital. It should represent the set of values that make the organization unique and make employees feel proud and excited about working there.
The Employee Value Proposition must be unique, relevant and appealing to employees and candidates. To achieve this, there are a few key elements it must take into account:
A solid, attractive and differentiating EVP is the answer to the question “why would a candidate choose to work for our company?”. It is a key element in attracting and retaining talent and in setting your company apart from potential competitors in the job market. EVP is therefore the main foundation of your Employer Branding strategy, as it contributes to improving the organization’s reputation.
It also contributes to
In short, a strong EVP will allow your organization to stand out in the job market and for: candidates to prefer applying for jobs with your company over others; employees to feel satisfaction and motivation for working where they do.
Does your company already have an Employee Value Proposition?
IRS is a reality for taxpayers in Portugal. But for many people, it is still shrouded in doubts and questions.
How much do you pay into the IRS and why do you pay that amount? These questions may arise when you look at your pay slip or when you are analyzing a job offer, for example.
That’s why we’re going to try to make it simple and help you understand the criteria that define the amount you pay into the IRS. Before that, let’s look at what the IRS actually is.
IRS refers to Personal Income Tax. It is a tax levied on taxpayers’ income, with a few exceptions for income that is exempt from taxation.
IRS is a direct tax, in that it is levied directly on taxpayers’ income. And it is progressive, because the higher the income subject to tax, the higher the rate applied.
IRS deductions made each month are calculated on the basis of the IRS tables in force. These withholding tax tables – the tax is automatically withheld by the paying entity when the salary is processed or the amount owed to the taxpayer – indicate the rate that will be applied to your gross income.
But what determines this rate in practice?
There are a number of variables that will influence the rate levied on your income:
The meal allowance granted by your company is exempt from IRS up to the amount of:
If you receive more than €6.00/day in cash or more than €10.20/day in social vouchers (card, for example), the remaining amount is included in the IRS deduction calculations.
Did you know all the criteria that define the amount you pay into the IRS? We hope we’ve helped simplify the subject!
Article updated in January 2025 to include the new meal voucher values in effect.
Have you noticed that the MyEdenred App is different? Every day we try to ensure that you have the best possible experience with your Edenred benefits and we believe that the MyEdenred App plays a key role.
We’ve just launched a new version. Come and discover it with us!
Always have your card balance and transactions at your fingertips. That way, you’ll always know if you can use your Edenred card for your next purchase.
Does your card appear with a different image? Find out why.
Do you want to be sure that a particular establishment accepts payments with the Edenred card? In the MyEdenred App you can find all the participating establishments on the map or in a list.
Use the filter to find establishments that accept Euroticket Refeição (restaurants, supermarkets, cafés and pastry shops, butchers, fishmongers, etc) or establishments that accept Edenred Flexible (schools, universities, bookshops and stationery stores, pharmacies, clinics, nursing homes, etc).
Have you been to an establishment and been unable to pay with your Edenred card? Make a suggestion so that we can get in touch with the establishment and it can become part of our network.
All you need to do is enter a few details about the space, such as its name or location. If you don’t know any of these details, you can check the invoice you received after making the payment.
As an Edenred user you have access to a range of exclusive advantages in fuel, insurance, mobility, energy, leisure, entertainment, health and well-being, technology and much more.
To find out which discounts are available and how you can access them, simply go to the “Edenred Advantages” section.
The MyEdenred App also allows you to access promotional campaigns in restaurants, as well as book a table or place takeaway orders.
Find out in the “Where to Use” section if there are restaurants near you with discounts and make your reservation directly in the app.
Do you have the Euroticket Refeição and also the Edenred Flexible? Then you can add both cards to the MyEdenred App by clicking on the “+” on the home screen. This way, you can check the balance and movements of both cards.
Lost your card? Don’t waste time and block it in the app by clicking on its image and then selecting the “Block card” option.
Still haven’t registered for the MyEdenred App? Today is a good day to do so! Download it by clicking on the buttons below.
Do the same if you already use the app and would like to leave a review of the new version!
When you think of a meal card, its environmental impact may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
But if we think of all the cards we have in our wallets and multiply that by the world’s population, our perception of their impact on the planet could increase.
Aware of this, and of the importance of adopting more sustainable materials, Edenred has just launched a new, more environmentally friendly Euroticket Refeição card!
The new Euroticket Edenred meal card is made of degradable PVC and is composed of 57% sea salt. Since this allows for faster degradation in a natural environment, the environmental impact of this card is reduced.
Since its inception, the Edenred Group has been strongly committed to preserving the environment.
To this end, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, the resources consumed and waste, as well as seeking to make our solutions and services more environmentally friendly, as is the case with the new Euroticket Refeição.
The Euroticket Refeição will now have a round notch on the right-hand side, allowing blind people to know the correct position of the card whenever they make a payment.
Because along with sustainability, inclusion is also a central theme for Edenred.
As of July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit was renamed Edenred Refeição.
If you have a job, then you most likely receive a meal allowance. This allowance is granted by companies, both public and private, with the aim of ensuring that employees have access to a nutritious and decent meal during the working day.
But do you know everything about the meal allowance? Do you know how it can be paid in Portugal? Do you know who is entitled to receive it? Discover some myths and truths about the meal allowance in Portugal.
Contrary to what you might think, companies are not obliged to pay meal allowances. It is not included as compulsory in the Labor Code and is therefore only payable if it is provided for in an individual employment contract or collective agreement.
Even so, the meal allowance is considered a social benefit and most companies choose to give it as a supplement to remuneration.
This is only true for public sector companies. In fact, in April 2023 there was an interim increase in the value of the meal allowance, which was updated for civil service workers.
As far as private companies are concerned, however, there is no set minimum. The €6.00/day is often used as a baseline, but companies are completely free to pay any other amount.
There are tax benefits associated with the payment of meal allowances. In the case of the company, it is exempt from TSU. The employee is exempt from IRS and Social Security.
However, these tax benefits apply to different amounts depending on how the allowance is paid. If the allowance is paid in cash, the exemptions only apply up to €6.00/day. In the case of payment by voucher (social voucher), this amount becomes €10.20/day.
Since the tax-free amount is higher when the allowance is paid in cash (e.g. by card), this ends up being the solution adopted by most companies, which in this way manage to maximize employee liquidity without increasing the tax burden.
Companies that provide a free canteen service for their employees are not obliged to pay meal allowances.
Even when teleworking, a company’s employees who were already receiving this benefit – because it was provided for in the individual contract or in the collective bargaining agreement – are still entitled to receive it, as provided for in Law no. 83/2021, of December 6th, which amends the legal framework for teleworking and came into force on January 1st, 2022.
The purpose of the meal allowance is to ensure access to decent food during the working day, regardless of where the employee works.
If you work part-time in a company that gives its employees a meal allowance, then you are also entitled to receive it, if it is included in your individual or collective employment contract.
If you work five or more hours a day, you will receive the full amount (the same as full-time workers). If you work less than five hours a day, then the allowance is calculated in proportion to the workload.
Did you know all these aspects of paying meal allowances in our country? Tell us all about it!
Article updated in December 2024.
“The main reason why customers switch from one company to another is because they don’t feel valued.”
Forbes, 2019
In a global and digital world, consumers have become increasingly involved, informed and demanding in their relationship with brands.
Consumers have the power to search for what they want, where they want it and when they want it. They have at their disposal a multitude of solutions that can meet their needs. And they also find it very easy to find them – and to change if they are not satisfied.
That’s why it’s so important to ensure that the customer has a good experience with our product or service. Having a customer-centric approach is crucial to the success of any business and, at Edenred, we work every day to put this into practice. Find out how!
Aware that there is always room for improvement, and with the aim of delivering the best customer experience in the social benefits sector, Edenred has materialized one of its values “passion for customers” in a program of the same name.
The Passion for Customers program is a global transformation program that aims to put customers at the heart of the business and ensure that they have the best possible experience with our solutions and our service.
This is done in three ways:
Listen
Gather feedback to understand the buying journey and customer experience
Endow
Providing employees with knowledge and tools to ensure the best possible experience
Acting
Taking advantage of information sources and feedback to improve the whole experience
Customer satisfaction is measured using an NPS (Net Promoter Score). Every quarter, an email with a satisfaction questionnaire is sent to a group of companies, employees and establishments.
A platform is used to find detractors, neutrals and promoters.
Then, depending on the results, an action plan is drawn up:
Detractors
Understanding the causes of dissatisfaction and what practical actions we can take to combat them
Neutral
Identify possible opportunities for improvement in the journey so that they can become promoters
Promoters
Understand the success factors, replicate good practices and encourage them to share their positive experience
Passion for Customers program allows Edenred to develop practical actions that respond to problems or opportunities raised by our own customers, users and partners.
Some of these actions have been related to:
This culture of continuous improvement is fundamental to promoting a positive overall experience for all these stakeholders with our solutions and our service.
Because at Edenred, passion for the customer is a value that we try to put into practice every day!
One of the pillars of Edenred’s mission is to improve people’s lives, and healthy, balanced food is one of the pillars of their well-being.
In this context, Edenred promotes the FOOD Barometer every year, which aims to find trends in the demand for and supply of healthy and nutritionally balanced meals.
It is a questionnaire for consumers (workers who use Edenred’s social benefits) and restaurants (and other establishments that sell food), which asks questions on topics such as healthy eating or food waste.
Can we count on your contribution? Please respond using one of the buttons below.
The FOOD Program – Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand – was launched by the Edenred Group with the support of the European Union and, in Portugal, is being developed in partnership with Direção-Geral da Saúde.
This program has emerged as a response to the growing problem of obesity and aims to raise awareness:
Thank you for your cooperation! Stay tuned for the results of the FOOD Barometer 2022, which will be released in November 2022.
Back to school is always a challenging time, for kids and adults alike. For the little ones it can mean entering a new school, meeting new classmates and teachers, taking on new subjects and adopting different routines.
For parents, the challenge lies in managing all these expectations of their children and, at the same time, planning well for the expenses that lie ahead: books, school supplies, clothes…
Do you want to know some strategies for saving money this back-to-school season? Join us to discover 8 practical tips.
Before making a list of necessary school supplies, it’s important to see what you already have around the house that can be put to good use. There are always pens that still write, pencil cases that haven’t been used, notebooks or binders that haven’t yet been opened and other specific items that, if they’re in good condition, you don’t need to buy every year (backpacks, folders, drawing materials, etc.).
Even if your children insist on having everything new, make them aware of the importance of reusing these materials.
Once you’ve figured out what you already have at home, make a list of what you really need to buy. And what you really need to buy is everything that is indispensable and not more superfluous or secondary items. At this point, it’s important that you include your children and that you find a balance of what is essential together.
Set an amount you’re willing to spend to buy what’s on the list and try to stick to that budget when you start shopping.
During the back-to-school period, many stores run promotional campaigns with discounts on various items. However, you should only take advantage of these discounts if they apply to the items on your shopping list. Avoid buying items that your children don’t need just because they’re on sale.
We know that this tip may require some negotiation with your children, but using white label items will also help you save money. Once again, try to explain to them that certain fast-wearing items don’t need to be branded.
At the same time, pay attention to the quality of the materials. For example, a more expensive backpack may be more resistant and durable, while a cheaper one may not be of such high quality and will need to be replaced more quickly.
Before you buy the products on your list, compare the prices in different stores. Look at the flyers and do some research on the internet. Some stores also often have exclusive online promotions. Analyze whether it’s more worthwhile to order online, even if you pay postage, or to go to the physical store.
Until a few years ago, the cost of school textbooks accounted for a large chunk of families’ back-to-school budgets. But now all pupils attending compulsory school have access to textbooks free of charge.
To request your vouchers for textbooks, all you need to do is register on the MEGA platform or sign up for the Edu Rede Escolar mobile app.
If you don’t accumulate all your purchases at the same time and spread the expenses over time, it won’t cost you so much. What’s more, it can also allow you to take advantage of promotions that come up at other times of the year.
This tip won’t give you immediate savings, but it could increase your tax refund next year. Each household can deduct 30% of education expenses up to a limit of 800€ per year.
Expenses related to the payment of crèches, kindergartens, schools, school books, school cafeteria food, tutoring centers and others can be deducted from the IRS. See this information in more detail on Portal das Finanças.
Have you adopted any of these back-to-school strategies for your children? Are there any other strategies you use? Tell us all about it!
You already know that the Euroticket Creche is used to pay for childcare costs and the Euroticket Estudante to pay for education and training costs. If you have any of them, see where you can use them and take advantage of these benefits to cover these costs.
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Missing work occasionally can be unavoidable. We’ve all had to deal with something during working hours for one reason or another. However, when employee absences become recurrent, the impact on the company can be profound.
If absenteeism is a reality in your organization, it is essential to understand its causes so that you can implement strategies to reduce it.
Join us to learn more about the concept of absenteeism, the most common causes and 5 measures to combat it.
Absenteeism refers to the habit of not showing up for work. It occurs when employees are absent on a recurring and unplanned basis.
Absenteeism can be measured using the so-called absenteeism rate: the number of absences recorded by an employee divided by the number of expected working days. By calculating the absenteeism rate, companies can have an indicator of possible attendance problems.
Some of the most common causes of absenteeism are health-related: illness, one-off injuries or mental health problems such as depression, for example.
The covid-19 pandemic has also significantly increased the number of absences from work, both by people who are ill and by those who needed to be isolated (when isolation of at-risk contacts was in place).
Stress and burnout – physical and mental exhaustion associated with professional activity and overwork – are also increasingly worrying factors in an organizational context.
In addition to these, there are other reasons why employees are not very assiduous: poor engagement with the company, lack of flexible working hours, the need to support children or the elderly, a toxic working environment, the process of looking for a new job, among others.
Having a good working environment is crucial for employees to feel satisfied and motivated. Hostile, toxic, overly competitive and non-inclusive environments are detrimental to employees’ motivation and, ultimately, their well-being, and can lead them to miss work.
Since most absences are associated with health reasons, ensuring the well-being of employees should be at the top of any organization’s priorities.
This can be done through occupational health consultations, measures to ensure all safety conditions in the workplace, or by providing health insurance that guarantees easier access to health care.
In addition, there are other initiatives that companies can take: providing access to water and fruit in the workplace; having healthy meal options in the canteen, if they have one; promoting physical activity (they can offer special conditions at gyms, organize tournaments, running groups, etc); organizing yoga or meditation sessions; among others.
Work-life balance is increasingly valued by employees. We all have a personal life that coexists with our professional activity. And sometimes the possibility of having flexible hours or working remotely for a few days can make it easier to resolve certain issues: going to an appointment or accompanying a family member, staying with a child at home if they are ill, going to a parents’ meeting, among many others.
Not having a rigid timetable, as well as having the possibility of working remotely, can help increase employee satisfaction and well-being, thus preventing absenteeism.
Employees like to see their performance recognized. Having a recognition policy is very important for maintaining the motivation levels of human capital.
In addition, you can adopt ways of recognizing and rewarding employee attendance (through monetary prizes or extra days off, for example). In this way, you convey that their presence at work is valued and also encourage those who tend to be absent to reduce the number of absences.
Workers who are more involved with the company (with the organizational culture and its values, with the business objectives, with the team) become more committed and therefore more assiduous. This sense of belonging increases their motivation to go to work.
Involving employees can mean many things: investing in their personal and professional growth (training opportunities and skills development), creating career progression plans, carrying out team building activities, promoting moments in which employees can give their suggestions and opinions about the company, among others.
Combating absenteeism at work can be a long and complex process. That’s why it’s important to understand the main causes so that you can act on them.
Do you think these strategies could be useful in your company? Tell us all about it!
Do you have a Euroticket Refeição card? Did you know that it can be used in more than 38,000 establishments in Portugal, both physical and online?
Come and find out which ones. Before you do, find out why the meal card can only be used in restaurants and food establishments. And also why you can’t always use the card.
The Euroticket Refeição is a social voucher through which companies can give their employees a meal allowance. The aim is to guarantee employees access to a nutritious meal during their working day. To this end, it can be used to purchase meals or food products for their preparation.
As a social benefit, the meal card has a legal and fiscal framework that differs from the payment of meal allowances in cash:
Edenred works daily on this last aspect, signing new agreements with food establishments every day so that the card can be accepted. There are thousands of establishments in mainland Portugal and the islands where you can use your Euroticket meal card, but if you can’t find the one you want, you can make a suggestion and we’ll get in touch with the establishment.
Euroticket Refeição has the largest network of participating establishments in the country. These establishments include restaurants, cafés, bakeries and pastry shops, mini-markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, butchers, fishmongers, grocery stores and others. You can find establishments that accept Eurotickets at any time on your MyEdenred App or on the Edenred website.
But as well as being able to make purchases in physical establishments, you can also use the card for online purchases via MB WAY. In this case, you can use the Euroticket Refeição at:
Did you know that the Euroticket Refeição can be used both in physical establishments and for online purchases?
If there are any establishments where you have tried to use your Euroticket and have been unsuccessful, please make your suggestion in the MyEdenred App or on our website. Our team will contact you so that they can be added to the network of participating establishments.
Article updated in December 2024.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Many companies and industries today face a real “battle” to attract talent.
Attracting the best candidates and hiring the best talent (qualified, specialized, innovative people) is fundamental to the success of organizations. But the evolution of the labor market – in particular certain trends accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made the challenge of attracting talent increasingly apparent.
It is in this context that employer branding takes on importance. Learn more about this concept and discover 5 steps to develop an employer branding strategy in your organization.
Employer branding refers to a set of tactics and activities that companies carry out to communicate and promote their employee value proposition (EVP).
The aim is to build and maintain a positive image for the company, contributing to its notoriety and reputation in the job market. Especially when it comes to attracting and retaining talent.
Companies that consistently develop employer branding strategies see a reduction in turnover and a greater ability to attract candidates.
What do you want to achieve with your employer branding strategy? To have more applications in your recruitment processes? Better candidates? Reduce hiring time and costs? More visits to your Careers page? More followers on LinkedIn?
Determining concrete goals is fundamental to knowing what to do and then measuring the impact of your employer branding actions.
To give your brand strength in the job market, it is crucial that you communicate your company’s mission, vision, values and culture in a solid manner. In addition, the employee value proposition (EVP) must also be clear.
The EVP is the message with which your company will impact potential candidates. It’s what the organization offers employees – current and future – and what makes them feel enticed to work there.
At the heart of your value proposition should be people’s motivations, interests and objectives. This can involve opportunities for career progression and development, extra-salary benefits, flexible working, performance-based bonuses, among other elements.
How will you interact with your employees? How will you reach potential candidates? There are several channels through which your company can leverage its employer branding strategy. And what you should bear in mind is that this strategy should be omnichannel.
Use your website, produce blog articles, create internal communication channels, take advantage of social networks (especially LinkedIn, which is a professional social network), promote your company’s videos on YouTube… The possibilities are endless.
Try to understand where your audience is and, above all, ensure that communication is consistent across all these platforms.
The most effective employer branding initiatives are those that involve your employees. They, better than anyone, can convey trust and credibility about your workplace.
Encourage your employees to share company initiatives (news, events, get-togethers, etc.). This can be done on social media, for example. In this way, employees become a kind of ambassador for the organization.
Evaluating the success of employer branding actions is essential in order to improve the results over time. And this evaluation must be based on the objectives you have previously established (point 1).
Review the impact each action had, what went well and what could be optimized. Do this regularly and, if necessary, make adjustments based on this analysis.
Having a solid employer branding strategy can be a great competitive advantage to differentiate your company in the job market.
If you want to improve your organization’s standing with potential candidates and your own employees, today is a good day to start putting these steps into practice.
People change jobs for various reasons. Because they want to work in a different area or in a company they like better, because they want to progress in their careers or take on more exciting projects, because they are looking for a better balance between their professional and personal lives and much more…
Gone are the days when salary was the only element that entered the equation when exploring a new job opportunity. Although remuneration is still important, workers now value other aspects.
For this reason, many organizations have adopted a policy of extra-salary benefits – benefits that complement the salary package – that meet the expectations of candidates who are open to a new professional challenge.
Is this your case? Are you looking for a job? Do you already have offers on the table and are considering them? Then take a good look at the benefits and conditions offered by the companies in question.
If you have two (or more) job offers and the salary component is similar, it is crucial to analyze the extra salary benefits involved.
You should, of course, make this analysis according to your needs and what is most important to you at the stage of life you are in. We are not all the same and what may be useful for someone else may not be for us.
Discover in the list below some of the most common employee benefits that can make a difference in a job offer:
Now that you know some of the main employee benefits that can be granted by companies, you can better evaluate any job offers you may have.
Are there any other benefits you consider important? Tell us all about it!
Article updated in January 2025 to include the new meal voucher values in effect.
The job market is not static. People leave companies and take on new professional challenges for the most diverse reasons.
And although some of these reasons are unrelated to the organizations (retirement, moving to another city or country, wanting to work in another area, etc.), in most cases, employees leave companies for reasons of demotivation or dissatisfaction with their work or with the company itself.
This is where the concept of turnover comes in. Find out what it is and what factors contribute to it being high.
Turnover refers to the number of employees who have left the organization over a given period of time. It is usually calculated as a percentage (employee turnover rate).
