Joint Operations Celebrates Commitment to Real Living Wage

Joint Operations Celebrates Commitment to Real Living Wage

Joint Operations Ltd has today been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Their Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Joint Operations receive a minimum hourly wage of £10.90, higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.

Joint Operations Ltd is based in the South West, a region where over a tenth of all jobs (11.1%) – around 258,000 jobs – pay less than the real Living Wage. Despite this, Joint Operations has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.

The Real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since it began, the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 350,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low-paid workers.

When Joint Operations Managing Director, Richard Forster, first became aware of the Living Wage Foundation, he was determined that Joint Operations should gain accreditation. Richard commented “Joint Operations would be unsustainable without its people. Our teams are extraordinary in their ability and attitude, and we strive to support them in every way we can. In a time where the cost of living is soaring, this includes a commitment to ensuring our employees maintain a healthy work-life balance and can live comfortably in an increasingly challenging world.”

Members of the Joint Operations team who have directly benefitted from the implementation of the real Living Wage commented:

“I’m very grateful to Joint Operations for taking into account the real Living Wage. It’s a great feeling to be able to pay bills, save money and still be able to have fun without feeling guilty about it!”

“I feel good knowing that my performance is recognised and I’m so happy to know I am receiving a real Living Wage.”

“Receiving the real Living Wage makes all the difference in my everyday life and gives me the confidence to save towards my goals. It offers peace of mind to feel financially supported in my everyday life and gives me the confidence to save towards my goals. It offers peace of mind to feel financially supported in my place of work and knowing that my well-being is always a priority.”

“Working for Joint Operations is a real pleasure. During the cost of living crisis, it’s rare to be part of a workplace like this. Joint Operations looks after its staff, and I am pleased to be a part of this family.“

Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Joint Operations has joined the movement of over 12,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.

“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Joint Operations, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”

About the Living Wage

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives.

The UK Living Wage is currently £10.90 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £11.95 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.

The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement of businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.

The Living Wage Foundation receives guidance and advice from the Living Wage Advisory Council. The Foundation is supported by our principal partners: Aviva; IKEA; Joseph Rowntree Foundation; KPMG; Linklaters; Nationwide; Nestle; Resolution Foundation; Oxfam; Trust for London; People’s Health Trust; and Queen Mary University of London.

What about the Government’s national living wage?

In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. It was introduced in April 2016, originally applying for all workers over the age of 25, is currently £10.42 an hour and applies for workers over the age of 23.

The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK