TOOLSTATION has announced it is increasing pay for the company’s 5,500 colleagues.
The supplier of tools, accessories and building supplies has introduced a pay rise of 9.4% for all colleagues at entry level and in all store and operations roles. It means the hourly rate for entry level colleagues will increase to £10.60.
HR director Jag Nagra explained, “We’re a business that cares about our colleagues and this investment recognises their hard work and is designed to support them with the rising costs they face. We have also introduced a series of policies designed to promote wellbeing and provide support for different life events. These initiatives are integral to our ambition to create a workplace that supports colleagues in moments that matter and may have an impact on their working lives.”
This series of policies are as follows:
- Flexible working for colleagues that have worked at Toolstation for a minimum of 13 weeks
- 26 weeks full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory for maternity, adoption, or surrogacy circumstances
- Two weeks paid paternity leave
- New parents have up to 10 days additional leave during the first two years to cover emergencies
- One weeks additional paid leave for both new parents for the two years following the birth of their child
- Two days paid leave for those undergoing fertility treatment or an IVF cycle
- Two weeks paid leave for those affected by miscarriage and two days paid leave for affected partners
- A Trans and Gender Reassignment policy that supports colleagues going through the process of transitioning, provides single sex spaces and use of non-gendered terminology when referring to a group of individuals or an individual of unspecified gender identity
- A Menopause Policy providing a range of adjustments to support colleagues experiencing the menopause
Toolstation added that it has also taken steps to help promote positive emotional wellbeing at work, including introducing a network of trained mental-health first aiders and a 24/7 employee assistance programme that is available whenever colleagues need support or advice for their mental health.
It has also recently introduced the Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace App. The benefits include an annual health check, access to a digital GP, a second medical opinion, and mental health and nutritional consultations.