The turnover rate includes employees who left the company of their own volition and also those who were made redundant or did not have their contracts renewed.
There are several factors that can contribute to a high turnover rate. Let’s get to know the main ones.
The opportunities for growth and professional development that companies make available to their employees have a great deal of influence on their retention.
Employees value the chance to progress in their careers. When there are no prospects for advancement in their jobs, they are more likely to look for new challenges outside their company.
Training opportunities are another aspect highly valued by employees, who like to feel that the company cares about investing in their development.
When they acquire new skills – or consolidate those they already have – workers become not only more productive and efficient, but also more committed and involved in the organization’s objectives. This can prevent voluntary departures as well as dismissals for poor performance.
We all have periods of increased workload, it’s inevitable. But when employees regularly have to work longer hours, or even postpone time off or vacations, it’s only natural that they get tired and frustrated.
When this reality becomes constant, and begins to interfere with the balance between their professional and personal lives, it is foreseeable that employees will want to leave the company and look for other alternatives.
Employees like to have feedback on their work and to be recognized when that work is done well. This culture of recognition and regular communication should be present in any company.
The absence of feedback can lead employees to feel poorly guided, supported and valued. And this can lead them to consider other professional opportunities.
Some leaders tend to micromanage, thus reducing workers’ autonomy and eliminating any openness they might have in some decision-making processes.
Employees like to feel that their voice is heard within the organization and that their opinions are taken into consideration. When this doesn’t happen, they tend to become frustrated, which contributes to increased turnover.
Companies must provide their employees with all the materials and equipment they need to perform their duties. Poor working conditions can lead to low productivity and general job dissatisfaction.
A hostile working environment is one of the main reasons why employees leave companies. When there is constant intrigue or conflict, when people feel constantly stressed, undermined, frightened or even mistreated, it is natural for them to try to distance themselves from that environment.
Ensuring a good working environment – serene, pleasant, inclusive and even fun – is essential if turnover is not to be high.
High employee turnover costs companies a lot of time and money. Firstly, because they have to make successive efforts to replace people who leave (more regular recruitment processes) and to train incoming employees. Secondly, because companies with a high turnover can be seen on the job market as a bad place to work.
So, if your company is facing this reality, it is essential that you look at the causes that are contributing to turnover and define strategies to reduce it.
Social vouchers are increasingly used by companies in Portugal with the aim of increasing employee satisfaction and motivation by increasing purchasing power in certain areas.
These areas can be, for example, health, training, children and food. The meal allowance is one of the most common extra-salary benefits and can be paid in cash or by social voucher (card or check).
But did you know that receiving your meal allowance by card has clear advantages for you in terms of savings over paying in cash? Find out what they are.
When paid in cash, the maximum daily amount exempt from IRS and TSU for company employees is €6.00. However, if paid by card, this amount increases to €10.20.
This means that, if you receive the maximum amount exempted on the card, and assuming an IRS rate of 21% and a TSU rate of 11%, the annual gain could be around €315. There is therefore a clear increase in disposable income to use for food-related expenses.
Some companies that issue meal cards offer their users additional discounts on various brands and services. This is the case with Edenred, with its Discounts and Advantages Program.
Euroticket card users have exclusive advantages in insurance, health and well-being, fuel, leisure, mobility, entertainment, technology and much more. This way, in addition to the tax savings they already have with their meal card, they can also save in their daily lives in other areas.
Social meal vouchers are intended to ensure that the amount awarded is actually used for food expenses (in order to promote good nutritional habits and an improved quality of life for workers). To this end, they can only be used in restaurants and other food establishments.
This allows you to better control the amount you spend on food, whether it’s supermarket shopping or restaurant meals, which can help you save money.
Have you ever thought about the savings inherent in a meal card? Do you use the Edenred Discount and Advantage Program? Tell us all about it!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Article updated in December 2024.
According to Clear Company (2021), 68% of employees consider training to be an essential policy in organizations. The American Management Association describes a direct relationship between training and profit: companies that increased their professional training initiatives recorded 63% more productivity and 69% more revenue.
The most successful companies in the world are those that offer their employees the best training opportunities. They look at training as an investment in success and not as a cost.
In fact, there are several reasons for your company to invest in human capital training. Discover the main ones with us.
Training is a recruitment tool. In addition to remuneration, candidates value other aspects, including the chance to acquire new knowledge and develop their professional skills.
Companies recognized for their continuous training opportunities are therefore in a better position to attract the best candidates.
Just as training helps in attracting talent, it also helps in its satisfaction and retention. Employees are more likely to want to continue working for your company if they feel that you are investing in their professional growth and development.
Although there are costs associated with continuous training, the costs of high turnover – of constantly training new employees – are much higher.
When companies invest in employee development, employees feel more valued and appreciated. This helps to increase their satisfaction and engagement with the organization.
In some cases, more satisfied and involved employees can even become ambassadors for the company, which can improve its notoriety and reputation.
Training gives employees a deeper understanding of their knowledge and skills. It gives them more resources to carry out their work more efficiently.
Employees become more creative, more proactive, with better problem-solving skills. And this results in higher productivity.
The truth is that training takes time, energy, resources and budget. That’s why many companies have some resistance to implementing these initiatives consistently.
But it is important for organizations to strike a balance between the burdens associated with training and the benefits that result from it.
Whatever your company, investing in people is the best investment you can make. They are one of the great critical success factors for your business and you should therefore try to exploit and maximize their full potential!
The worrying reality of global warming and climate change has prompted the creation of policies and measures around the world to promote environmental sustainability.
These measures are developed by governments, companies and must, of course, also be carried out by each of us individually.
Changing small habits in our daily lives can make all the difference in this effort to preserve the planet. And so, in addition to what we can do at home, there are also simple actions that we should put into practice in the workplace.
Discover with us 8 tips for adopting greener practices at work and having a more environmentally friendly routine.
If you’re still not in the habit of sorting your waste at work, today is a good day to start. Separate paper, packaging and glass and put them in the appropriate container so that they can then be recycled.
If your company doesn’t already have waste separation containers, find out if it’s possible to switch to one. Until then, you can separate recyclable materials for later disposal at home or in a container you find on your route.
Try to turn off the electricity when you don’t need it: when there’s no one in the room or when there’s enough natural light for you to work.
This will allow you to reduce energy consumption, which has a positive impact on the environment, but also contributes to reducing your company’s electricity bill.
When you finish your work, do you have a habit of leaving your computer on standby instead of turning it off? You’re probably not the only one.
But even though it’s suspended, the computer is still using some energy. Obviously, more than if it were switched off. So try to adopt this small change in your routine and turn off your equipment when you’re not going to use it.
Try to keep the number of printouts to a minimum. And, when you do need to print, try to use double-sided sheets or reuse them later to take notes.
By digitizing processes and going paperless, you can not only reduce the environmental impact of your activities, but also increase efficiency and productivity. For example, if you write and work on files online, you can make them easily accessible to your entire team, making processes simpler and more collaborative (as well as more sustainable).
Simple habits such as drinking water or coffee in the workplace can also become more eco-friendly. Especially if you make the mistake of using disposable, plastic cups every time. The environmental impact of these products is enormous.
Take your own coffee cup to work and reuse it. Do the same with your water bottle, which you can refill whenever you need to. If you eat lunch or other meals at work, also avoid disposable packaging and cutlery. Give preference to containers that you can wash and use frequently.
Changing your habits can also involve the way you commute to work. If using public transport is a viable option for you (for the journey you make from home to work), choose to leave the car at home.
Other alternatives could be carpooling with other colleagues or neighbors or, if you live close to work, walking or cycling. All these options are more environmentally friendly and also more economical.
Don’t have any natural plants in your workplace? Plants act as a kind of air filter, as they store carbon dioxide and increase oxygen levels.
In addition, plants make spaces more pleasant and calmer, helping to generally improve the atmosphere in the workplace.
Are you replacing your computer? Do you have other equipment or materials that you no longer use? Don’t throw anything away without first realizing that you can’t give it to someone else.
What, for whatever reason, is no longer useful in our company or workplace can be valued elsewhere and by other people. Always try to donate before discarding, thus avoiding waste.
Having more ecological and sustainable habits is something we should keep in mind, not only at home, but also at work, where we spend a large part of our day. There, too, we can raise awareness and positively influence our colleagues with our environmentally conscious actions.
Do you already adopt these practices in your day-to-day work? Are there any other ideas that you also implement? Tell us all about it!
The job market is constantly evolving. The emergence of new generations of workers and new working models has posed new challenges for employee engagement and satisfaction.
And while it is often said that human capital is the most important asset of any organization, this is only true if that human capital is motivated and engaged with their work and the company.
There are countless strategies for fostering this commitment and satisfaction in the workplace. But have you ever stopped to think that employee involvement can be promoted in the simplest things? Like, for example, the meal card they use every day?
If your company provides meal allowances through Edenred Refeição you can personalize it with your brand and visual identity. This way, instead of having the standard Edenred card, you have a card made entirely in the image of your organization (with your logo, color palette and visual elements alluding to your brand).
Having a customized meal card reinforces your company’s brand image, recognitioon and notoriety. This is because every time an employee uses it to make a payment, your logo is displayed.
It also helps to increase your employees’ sense of belonging. Especially when teams are geographically dispersed, it can make them feel closer and more connected to the organization.
Basically, having a co-branded meal card works as an employer branding in that it builds and maintains a positive perception of the company among employees. Don’t have a co-branded meal card yet?
Talk to us and find out how we can customize it!
Edenred makes a daily commitment to responsibility and a social role in the local communities where it operates. The Ideal Program reflects this commitment and has three main lines of action:
As part of Ideal Planet, Edenred develops initiatives every year that unite employees around a goal related to environmental sustainability.
In 2022, this goal focused on reforestation and forest protection, with a special focus on fire prevention and safeguarding biodiversity. For this reason, the Edenred Portugal team teamed up with the Plantar uma Árvore association and went to the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park to take care of the newly planted trees and control invasive exotic species.
Check out the video of the day below.
Because a small contribution from each of us can have a big impact on the change that is so necessary for the preservation of our planet!
Euroticket Refeição is among the brands honored with the Marca Recomendada 2022 Award.
The distinction was awarded by Consumers Trust to the brands that stand out with the best satisfaction rating on Portal da Queixa. This satisfaction index results from the evaluations made by consumers on this platform.
This year only the leading brands in each category were awarded and Euroticket Refeição is the brand with the best ranking in the meal card category.
Edenred works every day to ensure maximum satisfaction for users of its various solutions, including the Euroticket meal card.
We are therefore very pleased and grateful for this distinction. We will continue to optimize all the processes that enable us to provide an ever closer, more transparent and more efficient service.
Thank you all!
As of July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit was renamed Edenred Refeição.
If you’re going to have a child soon or are thinking of having one, then it’s likely that the question “where to leave the baby when maternity and paternity leave ends?” has already crossed your mind.
When parents need to go back to work, and don’t have a family support network that can stay with the baby during those hours, the solution inevitably involves finding a nursery.
However, finding a nursery can be very challenging. There are some important aspects to keep in mind when making a decision. Discover the main ones with us!
Finding a nursery close to a parent’s home or workplace obviously makes the whole daily routine of dropping off and picking up the baby easier. It also makes it possible to get to the crèche quickly if something unexpected happens. Alternatively, some nurseries offer transport to pick up and take children home.
Search online for daycare centers in the most convenient locations for you or ask for references from neighbors, friends or co-workers who already have children in daycare centers.
Another criterion to take into consideration is the educational project and the activities carried out at the nursery, which should be in line with what you want for your child’s education and development.
Find out about the pedagogical model of the various nurseries you’re going to, as well as the activities that are included: music, outings and activities outside, parties, crafts, among many others.
This is another fundamental aspect, since some nurseries may not have timetables that are compatible with parents’ professional activities. Although most daycare centers offer the option of extended hours, this will mean paying extra for overtime.
In addition to the opening hours, you should also find out about the daycare center’s vacation periods, when you will need to find an alternative.
In some daycare centers, meals may be included, in others you may have to pay a separate fee or you can send meals already prepared from home. It’s important to understand this aspect as it can be an additional burden for you.
In cases where meals are provided by the daycare center itself, it is important to understand the diversity and quality of the food used and whether the meals provided fit in with the type of diet your child should have.
As far as payment is concerned, there are typically three scenarios:
It’s important to note that, as of this year, nurseries in the Social Security network will be free for children up to the age of 1. In 2023 the measure will be extended to children up to the age of 2 and in 2024 to children up to the age of 3.
Paying for a daycare center can represent a large slice of a family’s budget, so this is a factor that weighs heavily in the decision. That’s why it’s essential to assess what is included in the monthly amount to be paid (food, diapers, etc.).
In this field, you can also try to find out from your company if there is any possibility of receiving some kind of social benefit to support children. There are social vouchers – such as the Euroticket Creche – which companies can give to employees and which, thanks to the associated tax benefits, allow them to increase their disposable income to support this type of expenditure.
In addition to clarifying all this information, there are other details you can try to figure out when you visit the nurseries: the size of the rooms, the equipment available, the number of children per room and per teacher, etc.
Plan everything in advance and avoid last-minute worries. Then just adapt to this new reality and enjoy this phase that will contribute to your child’s development!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Creche benefit has been renamed Edenred Creche.
Recognizing employees – for their efforts, for their good work – is fundamental to keeping them motivated. Companies that incorporate recognition strategies into their organizational culture manage to keep their human capital more involved and dedicated.
But if you think that all initiatives to value employees are too expensive, you’re wrong! Come and discover with us 8 low-cost ideas for rewarding and recognizing the work of your employees.
Although these strategies are low-cost, the positive impact they have on the motivation of human resources can be very great. What do you think of these ideas? Is there any other initiative you usually develop in your company to recognize the work of employees? Tell us all about it!
Do you have a Euroticket Refeição card or Euroticket Estudante? Did you know that you can associate these cards with the MB WAY app and make your purchases via mobile phone?
Come and meet with us the advantages of having your Euroticket card on MB WAY and find out how to do it step by step.
Both Euroticket Refeição and Euroticket Estudante can be associated with MB WAY and at the same time with other bank cards that you already use in this application.
The two main advantages of associating your Euroticket with MB WAY are:
If you already have MB WAY installed on your phone, all you need to do is do the following steps:
1 – Go to an ATM, enter your Euroticket card and enter your PIN code.
2nd – Select the option “MB WAY/MB NET” and then “MB WAY support”.
3 – Enter the mobile phone number that is associated with your MB WAY and set or enter your MB WAY PIN code.
You will then receive a notification on your phone.
4 – Enter MB WAY and enter the last 4 digits of your Euroticket card.
5 – Select the “Continue” option and confirm your uptake by printing or the MB WAY PIN code.
From that moment on, your Euroticket card will be available on MB WAY and ready to use.
It’s easy, isn’t it? With MB WAY you can leave your wallet in your pocket and use your Euroticket to make payments in physical and online stores quickly and simply.
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Running a business doesn’t (or shouldn’t) just mean meeting the needs and expectations of customers. You also need to keep your employees in mind. Like customers, employees also need to be involved and satisfied with your company. This satisfaction and motivation has a huge impact on the contribution they make and the results they produce.
That’s why guaranteeing a good employee experience should also be at the top of organizations’ priorities. And a large part of that good experience comes from the benefits that are given in addition to salary. Extrasalary benefits allow you to increase employee dedication and loyalty to your company, thus reducing absenteeism and turnover.
Although there is a wide variety of benefits that can be awarded – and which should be chosen according to the real needs and interests of the employees – there are some that all companies should consider. Want to know which ones? Come and discover them with us.
Promoting the health and well-being of your employees should be a priority. And this can include ensuring that they have easier access to the healthcare they may need. Having health insurance is an element that many workers value. That’s why it’s one of the most widely recognized supplementary benefits. Providing health insurance is a differentiating factor when hiring new talent and also helps to reduce absenteeism and retain employees.
This is another benefit that employees really value. And, very importantly, it doesn’t cost you anything. Everyone has a life outside of work, with commitments and unforeseen events that can sometimes interfere with working hours. If the job allows it, give employees the freedom and autonomy to manage their hours in line with these responsibilities. What’s more, productivity can increase when workers have more flexible hours, rather than the traditional 9am – 6pm.
When employees meet expectations and achieve certain goals, they should be rewarded. Bonuses or productivity bonuses can be monthly, quarterly or annual. They are a good strategy for motivating employees and increasing their productivity. The model for awarding bonuses should be clear, so that each employee knows the results they need to achieve in order to receive them.
Investing in training for your employees is an excellent way of showing that you care about their personal and professional development. This can be done by providing specific training (related to their job, for example) or by awarding social vouchers to support education. These vouchers can then be used to support expenses for undergraduate, master’s, postgraduate, language courses or any other complementary training that employees are interested in attending. Some of these benefits, such as Euroticket Estudante, can be extended to employees’ children to pay for schools, ATLs, school and computer equipment and much more.
Charges for crèches, nurseries, kindergartens and the like can represent a large chunk of the family budget. Therefore, providing childcare benefits can be a good way to improve your value proposition to your employees. There are examples of large companies that offer on-site crèches. Alternatively, there are social vouchers designed to pay for these early childhood expenses. This is the case with the Euroticket Creche, which employees can use to pay for children up to the age of 6. These benefits allow employees to maintain a balance between their personal and professional lives and also contribute to their satisfaction and motivation. Does your company not yet offer any of these benefits? Do you think they would be an asset in promoting employee motivation and involvement? Tell us all about it.
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Do you already use the MyEdenred App to check the balance and movements of your Euroticket card? The app is a valuable tool for finding out your balance whenever you need it quickly and easily. But there are other features that you probably haven’t explored yet that could also be useful to you. Want to know which ones?
Have you been to a restaurant, supermarket or bakery and been unable to use your Euroticket Refeição? You can use this feature to suggest a new establishment so that it can become part of the Euroticket network. All you need to do is provide a few details such as the name, street or location. If you don’t know any of these details, you can check the receipt you received after making the payment. Edenred will then contact the establishment so that it can accept the Euroticket card.
Do you have the Euroticket Refeição card and also the Euroticket Estudante? Then you can add both to your MyEdenred App. On the home screen all you need to do is click on the “+” and enter the number of the second card you want to link. This way, you can check the movements of your Euroticket cards at any time and all on the same platform.
In the “Where to use” section you can search for all the restaurants that accept the Euroticket card near you or in another location you want to visit. Some of these restaurants have exclusive promotions for Euroticket users. To access the promotion, all you need to do is make a reservation through the app and then, when you go to the restaurant, inform them that you booked through the MyEdenred App.
In addition to the promotions, there are other restaurants that allow you to book a table or order takeaway. The process is identical to the previous one: simply make your reservation on the MyEdenred App and then go to the restaurant to have your meal or pick up your order.
In the “Edenred Advantages” section of your App you can access the Discounts and Advantages Program. This program gives you access to a wide range of exclusive discounts for being a Euroticket user. These discounts can be used with health and wellness brands, energy, mobility, leisure, insurance companies, online stores and much more.
All you need to do is check the details of each benefit to see how you can take advantage of it. And then you can start saving with your Euroticket! Have you used any of these features before? Are there any others you’d like to see in your MyEdenred App? Tell us all about it!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
The concepts of diversity and inclusion have been gaining prominence in the organizational world. This is because many leaders and managers have woken up to the benefits that a diverse and inclusive workplace can have.
According to McKinsey, companies with gender diversity on their executive teams are 19% more likely to perform better than those without. And companies with gender diversity and ethnic diversity are 27% more likely to perform better in terms of revenue and profit.
When we talk about diversity and inclusion, we might only think of ethnic, racial and gender issues. But diversity should be understood as something broader.
So let’s take a closer look at what diversity and inclusion are. And then let’s see what its benefits are for organizations.
Diversity refers to differences in gender, race, ethnicity, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and political beliefs, among others. It refers to the unique and singular characteristics of each person.
Inclusion means that all these different individuals feel welcomed, involved, appreciated and respected at the same level. In the workplace, this means that all employees are integrated and feel an integral part of the teams and the company culture.
Diversity and inclusion should be seen as two related elements. Inclusion is fundamental for diversity to exist and be successful. If an organization has diversity, but it is not embraced or valued, then the full potential of that diverse environment is not achieved.
A diverse and inclusive workplace, made up of people with different backgrounds and life experiences, generates different perspectives, ideas and approaches. And this has a very positive impact on companies on many levels.
With more diverse teams and employees, new ideas and perspectives are much more likely to emerge.
The most diverse companies are usually the most innovative. People who have had different life experiences will have different approaches to challenges and problems, as well as more creative and disruptive ideas.
Expanding the horizons in recruitment processes and opening the door to the possibility of hiring more diverse people will increase the chances of finding the best candidates.
What’s more, when companies are diverse and inclusive, employees feel more integrated, satisfied and motivated. As a result, turnover in these companies tends to be lower.
The more employees feel welcomed, respected and valued, the greater their engagement with the organization will be.
People become more proactive, more interested in the company’s different themes and more participative in its initiatives. In some cases they may even take on the role of ambassadors for the organization with friends, family and on social media, for example.
