Why you should pay staff the living wage

Earlier this month, cleaners across London went on strike in order to highlight what they believed was unfair and unliveable pay for the work they were doing.

The strikers were asking for £10.20 an hour, the living wage in London – a figure based on the cost of living (it is £8.75 per hour outside of the capital). “We are going on strike so we can live, not just survive,” one of the strikers told the Guardian.

Whilst it’s crucial that businesses pay their staff, at the very least, an equitable wage – a figure which has an inarguable benefit for an individual’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing – there is a bonus for the business too – at least in some sectors.

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Helen Jamieson, CEO at Jaluch, a HR and Training consultancy explains that whilst not all industries might consider paying the living wage there is an obvious boost to the HR function if the company does.