Thinking About Introducing The Living Hours Scheme Into Your Workplace?

Why we believe it pays to provide secure work across an entire workforce.

Thomas Kneale has always believed that colleagues that are looked after, paid fairly and treated well will have an increased general life satisfaction, as well as commitment and loyalty to an employer in return.

In 2015, we signed up to become a Living Wage Foundation employer, and we know that by paying above the independently set hourly rate, everyone employed at TK can afford to enjoy a standard of living that we feel should be universal.

To be accredited, there are financial implications to any business in terms of a higher wage bill. However this is in part offset against costs if staff turnover is high which include recruitment and induction training. Additionally, motivated staff in our experience have lower sickness & absence rates, as well as a greater productivity. Our absence and staff turnover are a small percentage of the national average, so we don’t just think you could gain a significant benefit from paying higher wages, our experience proves it!

Surprisingly, there are only a fraction of the millions of organisations across the UK that are accredited- just 12,500! We encourage adoption today.

Over the years, we have promoted our accredited membership of Living Wage to all of our stakeholders. Irrespective of whether they are an organisation for profit or not, paying the Living Wage makes good business sense and is the right thing to do for all employees. It should be seen as an investment, not a cost, noting the many tangible and other benefits flowing back.

It Is Not Just About An Hourly Rate Though

Is a focus solely on high hourly rate a good thing? On the one hand, of course yes, but we suggest you examine further and dive deeper. How many hours does the individual want to work? Also, how many hours is the individual actually provided at your workplace. Often, there is a correlation between low pay from an hourly rate perspective, and low overall pay from a number of hours worked.

A good hourly rate will not necessarily equate to a high overall pay for someone who wishes to work but has their hours cut, nor is someone working many hours but earning a low rate for each hour worked.

We do not believe in zero hour contracts. At TK, we do not believe in non-secure hours in any form. We do have peak periods in the year, but use quieter periods to research, complete accreditation work, undertake stock takes etc. Does your business use flexible hours? If done in the right way, this can suit some employees, however be mindful it might not work for everyone you employ.

Campaigning & Being A Pioneer For Looking After Our People

In 2022, Living Wage Foundation launched their Living Hours Campaign. We heard about it, and immediately became involved with it. We talked to customers, suppliers, and the local community about it. We also linked up with Living Wage Foundation and wrote a blog on it which can be found here from The Living Wage Foundation website:-
Living Hours: Good for People and Business | Living Wage Foundation

There has been an enormous press focus in recent times on economic challenges – inflation, cost of living crisis, high interest rates, unprecedented demand on foodbanks and so on. Your organisation must juggle and prioritise, however, will always win by paying your employees the Living Wage…. We strongly appeal to any organisation, however big or small, to pay all employees the Living Wage Foundation hourly rate, and to commit to Living Hours.

We would be delighted to share our experiences or talk to any employer considering these employment changes as a voice that passionately supports The Living Wage Foundation aims and purpose.