Having diverse employees who feel that their voice is heard within the organization means that different opinions and points of view that might not have arisen in the first place can be taken into account in decision-making.
Managers and decision-makers should encourage all employees to share their opinions and convey that their contribution can make a difference.
All of the above ultimately make companies more profitable and boost good results.
Diversity is considered a critical success factor. Several studies indicate that more diverse companies perform better and are more successful. According to McKinsey, organizations that promote values of diversity and inclusion are among the most profitable.
Fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace ultimately contributes to the organization’s reputation.
The issue of diversity is on the agenda and companies that are aware of its importance and take it into account in their organizational culture will benefit from more positive recognition.
Did you see how diversity and inclusion can contribute to better individual and organizational performance?
So deconstruct your prejudices, recognize that everyone is part of your company’s diversity and promote the inclusion of others. Be fair, open, available, cooperative and supportive. This is the key to success (at work and in life)!
Many companies invest in a social benefits policy with the aim of improving their employees’ quality of life. These social vouchers can be used to cover food, education and training, health and much more. And because they are a social benefit, they can only be used in a specific network of establishments (since the aim is precisely to promote consumption in those sectors and establishments). In addition to the numerous advantages for employees (who have more disposable income) and for companies (due to the tax benefits associated with social vouchers), the establishments themselves that accept the use of these social benefits also end up enjoying a number of advantages. Do you want to know what they are? Come and discover them with us!
When employees of a particular company have a social voucher that can only be used in a specific network of establishments, being part of that network increases the chances that these people will visit your establishment. This can happen for new customers who might not otherwise visit your establishment (or even know about it), but also for existing customers who, knowing that they can use their voucher, may start to visit more often. In addition, some companies that issue social vouchers, such as Edenred, offer platforms where users can search for establishments near them that are part of the network, which helps to increase their recognition and notoriety.
Attracting and retaining customers obviously contributes to an increase in revenue. Social vouchers can only be used in the respective sectors: for example, meal cards can only be used in restaurants and establishments in the food sector and education vouchers can only be used in nurseries, schools, universities and other training establishments or school supplies. This means that the disposable income associated with a social benefit has to be channeled to the respective establishments that accept its use. By being one of them, your establishment will be able to record a higher turnover.
With the potential attraction of more customers and growth in turnover, your establishment’s resources (human resources, equipment, raw materials, etc.) are used more profitably. The installed capacity for running your business is used more efficiently. In addition, there may be a need to hire more employees, thus having a positive impact on job creation.
In the specific case of Edenred, partner establishments that are part of the network of member establishments also have access to a wider range of exclusive advantages. They can promote their establishment on online platforms such as Mygon or DIG-IN, for example. And they can also enjoy discounts on energy, telecommunications, car rentals and more through the Advantages Program for Establishments. Have you ever thought about the advantages of accepting social vouchers? Does your establishment already accept them? If not, and you are interested in joining Edenred’s network of member establishments, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Article updated in January 2025.
The meal allowance is a social benefit that can be granted by public and private companies to their employees. The aim is to help the employee cover the cost of food during the working day.
Although companies are not obliged to provide a meal allowance, most of them choose to make this benefit available to employees as a form of compensation. And they can do this in two ways: in cash or by card.
The payment of meal allowances by card has been increasingly adopted by companies. This is because there are many associated advantages for the company itself, but also for the employee.
Do you receive your meal allowance by card? Come and discover with us the main advantages of paying by card over cash.
When the meal allowance is paid in cash, the worker is exempt from IRS and Social Security up to a maximum of €6.00/day. However, if it is paid by card, this exemption from IRS and Social Security extends to a maximum of €10.20/day.
This means that, on a card, the margin of exemption is greater, which allows you to accumulate a higher amount of meal allowance.
The tax savings associated with paying meal allowance by card result in more disposable income for you. As your company can allocate a higher amount completely tax-free (for you and for it), this translates into greater purchasing power for spending on meals and food.
At the end of the month, this greater liquidity can make all the difference to your salary. You can use the meal card in a variety of establishments such as restaurants, cafés, bakeries and pastry shops, supermarkets, hypermarkets, grocery stores, butchers, among others.
Since the purpose of the meal allowance is to ensure that you pay for meals in your day-to-day work, the meal card can only be used in establishments in the food sector. In this way, companies ensure that a portion of their employees’ monthly income is earmarked for food.
This helps to promote a more dignified, balanced and nutritious diet during working hours. Ultimately, your quality of life improves.
Did you already know about the advantages of receiving your meal allowance by card? Tell us all about it!
Article updated in December 2024.
Organizations are made up of very different people. People of different ages, with different lifestyles, interests and needs. And this diversity leads people to value different aspects when it comes to compensation for their work and the conditions offered by companies. This is where flexible benefits come in. Find out with us what they are and why they are a key element in attracting and keeping talent in companies.
Flexible benefits are a complement to financial remuneration and aim to guarantee employees access to certain goods and services that are useful to them. We’re talking, for example, about meal allowances, support for education and training expenses, health expenses, transportation and mobility expenses, among others. These benefits allow companies to have a more attractive compensation policy without relying solely on salary increases (and the costs that this entails). For employees, flexible benefits maximize the net value they receive and, therefore, the income available to cover certain expenses is greater.
The main premise of flexible benefits is their ability to adapt to the reality of different workers. Each company needs to understand the needs of its employees and the stage of life they are in. For example, younger people probably value greater liquidity for training, transportation or gym expenses. But they probably don’t value benefits related to paying for childcare because they don’t have children yet. So, in the case of startups where the workers are generally of a younger age group, it won’t make as much sense to provide this benefit. On the other hand, older people may value benefits related to support for health expenses, nursing home costs, life insurance or retirement savings plans, for example. In addition to flexibility in the type of benefits awarded, companies also have the freedom to choose the amount offered, as well as the format of the vouchers (in card form, 100% digital voucher, etc.).
There are countless examples of flexible benefits that your company can offer its employees. The choice, as you know, should be based on the actual needs of the workers. But some of the most common benefits are:
Offering these or other flexible benefits to your company’s employees improves your EVP (Employee Value Proposition). And this can have a very significant impact on their satisfaction and motivation, as well as on attracting human capital. Therefore, regularly assess people’s needs and adapt your company’s benefits policy accordingly. Employees will feel more appreciated, satisfied and involved!
Although francesinha is closely linked to the city of Porto, Taberna Belga is also one of the best-known restaurants in the north of the country to try this typical dish from Porto. If you’re in Braga and love this delicacy, Taberna Belga is a must. Accompany your meal with one of the many beers on the menu.
And now, in Invicta, the Capa Negra II restaurant is proud to be one of the best restaurants to enjoy a francesinha. With a tradition of more than 40 years, this continues to be one of the main attractions of this restaurant, whose menu tells the story of the origin of this iconic dish.
Open since 1987, Casa Guedes is renowned for its roast pork shank dishes, especially the famous pork shank sandwiches. You can use your Euroticket Refeição in the two emblematic spaces in Praça dos Poveiros – Casa Guedes Tradicional and Casa Guedes Rooftop.
Located next to the Ovar marina, Oxalá was founded in 1991 and is a restaurant of reference in the region. With a large, modern space and a pleasant atmosphere, the menu features quality fish and seafood.
The name leaves no room for doubt. Batista do Bacalhau is considered a specialist in this fish that is the basis for so many famous dishes in Portuguese gastronomy. Roast cod with fried potatoes is the house dish, but you can always enjoy other options in this cozy and informal space.
This restaurant in Viseu prioritizes meat from Arouca on its menu, especially the house-style Arouquês steak. Taste the best of traditional Portuguese cuisine at Casa Arouquesa and accompany it with one of the many Portuguese wines available.
Located in Penhas da Saúde, the Varanda da Estrela restaurant combines gastronomy with the traditions and culture of our country. It is decorated with various artifacts linked to Serra da Estrela and the area’s herding activities. The menu includes various specialties such as cod, veal, kid, wild boar, among others.
Although it’s not located in the Bairrada region, Mosteiro do Leitão is, unsurprisingly, specialized in suckling pig. Roasted in a wood-fired oven, as tradition dictates, and produced in-house, the suckling pig is the delicacy that makes this restaurant a reference in the region.
O Padeiro is one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the area. With a rustic décor and a family atmosphere, this place offers several traditional Portuguese specialties, such as octopus à lagareiro, lamb stew or the famous migas to accompany it.
Taberna do Quinzena is the “cathedral” of typical Ribatejo food. With over 150 years of history, the restaurant’s menu consists of various traditional fish and meat dishes, one of which is the famous Portuguese stew.
Galeto is a classic in the capital, opened in 1967. It is known for being the ideal place for after-hours meals, as it closes at 3:30 every day. It has various fish and meat dishes, but also quicker options such as toasts and soups.
Cervejaria Portugália has more than 90 years of history and the space on Av. Almirante Reis was the first for this brand, which later expanded throughout the country. The restaurant is popular for its açorda de camarão (shrimp stew) and bacalhau (codfish), but the great specialty is, of course, the famous steak with Portugália-style sauce.
Located right in front of the Ria Formosa, the Noélia e Jerónimo restaurant is dedicated to regional Algarve cuisine and is an obligatory stop in the eastern Algarve. The menu could only be made up of fresh, quality ingredients from the estuary and the sea, such as octopus, tuna, corvina and other fish and shellfish.
Ideal for a meal with family or friends, Cris’s Place is a restaurant that combines modern and rustic decor. The cuisine is characterized by international references and an author’s touch. But without giving up on Madeiran traditions and ingredients.
This is one of the most popular restaurants on the island of São Miguel. It is located next to the Caloura fishing port and has a wonderful view of the sea. The menu focuses on fresh fish and seafood, and the specialties are grilled fish. Have you visited any of these restaurants? What other emblematic restaurants would you highlight in our country? You already know that if one of your favorite restaurants doesn’t accept your Euroticket card, you can always suggest it on our website, in your MyEdenred APP or on the MyEdenred.pt portal.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Did you know that acquiring a new customer costs, on average, 5 times more than retaining an existing customer? (Source: Light Speed) It’s obvious that attracting new customers is a fundamental part of the success of any business, but that shouldn’t mean that you stop focusing your efforts on retaining the customers you already have. Satisfied customers become repeat customers and, what’s more, they contribute to your restaurant’s reputation by sharing their positive experience with their family, friends and, very importantly, sharing their experience online! That’s why you should pay attention to the following strategies for building customer loyalty.
Loyalty programs continue to be a good customer retention strategy. Generally, customers accumulate points for each meal until they can access a certain advantage (a free coffee, a dessert or even a meal). These initiatives motivate customers to visit your restaurant more often. So create a program that keeps customers excited with frequent, easy-to-achieve rewards. What’s more, if you ask for data such as customers’ names, cell phones or email addresses, you can engage with them in an even more relevant way (you could, for example, send them a congratulations message on their birthday).
Customers’ experience in your restaurant will dictate whether they come back or not. And the quality of the food obviously contributes to this, but also the atmosphere of the restaurant and the way they are served. Ensure that the service is provided with competence, friendliness and care. Also ensure that waiting times are not too long. Together, all these factors will help your customers have a good experience in your establishment and be more likely to return.
Social networks are not just useful tools for attracting new customers. They also play a very important role in retaining existing customers. By posting frequently, you are maintaining that contact and providing that engagement. Other ways to do this are, for example, those birthday messages or a gesture as simple as asking customers at the end of the meal if everything was OK or if anything could be improved. In this way, customers will feel that their opinion is important.
Following on from the previous point, collecting customer feedback and paying attention to comments, especially negative ones, is another very important way of increasing loyalty. Negative reviews are always an opportunity for growth and can be very valuable in understanding what can be improved in terms of service, food quality or other aspects. If these reviews have been made online (on your website, social media, Google or other platforms), take the time to respond to customers and try to let them know what is being done to improve.
The use of seasonal ingredients and foods has numerous advantages from the point of view of the quality of the food served. Fresher food certainly results in richer, tastier dishes. However, it also allows you to introduce some variety into your menu throughout the year. And while you may have those customers who come to your restaurant to enjoy the same dish over and over again, there may be others who don’t come back as often if there’s nothing new. That’s why you should use seasonal food whenever possible. And don’t forget to advertise these menu updates on your website, social media and other platforms where your restaurant is present.
What do you think of these strategies for building customer loyalty in the restaurant sector? Are you already implementing any of them? Or do you have any other strategies that we haven’t mentioned here? Tell us all about it!
Eating healthily can seem challenging. Some people think that healthy recipes are more complex to make, that it’s difficult to know how to choose the right foods and that they are more expensive than other less balanced options. But eating healthier doesn’t have to be a blow to your wallet. There are some ways to ensure that you make healthier choices without spending a lot of money. Join us for some tips!
Planning your meals in advance is essential if you don’t want to spend so much money. Make a plan of your week’s meals and, based on that, make a shopping list of what you need. Look in your fridge and pantry for what you already have and only buy what you know you’ll use (sticking to your shopping list will help you avoid spending money on unnecessary products). Don’t buy more perishable products than you expect to use.
If you’re hungry while you’re shopping, it’s very likely that you’ll end up buying something on impulse. And it’s possible that this impulse won’t lead you to the healthier options, but to cakes, sweets, cookies or other processed foods. Not only will you spend more money, but you’ll also spend it on foods that are not very nutritious.
By preparing your own meals, you have greater control over the food you use and also the quantities you eat. In this way, you can ensure that the meals you and your family eat are balanced. When there are leftovers, try to reuse them for other meals and this will allow you to get even more value for money.
This applies when you go shopping, but also when you eat out (be it breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner). Try to avoid less nutritious foods such as cookies, potato chips, salty snacks, pre-cooked meals (pizza, lasagne, burgers) or other processed foods high in salt, sugar or saturated fats. These products contain unhealthy ingredients that should be avoided. Instead, you should focus on fruit and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole foods, without added sugars and rich in protein. When it comes to drinks, opt for water instead of soft drinks.
Protein-rich foods are an important source of energy for our bodies and for many of our brain’s functions. We often associate protein only with meat and fish, but there are other protein-rich foods that you can include in your diet. This diversity will allow you to eat a more balanced diet and also, in some cases, save money by not buying so much meat or fish. There are some plant-based proteins – soy, tofu, seitan, lentils – that are just as nutritious, easier to prepare and often more affordable.
Buying seasonal food isn’t just cheaper. It also means you’re buying fresher, tastier and more nutritious food. And that’s much better for your diet than eating out-of-season food (which isn’t usually produced by local producers and therefore travels longer distances to reach your home).
Even if you don’t live in a house and don’t have a lot of space for a vegetable garden, if you have space on your balcony you can still get some pots and grow your own fruit or vegetables (tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, strawberries and much more). Buying seeds for planting is quite affordable. And in the medium to long term you’ll be able to save some money on buying the food you already grow at home. What’s more, you can ensure the quality of what you’re consuming.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is a key element in promoting your health and well-being. And the healthiest options are not necessarily the most expensive. By considering these tips, you’ll be able to have a richer, more nutritious diet within your budget. Do you already follow any of these ideas? Do you have any others that you adopt? Tell us all about it!
The restaurant sector is very competitive. Whether you’ve just opened your own restaurant or want to grow an existing business, you’re probably constantly thinking of ways to bring more customers into your establishment. Customers dictate the success of any business and the restaurant industry is no different. So join us to discover some strategies for attracting more customers to your restaurant!
It sounds like a basic strategy, but the truth is that it works. Most consumers are looking for good deals and, in this case, many may decide to go to your restaurant for the first time because they have a certain discount. You can offer a percentage off the meal, do a 2×1 (buy one meal or product, get another) or offer a drink or coffee with the purchase of a menu, for example.
Nowadays, many consumers make their purchasing decisions based on what they see online. This is also the case when looking for a restaurant. Potential customers want to know what your restaurant has to offer before they decide to visit (they like to know what the food is like, the atmosphere, what the prices are, etc). That’s why it’s essential that you promote your offer on digital channels, especially two: your website and social media. Use your website as an online showcase for your restaurant and post all the relevant information (photos of the space and the food, menu, customer reviews and practical information such as opening hours, address and contact details). When it comes to social media, consider having a profile on the most popular ones in Portugal, Facebook and Instagram. And take advantage of these channels to share good photos of your food that will make your followers want to visit your establishment and try it. In parallel, you could consider working with bloggers or influencers who recommend your restaurant and reach more people.
In recent years, there has been a huge growth in digital booking and home delivery platforms. The latter, in particular, grew even more during the pandemic, at a time when people couldn’t leave the house to go to restaurants, but could order their meals online. Being present on these platforms represents an extra opportunity to attract new customers who might not know about your restaurant, but find it on one of these apps. Therefore, consider promoting your establishment on online booking platforms – such as TheFork, Zomato or Mygon, for example – or on home delivery apps – such as Zomato Delivery, Uber Eats or Bolt Food. Other examples of digital platforms include Too Good To Go (an app where you can buy surplus food from restaurants, cafés and supermarkets at more affordable prices, thus combating food waste) or the mobile apps of companies that issue social meal vouchers, such as MyEdenred.
Google My Business is a profile of your business that appears on the search engine results page when people search directly for the name of your restaurant or for related terms (for example, “restaurants near me”). Google generates this information organically, but business owners can claim their profile and manage the information that appears on it. This is very important because in this way you can enter restaurant details such as the address, opening hours or contact details (in addition to the menu and photos). With this information, people can call you directly to book a table or even get directions to your place.
Events are another way of attracting new customers to your restaurant. New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day parties, stand-up comedy nights, karaoke or live music nights, theme nights, special initiatives when there are soccer matches or other sporting events… The possibilities are endless. If you have a large venue, you can also use it for family events or other group events.
What do you think of these strategies for attracting new customers? Is there one or more that you already implement in your restaurant? Or do you have other strategies that weren’t mentioned? Tell us all about it!
Employee motivation is a key element in the success of any organization. Employees who are satisfied and motivated by their work are more productive, more committed and dedicated to the company’s objectives, more creative and proactive, more assiduous and less likely to look for another job.
But motivating employees isn’t always easy, which is why it should be a priority for all company leaders and managers. Discover with us 10 practical tips for increasing the motivation and satisfaction of your company’s employees!
Make sure your employees know the company’s goals and, above all, that they know what their individual objectives are. Having specific goals makes employees focus on achieving them and feel satisfied when they do. And this feeling of satisfaction will motivate them to continue doing their job.
Trust and respect must be at the basis of any human relationship, and therefore also in the relationship between employees and their managers. Trust in their management of their time and tasks, give them responsibilities and involve them in your decision-making. In this way, employees will feel more involved and valued.
Micromanagement is incompatible with team motivation. A good leader allows employees to be autonomous in their work, while always being available to guide them and help them with whatever they need. This balance between autonomy and support is fundamental to employee satisfaction.
In order to feel more motivated, employees need to know that their superiors recognize their work. This recognition can be done verbally with a simple “excellent job” (just to the employee or to the whole team/company) or by awarding prizes/bonuses when the effort has made it possible to reach certain targets.
Nobody likes waking up in the morning to go to a job where there is no good atmosphere. Work takes up a large part of our day, which is why having a pleasant and welcoming working environment is essential for our motivation. This good environment is made up of physical elements (lounges, spaces with good natural light, coffee machines, plants, etc.) but also the attitude of the people themselves (informality, sense of humor, empathy, cooperation and collaboration, etc.).
Try to listen to your employees’ opinions and show that they are considered and valued when decisions need to be made. This feedback can be asked in relation to the company’s products or services, internal procedures, opportunities for improvement or any topic that involves the company and the employees themselves. This will make employees feel that they are an important and valued part of the organization.
People feel more motivated when they have a career plan and know how they can progress in the company. Having a specific promotion or progression objective encourages employees to give their best and, in this context, their motivation is greater.
Many organizations don’t invest in training their employees for fear that they will then leave the company (and that the investment will have been “in vain”). However, the cost of not investing in training is much greater, as the company is not exploiting the full potential of its employees. The possibility of attending specialized training and workshops, conferences and webinars on topics in your industry makes employees more experienced, more creative and more disruptive, which brings great value to your company. What’s more, these opportunities to develop their skills also increase their motivation.
It’s obvious that the physical and mental health of employees has a huge impact on their motivation. Burnout is an increasingly worrying reality and companies have a key role to play in preventing their employees from reaching extreme levels of stress and anxiety. Promote moments of leisure and rest, frequent breaks, try to ensure that people don’t skip meals, encourage physical activity and watch out for any signs that someone is unwell.
Having an attractive extra salary benefits policy is also an important variable in the equation when it comes to employee motivation. Having a set of benefits offered by the company that improve their life outside of work makes them feel more satisfied and motivated within it. These benefits can range from health insurance, to benefits that cover education costs or transport and mobility costs, to the payment of bonuses. There are many possibilities and they must be adapted to the real needs of each employee.
Do you already apply one or more of these tips? If not, today is a good day to start thinking about how you can adopt them in your company. Because motivating and satisfying your employees is not something you should put off until tomorrow.
