Small investment, huge rewards - Abellio Group

Bob Mason, Head of Operations at Abellio Group, on how a small investment can bring huge rewards.

First and foremost, morally speaking, paying the real Living Wage is the right thing to do.

Here at Abellio, we are a full member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, as well as being a Living Wage accredited employer, showcasing our company as good, fair, and honest.

It seems that many companies these days know the cost of everything but the value of nothing. When you are in a competitive market like we (Abellio) are, then you must engage with your staff, treat them well and pay a fair market rate – especially if you want to attract and retain the best candidates. From this perspective, becoming a living wage accredited employer is a ‘no brainer’ as it brings about so many monetary and non-monetary benefits to your organisation through improved staff retention - positively impacting recruitment - and increased staff productivity and welfare.

I understand that some employers may be apprehensive when thinking about the process and administration of becoming accredited. However, I would like to assure them that this was a very easy and smooth process for us due to the assistance we received from the Living Wage Foundation and in particular the regional leads, Dan Howard and Sophie Little.

Paying the real Living Wage is something to be proud of and I urge everyone to follow this path as we all do our bit to build back better in Greater Manchester and the surrounding regions after the COVID-19 pandemic.