Currys hikes pay for staff for third time in just over a year
>
Currys raises base salary for third time in just over a year amid crisis in cost of living and staff shortages
- Hourly rates rise 3.5% to £10.35 and £11.43 for London staff
- It comes just a month after the last increase went into effect
- Currys has increased wages for its lowest paid staff by a total of 15.6% in 13 months
<!–
<!–
<!–<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Currys has given its 10,000 hourly employees another pay raise in an effort to retain and attract workers amid shortages and the rising cost of living.
The electrical goods retailer said that from October 30, rates will rise a further 3.5 percent to £10.35 an hour and £11.43 for London staff.
It is the third time it has hiked wages in 13 months, just a month after the last hike went into effect, the company said.
Wage hike: Currys said it had raised wages again due to ‘current economic climate’
Currys, which has more than 300 stores, has now increased its hourly wages by 15.6 percent in just over a year.
It said it had made the decision to raise wages again after an extensive review by its ‘cost of living’ group it set up earlier this year.
“While the latest hourly rate hike only came into effect last month, the current economic climate and feedback from colleagues has prompted Currys to raise rates again now ahead of (and in addition to) the next regular pay review.”
The company also offers a 3 to 5 percent weekly discount on shopping at major supermarkets such as Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
And it said it has a wide range of support available to employees, including mental health masterclasses, employee discounts on products and “crisis loans.”
Since the pandemic, retailers have struggled to retain and attract workers, especially truck drivers, forcing them to raise wages.
The Indeed job site currently advertises more than 450 jobs at Currys, over 50 of which are for drivers.
The company is the latest in a string of retailers to repeatedly raise wages this year.
Earlier this month, Sainsbury’s announced its second pay rise as part of a £25m package to help staff with living expenses.
John Lewis also increased the entry-level wage for his employees by: 4 per cent along with a one-off payment of £500, although staff warned it might have to waive their usual annual bonus.
Curry’s chief executive, Alex Baldock, said: ‘Every day I hear from colleagues who are feeling the impact of the rising cost of living and we are committed to doing what we can to help.
“That’s why I’m proud to announce that we’re raising our minimum wages again.”