Do you feel you have little time to do everything you need to do in your day? Do you sometimes find it difficult to organize and prioritize tasks? Do you find it difficult to concentrate and focus on what you have to do? Nowadays there are apps for everything and there is probably one (or several) to help you deal with these challenges in your day-to-day life. We’ve selected eight tools that can help you to be more productive and organized at work, but also to promote a healthy work-life balance. Come and discover them with us!
Todoist is a “to do list”, i.e. a tool that allows you to create lists of tasks. These tasks can be grouped into projects, can be marked as recurring or priority, can have associated notifications and can be shared with co-workers. This application will allow you to always be aware of the tasks you need to do, better organize your day-to-day and become more productive.
Available: online, desktop application and mobile application (iOS and Android)
Many people don’t realize how many free tools Google offers. Google Calendar is one of them and gives you clear visibility of what you have to do in a day, a week or a month. You can add professional appointments to this agenda, such as meetings, but also cross-reference it with other personal tasks or events, such as meetings at your children’s school, birthdays, hobbies, your vacation periods and much more.
Available: via your Gmail, on a computer, tablet or cell phone
Evernote is considered one of the best organizational tools on the market. It’s a collaborative platform that allows you to manage projects, create tasks and synchronize them with the whole team, take notes, store documents and much more. With various plans available, it is also a suitable application for entrepreneurs and freelancers as it makes it possible to have business information and personal information in one place.
Available: desktop application, mobile application (iOS and Android) and browser extension
Trello is also a project management tool that helps teams collaborate seamlessly. It uses the so-called Kanban board, which allows you to have a visual management – by columns – of tasks to be started, in progress, under review and already completed. Each task is moved on this board according to its status until it is finished. There can be team boards as well as individual ones, so everyone is aware of what others are doing, but it can also work as a personal organization tool.
Available: online and mobile app (iOS and Android)
How many times have you been browsing the internet and come across some content that interests you, but at that moment you don’t have time to look at it? This can happen in both professional and personal contexts. With Pocket you can save articles, videos, online documents and much more in a kind of personal library. This ensures that you don’t forget what they were about and can refer to them later.
Available: browser extension, Mac app and mobile app (iOS and Android)
If your problem is getting away from your cell phone during working hours, there’s an app that will help you combat this in a fun and even environmentally friendly way. Forest is an app that uses virtual trees to encourage you to stay away from your phone. The longer you don’t touch it, the more the trees grow. But if you go to your phone before the set time, then the trees die. You can also compete with your friends, family and colleagues to see who has the strongest forest. This app also has a sustainability aspect, as users can convert the virtual coins they earn in the app into donations to plant real trees in deforested areas of the planet.
Available: mobile app (iOS and Android)
Because your mental health and emotional well-being have a huge influence on the way you perform your tasks (personal and professional), sleeping well is an essential part of that process. Calm is an app that aims to help you improve the quality of your sleep and help you meditate, using relaxing music and sounds, stretching videos, breathing exercises and more. This can have very positive effects in terms of concentration and reducing stress and anxiety
Available: online and mobile app (iOS and Android)
And because food and your eating routines also play a big part in how you face your day-to-day life, it’s important that you try to eat nutritious and energetic meals. The MyEdenred App helps all Edenred users find restaurants near them where they can have lunch during their working day, but also bakeries, cafés, grocery stores and supermarkets where they can buy meals or food to prepare.
Available: online portal and mobile app (iOS and Android)
Did you like these suggestions? Are you thinking of starting to use any of these apps? Tell us all about it!
Until a few years ago, salary was the main factor that professionals took into consideration when choosing a company to work for. However, it seems clear that times have changed. Especially since the Millennial generation (people born between 1981 and 1996) began to enter the job market, it has become more noticeable that people are looking for a better work-life balance and are more demanding of the conditions companies offer them. This has led these workers to start valuing other aspects of their professional activity than just pay. It is in this context that what is known as the emotional salary arises. Don’t know what it is? Discover this concept with us.
Emotional salary consists of a set of incentives that organizations offer their employees in order to motivate them and which go beyond the salary component. These are all the non-monetary benefits provided by companies that aim to increase employee satisfaction, guarantee well-being in the workplace and promote their involvement and sense of belonging to the organization. Basically, emotional pay is a way for companies to demonstrate that they care about their employees and their happiness.
No two companies are the same. Each organization must look at its own reality (its culture, its values, its resources, its benefits policies) and define the most appropriate way to implement emotional pay to motivate its employees. Even so, there are some types of emotional salary that are agreed upon and that your company should consider:
Emotional salary aims to increase employee satisfaction and motivation through incentives and policies that go beyond remuneration. And when employees are more motivated and satisfied, this brings very positive results for organizations:
Of course, this idea of an emotional salary is not intended to devalue the importance of a good salary component. People should be fairly rewarded for their work. However, it seems undeniable that money isn’t everything and a good salary may not be enough to attract and retain talent in your company. Are you ready to take the first steps on this path where monetary salary and emotional salary come together?
Euroticket is a benefits platform that ensures its users have access to certain goods and services, with tax advantages. In the case of Euroticket Refeição, the aim is to ensure access to meals and food; Euroticket Creche and Euroticket Estudante help support education and training expenses. But did you know that the advantages of this platform go far beyond these benefits? Still not familiar with the Discounts and Advantages program? Come and discover it with us.
The Discounts and Advantages program consists of a set of exclusive advantages that Euroticket users get for having a Euroticket benefit. There are discounts in a network of partners from various sectors:
All you need to do to see all the advantages is log on to the MyEdenred.pt portal or download the MyEdenred mobile app and go to the advantages section. There you will find the conditions of all the advantages and how you can access the discounts. In the case of brands with physical stores, you often only need to show your Euroticket card. On online platforms, you just need to enter a discount code at the time of payment. All this information is accessible on the portal or on your MyEdenred APP.
Did you already know about these additional advantages of your Euroticket card? Have you already benefited from a discount? Tell us all about it!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Finding a balance between personal and professional life can be challenging. Often, our desire to succeed professionally means that work interferes too much with our personal lives. And technology has made this separation between work and personal life even more difficult. We can now check our work email on our cell phone at any time, take calls or even take our computer with us on vacation. However, creating harmony between work and personal life is fundamental to our physical, psychological and mental well-being. Are you relating to what you’re reading? Then you’re probably looking for that balance too. Come and discover with us what work-life balance is and some tips for promoting it in your life.
When we talk about work-life balance, we often think that it consists of clearly separating the time we spend at work from the time we spend in our personal lives. According to this logic, all we have to do is make sure that we work 8 hours a day and that, for the rest of the time, we turn off the switch and don’t think about work anymore. However, the problem is not so much the amount of time we devote to work vs. our personal lives. The difficulty lies in feeling comfortable, satisfied and fulfilled in this constant coexistence between work and personal life.
Work-life balance isn’t just about reducing work-related stress. Rather, it’s about a way of working and living that contributes to our well-being, our physical and mental health. That’s why the tips we have for you to find that balance are not just about work, but also about what you do outside of work.
Finding this harmony can be easier for some people than others. Nor is there a magic formula that works for everyone. However, these are some tips that may help you:
Above all, put your health and well-being first. If your work is causing you too much stress or anxiety, you should consider consulting a health professional. They will be able to help you identify what changes could have a positive impact on your life and where to start.
Do you know Nelson Mandela’s quote “education is the most powerful weapon for changing the world”? Edenred strongly believes in the value of education and therefore offers two solutions that aim to help you and your family pay for your school and training expenses. Find out more about Euroticket Creche and Euroticket Estudante!
If you have children under the age of 7, it’s likely that a large part of your budget is spent on paying for nursery school, kindergarten, ATL, uniforms or school supplies. But did you know that your company can directly support these expenses? Euroticket Creche is a social benefit that any company can give to its employees and which aims to support their children’s childhood and education expenses up to and including the age of 6. And all this with tax benefits for both the company and the employee.
When your children reach the age of 7, it doesn’t mean that your spending on education goes down. On the contrary, you still have to pay for books, all the school and computer equipment, transportation, universities and much more. What’s more, in a family, it may not just be the children who study. Any time of life is a good time to acquire new knowledge and skills through training, a language course, a postgraduate degree or a master’s degree, for example. That’s why you can also be supported by your company in paying for all these expenses. The Euroticket Estudante is a social benefit that companies can give to employees to help them cover the cost of their own education and that of their children aged 7 or over. And this social voucher also has associated tax benefits:
Since these social vouchers have tax benefits associated with them, this means greater liquidity for those who receive them. In other words, you have a higher disposable income to support your education expenses and those of your family. However, there are other advantages for you:
Did you learn more about these social vouchers to support education? Do you think they would be useful to you? Talk to your company and find out if you could receive these benefits!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Personal and professional development is a constant throughout our lives. We learn new things every day, often without being aware of it. However, it is when we intentionally invest in our training as people and professionals that this growth is enhanced. But what role do training and education play in personal and professional development? First, let’s try to understand these concepts better.
Personal development has to do with people’s intrinsic need to grow and reach their potential. It is an ongoing process – it takes place from childhood to adulthood – which consists of acquiring a set of skills and experiences that help people feel more fulfilled. Some examples of personal development goals could be volunteering, traveling more, learning to speak a new language, reading more, taking a photography course, creative writing and many others.
Professional development, on the other hand, occurs at the stage of life when people have a professional activity and want to achieve their career goals. In this case, the search for new skills and learning can be actively pursued by employees or stimulated by the companies themselves (which are obliged by law to provide professional training for their employees). Some examples of professional development goals could be taking team management or time management training, specializing in your area of training, taking a practical course in a particular software and much more.
Nevertheless, the concepts of personal and professional development are related and can be seen as two sides of the same coin. When we don’t achieve our personal goals, this can have a negative impact on our professional performance. On the other hand, achieving a professional goal (such as being promoted) can also be seen as a personal achievement.
As we have seen, training is not just a means of acquiring new skills that can be useful in a professional context. It’s not just a way of enhancing your CV. Above all, training is an opportunity to enrich yourself and grow on a personal level. Whatever your field, training allows you to update your knowledge and gain new perspectives on situations and the world. And that paves the way for change, innovation and progress. That’s why training and education are fundamental at any time in our lives, not just during the school and academic years. Because it’s never too late to learn and feel more fulfilled.
Have you ever thought about how you would like to invest more in yourself? Is there any training or activity you’d like to do in order to grow personally or professionally? There’s always time and today is a good day to start!
Edenred makes a daily commitment to responsibility and a social role in the local communities where it operates. The Ideal Program reflects this commitment and has three main lines of action:
As part of Ideal Planet, Edenred develops initiatives every year that unite employees around a goal related to environmental sustainability.
In 2021, the focus was on ocean pollution. Our country has a vast coastline and cleaning the beaches is crucial to prevent pollution of the ocean and its negative impact on biodiversity. That’s why the Edenred Portugal team went to São Julião beach in Ericeira and collected over 97 kg of garbage.
Check out the video of the day below.
Because a small contribution from each of us can have a big impact on the change that is so necessary for the preservation of our planet!
In this article, we bring you our classic 5 tips so that you can celebrate Easter as it deserves, even at home!
Easter isn’t Easter without a full table. And while there may be a few empty seats at the table this year, the same doesn’t have to apply to the delicacies served! Get fancy and organize a lunch worthy of this date. You can use your Euroticket Refeição in various establishments, such as supermarkets, grocery stores, butchers and fishmongers, so that you don’t run out of any ingredient when it’s time to roll up your sleeves. You’ll see that celebrating Easter has never been easier with a full belly!
Collages, paintings, shapes and lots of creativity! How about celebrating Easter by making your own decorations? Get inspired online and let your artistic side run wild. Make it a family activity and ask the kids to help, we know that bunny ears are much cuter when we make them!
If the family can’t come to the table, we’ll find a way to get everyone together! How about sharing the decorations you’ve made with your loved ones? Send your eggs and crafts by post to all those who make your Easter special and you’ll see how much closer they’ll feel. Celebrating Easter as a family is always possible!
When it comes to celebrating Easter, there’s no getting away from the egg hunt! At home or in the garden, this is an activity you really can’t escape, but this year we have an additional proposal: how about taking advantage of the season of new beginnings to plant a tree?
We all know that at this time of year the supermarkets fill their shelves with eggs, bunnies and almonds. But what about cooking your own chocolate eggs this year? There are plenty of recipes online to guide you and, with your Euroticket Refeição there’s no shortage of ingredients! Nothing better than a real challenge to celebrate Easter! Are you feeling more enthusiastic now? Get to work and start preparing to celebrate Easter the way it deserves to be celebrated!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
So what are the 5 reasons why you should start being more selective and opt for seasonal fruit? We’ll tell you all about it:
It’s true, seasonal fruit is fresher and more nutritious than fruit that is planted and harvested out of season, because it ripens naturally on the trees and is picked at exactly the right time. Fruit that isn’t in season not only doesn’t ripen in the sun, but most of the time it has to be transported and refrigerated, which compromises its ripeness, freshness, taste and nutritional value!
Nothing in nature is made by chance, and fruit is no exception! The truth is that if you’re paying attention, you’ll easily realize that typical summer fruit is mostly made up of water, like strawberries and watermelon, which help you stay hydrated. In hell, citrus fruits such as oranges help your immune system stay in shape with Vitamin C! Seasonal fruit exists for a very simple reason: to meet your body’s needs which, of course, change from season to season!
If the fruit is in season, there’s more of it, so it’s cheaper! The fact that it doesn’t need chemicals to grow or long transportation means that production costs are lower, which is reflected in the price we find on the shelf when we buy it!
If seasonal fruit doesn’t need chemicals to grow, nor long transportation and refrigeration efforts, this means that it is more environmentally friendly, emitting far fewer polluting gases and reducing waste. What’s more, eating seasonal fruit is also a great way to support local economies and businesses!
By eating seasonal fruit instead of non-seasonal fruit, you ensure that you maintain a much more balanced and varied diet throughout the year. What’s more, it’s a way of getting to know fruit that you’ve never tried before! Have we convinced you to eat seasonal fruit yet? Remember that it plays a very important role, not only in the health of your body, but also in that of the environment, local economies and your wallet! You can find seasonal fruit in grocery stores and most supermarkets, so the key is to be informed, know how to choose and, of course, use your Euroticket Refeição card. Euroticket Refeição card to buy seasonal fruit full of nutrients, benefits and flavor! Shall we start eating more sustainably?
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Grab your notepad and pen and start jotting down these 5 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, even in confinement or at a distance:
This is our first tip and also the most obvious! Surprise your better half with a gift bought online or even made by yourself. Don’t disappoint and mark the occasion. After all, what could be better than a gift to celebrate Valentine’s Day, even in confinement and with all the restrictions? If you’re far apart, you can always go postal!
Who doesn’t? Go one step further and show that your love is big enough to make you give up a few hours of sleep at the weekend. Take a trip to the nearest supermarket with your Euroticket Refeição and gather all the ingredients you need for a splendid awakening: warm bread, juicy fruit and all the flavors that will help you dazzle your better half and celebrate Valentine’s Day, even in confinement! For couples who don’t live together, there are lots of bakeries and small businesses offering this personalized home delivery service!
We can’t talk about Valentine’s Day without mentioning our beautiful flowers. The traditional is in fashion and, at a time when stores are closed, florists are one of the few businesses that have kept their doors open. Go for a good bouquet, full of refinement! If you can’t be with your partner, you can send them a bouquet: there’s nothing more romantic to celebrate Valentine’s Day, even in lockdown!
If you don’t go to the restaurant, the restaurant comes to your love nest. And if you want to make it even more special, there’s nothing better than becoming a real chef! Use your meal card to buy all the ingredients you need to prepare a breathtaking dinner, don’t forget some good wine and, of course, the candles! There’s nothing more romantic than an intimate candlelit dinner, so for those of you at a distance, don’t give up on this suggestion and do it by video call. After all, when there’s a will and love, it’s always possible to celebrate Valentine’s Day, even in confinement!
With so much stress dominating the days of the modern couple, there are few moments when they can enjoy each other’s company without worries. On the 14th, remember this and make sure that the only thing on your minds is how much you love each other! How about a relaxing bath or a massage session? After all, there’s nothing better than pampering to celebrate Valentine’s Day, even in lockdown. In fact, especially in lockdown! Do you already know which of our tips you’re going to follow? If you want to win the boyfriend/girlfriend of the year award, we give you one piece of advice: follow them all! This Valentine’s Day will be different, but when there’s love, celebrating Valentine’s Day, even in lockdown, is always possible and special! Oh, and we forgot our best and most important tip: words. This Valentine’s Day, make sure you tell your better half how much you love them.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
So that you can reduce the number of trips to the supermarket while keeping your fridge stocked with everything you need for tasty meals, we’ve prepared 5 tips that promise to make your supermarket shopping pay off during this new lockdown:
2. Try to go to the supermarket in the morning, when there are fewer people and the store hasn’t had many customers yet;
3. Put food with a longer expiration date at the bottom of the shelf.
Have you written down all the steps? Now it’s time to put them into practice and prove that it’s possible to make your grocery shopping pay off, not just during this new lockdown, but always!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Spicy: the love of many, the torture of many others. Spicy is one of the most controversial condiments in Western food, which means we often don’t know how to appreciate it and don’t get all the benefits it has to offer our health. To celebrate International Spicy Food Day, we give you 5 reasons to start introducing spicy food into your diet now!
It’s true, there are countless advantages to introducing spicy food into your diet. It’s no coincidence that it’s at the heart of many cuisines, such as Mexican and Indian. But what makes spicy food so special? Find out:
If you’ve reached the end of this article, you have no excuse not to start introducing spicy food into your diet. There are countless delicious dishes and recipes you can make at home. Why not try this type of food on your next visit to the supermarket? Use your Euroticket Refeição and gather all the ingredients you need to spice up your meals!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Start now to set new goals and achieve professional objectives in 2021 by following our 5 tips:
Can you taste success yet? Around here, we can’t wait to see everything you achieve this year! We know that after an extremely challenging 2020, setting new goals and achieving professional objectives in 2021 may seem difficult, but we’re sure that with motivation and the help of our tips, you’ll overcome any challenge!
We all know that this year the typical New Year’s Eve celebrations will have to be rethought and brought within the walls of our home, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t exist! In fact, if there’s one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s that we can have a lot of fun at home with our loved ones, all it takes is the will and the imagination! If you don’t know how to celebrate entering 2021, in this article we’ll give you 5 tips that will make your New Year’s Eve memorable!
5 tips to make your New Year’s Eve memorable:
So, do you think our tips have given you all the ingredients for a memorable New Year’s Eve? Make the most of this end-of-year exception to enter the next with more energy, hope and a lot of motivation!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
On International Tea Day, we bring you 6 of the teas with the greatest health benefits:
So, have you chosen your tea of choice yet? The truth is that we could go on and on with the list of teas with the greatest health benefits, but there are just too many options! Drinking tea is a delicious way to stay healthy, so now you know, start integrating these wonderful infusions into your routine! Happy International Tea Day!
The implementation of measures aimed at promoting well-being and health at work, as well as the quality of life of employees, has always been mentioned in the business context, but the truth is that in very few cases was it considered a priority. It seems that 2020 was a decisive year for companies to finally start investing in the well-being and health of their human resources and to outline strategies to be implemented in the future.
Here are 7 measures that the companies of the future will adopt to promote well-being and health at work:
In a world that is constantly changing, it’s not surprising that we are seeing major changes in the workplace and that, in the future, it will be completely different from what it is today.
The companies of the future will understand what it means to invest in and promote well-being and health at work, which will lead to increases in employee satisfaction, creativity and productivity. What measure would contribute most to your well-being and to an increase in your physical and mental health as an employee? Which company of the future would you like to work for?
Diabetes is a chronic disease whose consequences are an increase in blood sugar levels. It is estimated that it affects around 350 million people worldwide and the numbers are growing all the time. We all know that a healthy diet has a huge impact on our health, and this is no exception when it comes to fighting diabetes. As well as exercising, drinking water and eating at the right times and in the right quantities, there are foods that can help us fight diabetes in a very delicious way.
Discover the 6 foods to fight diabetes:
Diabetes is indeed a disease to be concerned about, but it has long since ceased to be the bogeyman in the fridge at home! With care and moderation, it’s possible to build a balanced and healthy eating routine that doesn’t do without some of our favorite foods! Grab your Euroticket Refeição and include these 6 foods to fight diabetes on your shopping list. If you’re looking for more tips on how to make your nutritional choices healthier in order to fight diabetes effectively, check out FOOD – Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand, an Edenred initiative supported by the Direção-Geral de Saúde and the European Union.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
If this year has brought us some serious scares, imagine what we can expect on Halloween night… But don’t worry, they can be a lot of fun! On a weekend when, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are restrictions on traffic, we bring you 5 ideas for celebrating Halloween at home with the little ones.
Now that we’re all prepared for what’s to come, let’s get to work! Let’s make this Halloween night a memorable party! You already know that, on this side, we want a Halloween at home full of scares…
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Peeled or unpeeled, in winter or summer, apples are eaten on every continent and never cease to amaze us with all their benefits! Did you know that there are over 7500 varieties of apple? Each one has its own characteristics, but their nutritional properties are equally beneficial and very similar. On World Apple Day, we had to share all the benefits of this fruit with you! Apple. Symbol of love for the Greeks and forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden, the mirror of Nordic fertility and Newton’s famous muse in the Theory of Gravity… That’s right, this round, tasty and very practical fruit is with us everywhere and contains essential nutrients that protect our bodies and our health. Fuji, Gala, Red or Green, if you don’t know all the benefits of eating an apple a day, after reading this article, you won’t be able to resist a juicy bite!
