It's Living Wage Week, and as a living wage employer of two years, we thought it a good opportunity to look at the importance of paying national living wage.
The Living Wage is a UK is voluntarily paid by almost 9,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a salary which meets their everyday needs. It amounts to £9.50 per hour or £10.85 in London.
Almost 300,000 employees have received a pay rise as a result of the Living Wage campaign.
93% of living wage businesses have benefited since accrediting. 86% say their participation in the scheme has improved the reputation of the business, while 75% say it has increased motivation and retention rates for employees. What’s more, 64% say it has helped differentiate them from others in their industry, and 58% say it has improved relations between managers and their staff.
93% of university students say that they want to work for accredited employers, while 90% of consumers agreed that pay should reflect living costs. 87% think companies should voluntarily pay the real living wage.
Employee wellbeing is extremely important to us; we are currently working towards a silver Better Health at Work award, having already gained Bronze status. As part of this, one of our key campaigns this year will focus on the link between financial stressors and emotional wellbeing.
If you're looking for an exciting opportunity with a Living Wage employer, voted one of the top five in the North East, visit our careers page.