The beating heart of Team Quattro is the people who make every part of our process work. We value them above all else and we’re proud to say that we’ve doubled our workforce since the pandemic. We work sustainably, and that means caring for the planet and the people who inhabit it. And our people really do matter most. In a world where everyone is cutting costs, we’ve been streamlining our processes whilst continuing to nurture our workforce. And we’re reaping the rewards, both in terms of productivity and most importantly, the wellbeing of our staff.
As our industry rises from the ashes of the pandemic, we turn our minds to the good things that came out of our darkest months. Remember wfh? Millions of people around the globe are still doing it. Flexible working allows people to work from anywhere. The kitchen table, the train, or flexi working spaces and allows more time with family, or doing things we love. Zoom has been a revelation – bringing colleagues together from far-flung reaches of the world to collaborate meaningfully without spending the time, money and carbon emissions on travel. And the best bit? Not only are people happier, but the bottom line doesn’t seem to be affected either, as productivity booms at the hands of more fulfilled and engaged staff.
Whilst we can’t offer our manufacturing team the option to work from home, the increased focus on people is of enormous benefit to the business landscape and Quattro Foods is no exception. So far we’ve employed three Ukrainian people with the help of the Portsmouth Ukrainian Support team. They have been welcomed into our team and are doing extremely well in their roles as part of the Quattro family and we feel very lucky to have them with us.
With the wellbeing of our people a greater priority than ever, we’re trying to make the cost-of-living crisis a little more manageable. Some steps we’ve taken to ease the burden include giving all employees salary rises not linked to NLW, higher rate pension contributions and a few £50 shopping vouchers each. Additionally, we’re providing much more training, as well as one to one mental health support, across the business.
Here are some more ideas to help your employees navigate this crisis:
Salary sacrifice schemes
This is a useful way to help employees save money on train passes, cycle-to-work schemes, gym membership or childcare. The cost of the scheme is deducted at source, which means the employee avoids paying tax on it.
Hybrid working
This is a welcome and lasting effect of the pandemic, when offices were shut and flexibility was necessary to keep businesses running. Many businesses have continued to encourage working from home, or working from flexi workspaces, allowing staff more time to spend with families, on exercise, hobbies or volunteering, saving precious pennies, and time, on travel.
Subsidised or free food and drink
This is a universally appreciated perk! An employee benefit that offers free sustenance throughout the day means happy and more productive people. Providing meals for staff at subsidised costs, or even at no cost, ensures that everyone has equal access to hot and cold drinks, snacks and meals.
Financial education
It’s not always easy to know how to make the most of the money we do have. Why not offer your employees workshops or online courses in pensions, savings, budgeting and managing debt?
As the cost-of-living crisis tightens its grip in the UK, with a record number of households facing the biggest decline in income since the 1970s, businesses must work hard to support their people so that they don’t become unengaged or unhappy because of the state of their finances. Let’s work together with our staff to see them through this crisis.