So? Have we convinced you to surrender to all the benefits of apples? Firm and crunchy, more acidic or very sweet, there are options for all tastes. On FOOD’s healthy recipes page healthy recipes page, you’ll find lots of creative and delicious ways to include this fruit in your daily diet. Grab your Euroticket Refeição and go shopping. After all, it’s no coincidence that “an apple a day brings health and happiness”!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Parents, children and young people… Everyone has been looking forward to the long-awaited reunion with teachers and classmates, and now that classes have started again, it’s normal to feel anxious and nervous, especially when there are new behaviors to adopt to ensure that everything goes smoothly! In a different school year, with a school in times of pandemic, we give you 4 tips to reassure the youngest and help them in this new school reality:
We know it’s not easy to manage anxiety and fears, especially when they’re not your own. When it comes to our children, we always want the best for them, so in this return to normality, trust in yourself, do your best and don’t forget: everything will be fine! Even if we have a school in times of pandemic, it’s important that it continues to mean something positive for the children and their parents. And don’t forget, you can always count on the help of Euroticket Education Solutions!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Family get-togethers, lunch breaks at the office, commemorative dates, outings with friends and even business proposals. The likelihood of finding a quick meal or snack in all these scenarios is incredibly high, and it’s no coincidence! The truth is that food is much more than meeting our physiological needs. It is an element of aggregation and social interaction that should not be overlooked. In this article, we’ll give you all the reasons you need to value your meals and explain how you can make them even more special by choosing to order in, whether you’re back in the office or teleworking!
Nowadays, the process of ordering a meal at home, at work or even in a public place is very simple and practical. There are applications, such as MB WAY, that make remote payment easier and faster. Did you know that you can even pay for your Euroticket Refeição orders via MB WAY? All you have to do is go to MULTIBANCO and link your card. This way, you can use your meal allowance for the little pleasures of your day-to-day work which, as of today, ring a bell!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
We know it’s not easy to adapt our routines to the season we’re in. After all, even during our well-deserved vacations, we don’t always have time to change our habits so that our bodies are in perfect communion with the outside world. Even so, it’s important that we make an effort to stay healthy and give our bodies what they need. In today’s article, we bring you 6 foods that you can easily adapt to your snacks and meals. Include them in your summer diet so that you stay hydrated all day long and, above all, healthy!
The best part? All these foods are very easy to find, both in supermarkets and restaurants! Use your Euroticket Refeição to stay hydrated and explore all the recipes and establishments that can refresh you on the hottest days. Are you on vacation and don’t know your way around? Everything you need is in your hands! Use geolocation in your APP or on the MyEdenred Portal and set off to discover the best summer food! In the meantime, don’t neglect your water intake!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
From allergic reactions to toxic bivalves, there are many arguments for avoiding these oceanic delights. But the truth is that seafood has many health benefits! So that you can enjoy these summertime pleasures without fear, we reveal 6 benefits of seafood. So there’s no reason not to introduce this food into your diet more regularly:
Have you decided where today’s mariscada is? A restaurant on the beach is always a good option! Why not check out the discounts that Euroticket Refeição has for you and book your table now via the MyEdenred App? Enjoy your snacks!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Just arrived on the blog? Don’t worry, Euroticket Refeição will give you a lift, but be sure to explore the first part of this delicious journey through Portugal’s gastronomy! Are you on vacation in Portugal?
Read our latest article and discover the best that the Costa Verde, Nordeste, Silver Coast and Lisbon regions have to offer!
And here we have our Portugal, full of aromas and flavors that fill us with pride and sharpen our taste buds! Portuguese gastronomy tells us the stories of our country and awakens us to the best it has to offer. Don’t miss out on the delights of our beaches, plains and mountains and discover the true spice of Lusitania! From the north to the south of the country and on the islands, your Euroticket Refeição is always with you, so you can fully enjoy your vacation in Portugal! And you already know, if you want to find a restaurant near you, the best promotions and even book a table, just open your MyEdenred App!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
In such a special summer, why not be a tourist in your own country and have a fantastic vacation in Portugal? Yes, we’re small, but we hold many surprises and, above all, a huge diversity of landscapes and, of course, food!
From north to south, inland or by the sea, and even in our wonderful archipelagos, you’ll find the most particular flavors and traditional dishes that make you eat and cry for more. If you’re spending your vacations in Portugal this summer, we bring you our guide to the Lusitanian palate, so you can discover our country through its gastronomy and make the most of your Euroticket Refeição!
Well, let’s be honest, the country is only halfway through and our mouths are already watering! IF you’re on vacation in Portugal, get on the road to the north and start tasting. When you get to Lisbon, we’ll tell you the rest! After all, the world has more spice when there’s a next destination to discover! As for us? We look forward to continuing to unveil the rest of our Portugal through gastronomy! Stay tuned to the Edenred Blog, because next week we’ll taste the wonders of the south and the wonders of the islands. Until then, have a good trip! And don’t forget, with the discounts on your Euroticket Refeição there’s no escaping it!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
The truth is that these are the most educated generations ever and, it seems, it’s all thanks to the Boomers, who have always been committed to investing in and diversifying their children’s education! This is the trend. So invest in increasing young people’s skills so that they can realize their full potential in the future! So that you can make the most of the tools available to educate your youngsters at home, we’ll tell you all about the importance of differentiated education in personality development.
Physical exercise! Did you know that physical exercise not only prevents physical health problems, but also promotes social and cognitive development? Well, there’s a reason Physical Education is a compulsory subject in every school year and it seems to be linked to significant improvements in students’ academic performance! Why not get the kids involved in some kind of sport? Soccer, dance, swimming, the options are endless and all full of benefits in the short, medium and long term!
What about the game?? When it comes to emotional and cognitive development, playing alone or with peers is essential! When they play, children develop numerous skills that will make them more competent young people and adults. Here are some examples:
Only good news? The truth is that all these things contribute to the development of more skills in young people! The best part? The Euroticket Education Solutions solutions help you with the challenge of educating your youngsters! From buying books and school supplies to paying tuition fees and enrolling in ATL, summer camps or extracurricular activities, there are many options when the goal is ambitious!
We know that it takes a lot of self-control to resist the temptation of chocolate, but the truth is that, like everything else in life, the secret lies in moderation and the right choice. Although it shouldn’t be eaten every day or in large quantities, there are many benefits to be gained from consuming cocoa. Yes, cocoa, because there are differences and not all types of chocolate are healthy! Surprised? On World Chocolate Day, we’ll tell you all about it! Chocolate derives from the cocoa plant and dates back to 1500 years BC. Its value was recognized early on, and it was only consumed by priests and European elites who, to remove its bitter taste, began to add honey and sugar. If we remember that chocolate was once used as a bargaining chip, we might be surprised, but if we think that 9 out of 10 people like chocolate and that around half of them have some kind of compulsion to eat it, we can easily understand why chocolate is so highly valued! Rich in antioxidants and a dopamine releaser, discover all the benefits of chocolate:
AND LET IT SHOW!
So, have we brightened your day? We hope so, but remember that too much of anything is bad for you! Even with all the benefits of chocolate, it’s important to consume it in moderation and opt for chocolates with at least 70% cocoa. After all, everything that’s good about cocoa, sugar fights against!
Treat yourself on World Chocolate Day!
There’s no doubt that plastic has improved our quality of life in many ways. After all, it’s a cheap, lightweight and flexible material. However, its excessive consumption has brought us face to face with a serious problem of pollution and waste…
Every year, millions of animals die as a result of plastic pollution. Every year, 8 million tons of this material are deposited in the oceans alone! To add to this serious threat to biodiversity, it is estimated that only 9% of all plastic produced to date has been recycled. The good news? In recent years, there has been a growing effort by governments and international organizations to legislate on the production and consumption of single-use plastics.
In Portugal, for example, a law has been passed banning retailers from distributing the plastic bags commonly used for fruit, vegetables, bread and the packaging of many other foods until 2023. However, the truth is that no matter how much legislation is passed, individual behavior is extremely important!
So, on International Plastic Bag Free Day, we bring you some tips for using this material more consciously!
Ready to start changing the world?
After a troubled final stretch, it seems that the youngest are finally celebrating the end of school. That’s right, summer has arrived and brought with it the end of the school year, vacations and… too much free time! Well, at least for the parents of our little students, who continue to work, many of them from home!
The truth is, if the kids have been busy with schoolwork over the last few months, now that the vacations have started it’s hard to keep them entertained. If your head is spinning, looking for solutions to entertain the kids during the vacations, check out the tips we have for you. We promise not to leave you alone in this challenge!
Ready to face the summer break? Let’s do it!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
If, a few years ago, organic products were a niche market, today we see this type of food everywhere, whether in markets, grocery stores or even supermarkets exclusively dedicated to organic sales! Even ordinary supermarkets are starting to have an area dedicated to this sector, while restaurants and brands are incorporating the consumption of more natural and less aggressive products into their genesis, both for us and for the planet! We know one thing for sure: organic food brings us many advantages. Take a look:
… respects our needs
Organic production favors seasonal foods. If you think that nature knows what it’s doing, there’s a reason why in winter there are many more citrus fruits, rich in vitamins that boost our immune system. In summer, we see more water-rich fruit and vegetables, the consumption of which contributes to our hydration. By eating organic, we respect the seasonality of food and nourish ourselves with what we need for the time of year we are in!
Organic food has a higher concentration of nutrients and contains less water than conventional food. This means that organic food tastes richer and more authentic!
Organic production does not use synthetic fertilizers, non-organic pesticides or growth regulators. Thus, eating organic food minimizes our intake of substances that are harmful to our health and our ecological footprint. For all these reasons, organic food is more than a “fad”, it is the promotion of a careful and balanced lifestyle that respects not only our bodies, but also the environment!
Grab your Euroticket Refeição and equip yourself with the best ingredients. Also stop by Mum’s Cooking where you’ll find healthy meals prepared with fresh organic ingredients. This way you’ll be eating more natural dishes.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Play and the playful aspect of life have always been a fundamental part of human nature and development. If, on the one hand, little ones take ownership of the world and learn to socialize when they play imitating grown-ups, on the other hand, adults are capable of having a great time whenever they dare to play as if they were still little!
In all cases, play is essential for happiness. When we have fun and laugh, our bodies release dopamine, endorphins and serotonin into the bloodstream, the hormones of happiness! There are many benefits to playing, in all its many forms. In addition to its ludic aspect, of enjoyment and entertainment, essential to the whole act of playing, capable of bringing smiles to our faces and giving life that relaxed lightness of fairy tales and the exploits of superheroes, play is also a privileged way of learning more about the world, yourself and others. We can even adapt our old saying and say that it’s “when we play that we understand each other!”.
So it’s not surprising that even in the workplace it’s essential to know how to play and laugh, at the right time, of course! The truth is that play strengthens team spirit and promotes well-being, which, as we know, has direct implications for motivation and productivity. That’s right, parents and children, adults and children, educators and students, friends and coworkers – everyone really wins when they play together!
So, after a period in which we’ve had to give up many of our favorite pastimes, it’s time to get back to our most energetic laughs and adapt them to our new daily habits. To join in the fun that everyone can be a part of, take a look at the tips we’ve provided here:
Are you full of energy? Then play! At home, in the park, at work, with the family, alone or accompanied. The important thing is that you play. After all, there’s always time to be happy!
Genetics, family history, age, sedentary lifestyle, eating habits… These are some of the factors that lead to obesity and excess weight, which already affects 6 out of 10 people in Portugal. The problem affects all age groups and can manifest itself as early as childhood, having a major impact on longevity and people’s quality of life.
As the last Saturday in May marks National Obesity Day, we’ve put together some tips that can help you maintain a healthier lifestyle and prevent what is also considered one of the biggest public health threats of the century. Check them out:
In a context of distancing, finding a balance that guarantees good professional performance and fulfilling the school obligations of the youngest is no easy task, so we’ve put together some tips that promise to help you organize family activities in a way that meets everyone’s needs!
Before we delve into the infallible tips we have for you, there’s one essential starting point that we mustn’t forget. When it comes to professional success and doing well at school, the most important thing is that the atmosphere at home is calm, positive and confident!
The family wants to be united and, for that, all defeatism and negativity must be kept out. Done? Now on to the tips:
Got all the tips? Now all you have to do is go from theory to practice. Good luck!
Managing expenses and the family budget can be a real headache, especially when you lose track of the money you’re spending. At a time when many families are facing a drop in income, we’ve put together some tips that promise to be effective when it comes to allocating all the digits to the right place. Even if your salary doesn’t stretch, the truth is that with a little organization, you’ll be able to manage your expenses much more efficiently!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
At a time when we are facing a particularly difficult scenario full of uncertainty, ensuring that teams remain committed and productive becomes even more important. Especially since, in many cases, meeting the current challenges requires dedication and commitment that goes far beyond working hours.
Keeping your teams motivated, so that your company’s productivity increases, involves making them feel valued. Don’t forget: everything you offer your teams will be reciprocated in their good performance!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
In Portugal, nitrogen dioxide levels have halved and Avenida da Liberdade, the most polluted avenue in the Portuguese capital, has seen its lowest pollution rate in a century. With fossil fuel gases falling, containment measures and a reduction in economic activity have contributed to a clear reduction in air pollution.
So, at a time when the positive consequences of the state of emergency are making us reflect on the real impact our behavior has on the environment, we should take advantage of this and extend our concerns to the exponential increase in domestic consumption, which contrasts with the reduction in pollution we are seeing outdoors.
On World Earth Day, we bring you some tips so that you can be our planet’s greatest ally, in what is an opportunity to change some of our less environmentally friendly habits:
Ready to embrace environmental sustainability? Small gestures can contribute to a greener, less polluted world. With determination, we can all improve our behavior and have a positive impact on our planet.
Embrace sustainability and protect the environment, from your home to the world. Today is World Earth Day, let’s celebrate it every day?
Defining a workspace, sticking to the schedule, taking breaks and getting ready to start the day are some of the tips you should follow. However, for beginners or those who have experienced more difficulties in working from home, we leave you with some simple tips that promise to revolutionize the way you embrace this new practice!
This is a tip that applies even in the office! Before you start work, make a list of all the tasks you have to do that day. A good option is to organize them by priority. As you complete each task, tick or cross it off the list. And don’t forget: one thing at a time! When we try to deal with several things at once, dispersion causes us to lose focus.
Once you’ve planned all the tasks for your day, you can start organizing your schedule and allocating them to specific times. Do the activities that require the most focus in the morning, you’ll be more productive! Everything that is less demanding should be done at times when your attention levels are lower, such as at the end of the day. So that you don’t get lost in the midst of so many hands, why not post a timetable on your wall or computer screen?
When you weren’t at home office, did you usually pack a lunch? Or did you prefer to go to the restaurant? Whatever the case, it’s very unlikely that you used your lunch break to cook. Don’t waste the best break of the day cooking and tidying up the kitchen! Not only will you spend more time than you should, but you won’t be able to relax. The result? Less concentration when you get back to work. Plan your meals!
When at remote work, the computer is our best friend, but make no mistake, this daily companion can also become your biggest distraction! One click and you’re done: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp and, of course, plummeting productivity levels! We know it’s tempting, but try to discipline yourself and stay away from social media during working hours. Every time you lose yourself in a picture, a comment or a conversation, it’s the equivalent of a task carried out with less concentration and in which you’ve wasted more time than necessary.
Did you know that you don’t have to give up your interactions? Keep in touch with your coworkers, both to carry out the projects at hand and to relax a bit during your breaks. After all, you’re still a team and, as always, teams want to stick together! Why not make use of technology? Venture into a video call! Not only will you feel closer to your colleagues, but the conversations will be more fluid, productive and, of course, fun!
It’s natural that when you spend more time at home, it gets dirty faster. And how can you ignore the washing machine that’s finished or the dishes that need tidying up? Well, let’s answer that with another question: how would you do the dishes or lay out the laundry if you were in the office? Don’t get lost in cleaning during the day and focus on the work that really needs to be done. All in good time! Feeling more focused now? Take advantage of all these tips to end the week in the best possible way. At home, of course!
As a family, with more time to spend on details, there are no more excuses for not doing what has long been put off until next year. With the house decorated to perfection and desserts that will melt in your mouth, savor these privileged moments and discover games that will delight the little ones and amuse the adults. Even indoors, you can spend these three days in style, preparing and experiencing a different kind of Easter. Here are some tips to make this Easter a unique event:
Put yourself to the test, try it with those you love the most and enjoy, without haste, the approved proof of a few more delicious moments of happiness. Enjoy these days to the full! Have a happy Easter!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
Here are some tips to help you optimize your consumption and avoid food waste.
Organization is the key to saving money. At all levels, it plays an essential role in household management. If you know what you have at home, you’ll shop smarter and avoid unnecessary spending.
That’s why the first thing you need to keep in mind is to tidy up your pantry and fridge. When it comes to the pantry, organize food by shelf and according to its use, for example, flours, sugars and seeds (ingredients used for cakes or breakfasts) together in one place. You could divide carbohydrates in another place, near sauces or spices; snacks all together in a handy place. The main thing is to find a method that allows you to keep track of what you’re running out of and to keep ingredients from the same family, or for certain cuisines, together.
Another essential aspect that you should bear in mind is not to have several packages of the same product open, i.e. buy airtight containers to add the leftover rice that is no longer enough for a meal. Also, pay close attention to the shelf life of products to avoid throwing food away. Once a month, for example at the end of the month, take a look in the pantry and see what’s expired or what’s almost gone so you can improvise some recipes to avoid wasting food.
As far as the fridge is concerned, keep everything organized (on the top shelves the most sensitive products, such as aromatic herbs or charcuterie, on the lower shelves those that need to be kept colder), avoid the temptation to store leftovers unless they are in appropriate packaging, to prevent the spread of smells and bacteria, and properly packaged, cooked products last longer.
Having everything organized will make it much easier to manage. Keep a sheet of paper and a pen on the fridge door to keep a shopping list as you run out of products, and do the same in the pantry. There are also some apps that can help you manage your shopping list, such as ‘Out of Milk’. An application that allows you to create your shopping lists, organize them by items and categories, and have them available online.
In addition, this app allows you to make an inventory of what you have at home, so you know exactly the quantities and products you have at home and don’t need to buy.
This can be the most difficult task, especially for those who don’t have a particular taste for cooking. In any case, it’s worth making the effort. Looking in the fridge and freezer to see what you have available to cook for the coming week is a good exercise to avoid buying takeaway on that late day.
Think about the 5 days of the week, count how many meals you’ll have to make (don’t forget the lunchboxes), and know exactly what you’re going to eat each day. This way, you’ll be able to use up the products you have at home, as you’ll know exactly what you have available and what you want to cook, avoiding getting home and having to defrost food in a hurry.
You can also use Meal Prep to design the week’s menu and prepare all or part of it in a single day. This way, you’ll have more time for yourself during the week.
Always cook extra, it may seem wasteful, but it’s not! By overcooking, you’re saving money because you’ll always have food left over for lunch the next day. Leftovers, as long as they are well packaged, will keep well in the fridge. Then you just have to be creative, you can simply heat it up in the microwave, or make it into something else.
For example, if you have leftover roast beef, if you chop it up you can make a pie that will be good for the whole family, or you can make a meat pie that, accompanied by a salad, will make an excellent packed lunch.
Another very important tip, which can help a lot to avoid food waste and save some money on meals, is to have some pre-made or frozen products. For example, having a frozen bag of cooked vegetables and potatoes is a great idea for a pressure-cooker meal, such as a Russian salad.
Cooking large quantities is a saving mechanism – if you cook large quantities and then freeze them, you’re saving ingredients and precious time. Complement frozen foods with canned goods, such as beans, grains and tuna. You can make quick, cheap meals with good ingredients.
Of course, all of this may seem much more difficult than it is, after all, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, organizing family meals can easily slip into the background. But remember, to eat well is to grow well and moments at the table are fundamental to family well-being. And of course, being disciplined, planning and organizing a household’s meals can mean significant net monthly savings.
Take advantage of your meal card to manage your spending both on meals out and on your supermarket purchases. It will be an excellent ally!
Yes, you’ll have to give up walks in the park and trips to the movies, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring all these things to make you happy!
So what are you waiting for to be happy?
At a time when viruses and bacteria are particularly rife, it’s even more important that we take care of ourselves… After all, prevention is always the best medicine! So if you’ve been slacking off, it’s time to strengthen your immune system. But don’t worry, we’ll help you strengthen your defenses. You’ll see that it costs nothing!
All our habits are reflected in our body’s ability to fight bacteria and infections, which is why it’s so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So, when we want to increase our defenses, there are small things that we can, and should, do without much effort.
– Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and kiwi fruit; – Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach or kale; – Foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon and olive oil; – Foods rich in zinc, such as meat, whole grains and legumes; – Nuts, such as almonds, walnuts; – Mushrooms; – Yogurt; – Sweet potatoes; – Garlic, pepper and ginger.
