August 24, 2020 
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This week marks another in our ‘spotlight on’ series – taking a step back from the regular thought leadership pieces. Last time it was all about The Drum and how we’re now a recommended agency on their The Drum Recommends programme. This time, we’re talking about our accreditation with The Living Wage Foundation.
Read on…
What is The Living Wage Foundation?
The Living Wage Foundation supports the idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. They work to publicly celebrate and recognise the leadership of responsible employers who choose to go further and pay a real Living Wage based on the cost of living, not just the government minimum.
They offer accreditation to employers that pay the independently-calculated Living Wage rates to all staff in London and the UK, or those committed to an agreed timetable of implementation, by awarding the Living Wage Employer Mark.
In addition, The Living Wage offers a Service Provider Recognition Scheme for third-party contractors who ensure their own staff are earning the real Living Wage rates and always offer a Living Wage option when submitting tenders.
Each November, they announce the latest Living Wage rates across the UK and London, based on the best and latest available evidence. They also provide advice and support to employers and service providers implementing the Living Wage rates. This includes best practice guides, case studies from leading employers, model procurement frameworks and access to specialist legal and HR advice.
The Living Wage even works with Principal Partners who bring financial and strategic support to their work and they coordinate the ‘Living Wage Week’ each November, celebrating the Living Wage movement across the United Kingdom.
Get in touch with the Living Wage team to find out what’s happening in your area: Contact them.
What are the benefits of becoming part of the Living Wage, and what will I get for my contributions?
- 93% of businesses say that their employers benefitted from the accreditation
- 86% of businesses say it enhanced their general reputation
- And 80% saw an increase in the quality of work from their teams.
Your business has a space on their website and searchable map so that consumers, prospective employees, students and funders can easily see who pays a real Living Wage that meets the cost of living.
Among other benefits listed above, Living Wage offers valuable and insightful information to businesses and individuals alike so that your organisation can move towards a better future and a respectful wage for the work that your team does.
What does it mean to your employees and contractors when you become accredited by The Living Wage?
58% have said it improved relations between management and staff, and 75% said it increased motivation and retention rates for employees. Happy staff, better output, increased productivity and overall better company reputation!
Trust is the number one answer when talent is asked why they stay with an organisation. When you are accredited by Living Wage this tells your team, and prospective new staff, that you’re an organisation that values employees and contractors enough to pay them a decent wage.
How does The Living Wage work for me as a 3rd Party Service Provider?
Living Wage accreditation ensures that all subcontracted staff are also paid enough to live on, ensuring that low pay can’t just be outsourced.
We highly recommend that every organisation – regardless of size, reputation or industry, work towards becoming an accredited Living Wage company. It’s good for business and great for the economy.
This year, StrawberrySocial became an accredited Social Media Moderation Agency through The Living Wage and we’re already reaping the benefits:
“Becoming accredited was a natural step for us. Our business ethos is firmly based on being able to provide flexible working to some of the most experienced people in the industry. This includes a range of contractors that work with us. Many have businesses of their own and family responsibilities and so need to be able to work flexibly with a company that not only respects them but also pays them a decent wage. And yes, this can hit profits but we don’t compromise – we find a way and therefore ensure that we all have work that ‘works for us’ ongoing.” Rebecca Fitzgerald, MD and Founder.
Jennifer Puckett, Content Lead and member of the Key Team at StrawberrySocial says: “I’ve known Rebecca for many years now; and the one thing that I can count on is the respect she has for her team. She values everything that we do, and the fact that she’s gone the extra step to ensure each person is paid a living wage is proof that she means what she says. I recently had the opportunity to recruit some very talented individuals, and because StrawberrySocial pays a living wage, these experts were excited to join the team”
Prue Watson, Social Media Manager shares: “I work with StrawberrySocial across both community management and content creation projects, alongside studying a MSc in Gender History. Being a student often means that you have to scramble to make your way through each month, yet working with SS not only offers me the flexibility to work around my studies, I also have the comfort in knowing that I can pay my bills each month and have some money left over. It’s both a huge relief and privilege and it comes from the fact that StrawberrySocial understand and respect the landscape that we all live in.”
Dan Horrell, Community Manager says: “I have been working remotely for the past 10 years and since working freelance at StrawberrySocial, I have been able to guarantee that my regular outgoings are covered. The flexibility of working the hours I want for a decent wage has helped me achieve goals in my other business, taking away any stress of not being able to pay the monthly bills. When Covid-19 happened and lockdown commenced, I increased my hours at StrawberrySocial as my other business could not operate as efficiently, yet I was still able to make a decent wage, not seeing a drop in earnings. Flexible hours, decent pay, trusted to work remotely, working with a great team, what more do you want in a career! It’s never a chore going to work!”
Learn more about how our cracking team of experts can help you sort your community management, moderation, customer service and social media strategies – visit us at here or you can contact us at Tel: 0203 8731092
We’re proud to be an accredited Living Wage member. And we work with many sectors including charities, online-delivery, telecom, high-risk industries and more.