Both are expected to double in size as the remaining job-need drivers are transferred into the essential user scheme and more employees sign up to salary sacrifice.

Monthly orders for the All Employee Car scheme are already exceeding expectations thanks to recent increased marketing activity.

Manahan and provider Zenith first began marketing the salary sacrifice scheme in October 2011 as part of Santander UK’s environmental initiative ‘Go Green’.

“We went to 10 sites and demonstrated that the salary sacrifice car scheme is part of the Go Green initiative, offering a low CO2 opportunity for employees as they were potentially driving older cars with higher CO2,” says Manahan.

CO2 emissions on the salary sacrifice scheme are capped at 120g/km and a number of hybrid cars are available.

At the Go Green roadshows, Manahan found six out of 10 employees were not aware of either the salary sacrifice scheme or Zenith.

Since then, Manahan and Zenith have continued to promote the scheme at Go Green events and via the reward platform which employees use to access the scheme. This was re-launched last year.

When an employee runs a quote on a salary sacrifice car and signs up to marketing, Zenith sends them information electronically of the latest models which includes embedded videos.

A two-day ride and drive pilot event with BMW and Mini was also recently held at Santander’s Leicester site to promote the scheme with Zenith on hand to answer any questions from employees.

Manahan is hoping to hold more ride and drive events. Meanwhile, manufacturer choice has been widened on both schemes since launch.

Employees on the Essential Business User Car Scheme can trade up but not down.

Job-need drivers in the lower bands may receive a surplus fleet car which is above their grade. In this instance they might contribute a small amount per month.

Status employees in higher bands who do relatively low business mileage and not much private mileage may find the salary sacrifice scheme is more beneficial for them.

“We base the company car scheme on four years/80,000 miles and, depending on their mileage profile, it might work out cheaper for them to consider salary sacrifice,” says Manahan.

“It allows them to utilise their salary rather than surrendering their whole cash allowance in return for a company car.”