An island business is encouraging other companies to join them, and North Ayrshire Council, in supporting Living Wage Week by becoming an accredited employer.
Living Wage Week, the annual celebration of the Living Wage Movement, runs until Sunday 10 November.
The council has proudly been a real Living Wage Employer since 2011 and continues to champion the cause to boost employees' income and well-being.
Another North Ayrshire employer, which works closely with the council and has proudly been Living Wage accredited since 2018, is Auchrannie Resort on Arran.
To become accredited, companies must:
pay all directly employed staff aged 18 and over the real Living Wage
pay or have a plan in place to pay contracted workers the real Living Wage
Kate Aitken, HR Director for the Brodick business, said:
“For us, this is one of the ways that we can show our team members that we are committed to Fair Work and that we recognise and appreciate their hard work and the contribution they make to the ongoing success of our business.
“We are happy that we are able to support the financial well-being of our team members and their families by paying the real Living Wage for all team members aged 16 and over.”
In North Ayrshire, there are more than 50 Living Wage accredited employers registered with Living Wage Scotland.
The hourly pay rate is independently calculated by the Resolution Foundation based on what people in the UK need to earn to afford a decent standard of living, and it is paid voluntarily by employers.
The price of childcare, transport, heating and housing are all taken into account when the rate is set. The rate for 2024 to 25, overseen by the Living Wage Commission, is £12.60 per hour - an increase of 60p per hour on last year.
The Living Wage rates for 2024 to 25 were announced on 23 October and employers are given six months (until 1 May 2025) from this date to implement them. The council made the decision to pay the new rate from 23 October.
The business has received support from the council to embed the Fair Work principles in its day-to-day working practices.
The Fair Work & Skills Ayrshire team has supported Auchrannie with staff development through Ayrshire Skills Investment Fund (ASIF) funding. ASIF is available to employers across Ayrshire who pay the real Living Wage, with funding available to help address skill gaps in the workforce.
“Living Wage accreditation is an important indicator to external stakeholders, customers and prospective team members of your commitment to Fair Work principles and your team’s financial well-being,” explained Kate.
“It can help attract talent to your business as well as support with accessing advice, investment, funding and industry recognition.
“The more businesses that sign up to become an accredited Living Wage employer within hospitality, the stronger our industry will become as it will be a more attractive industry to work in and encourage more young people into a career in hospitality.”
Feedback from Auchrannie Resort staff on the real Living Wage has been good and it has helped create a happier workforce.
Kate said:
“Our team members have less financial worries, which means they are happier at work, and this helps the business retain good team members and also supports a happy and positive workplace culture.
“Paying the real Living Wage helps team members manage their living expenses and allows them to budget, plan and save.”