Techbuyer Living wage

In the UK, we’re experiencing the highest level of inflation in 40 years. Millions of people are struggling with the rising cost of living compounded by the challenges of two years of the global pandemic. Perhaps the most telling sign of just how bad things are at the moment was the recent announcement that Sainsburys is now charging £7.25 for a 750g tub of butter. £7.25!  

 

But the thing that is far more concerning and sinister than the prospect of having to take out a mortgage for a tub of butter is that across the country, people are genuinely struggling to cope with essential costs like rent, fuel and food. It is reported that around 2 million people in the UK are receiving emergency food parcels from the Trussell Trust, a sharp increase from the 128,000 people who used their services 10 years ago.   

 

Ensuring that we are paying our staff a real Living Wage based on the cost of living has never been more important. As an employer that highly values our people, we’re delighted to announce that we’ve become an accredited Living Wage employer and are proud to have voluntarily chosen to pay the real Living Wage rate. 

 

The real Living Wage rate is higher than both the minimum wage and the national minimum wage as it is independently calculated based on what people need to earn to get by. The aim of the Living Wage is an important one – it ensures that employees earn a wage that meets the costs of living, not just the government minimum. 

 

As a movement, we were drawn to the Living Wage Foundation and the thousands of other organisations across the UK that also believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The more organisations that come together to pay a Living Wage the better, in order to ensure everyone in the UK can earn enough to live on.  

 

Moreover, being a Living Wage Employer can give staff across the whole company a boost, at all wage levels, and contribute positively to staff wellbeing and motivation. At Techbuyer, we really care about our staff and consider them to be our most valuable asset by far! Our range of other initiatives, such as offering fully paid training courses, private health and dental care and more, demonstrates how we support staff with career development and wellbeing. This results in a productive, satisfied team comprised of a mixture of people who have been with the business a long time and new talent as we grow. As we continue to invest and expand in every location, without the skills, expertise and knowledge of our team, none of this would be possible. By becoming a Living Wage Employer, we’re acknowledging the importance of this issue in our organisation. 

 

As of May, over 10,000 UK employers have become accredited with the Living Wage Foundation with nearly half of these having signed up since March 2020. Recent research found that since the Living Wage campaign began 20 years ago, workers have earned £1.8 billion in extra wages, with 1 in 13 UK workers now working for a Living Wage Employer. However, despite these successes, millions in the UK are still struggling with rising prices, including 1 in 6 workers (4.8 million) still paid below the real Living Wage. 

 

Why not set an example and lead the way by learning more about the benefits of becoming a Living Wage Employer? Find out more about the campaign and learn how to join at the Living Wage Foundation website here.