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Whitbread has announced it is increasing the rates of pay for over 30,000 employees working in its hotels and restaurants and Guest Support teams, making an additional investment of c. £15m in team members.
Minimum pay rates will increase by over 4%, following increases in April 2022 and October 2021, which combined, represents an uplift of over 10% since October 2021.
Rates of pay will continue to remain ahead of both the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, and between 2019 and November 2022 entry pay rates will have increased by 22%.
Additionally, approximately 1,400 salaried hotel and restaurants managers will also receive salary increases to ensure a minimum differential is maintained, effective 4 November.
Whitebread said the decision comes to help its UK-based hourly-paid team members, recognising the challenges being faced as a result of increases In the cost-of-living.
Alongside the increase in base pay, Whitbread will also provide a one-off payment of up to £300 for all eligible hourly paid team members and its customer contact centre employees at Whitbread’s Dunstable headquarters, and 90% of the total UK workforce is eligible for this one-off payment.
Simon Ewins, managing director UK Hotels and Restaurants, said: “As a business, we have seen a strong recovery in the first half as people return to overnight leisure and business trips and we’re hot off the heels of another very busy summer where our hotel and restaurant teams have continued to deliver the outstanding guest service for which they are famous.
“It remains key to ensure our pay rates remain competitive and that Whitbread remains the first port of call for new talent looking for year-round jobs in hospitality.”