Ready to get stronger? We can’t wait to see the results!
As far as the eye can see, green mountains, rolling plains and vibrant cities: the diversity of our country’s landscapes is immense and we Portuguese are lucky enough to be able to enjoy it all without having to go far! The best part? The sun smiles on us for around three thousand hours a year!
After this description, it is at least unexpected that Portugal is behind countries like Finland and Denmark when it comes to outdoor activities, don’t you agree?
This weekend, take advantage of the good weather, recharge your batteries and let your body absorb all the Vitamin D that the next few days have to offer! The options are varied, take a look:
Have we convinced you yet? Perhaps you need a little more encouragement… In fact, although the sun is a powerful ally for your physical and psychological well-being, we understand that, with all these walks, your tummy is starting to give out. Don’t worry, all our suggestions leave room for a long lunch, the kind we all enjoy on a Sunday. If you’ve ventured into a more unfamiliar area, don’t despair, the MyEdenred APP shows you all the restaurants near you where you can use your Euroticket Refeição.
So there are no excuses! Take advantage of all the sunshine this weekend has to offer and start the week full of energy, a sense of humor and, of course, a full belly!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
2020 has begun and there are many ambitions and goals we want to achieve. Among them is, inevitably, saving money. What better way to start a new year, and a new decade? Full of ideas and initiatives, we have some tips that promise to make a difference and help stretch your budget. Are you ready to discover them?
December’s spending has shaken your family budget and the desire to travel or buy a new car in 2020 has started to fade? It doesn’t have to be that way. Before you give up on your dreams, start saving now.
Defining a savings plan may seem complex at first, but don’t be fooled. To begin with, how about adopting small habits in your daily life? In this case, it’s the simplest gestures that will fill your wallet at the end of the month.
We know it sounds cliché and that our grandparents used to teach us this simple money-saving tip. However, it’s still easy to think that leaving the television on standby, the sockets plugged in or a light on doesn’t represent a significant cost. At home, is leaving for work also synonymous with the morning rush?
In a hurry, there are many passages between the bedroom, the bathroom and even the kitchen. Preparing the children’s clothes, packing backpacks, making breakfast, brushing teeth… and when you look back, all the lights are on. To save money, the first step can be to break this routine. Start turning off the lights every time you leave a room. And if it suddenly seems like everything is dark, take the opportunity to open the shutters and let the sunlight shine into your home.
With the lights off and saving energy, it’s time to organize your pantry. Sorting products into categories and putting together packets of rice and pasta may seem secondary, but it’s essential. That way, it’s easy to see what’s missing before preparing the shopping list.
Leftovers, on the other hand, also play a fundamental role when it comes to savings. You know that leftover rice that isn’t enough for a meal? Don’t throw it away. Put these small amounts in a suitable jar or container and, in the end, it’s good for one or two more times.
After the pantry, why not take a look in the fridge? Make sure that foods such as fruit and vegetables, which are more sensitive to temperature, are on the bottom shelves. Foods that need to be kept colder, such as meat and fish, have a reserved spot at the top. The door, meanwhile, is the ideal place for condiments and juices.
Another tip, no less important, is to organize your food by expiry date. Those that expire more quickly should be at the front, so that you use them first. That way, it’s easy to see what’s missing and about to expire. If you already have some fruit that’s getting soft or yogurt that’s about to expire, for example, how about preparing a cake and a natural juice for breakfast? Avoid food waste and don’t let anything go to waste.
Now that everything is organized, let’s write down what’s missing? Preparing a shopping list before heading out to the supermarket is half the battle to saving money. This makes it easier to buy only what you really need and resist temptation. We know that the supermarket shelves have a lot of products flashing before our eyes at every turn. With the list, it’s easier to let them stay there.
Taking advantage of promotions to buy larger products is also a good trick. For the “shopping of the month”, such as meat, fish and detergents, this is the ideal solution. Whether online or on paper, it’s worth taking a look at the leaflets before you leave the house.
In the medium term, there are still some tips you can follow to achieve your goals. If you’re thinking of buying a house, car or even traveling in 2020, don’t let your budget stop you. Start saving now and make your dreams come true:
What are you waiting for to start saving now? Follow these tips, ask us for your simulations and make the most of all the advantages and discounts we have, thinking of you. 2020 is really going to be a big year
Additional note: Order no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated the value of the meal allowance for public sector workers to €6.00/day. As a result, the tax-free meal allowance is now €6.00 in cash and €9.60 in vouchers or cards.
With Orçamento do Estado for 2025, the maximum value of the tax-free meal voucher on a card has risen again, this time to €10.20/day.
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
The temperatures are dropping and the cold is already making your teeth chatter. Winter clothes are back in the closet, blankets are back on the sofa and fireplaces are becoming more and more comfortable. However, does a good meal help us fight the cold? The answer is yes, but without excess sugar or fat. With the right foods, it really is possible to maintain a healthy diet and weather the winter.
Surprised? We’ll explain everything in this text. In reality, it’s easy to think that eating more composed meals in winter helps us to keep our stomachs warm. And to resist the cold. However, the secret to combating low temperatures is not in excess, but in balance. So, before you roll up your sleeves and get your cutlery ready for a good meal, find out which vitamins and foods should not be missing from your plate.
To begin with, let’s talk about vitamins. With the arrival of cold weather and rain, flu and colds are a trend. Before you go to the pharmacy in search of miracle drugs, make sure your diet is rich in Vitamin C. With a good dose of fruit and vegetables, such as oranges, tangerines or pumpkin, you can strengthen your immune system. However, to keep your body strong and resistant, Vitamin E, found in olive oil for example, is also essential. As well as zinc and selenium, which you can find in meat, fish and seafood. All together, it really can be the start of a winter without viruses or colds. But we haven’t yet told you exactly which foods help you fight the cold. Are you ready to find out? Then come on.
With the sneezing, fever and body aches gone, it’s now time to put an end to the chills and teeth chattering. And if you’re craving a warm meal to combat the shakes, discover the foods that warm the stomach:
Does it seem impossible that this is one of the secrets to combating the cold and tiredness of winter? It really is. Despite being sweet, it has far fewer calories than sugar and is a much more effective source of energy. Spread on wholemeal toast or sweetened with tea, this is a natural solution full of vitamins and nutrients.
We suggested that you sweeten your tea with honey and now it’s time to reveal the ideal tea. Did you know that green and black teas are superheroes in the fight against viruses? It’s true, and they’re also great for warming up on a cold day.
Nuts are second to none in terms of effectiveness. Rich in nutrients, they are a great source of energy to help your body warm up. A handful of raisins, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts will boost your endurance. What are you waiting for?
And if you’re still in the mood for a warm dish, how about a vegetable soup? With its fiber, vitamins and minerals, this is a great way to warm up a windy, rainy day. At home or in the Euroticket Accredited Network restaurants, vegetable soup is an essential winter dish.
If after all this you’re craving a sweet treat, don’t worry. Opt for a square of dark chocolate which, as well as helping to fight coughs, also soothes the stomach. With 70% cocoa, boost your well-being and brighten your day.In addition to eating a healthy diet with all the vitamins, nutrients and minerals that are essential for our bodies, there are a few more tips we want to share with you.
Getting a good night’s sleep is also essential. The saying goes that “going to bed early and getting up early makes you healthy and makes you grow“. The famous eight hours a day are really important for recharging your batteries. And if you’re feeling lazy during these colder days, it’s time to fight it.
Physical exercise cannot be neglected and the cold is no excuse. Try hitting the gym, going for a run or putting swimming on the agenda two or three times a week. In between all this, don’t forget to stay hydrated. It’s normal to feel less thirsty in the cold. But even so, it’s essential that you drink water or tea throughout the day.
Reducing the amount of coffee and avoiding alcoholic drinks are also good tips. And if you’re planning to stay at home, choose some warm slippers, put on some heavy pyjamas and put a thicker comforter on the bed. When you go outside, instead of wearing very thick clothes, dress in several layers and use gloves, warm socks and hats to cover your extremities. But we won’t end this article without giving you one last piece of advice.
Take advantage of this time of year to enjoy your favorite meal. On MyEdenred App discover all the establishments in the Euroticket Accredited Network and book your table with the best deals.
And if you’re wondering how much you’re going to spend, don’t worry, the Euroticket Refeição offers. Put all these tips together and don’t let winter ruin your plans. Fight the cold in the best way and stay healthy!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
With flexibility dictating the pace of evolution, the business market in Portugal is changing daily. From Social Benefits policies, which are on the rise among Portuguese companies, to the allocation of cell phones, cars and flexible working hours, promoting the well-being of employees is an increasingly present concern. Increasing team motivation and productivity are clear objectives. And in this sense, companies’ strategies are increasingly innovative. Remote work is no exception and if you don’t know what we’re talking about, read on. We’ll share with you all the advantages and challenges of this new way of working for both employees and companies.
Does working from home sound like an impossible idea? Don’t be fooled. This is what remote work is all about. At home, in a café, in a coworking space or anywhere other than the office. And it’ s becoming more and more fashionable every day . Today, this trend is undoubtedly the right choice for most companies. Not just in Portugal, but all over the world. However, it’s essential to maintain a balance and, to do so, it’s important to be aware not only of the advantages, but also of the challenges. But what do you have to gain from remote work? If it’s not yet policy in your company, it’ s time we showed you some of the advantages:
All in all, the improvement in their quality of life is indisputable.
Grab your things, put your laptop in your briefcase, talk to your manager and leave the office. Find the ideal space and, if it makes it easier, press “play” and put your favorite music on your headphones. And if you still need to convince your boss, show him or her the advantages of remote work for your company:
However, it’s not all upside. It’s important to create a balance between working outside and inside the office. Remote work is indeed a great solution to keep you productive and motivated, but it can’t be routine.
Although it sounds great to isolate yourself from distractions and work away from your colleagues from time to time, that’s the key, “from time to time”. Not having colleagues close to you can easily become a disadvantage, as it makes it more difficult to schedule meetings, discuss ideas or organize to bring team projects to success.
And if you want to take on a new professional challenge, it’s important not to lose the habit of working in a team, in an office. If you stray too far from this reality, it will be much more difficult to readapt. On top of all this, for your company, remote work also makes it more difficult to control employees.
As well as interaction between departments and the development of team projects. That’s why, before taking a wrong step, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of this professional trend. Depending on the job or function, remote work can be very positive or not so positive.
And although it may seem at first that working away from the office won’t make a difference, believe me, it will. If you stay at home, do you think you’ll be able to resist that movie you really wanted to see on TV yesterday? And if you go to the library, will swapping the noise of the office for absolute silence really work? Maybe it’s time to give it a try.
Despite the challenges, this method is undoubtedly advantageous. According to a study by the International Labor Organization (ILO), remote work increases employee productivity by around 11%. Technology is constantly developing and the new generations are actively contributing to the evolution of the business market. Creating innovative strategies and ways of working is the daily challenge for companies. And among modern offices, with leisure and dining areas, there is still a lot to discover.
Social Benefits are therefore one of the most common policies for recognizing and valuing employees. At Edenred we have solutions with you in mind, in areas such as education, meal or rewards. Find out about all the benefits we have for you and your employees. Talk to us and ask for a simulation now. Join the Edenred family and add value to your business!
In a week dedicated to healthy eating and the celebration of World Food Day on October 16, it’s inevitable to talk about how, with small gestures, you can join this cause. For example, have you eaten fruit today? What about vegetables, do you include them in your daily routine? The clock strikes 7 a.m. and jumping out of bed is the start of your day. Between baths, toilets, the briefcase with the laptop and work paperwork, there has to be time to prepare a snack and have breakfast before you leave the house. The clock is ticking and chaos has definitely set in. However, we’re here to help. To begin with, we’re going to tell you what can’t be missing from your daily meals:
Have you had breakfast yet? Then grab a piece of fruit! Mix it with yogurt and cereal, eat it in pulp or make a natural juice. The important thing is that you consume between three and five portions throughout the day.
If you can’t resist toast for breakfast or a bowl of cereal with milk, don’t give it up. Just opt for whole grain cereals, dark bread or bread with seeds and you’ll notice the difference.
For lunch and dinner, try replacing oil and butter with olive oil or coconut oil. Your meals will be tastier and, even better, healthier.
Throughout the day, it’s also essential to always have a portion of vegetables to color your plate. Raw, boiled or roasted, they come in all colors, flavors and shapes. In salads or as a side dish, the options are diverse.What are you waiting for to start changing some habits? Follow these tips and you’ll see how small gestures really do make a difference.
Back to the routine, the children are dressed and have their backpacks on their backs. Now all that’s left to do is make sure their lunchboxes are full of healthy food before heading off to school. And if they’re frowning at vegetables and fruit, we also have suggestions to make healthy meals a lot more fun:
To begin with, take your children into the kitchen while you prepare dinner. From sorting out the ingredients to washing the vegetables or setting the table, helping to cook awakens curiosity about the meal.
And since there’s no such thing as a child who doesn’t like colors, the more they are on the plate, the more fun it becomes. For starters, try mashed carrots, broccoli or include a good dose of sautéed vegetables at every meal.
Finally, how about drawing smiles on the plate with the food? Let them play and create different shapes. Being healthy is much more fun.Ready to change everyday life at home and at school? Why not turn healthy eating into a moment of play?
With tables set and routines changed, it’s time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the FOOD Program. In Portugal, it is in partnership with Direção-Geral de Saúde (DGS) that Edenred is fighting obesity by highlighting the importance of healthy eating. To this end, the FOOD Barometers are carried out every year in 10 European countries to gauge the eating habits of employees. This year’s results were once again surprising. O 2019 Barometer revealed that 77% of European employees consider the nutritional quality of dishes served in restaurants to be important or very important and that the Portuguese are the ones who most recognize the strong influence of technology on healthy eating habits. Step by step, we’re reaching our goal. Make a difference too!
Nothing like looking at the family budget to get it back on track. September is an atypical month for any family’s budget. So, to get back on track, we suggest you take another look at your regular income and expenditure for the remaining months of the year. If the new school year has brought with it any new changes to the household’s monthly bills (for example, a new fee for an extra curricular activity, tuition fees, etc.) this is the time to update the budget.
To help you with the first tip in this article, we recommend that you use the expense calculator. It’s an Excel sheet where you can write down all the fixed expenses – which you already know you’ll have throughout the year – as well as the variable or unexpected ones. You should also write down your income so that you can check your available balance. In this way, you can get a better idea of your budget in previous months and forecast it for future months
In order to restore balance to family accounts after the return to school, it may be necessary to be more restrained in variable expenses. Especially when it comes to shopping. To help you in this rational process of weighing up whether a purchase is really essential, we recommend that you use the shopping demotivator. What this tool does is calculate, based on the amount you earn per hour for your work, the number of hours you will have to work to purchase a particular good or service. Viewing purchases from this perspective allows you to filter out what is really necessary. And experience tells us that this shopping demotivator does its job very well.
As we’ve mentioned, one of the ways to recover the family budget after the return to school is to cut back on spending. In the case of the most dispensable expenses, of course. Therefore, one of the ways to save some money is to adapt your weekend, holiday or school breaks. For example:
With these 4 simple tips, you’ll be able to restore balance to your family budget after one of the most difficult times of the year for your bills – back to school.
Sun, beach, trips around the world and an envious tan… Have you just returned from vacation and the days are getting harder to bear? Do you look out of the window and imagine how good you’d look with your towel spread out on the sand? What if we told you that going back to work doesn’t have to be stressful?
Even if you leave the swimming and sunbathing behind, you can come back in a big way! Still don’t see how? In this article, we’ll help you get back on the right foot. Have you just come into the office, your inbox is full and even though it’s morning, you’re already exhausted? Calm down, take a deep breath and prioritize. To get back on track, the starting point can really be task planning.
More convinced now? Follow these tips and feel ready to tackle the disorganized desk, the two-hour meetings and the new projects. And if it still seems difficult to get into the rhythm, try to make the most of your vacation.
While on vacation, you can rest, but you can’t switch off!
The rules for a fulfilling vacation are the same as always: Don’t look at your email, don’t answer your work phone unless there’s an emergency, sort out your worries before you start your well-deserved rest days and… don’t think about work. However, getting away from work and resting doesn’t mean you have to switch off completely. Have you thought about taking advantage of your vacation to do some training? Or to read a technical book in your field? Even if it seems like a bad idea at first, you can bet it’s not. Study, gain new knowledge and see how much easier it is to get back to work. However, don’t spend all your time on these tasks. It’s essential that you take the opportunity to spend time with your family, go to the beach and travel, for example. Put all these tips together, have a perfect vacation and return to work in style!
Step by step, feel more motivated and confident.
The summer vacations are coming to an end and the sunbathing, diving and beach games are behind us. With the arrival of September, the hustle and bustle of back-to-school is already beginning to be felt and choosing a new backpack to show off to friends, superhero notebooks or more colorful pencils are among the daily plans. However, although it’s an exciting time for the little ones, the impact on the family budget is notorious. What if your company could contribute to this important phase for children?
In Portugal, it is increasingly common for companies to adopt Social Benefits policies, which aim to increase the quality of life and well-being of employees. But did you know that it’s possible to include education when choosing benefits? At Edenred, solutions are available for children and adults and cover all ages. But the best thing is that they actually help you save money. Are you curious?
With Euroticket, providing the best for your employees’ children is easier. In addition to more motivated people and increased productivity, these solutions have numerous advantages. And for the little ones, from 0 to 7 years old, it’s the childcare voucher that comes into play when it comes to saving money on crèches and kindergartens. In e-voucher or check format, with the Euroticket Creche, your company benefits from exemption from TSU and a 40% increase in corporate income tax.
“And for employees, are there any advantages?” If this is the question that’s making you hesitate, don’t worry. With Euroticket Creche, your loved ones benefit too, and a lot. The total exemption from IRS and TSU is the advantage that stands out the most, but it’s not the only one. It is joined by:
There are now over 5,000 establishments that accept this social benefit, from the north to the south of the country. However, we said that these Edenred solutions cut across all ages and we weren’t exaggerating! From the age of 7, the Euroticket Estudante take the stage. Exempt from TSU for companies and employees, these Social Benefits not only increase the quality of life of your employees, but also their motivation. This is directly reflected in better results for your company. Are we convincing you yet?
At the beginning of this text, we promised to help you find the best backpack and the coolest notebooks on the market. With Euroticket Estudante, you not only support the education costs of your employees’ children, but also your employees themselves. In addition to enrolling in schools, universities, colleges and training courses, the uses are even more varied, since the purchase of school supplies or payments at copy centers are also possible.
And if you’ve heard about extracurricular activities this could also be the solution. What are you waiting for? Talk to us and do your simulation. When it comes to education, Euroticket really is the best way to come back from summer!
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Are you in the office? How many colleagues are around you working with headphones in their ears? Some listen to classical music, others opt for electronic instrumentals. And there are those who prefer the usual classic rock or pop songs resonating through their headphones. But does music really help concentration and increase productivity? More than a help, music is a source of motivation. Depending on the role we play in our daily lives, there are sounds that easily contribute to greater concentration, but there are also those that take our focus away. The trick is to find the right tune for you.
“Everyone is different” goes the saying, and in this case it applies perfectly. The ideal music for you may not be the one that works best for the colleague next to you. That’s why the trick is to find that style and set of sounds that help you concentrate the most. Even so, science is far from exact and, depending on the task you’re doing, it’s very likely that the music will change. Did you know that when you need to be 100% focused to write a text like this, for example, you don’t want to listen to unfamiliar music? If you’re listening to a song for the first time, your brain tends to focus on the new stimuli that sound provokes. The next thing you know, your concentration has left you and you’re somewhere lost in the rhythms of thought. That’s why, when writing emails or reading important documents, you might want to avoid songs with lyrics. However, for those who can’t tolerate instrumentals, there is also a solution! Playlists with foreign music, in languages you don’t understand, or even in languages that don’t exist at all, can be a good starting point.
The phones won’t stop ringing, your colleagues are busy and the meeting rooms are full? Take a deep breath, put on your headphones and relax! By listening to your favorite music, you’ll be able to refocus on your work and, more importantly, reduce your stress levels. After all, sound has a clear effect on each and every one of us.
From psychological to cognitive or behavioral, music has a huge influence on our state of mind. The right melody can make you happy or sad, concentrated or relaxed and even scared. Have you ever put on a record at home and almost gone over the edge because you forgot to adjust the volume? It happens to everyone… not least because without music, life and everyday life are much harder to get through. What are you listening to now? Have you found the right beat to accompany your to-do list today?
Should you listen to music while you work? Definitely! But the right music at the right time.
This may seem like an obvious tip, but I can’t remind you enough. It can be very tempting to choose a breed of cat or dog that you like, but remember that adopting an animal not only saves your wallet, it also saves a pet from living on the street or in a shelter for the rest of its life. Visit an association or shelter and find out how you can do this.
The saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”. So the second tip is to get to know your pet well. Try to find out as much information as possible about their breed (if applicable), their specific needs, the most common diseases and the most suitable type of food. Knowing this information beforehand can help you act more quickly and efficiently.
