Our employees are the lifeblood of Portland Training. From our supportive and patient tutors to our rigorous admin team, none of this would be possible without them. That’s why we believe they ought to be paid fairly for the work they do. With the cost of living crisis in full swing, we’ve never been prouder to be a living wage employer.
What is the living wage?
It is easy to get confused between the minimum wage, living wage, and real living wage. In short, here’s what they mean:
- The minimum wage is the lowest pay that employers can offer employees by law.
- The living wage is a wage that the government suggests as a minimum, without requiring it by law. This number is calculated as a % of median wages in the UK
- Finally, the real living wage is the pay necessary to comfortably live and cover basic needs like food, housing and transportation. The real living wage is calculated by a body of independent experts who keep their finger on the pulse of things like inflation, rent, and the price of household goods.
We are proud to say that we pay all of our employees the ‘real living wage’ at minimum. We know that our staff can’t give 100% for the learners if they are worried about simple things like heating their home. We also know that our staff do exceptional work and deserve to live comfortably in exchange.
Part of a growing trend
It is shocking to hear that even today, around 1 in 5 employees in the UK still make less than the real living wage!
Happily, more and more businesses are becoming committed living wage employers. Portland Training joins the likes of Ikea, Nestle, and Nationwide in making this commitment.
Why are so many employers jumping on board?
Employers are realizing that paying a living wage benefits employees, society at large, and even benefits the business itself. For employees, it provides essential breathing room. It means that they don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck, and can put money aside for a rainy day. It also means, that when rainy days are sparse, they can afford to treat themselves. Being able to take your family on holiday, or just go out for a meal with friends make a huge difference to people’s quality of life.
It benefits the business because happy employees are productive employees. It also means that they can attract and retain talent more effectively. And to top it off, it does good for your reputation! A full 86% of businesses who pledged to pay a living wage say it improved the reputation of the business.
What else do we offer employees?
Our commitment to paying a living wage is just another way of acting out our broad commitment to employee well-being. We are a registered mindful employer. This means that we’ve pledged to support the mental well-being of our staff, to hire without discrimination around mental health issues, and to foster a positive attitude to mental health in the workplace.
We also offer training opportunities for all our staff, so they can progress their careers within and beyond Portland Training. All in all, we want our staff to thrive!
Could you be the next member of the Portland Training family? We’re always on the look out for exceptional people to join our team, have a look at our current job vacancies to see if anything is suitable and apply directly through the website.
