Inspire Group has awarded staff more pay and extra annual leave to boost their financial and general wellbeing.
The travel agency, which has 53 employees, implemented a 7% wage rise this month (April) to help its workforce through the cost-of-living crisis, following on from a 5% uplift given in April 2022.
Based in Cheshire, UK, the business also extended its annual leave entitlements. It previously increased leave by one day for every full year of service, starting at 22 days to a maximum of 25 days, so decided to offer those already receiving the maximum entitlement an extra day for the 2023-2024 holiday year as a gesture of good will.
Inspire Group’s managing director Lisa Henning, explained that the company made the decision to prioritise remuneration and employee wellbeing in an increasingly competitive market.
She said: “At Inspire we are working hard to create a working environment that is increasingly supportive of our colleagues as we fully recognise that their wellbeing is vital to our ongoing success.
“As well as the pay rises, over the last 12 months we have put in place a detailed wellness programme and have announced even more employee benefits for 2023.”
New benefits on offer at the company include enhanced family leave and sickness policies, a better maternity, paternity and adoption leave policy, and two weeks of fully paid bereavement leave for employees who lose someone in their immediate family.
The updated offering follows the introduction of company-wide wellness programme. Launched in September 2022, it includes a number of staff welfare initiatives, such as a bespoke menopause programme to support both women and men.
Additionally, from this month Inspire Group now hands out long-service awards in recognition of staff who have worked at the firm for five to 15 years. It also has a new overseas working policy to support employees working from outside the UK.
