THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR COMMITMENT TO THE LIVING WAGE FOUNDATION
Today Global Support Services celebrates the 9th anniversary of its commitment to the Living Wage Foundation’s – real living wage movement.
What is the real Living Wage?
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid by accredited UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs – like the weekly shop, or a surprise trip to the dentist.
To date, over 300,000 employees have received a pay rise as a result of the Living Wage campaign
How does the real Living Wage benefit GSS and our employees?
GSS has been committed to the real Living Wage mission since 2013. The cost of living data/insights provided to us by the Living Wage Foundation has been a central consideration of every one of our annual pay reviews since 2013.
We pay our employees at real living wage levels, as a minimum, for security guards – and London Living Wage nationally for protection dog handlers or security officers who live in London. This ensures that all of our employees earn a wage that meets the actual cost of living.
In the last nine years, there is no doubt that our commitment to pay our employees a real living wage has generated tangible benefits for our business. It has enhanced both our employee retention – and the relationships between those employees and those responsible for managing them. Additionally, our business’s reputation has been enhanced in the eyes of our many valued clients – who like us, share a commitment to sustainable business practices and corporate social responsibility.
What is the difference between the National Living Wage and the real Living Wage?
In April 2016 the government introduced a higher minimum wage rate for all staff over 25 years of age inspired by the Living Wage campaign – calling it the ‘National Living Wage’.
However, this wage is not calculated according to what employees and their families need to live. Instead, is it based on a target to reach 66% of median earnings by 2024. Under current forecasts, this means a raise to £10.50 by 2024 and from 2021 was adjusted to include those over 23 years old. The government minimum takes into account what is affordable for businesses.
The Real Living Wage rates are higher because they are independently calculated based on what people need to get by.
Join the movement today
We are just one of nearly 12,000 accredited Living Wage Employers but there is still much to do – and at a time when costs of living are spiraling out of control, we would urge any employers who are not currently accredited to engage with their clients and/or suppliers to do so – and start enjoying the benefits we have over the last nine years…
