At Astun, we love a challenge. Yet, there’s one we refuse to give our employees: the challenge of how to pay their bills.
We believe that our highly talented and committed team deserves to be fairly rewarded for their hard work and we’re happy to do everything we can to ensure this happens, from benchmarking salaries to refusing furlough.
Although we’ve always paid above the Living Wage (and we always will) we believe it’s important for us to make our commitment formal by joining the ranks of the 8,000 accredited Living Wage employers in the UK. We hope that our actions will encourage other SMEs to make the same commitment.
Who benefits from the Living Wage?
It’s not just staff and their families who benefit when a business pays a Living Wage.
When a talented employee leaves in search of higher pay, their employer is left with the cost of replacing them and the disruption caused by bringing in a new member of the team. Paying fairer wages helps to avoid these unnecessary challenges.
Customers also benefit from increased staff retention. Our clients regularly tell us that they appreciate being able to turn to someone they know well when they need advice and support.
What paying a Living Wage means to Astun
Our MD, Mike Saunt, explains why paying a Living Wage is so important to him:
“Our clients trust us to solve complex problems. They need our team to be able to concentrate on finding the right solution for them, not worrying about how to pay for food, heating and or other bills.
Paying above the Living Wage makes it easier for all employees to focus on what they do best – finding creative solutions to clients’ challenges. We’ve always paid above the Living Wage and we always will. I encourage all employers to do the same as it’s a win-win for everyone.”
About the real Living Wage
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate paid by businesses who believe that their staff deserve a wage that meets everyday needs. Over two-fifths of the FTSE 100 have pledged their support, along with countless smaller businesses, like us, who believe in leading by example.
You can find out more by visiting the Living Wage Foundation website.
