From November 6 to 12th, we’re celebrating Living Wage Week, an annual event that provides us with the perfect opportunity to raise awareness. Ever since Arke’s inception, we’ve been committed to being a Living Wage Employer, and during this week, you’ll see us proudly displaying the Living Wage logo on our social media, standing in solidarity with fellow Living Wage Employers nationwide. We recently even celebrated 5 years of being a Living Wage Employer.

It’s heartening to witness the growth of Living Wage Employers across the UK, with now over 14,000 employers who have made the pledge. We take pride in our role in increasing this number in our local area, collaborating with Brighton Chamber and the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign to encourage more local businesses to commit to the Living Wage Pledge.

Our efforts in this campaign have been recognized with two prestigious awards: the European Paid Media Awards honored us with “Local Campaign of the Year,” and we also secured the “Best Low Budget Campaign” at the UK Social Media Awards. This campaign led to 58 additional businesses taking the pledge and raised awareness of the movement.

With energy and food costs still high, paying the real Living Wage and committing to decent employment has never been more important.  Despite the tough economic backdrop, Living Wage has seen a record number of Living Wage accreditations over the last two years, as well as employers going even further and accrediting with the Living Hours and Living Pension schemes. 

This year’s theme celebrates just that; the movement of employers who are committed to the Living Wage and decent work to ensure staff always have decent work and can always live a dignified life. 

As a small marketing agency deeply connected to our local community and our team, we grasp the importance of this pledge firsthand, especially amid the ongoing cost of living crisis and rise in inflation.

Steph Noble, Founder of Arke, shared her thoughts on Living Wage Week, stating, “Being a Living Wage Employer is more than simply paying your employees more. It’s about taking the time to understand and empathize with your team and implementing solutions to support them.”

Why should your business consider taking the pledge?

According to new research from the Living Wage Foundation, 3.5 million UK jobs are currently paid below the real Living Wage, the lowest level in over 10 years.  

Providing a genuine Living Wage not only enhances the employer’s reputation but also elevates staff productivity and workplace motivation.

In addition, it’s worth noting that offering a real Living Wage supports employers in staying competitive, retaining their current workforce, and enticing new talent. More than half of employers have reported that paying a real Living Wage has resulted in a noticeable improvement in the quality of job applications. 94% of businesses have reported benefitting from their accreditation.

Even when there’s a skills gap, we firmly believe that genuine talent deserves wages that reflect their worth. That’s why we offer our team the best perks, including a real Living Wage that inspires them to come to work with enthusiasm every day.

Is your business ready to make the commitment to the Living Wage pledge? It’s a straightforward process that can have a significant impact on your brand and your team. Discover what it takes to obtain Living Wage accreditation by clicking here.