Benefits of paying living wage revealed as 400th employer paying the rate in Scotland announced
Living wage employers have reported dramatic improvements in staff retention, absence rates as well as increased productivity, a leading charity has revealed.
It comes as the Edinburgh International Science Festival was accredited as the 400th living wage employer in Scotland by the Poverty Alliance, the charity which runs the scheme.
The ambition is to get all employers signed up to the scheme and paying all staff the living wage rate which is currently set at £7.85 an hour.
One organisation reported gaining almost 70 days of productivity and a 100% increase in staff retention.
Cumbernauld-based firm, CMS Window Systems became an accredited living wage employer in March 2015, after implementing the living wage in January of the same year.
Some 96 of their 209 staff received a pay increase as a result.
We believe the living wage is good for business - Peter Kelly
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance and chair of the Scottish Living Wage Campaign, said: "With the number of Scottish accredited living wage employers now topping 400- an increase of over 300 since this time last year- we are delighted that businesses are starting to report the benefits of paying all staff at least the living wage.
“We believe that the living wage is not only an effective tool in tackling in-work poverty, but is also good for business.
“We hope that more employers will follow in the footsteps of the 400 accredited employers in Scotland in the coming months so that they too can enjoy the benefits.”
Dr Simon Gage, director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival said: “As an international charitable organisation employing up to a hundred temporary staff each year we are keen to recognise the value of their ambassadorial role.
“For many of our young workforce these roles are their first steps into promising careers in festivals, events and science communication.
“In preparation for Festival 2016, from 26 March – 10 April, we will expand our team to enable us to deliver a world class science festival.
“Being accredited as a living wage employer is an important recognition of our role in recognising and providing opportunities for talent.”