Opt for regular check-ups and keep all your pet’s vaccinations up to date to increase the likelihood of foreseeing possible problems and thus give your pet a long and happy life. Look for a vet that suits your tastes and your wallet, and avoid jumping from clinic to clinic. This is because maintaining a good relationship with your pet’s carers can help you save on treatments or even access alternative payment methods.
First of all, find out which food is best for your pet, without forgetting your financial capacity. Then check if there are any promotions and, if there aren’t, find out which store sells that brand at the best price. Also analyze whether it pays to buy in larger quantities straight away, as sometimes the larger the package, the more it pays.
If the food has an extended shelf life, it may be worth buying more to take advantage of a particular promotion. In addition, some people choose to order in groups from online stores, i.e. they split the postage and get the products at a more advantageous price.
In terms of accessories, such as beds, carriers, feeders or toys, avoid making impulse purchases. Before you buy, ask friends, family or colleagues if they have any of these items that they no longer need and could give them away or even sell them at a cheaper price. If you really need to buy some things, do so in order of need.
Initially, buy only the essentials and, from time to time, if you wish, offer your partner a new treat. In the end, they always prefer your child’s toys, don’t they?
If you follow animal associations or even stores, as well as finding out about their work, you can also find out about free or low-cost vaccination or chip-fitting campaigns.
Nowadays there are all kinds of insurances, and when it comes to animals it’s no exception. O animal insurance is a long-term investment which, as well as helping to balance out the common expenses associated with an animal, also serves as prevention in the event of a sudden illness, disappearance or death of the animal. There are two types of insurance for animals: civil liability insurance and insurance covering veterinary assistance.
As much as we always want our pet to be with us, the truth is that it’s not always possible, either for reasons of well-being or financial expense. So what should you do? Start by asking your family and friends if there is anyone available to take care of your pet, either in their home or yours. However, if this isn’t an option, don’t worry, there are other alternatives.
To find more appealing prices, look for pet sitting services, where qualified professionals come to your home to take care of your pet’s hygiene, or pet sharing services, which is a meeting point between those who have nowhere to leave their animals and those who would like to take them in during the vacations.
Finally, if your only option is a hotel, it’s best to stick to the basics and cancel all the “extra” services. As a rule, the more “treats” you include in the service, the higher the daily cost. It’s therefore important to make sure you know all the associated costs. There is a base rate, from which food and baths are usually excluded.
It is now possible to deduct 15% of VAT from invoices. The expenses you can deduct in this section are all those related to care provided in a veterinary clinic or hospital, from consultations, treatments, to hospitalizations, etc.
The education of pets, especially dogs, is super important. However, a quality training school costs at least €40 a month, which not everyone can afford. If this is the case for you, use the free resources available: search for information on the Internet, use mobile apps dedicated to teaching animals and devour the episodes of Dog Whisperer.
With a little dedication, you’ll be able to learn how to handle your pet and teach it some obedience rules.
Are you already on vacation and getting ready to spend the day at the beach with your family? Or are you looking forward to the weekend so you can enjoy the sun a little more? Either way, preparing for a day at the seaside is far from simple and, with children, leaving the house is even more difficult.
Between towels, sunscreen and bags full of toys, you still have to find space, and time, to prepare the cooler. Long gone are the years when spending a day at the beach meant several chests of food, lots of snacks and sometimes even pots, pans and jugs.
Even so, finding the ideal food is still no easy task. When it comes to preparing the cooler to enjoy the heat, it’s the fresh and quick solutions that come to mind. And very well! But can we eat quickly and healthily? Of course we can! We’ll help you find out what can’t be missing from your cooler.
This is the question on your mind first thing in the morning, when you start your exhaustive preparation for the beach. Two or three pieces of fruit seem like a logical decision. But the next thing you know, the packets of potato chips and sandwiches have taken their place. Don’t go on, turn back and let us help you put health back into your snack. Before we even focus on lunchtime, how about we start by adding some snacks in your bag?
Your first impulse was right, so let’s listen to it. Fruit is essential for a good beach meal. Whether it’s a box of cherries, peaches or watermelon, for example, it’s important to take several pieces to eat throughout the day.
And if you want to add color and flavor to your meals, carrot sticks with hummus are a great solution. Simple and fresh, it’s the ideal snack.
Essential to the diet and a great day at the beach are nuts and dried fruit. Take a mix of seeds, raisins, walnuts and almonds, for example, and avoid feeling hungry throughout the day.
As for the little ones, why not take some liquid yogurt and mini cheeses? They’ll delight the little ones and, as well as being practical, they’re healthy.
Sandwiches are still the best seller for summer food, but they’re not always the healthiest option. After all, what can and should we have for lunch on the beach?
How about preparing some chicken or smoked salmon wraps with vegetables? Tasty and fresh, they add healthiness to your snack and leave you feeling light for the rest of the sunny day.
For the little ones, who will melt for a slice of pizza what do you think about preparing an option with wholemeal or sweet potato dough? Opt for fresh ingredients and take a delicious pizza to the seaside.
We said earlier that they’re often not the healthiest choice. But is it possible to turn traditional sandwiches into an excellent beach lunch? Yes, as long as you opt for wholemeal or dark bread, for example. And for the filling, poultry ham, vegetables and some fresh cheese should take center stage.
The same goes for salads, which also make a great beach lunch. With pasta, chicken, tuna, boiled egg and a variety of vegetables, you can get a meal full of nutrients and for all tastes. Now all that’s left to do is add plenty of water to the cooler because, when the heat is on, it’s essential to stay hydrated. With bags and snacks packed, everything seems ready to enjoy the sun by the sea. Follow these tips, eat full meals and be healthy.
It really is possible to go to the beach and eat well.
If you dedicate yourself 100% to your work and don’t know when to stop, this text is for you. If you’re in the habit of turning off your cell phone when you get home, but still can’t fall asleep without thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, don’t run away, this text is still for you.
Nowadays, we spend more time at work than we do at home. Our life almost ceases to be our own and becomes focused solely on work. This transition is easy and, among many reasons, it also happens because we enjoy what we do too much. But are we aware that this can be fatal?
The issue is sensitive and, as of 2022, it will be included in the World Health Organization’s list of diseases. Burnout syndrome, as it is known, already affects a large proportion of workers around the world. In Portugal alone, in 2016, this problem affected 13% of the population, according to the Portuguese Association of Health Psychology.
Don’t join this list, start changing your habits now. Discover some attitudes that you can apply in your day-to-day life and that promise to improve your health.
You spend the day between meetings, tight deadlines and tasks that never let up. Stress is a logical consequence and even coffee breaks don’t help you decompress. At lunchtime, are you one of those people who eats in front of your desk to get some work done? Look after yourself and start changing now… We’ll give you some tips:
If you include these tips in your daily routine, your day-to-day life will seem much easier. It really does make a difference, believe me.
The answer is yes! Change doesn’t just come from employees and, in this sense, there are also measures you can implement in your company:
Sometimes, without realizing it, the stress of everyday life can affect our health. Don’t let Burnout force you to stop, get ahead of it. Start looking after your health and that of your teams. Healthy and happy people produce more and better. Today, when you leave work, switch off and take advantage of the end of the day to rest and replenish your energy doing what you love. There’s more tomorrow.
Nowadays, it is increasingly common for companies to implement Social Responsibility and Corporate Volunteering policies internally. Whether it’s painting walls, serving meals or improving the environment, these actions aim to increase the well-being of the community.
However, are we aware of the importance of these small gestures? Companies have a direct impact on society and Social Responsibility policies are almost a way of saying thank you. The saying goes that “helping doesn’t cost” and, in this case, it really doesn’t! Small gestures like distributing clothes and food to the homeless or planting trees really do make all the difference.
At Edenred, we don’t neglect this theme and, every year, we make it our mission to turn an ordinary day into an Ideal Day.
“Why is social responsibilityimportant from a business point of view?” This is the big question that constantly comes up in connection with this topic. To begin with, we need to be aware that the environment in the community in which the company operates has a direct or indirect impact on the organization.
When society goes through periods of crisis, conflict or inequality, for example, it’s normal for the organization to feel it too. In this social context, consumption tends to decline and so does the financial health of companies. Contributing to social welfare is therefore a mission and a duty. However, it doesn’t end there. Internally, these social initiatives also have a strong impact.
Employees become aware of the needs of the population around them and consequently learn to value their jobs and the quality of life they have access to. Integration with colleagues and team spirit also tend to increase. As well as brand visibility, better allocation of resources and, essentially, more satisfied customers.
Solidarity is the watchword and every year Edenred dedicates a day to helping people in need. This year, Idealday was held worldwide on June 19 in the 46 countries where the Group is present.
In Portugal, Edenred employees dressed up to spend a different afternoon with the Life and Peace Community. The mission was to paint nine rooms, improving the facilities at Quinta da Tomada, and the end result exceeded expectations.
This initiative aims to help improve the quality of life of socially vulnerable people and, once again, mission accomplished! Across the world, the day was also marked by activities such as: updating compost heaps (Edenred France); fighting turtle extinction (Edenred Mexico); eating with orphans and the elderly at PKYMS HOME (Edenred Malaysia) and much more. Do you know where you’re going to start?
A small gesture can change lives. Start helping now and make a difference!
Trimmmm! When the bell sounds, the children immediately start running down the school corridors. I’m sure your children are no different. The question is, where do they go next? Home, tennis, soccer or piano lessons?
Practicing extracurricular activities is an increasingly common reality and, associated with it, the advantages are countless. However, you need to be careful not to overload your children. As well as making time for practice after school, your children need to be able to reconcile it with school obligations and family time.
Increasing responsibility and developing new skills in different areas are, of course, on the list. But the points in favor of extracurricular activities don’t stop there:
If you haven’t enrolled your children in an ATL yet, it’s time to start thinking about it. After showing you the advantages of extracurricular activities, perhaps we can help you with this too.
Edenred can help you cover your children’s education costs with the Euroticket Estudante, which is fully exempt from IRS and TSU. This is the ideal solution for increasing your income and supporting your children’s education. Find out how it works and simulation.
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
It’s getting close to lunchtime and your tummy is already working overtime. Do you know what you want to eat today? And where are you going? Does the restaurant accept meal card payments? All these questions are now running through our minds, because we have a mission and a commitment to you. Do you already have a Euroticket? If not, it’s time to find out what can change your life for the better!
In Portugal, meal allowances are becoming increasingly common practice in the business market. However, many companies still choose to give it to their employees in cash. They don’t know what they’re missing. Have we got you wondering?
We can tell you that the advantages associated with paying meal allowance by card are numerous, but take a look for yourself. Do you have any idea, for example, that if you pay up to €10.20 in meal allowance to your employees with a meal card, your company is completely exempt from TSU? And that your employees also benefit from a total IRS exemption?
If you do this on paper, you only benefit from this exemption up to a maximum of €6.00. Have you seen what you stand to gain? The tax advantages are the first to stand out, but not the only ones. Are we convincing you yet that your life really can improve? At Edenred, we have the ideal solution for you. But first, if you’re already thinking about what you’re having for lunch today and how nice it would be to pay with the Euroticket Refeição get ready, because we’ve told you almost nothing yet.
Do you know Euroticket Refeição? It’s the most widely used meal card in Portugal and, in addition to all these tax benefits, it has a lot more to offer. Euroticket really can change your life!
If you have a company and you don’t yet offer the Euroticket Refeição to your employees, know what you’ve been missing:
Didn’t we tell you that the range of advantages was huge? Even so, we still have more news for you. Lunchtime is approaching and you still don’t know where to go? Maybe we can help you make that decision too.
As a meal card and extra-income benefit, the Euroticket Refeição can be used to buy meals or foodstuffs to prepare them. As such, you can use it in restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, fishmongers and butchers when they belong to the Euroticket accredited network. What if we told you that our network already has over 38,000 partner establishments?
Visit our app and use our geolocation service to choose where you’re going to have lunch today. Now that you’re convinced, what are you waiting for? Contact us and make your simulation now. Change your life for the better!
Join the Euroticket family.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
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Article updated in December 2024.
Have you ever come home without wanting to cook? I’m sure you have. The solution has never been as simple as it is now, because it’s just a phone call or a click away. In the second edition of Let’s Talk FOOD – an Edenred initiative, which took place in France on June 29th – the influence of technology on the food industry was debated. The speakers were Julien Tanguy, Managing Director of Edenred France, Daniele Gerkens, Editor-in-Chief of Elle à table and Stephane Ficaja, Managing Director of Uber Eats in Western and Southern Europe.
In this text, we’re going to talk about what has changed in food consumption habits. In France, the food industry is changing, largely thanks to the boom in Food Delivery and Food Influencers or recipe blogs, in Portugal the reality is not very different. From generation to generation, consumers themselves have become increasingly demanding.
Today, speed, quality of service, price and quality of food are key when making a choice. Customer satisfaction is the great mission of food companies and, in this sense, technology has played a very important role.
How many days do you not feel like cooking? Or those days when you feel like doing something different but don’t know where Grandma’s cookbook is? Do you also find yourself turning the TV to the cooking channel for inspiration?
Technology is everywhere, and in things as simple as these. When we call to order food and even when we do it from an app. When we look up the recipe for our favorite dish on the internet, and when we zap the TV. It helps, doesn’t it? These are all small examples of how habits are changing. And where you least expect it, technology is there to lend a helping hand.
When hunger strikes and the desire to chop vegetables is in short supply, the kitchen robot is further proof that technology can be our best friend. Evolution is undoubtedly the key word and, with generations becoming ever more demanding, the trend is set to continue.
The future of food will go hand in hand with technology. Always with new solutions, associated with new means of payment and more diversified services.
When it comes to our health, technology can’t be left behind either, and food even less so. Nowadays, both on blogs and social networks, tips are spread all over the internet. Even consultations with the best nutritionist can be done on screen.
Using apps to exercise and write down the calories consumed each day is also an increasingly common habit It’s true that technology accompanies us all the time and everywhere. Our biggest consumption habit is to use it for almost everything.
Today, when you’re preparing dinner, remember this text and notice… it’s there.
“Companies are made up of people.” It sounds cliché, but in reality, human capital really is one of the most important pillars of organizations. As well as being largely responsible for the productivity and competitiveness of companies, people are also the customers and consumers of the products and services they provide. All with different characteristics, talents and needs, employees are the great differentiating factor for organizations.
This is why investing in Human Resources management has become a pressing concern. Today, strategies for motivating and retaining talent are constantly under debate. But where do you start to get the most out of your people?
To begin with, how about investing in proximity management, which understands the needs of employees and meets them? In companies today, statements like “people are our most important asset” are increasingly common.
However, managing people means assessing and controlling all the factors that interfere with the quality of work and the lives of human resources. This is in order to promote the ideal conditions according to the skills, responsibilities and functions of each employee.
Betting on extra salary benefits is certainly an excellent strategy. In this field, the meal card tends to be the benefit most given to employees and, in addition to the tax advantages, it guarantees a direct increase in their purchasing power and quality of life. At Edenred, we have the ideal solution for you and your people.
Euroticket Refeição guarantees greater motivation for your Human Resources. No less important is ensuring a good working environment, using initiatives such as gymnastics, for example. Access to natural light or flexible working hours can also make a difference. After all, it’s not a cliché.
People are every company’s greatest resource and it is thanks to them that the best results and successes are achieved. Keeping them motivated not only increases productivity, but also generates partnerships of excellence and, of course, good business. Now that you’ve read this text, have you decided where to start valuing your Human Resources? We hope we’ve helped you.
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
We talk about Employee Benefits and Team Building… but what about sport? Have you ever been told that practicing sport can increase your motivation and productivity in your company? Not to mention the ever-increasing team spirit and plummeting stress levels.
Playing sport is undoubtedly a huge asset, both for your health and for your professional life. Not only because it reduces sedentary lifestyles and improves physical fitness, but also because it helps you feel more confident and satisfied with your work.
On top of all this, it’s an excellent way to get to know your colleagues better and strengthen relationships.
In your company, is sport not yet a constant presence on the list of initiatives? Then it’s time to make some changes to your Human Resources policy.
In soccer games, do you prefer to be the spearhead, attack the midfield, defend the side or stand in goal? Together with your colleagues, make up the team, decide on the positions and start playing at the end of the day. As well as being ideal for relieving stress, team sports are great for strengthening professional bonds.
If, however, you prefer group classes, how about setting up a partnership with a gym? It could be an excellent initiative. One class a week or two a month is enough to stimulate your employees and promote sportsmanship.
More radical, but no less effective, are outdoor activities. From paintball, to climbing, abseiling or sliding, they all stimulate your organizational tactics. Best of all, they break the routine and give you a team experience in the middle of nature. What more could you want? These are just a few suggestions to help you get started. For now, take a break, get up from your chair and stretch your legs. Opt for a healthy diet with your Euroticket Refeição and start leaving the sedentary lifestyle behind. Choose to be healthy!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
“What stress!” The expression is increasingly common and, throughout the day, we both hear it and say it several times. In rush hour traffic, at work and even at home, the word “stress” is always present.
What’s worse is that, although it’s often undervalued, it can actually lead to more serious problems.
At European level, it is estimated that stress affects around 22% of workers every year. This puts it in second place as the biggest cause of work-related illness. But what makes us so stressed at work? Lack of motivation, overwork and collaboration between colleagues are among the most common answers.
Once you’ve detected the problem, it’s time to start solving it. Take a deep breath, count to 10, and start changing some habits now. If you have a company, have you ever thought that it’s time to make some benefits available to your employees? What if we told you that this is one of the best ways to increase the motivation of your teams? At Edenred, we have the ideal solution for you and, what’s more, it’s tailored to your needs. From Euroticket Refeição to Euroticket Creche or Euroticket Estudante, we have a range of benefits and incentives that can help reduce your employees’ stress and leave them more motivated. Promoting a balance between your employees’ personal and professional lives and encouraging sport are also excellent options. In fact, have you thought about including gymnastics in your list of initiatives?
It is up to the employee to find strategies to reduce daily stress. Both in the workplace and personally. To help you, we’ve put together some simple suggestions that you can include in your routine right now:
– Take advantage of your lunch break to replenish your energy and respect the break times throughout the day. Taking your eyes off your work for a few minutes won’t slow you down; on the contrary, it will make you more focused and calm.
– Have you tried listening to music while you work? Put on your headphones, choose a song that relaxes you and say goodbye to stress for a while. – If you haven’t gone on vacation yet this year, it’s time to open your calendar and think about it.
– Take your vacation within the time limit set by law. To feel more motivated and interested in your work, it’s important to be able to disconnect from it from time to time.
These are just a few suggestions, but there is much more you can do for your health. Don’t let stress consume you and, today, when you get home, start by locking your door. At least for one day, don’t let it into your life.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
It seems difficult to make the most of every part of food, and when we have leftovers at dinner, for example, we don’t always feel like freezing them. And how many times do we forget to make a shopping list? Or we leave for the supermarket without picking up the paper, which ends up forgotten at home? We understand, but even so, ten seconds of effort can make years of difference to the environment.
In 2018, data collected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations revealed that around 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted every year worldwide. Still think it’s not that much? What if we told you that in Portugal alone we waste around 1 million tons of food a year? This figure means that each person wastes an average of 132 kg of food a year. This corresponds to approximately 324,000 tons per family. We know these are frightening figures, but before you panic, we suggest you read the recommendations we’ve put together for you. We’re here to help you change small habits in your daily life that will have a very positive impact on these results.
Of all colors, I’m sure there were several bowls of almonds on your sweet table. Did you know that just 100g of almonds equals over 400 calories and 10 packets of sugar? We don’t want to scare you or make you feel guilty, but we can help you with that feeling of unease you’ve been experiencing over the last few days. After the excesses, it’s time to give your body some rest and get back on track with your diet. However, we stress that the aim is not to lose weight, but to detoxify the body.
Cliché or not, we start by suggesting that you include a lot of liquids in your “diet”. When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do? Does it cost much to add a glass of water with a few drops of lemon to your routine, while still fasting? It seems like a small thing, but for your body it makes all the difference, as it helps to hydrate and eliminate the toxins caused by the many sweets you couldn’t resist. Abusing fruits and vegetables is also an excellent option, as is including a wide variety of fibers in your daily diet – wholemeal cookies, wholemeal bread, brown rice and cereals, for example. And if you’re one of those people who can’t do without dessert after lunch, you can always replace the usual slice of cake with watermelon, pineapple or orange with a square of dark chocolate. The idea is that you can adapt your meals to your body’s needs without having to give up the pleasure of eating.
In every diet there are foods that stand out and try to seduce us. In pastry shop windows, on supermarket shelves, or with words like “slim” or “light”, they’re always there winking at us. The secret, however, lies in the willpower we have to resist them. Think about how unwell you’ve been over the last few days and the wonders it will do for your body to say “no” to: sugar, honey, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, sausages, butter, fried foods and treats. “Count, weigh and measure” has always been the best advice, and in this case it’s no exception. Reducing red meat consumption for a few days and choosing fish, for example, is another tip that promises to make a difference. Throughout the day, try to drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water. In the meantime, leave laziness at home: go to the gym, walk, break your routine and take the stairs instead of the convenient elevator. Combining sport with a healthy diet is fundamental to making your body feel better. Best of all, your Euroticket Refeição card can help you in this process. Take it to lunch, follow these tips and you’ll see that in a few days you’ll be feeling much better.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
“Getting rid of plastic” is the order of the day and “sustainable” seems to be one of the most used words in 2019. At least so far. But what is sustainable anyway and how is it reflected in our daily lives? And in our food? The notion that the environment needs special and continuous care has increasingly taken root in society. 2019 has already seen thousands of students fight for the climate and saying “Enough!” to plastic has also been a common theme at European level. However, we are aware that changing even small things is not as easy as it sounds. From time to time, questions like:
Is recycling really that important? What will change if I don’t sort my garbage today? I don’t feel like eating anymore, is there anything wrong with throwing away the leftovers? But the truth is that it really does make a difference. And although it’s still common practice at home to put the apple in the plastic box before going to work, changing the world can already start there.
This is the question we really like to answer. The first step may be to replace plastic containers with paper boxes or bags, glass jars or cloth bags, for example. However, there are many more steps you can take in your day-to-day life that will make a difference in creating a better future. Do you know how tired you feel every day when you get home and have dinner to make? What if we told you that dedicating one day a week to preparing more meals and then freezing them would make your kitchen much more sustainable? Believe us. The trick is to let the food defrost naturally, so that the only energy wasted will be those two minutes when you heat the dish in the microwave.
1 – Consuming food in its entirety, taking advantage of the stalks, peels and seeds which are often the main sources of nutrients and vitamins;
2 – Keeping electrical equipment (oven, microwave, toaster, coffee machine, kettle, etc.) unplugged while you’re not using them;
3 – Opting for organic products and home gardens;
4 – Soaking dishes for a few minutes before washing, so that dirt comes off more easily;
5 – Closing your fridge tightly and regulating the temperature;
6 – Recycling and reusing are also fundamental steps for those who want to improve their ecological footprint and make a difference By following these little tips, your kitchen will become more sustainable and, at the end of the month, you’ll also notice a significant difference in your bills. Step by step, you’re contributing to a better future and a better world.
In addition to plastics, metals, batteries and cardboard, there are some objects and materials that we never know whether or not we can recycle. That’s why we’ve put together some examples that can help make the task less confusing.
What if we told you that you could turn this passion for games and screens into a unique experience of learning, fun and cognitive development? Increasingly, school breaks are a concern for many parents, as knowing what to do with their children at this time of year is not always easy. And even when they decide to enroll them in summer camps or ATLs, other questions arise, such as: “Is it safe? Will they be there alone for so many days? What if they need me? Are they really having fun?” Not to mention the extraordinary costs that many of these leisure activities entail. The solution may be to enroll your children in a vacation course that promises to add a dash of learning to the fun and get them out of their room or off the sofa, at least for a few hours. What’s even better is being able to choose a course tailored to your child’s needs, as the schools that offer them usually have different themes in mind, ranging from sports to cooking, not forgetting the more technological and digital areas that are so popular with youngsters.
For example, at Happy Code – present in various parts of Portugal (Porto, Braga, Maia, Lisbon, Cascais and Oeiras) – you can learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, but your favorite games are part of the compulsory material. Creating Minecraft mods , developing an app, creating a game or learning to be a YouTuber are on the vacation plan, which can include morning, afternoon or all-day sessions. If you’re interested, check out all the information on the school’s website and take advantage of the discount you get for being a Euroticket user. However, don’t forget that your children still need some free time to recharge their batteries and return to school full of enthusiasm. How about taking advantage of this time to visit some museums or theme parks? Many places are already opening their doors during the school vacations to welcome the little ones. Embarking on interactive experiences or trying out a profession for a day are among the activities available from the north to the south of the country. And while they have fun and are happy being children, you can rest assured.
Don’t worry, they’ll be fine, learning while they play. What better way to spend a vacation?
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
Trim… Trim…. Trim… the alarm clock goes off early in the morning and, in order to make the most of every second in bed, it’s easy to end up leaving the house in a hurry. Along the way, we’re left with the breakfast we haven’t had, the water we haven’t drunk yet and the tension that, suddenly, for someone who’s “only just woken up”, already makes our back, head and shoulders ache. What a stress! And the day has only just begun…
How often do you arrive at work tired and not wanting to tackle all the projects ahead of you? At first glance, food seems to have nothing to do with it, but the saying goes that “we are what we eat”, and aren’t we?
Remember that breakfast you left behind? That’s right, it was the first big mistake of your day and for your health. It’s said to be the most important meal, and that’s no coincidence. However, it’s not enough to eat to get the best results.
Avoiding saturated fats and sugars as soon as you wake up is essential and, instead, your plate should include protein-rich foods such as eggs, or the more usual cereals, wholemeal bread, cottage cheese or yogurt and fruit. After all, the day is already off to a good start and it’s only uphill from here.
Eating several short meals during the eight hours of work we have ahead of us is a good way to keep our bodies awake and ready for any challenges. The brain is active, but even so, when we get to the office it always feels good to have a coffee and, even better, it’s super healthy.
At lunchtime, your diet should be rich in omega-3 and foods such as salmon or walnuts always look good on the plate. On the other hand, if you opt for a soft drink or a very sweet dessert to go with it, be careful because the high levels of glucose in your blood will impair your creativity and concentration.
Eating a balanced diet is not just about the amount of calories you eat throughout the day, but also about the results you can achieve professionally. Do you feel healthier now? To achieve maximum productivity, there are even more tips we can share with you.
Remember that biscuit you were going to bite into? Opt instead for some nuts, a piece of fruit or some dark chocolate. These foods will give your brain the dose of energy it needs and help you feel more focused. How about taking advantage of lunch to start a balanced diet? For now, we suggest a healthy break sponsored by your Euroticket Refeição.
Remember, the trick is to eat well in order to think even better.
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.
In Lisbon, known for its seven hills, it was expected that the phenomenon would not succeed, but on the contrary, and thanks to the engines that reach up to 25 kilometers per hour and give the necessary push on the steepest climbs, the project proved to be a success.
In 2018, the Portuguese capital was honored with the European Mobility Week and European Green Capital 2020 awards, which highlighted the work and commitment that the municipality has shown in promoting the environment and sustainable mobility with the aim of creating a better world.
In the last two years, cycle paths have begun to take shape and both bicycles and scooters have taken the city streets by storm, becoming one of the most common means of transportation. The phenomenon is growing by leaps and bounds and, of course, in order to get around the city, it’s important to follow certain rules, such as stopping at red lights, wearing a helmet or going around traffic circles from the outside, as long as you give way to cars at the various exits.
There are currently more than 1,000 vehicles available in the capital and, between the speedy, the acrobats and even those who try their hand at a more clumsy route, it’s rare not to come across some of the many wheels and pedals that travel from the north to the south of the country.
Bicycles continue to be the most popular option in Portugal, as they are cheaper than public transport, although scooters promise to catch up in the short term. But cost is not the only reason for choosing them.
As well as being 100% sustainable and ecological alternatives, these transport solutions are healthy!
How many times during the day do you look up from your computer and notice that everyone around you is wearing headphones while they work? That’s right, this is one of the most common tricks. Good background music can be a fundamental aid to inspiration. With your ears in tune and the right notes, it’s much easier to be in harmony with your work.
A mid-morning break can be used for a snack, a quick cup of coffee or… meditation. Haven’t you ever thought of this as a way to break your routine? Sometimes the inspiration you need to succeed is in a moment just for you.
With healthy habits increasingly present in the business mentality, many organizations are already encouraging physical exercise and promoting, for example, short stretching sessions in the office. You should know that after sitting for many hours, moving for 10 minutes can work miracles when it comes to inspiration.
Chatting casually or sharing ideas with colleagues can also be a good help when inspiration seems to be lacking. Feedback from other people brings new perspectives to our work and can really make a difference.
The idea is a bit daring and may even seem unhelpful, but often you just need to take a deep breath and stop for a few seconds to look at those around you to regain your focus with new energy. Discovering the tricks that inspire you and the best ways to keep yourself motivated are half the way to success. Now it’s time to put these suggestions into practice and get to work on achieving the best results in your work and life.
In the business world, the end of the year is also traditionally a time when the strategy and approach dedicated to Extrasalary Benefits are revisited. And if, in the case of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, originality and the unusual are gaining more and more expression, whether motivated by cultural differences or the growing consumerism of the season, in the annual analysis and decision on which Extrasalary Benefits to award to employees, the tradition continues.
One of the classics in the tradition of awarding Extrasalary Benefits is the meal ticket. Adherence to and use of meal tickets by companies and, consequently, their employees, has become widespread, and nowadays it is an increasingly common reality. It’s therefore not surprising that when defining remuneration packages, typically at the end of each year, most companies revisit meal vouchers among the various benefits on offer.
Although it is one of the classic benefits, companies, particularly Portuguese ones, are now able to offer this benefit in a different way compared to a few years ago. This difference between the past and the present is mainly due to the increasingly specific regulation of the entitlement to the meal allowance.
And while, a year ago, this specificity was mainly related to the maximum tax-free meal allowance paid through a voucher, today there are other aspects of the legal framework of the meal voucher in Portugal that uniquely distinguish it as a social benefit.
In addition to the growing increase in the maximum limit of the meal allowance, granted in cash, totally exempt from tax charges (IRS and TSU), a fact that stimulates the securitization of the meal allowance and reinforces its character as a social benefit, recently (November 12), was published the decree-law no. 91/2018 transposing EU Directive 2015/2366 on Payment Services.
This decree-law applies to payment services institutions and expressly excludes meal tickets, as social vouchers, from the scope of this regulation. According to this legal framework, as it is a social benefit, the meal voucher can only be used to cover expenses related to meals that have already been prepared or foodstuffs used to prepare those meals.
This and possible future clarifications of the meal ticket legal regime reinforce it as a social benefit and give companies the continued possibility of including it, in an increasingly differentiating way, in their Extrasalary Benefits policy, without the fear of considering a classic that has been revitalized, in the already traditional annual review of that policy. See you in 2019!
With Orçamento do Estado for 2025, the maximum value of the tax-free meal voucher on a card has risen again, this time to €10.20/day.
Find out about four of these reasons and learn in detail about the benefits that justify paying your meal allowance via a meal card.
Technology is, however, only one of the bars responsible for executing change in organizations. Like a musical composition, changes, particularly those related to the operational model of organizations, gain rhythm, pulse and tempo with other measures. One of these is precisely the generational and cultural differences between employees.
Collaboration between multigenerational and multicultural teams in the same organization is increasingly a reality as a result of factors such as globalization, the increase in the retirement age limit, the concentration of the population in coastal areas or digitalization.
The idiosyncrasies of an organization’s human capital are therefore a challenge for Human Resources (HR) departments, since they impose changes in terms of inter- and intra-departmental/area relationships. At first glance, these changes don’t seem to have any impact on an organization’s operating model or its success, from the point of view of business indicators, since they are related to its internal environment.
However, just as in music, the rhythms of change in organizations can not only be countless, but also have varying degrees of simplicity or complexity, contributing to a greater or lesser capacity to generate value. Because of the impact it also has on their external environment, multiculturalism and the simultaneous existence of several generations in organizations must be understood as a complex compass in the context of changes to their operating model.
However, this complexity should not be interpreted negatively, especially by HR managers. When faced with multigenerational and multicultural teams, they should feel challenged to transform this initial complexity into a final simplicity, leading organizations to generate value for both their internal and external levels. How does this transformation take place?
Working to complement the differences between employees from the inside out. One of the most important actions that HR managers and the management of an organization should take in this regard is internal communication. There are several people responsible at these two levels – Human Resources, Marketing and Management.
Although it may be innate in some cases, communicating well, assertively and engagingly is something that can be learned. Learning to communicate not only guarantees greater ease in interacting, but also a better ability to choose the channels through which to do so. As a partner of companies’ Human Resources professionals, Edenred seeks to foster its own internal communication, either through the natural predisposition of its professionals to do so, or by including communication training for those who have to ensure it, on a daily basis.
This commitment to better internal communication is, in Edenred’s case, a pressing need due to its multinational nature – the presence of professionals from different cultures and nationalities – and its young and dynamic spirit combined with its already solid market experience.
By working to ensure better, more assertive and engaging internal communication, Edenred not only seeks to achieve a greater capacity for understanding and working between its different people, but also to increase their motivation, retention and productivity, as well as the success of the projects, products and services that underpin its strategy and which, at the end of each year, confirm whether it has been possible to generate value for and with its business. Achieving these and other objectives through internal communication is complex. But not impossible.
These initiatives are an example of the fact that the ability to choose which channels to use for internal communication is fundamental. All of these initiatives, before, during and after their implementation, were communicated via e-mail, internal newsletter, Intranet and other channels to the different employees who are part of Edenred.
The frequency with which they were communicated, but above all the messages that were disseminated in the different channels chosen, promote the minimization of hierarchical barriers, differences between qualifications, ages, cultures, genders and lifestyles. At the same time, they promote alignment with the company’s values, beliefs, organizational culture and strategy, bringing to the forefront of each employee’s professional identity the fact that they are part of a common project.
When this alignment is achieved, the initial complexity is transformed into the sought-after simplicity. This alignment is, however, ephemeral, meaning that it can be achieved at one moment and still be unachieved at the next. Its transience means that we have to work every day to challenge not only the changes related to multigenerational and multicultural teams, but also all the changes that can have an impact on an organization’s operating model.
The more conscious this work is, the greater and richer the pace of organizations will be and, consequently, their ability to generate value.
If organizations communicate with one voice from the inside out, there will be no slowdown in their ability to adapt and make the most of changes with a positive impact on their operating model.
Vacations are a recurring and desirable topic among work colleagues. Every year, in the pre- or post-holiday period, we exchange views on our vacation destinations, the experiences we’ve had (gastronomic, cultural, leisure, etc.), the cultural habits we know or hope to get to know in more detail, among many other aspects related to the vacation lexicon. Collaboration between multigenerational and multicultural teams in the same organization is increasingly a reality and reinforces the fact that the right to vacations is exercised, even if it is organized in collaboration with the company, by each of us in a very personal way. The presence of multiple generations in an organization’s workforce and, in some cases, spread across different geographies, as acknowledged, makes it imperative to have different responses to different needs with regard to social benefits, since the needs of each of them are naturally different. The possibility that vacation entitlements can be exercised according to the specific needs of each employee should therefore also be increasingly transposed to social benefits, i.e. in the same way that vacations can be enjoyed by each of us in different destinations (beach, mountain, etc.), occasions (Christmas, winter, Easter, summer, Carnival, etc.) and with different people (family, alone, among friends, etc.), social benefits should also reflect the different needs of each employee. A single employee, for example, would probably prefer to receive an ‘Incentives and Rewards’ benefit, compared to his colleague who, having recently become a father, would opt for a ‘Childcare’ benefit.
As a world leader in transactional solutions, Edenred Portugal has been following this reality and developing actions to influence political, social and economic agents so that, in the future, there will be a social benefits statute that allows these benefits to be “seen” as needs as distinct as each employee’s vacation.
The different solutions offered by Edenred today – Euroticket Creche and Euroticket Estudante – already reflect this vision. However, in order to minimize the constraints on obtaining this status, we still have a long way to go. Once the status of social benefits is fully achieved, Human Resources managers and the organizations in which they work will gain a competitive advantage in the implementation of their social benefits policy. In this sphere, they will not only be able to recognize, but also have the necessary capacity to manage the generational and cultural diversity of their teams, by identifying and supporting the specificities of each employee and their family.
Next year, and for many of us this year, we will be exercising our right to a vacation, without being tied to a destination that has been or will be chosen in advance by someone else. But have you ever thought if you were forced to go where you don’t want to go on vacation? Each of us goes on vacation to the destination we choose. Why isn’t that the same rationale for social benefits?
Starting from July 2023, Euroticket benefits have been renamed Edenred.
The months of July and August are synonymous with vacations for most Portuguese families, but also with preparing for the next school year. Because it has been repeated year after year for as long as our individual and collective memory can remember, this preparation is perceived by many as routine.
The association of going back to school with an action that is repeated successively in the months leading up to September is natural. However, the way it is experienced “now” is not the same as “before”. The differences between “before” and “now” are not limited to the fact that notebook covers are now dominated by new age superheroes or Generation Z idols, or that we have gone from exclusivity to a multiplicity of school materials brands, book publishers, bookstores and online textbook sales platforms.
These differences are also and mainly measured by the existence, today, of social benefit vouchers that allow support for the payment of expenses related to education, expenses that, regardless of the new or old times, have a very significant weight in the budget of thousands of families.
The social benefit vouchers granted by companies to their employees to support their children’s education expenses, whether in the form of checks or cards, have not always benefited from a favorable legal framework in the case of Portuguese legislation, whether for political, economic or social reasons.
However, the role that these vouchers play today is undeniable, not only in the way families manage their “Back to School” budget, but also in the way companies relate to their employees and support their family project. And it is this dual role that is important to reflect on.
According to the School Book Commission of the Portuguese Publishers and Booksellers Association (APEL), in the 2017/2018 school year, the cost of the average basket of textbooks for secondary school, for example, was around €173. In addition to this amount, every year there are other expenses related to school supplies, transportation, school meals, among others. In the case of families with more than one child, the total amount of school expenses can double or triple, scenarios that can condition the quality of life and well-being of families and, in some cases, make them rethink their ideal family project.
The awarding of Social Benefits titles, usually known as Education vouchers, brings with it opportunities to improve the quality of life of families and leverages the possibility of the Portuguese age pyramid increasing its base; but that’s not all. When companies invest in a differentiated Social Benefits Policy, there are also gains in terms of motivation, productivity and the satisfaction of their employees, who value their company’s support and solidarity with them and “theirs”.
However, the granting of education vouchers by companies remains a non-universal solution, i.e. two employees who have an identical household and annual income can have support for their education expenses depending on the social benefits policy of the companies they work for. This difference can be minimized by laws that promote the tax and social advantages of awarding not only these, but other Social Benefit titles.
A favorable legal framework in the medium to long term will certainly dictate great asymmetries in the “Back to School” not of “now” and “before”, but of “now” and the future.
However, this reflection is only one side of the meal card. Through the information aspects, it is possible to reveal the other side.
The securitization of social benefits, such as the meal allowance, allows its holders greater autonomy of choice and the adoption of healthy eating habits, since, in the form of a title, employees receive the full amount of the meal allowance, which must be used exclusively for the purchase or consumption of food.
In recent years, Edenred has been working hard to ensure that meal card holders move from theory to practice in adopting healthy eating habits. Since 2009, Edenred has been committed to this mission through the “FOOD” – Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand – a global programme created by Edenred with the support of 26 organizations, including the European Commission and the Directorate-General for Health.
In this preventive fight, the meal card is an element capable of bringing together three important ‘players’ in the community: restaurants and other establishments with a food CAE, companies and the working population, which has made this fight an initiative with a significant impact on society.
However, the other side of the meal card is even more profound and has made its mark in other fights, such as the fight against the unregistered economy, since it allows all transactions to be traced, thus minimizing cases of non-compliance with the tax rules determined by the state.
When the two sides of the meal card are analyzed, the other side turns out to be much more present in the daily lives of all of us: companies, employees, restaurants and the state, than it might seem at first glance.
The securitization of social benefits does reflect a change in the way these benefits are paid. But in the case of meal allowances, this change is more profound for companies, employees and the state.
When a company provides the meal allowance through a voucher, typically granted in the form of an electronic card, it simultaneously increases its tax savings, the well-being and purchasing power of its employees, but also the return capacity of the state through the generation of new jobs and the reduction of the unregistered economy.
The current legislation, supported by a favorable tax environment, has stimulated this increase for everyone involved. The State Budget Law for 2018 introduced a new maximum value for meal allowances, paid through meal vouchers, which is completely tax-free: €7.63/day.
Numerous companies in Portugal have already opted for meal tickets to pay their employees, also motivated by the growing social nature of meal tickets.
In recent years, aspects such as health and well-being have been increasingly valued in food consumption. The meal allowance entitlement allows its holders greater autonomy to choose and adopt healthier food options, since, in the form of a voucher, employees receive the entire amount earmarked for the meal allowance, which must be used exclusively to purchase or consume food.
With the increase in the value of the totally tax-free meal allowance from €7.23 in 2017 to €7.63 in 2018, this investment is reinforced and directly benefits employees who, with the update of this value, get practically one more meal a month (€0.40 x 22 working days x Number of months worked), thus increasing their purchasing power.
For these companies, which make their decisions based on the future, the growing social nature of social benefits, particularly meal allowances, allows them not only to optimize costs due to the tax advantages supported by current legislation, but also to leverage their social benefits policy, which is now indispensable for motivating and retaining talent in companies regardless of their size or sector of activity.
What about you? Do you make your decisions based on the past or the future?
Additional note: Order no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated the value of the meal allowance for public sector workers to €6.00/day. As a result, the tax-free meal allowance is now €6.00 in cash and €9.60 in vouchers or cards.
With Orçamento do Estado for 2025, the maximum value of the tax-free meal voucher on a card has risen again, this time to €10.20/day.