UK: Independent Cornish hotels The Scarlet and Bedruthan Hotel and Spa are now a Real Living Wage employer.
The Real Living Wage is an independently-calculated rate that ensues workers can meet the cost of living and earn enough to support themselves and their families.
Employees at The Scarlet and Bedruthan will receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 regardless of their age. This amount is higher than the government minimum of £8.91 per hour.
Owner, Emma Stratton, said: “Employee hardship is not seasonal, the impact is longer term and we believe paying well should be the foundation of our business not a short-term fix to the current challenges faced in recruitment by the hospitality industry. Seasonal bonuses or temporarily inflated rates of pay do not provide any longevity of financial and job security.
“It is as much about our people as it is our focus on sustainability. We want our guests to make a conscious choice about where they stay and actively support brands on a local and national level that demonstrate their ethical practices. We firmly believe that our guests are ‘Conscious Consumers’ and this will resonate with them.
“We want to be transparent, ethical, and diligent about the care of our employees,” she continued. “Investing in talented, skilled people who bring their passion and motivation to work just makes sense. We see this as a hugely important investment in ensuring the stability of our business and recognising the importance of our team, which is our most valuable asset. It’s something that should be high on every business agenda regardless of sector and we hope we can demonstrate that it is possible to deliver even in the most challenging of circumstances. This is after the start of a long-term investment.”
According to UKHospitality, there’s a shortage of 188,000 workers within the sector in the United Kingdom. A number of nationwide, regional and property-level initiatives are being implemented to encourage and attract new talent, including new joiner bonuses, enhanced employee benefits, training and recruitment campaigns, and more.
