Time for employers to show loyalty to their staff says entrepreneur
Unlimited Wellbeing founder, Sanjiv Corepal, says that it is time for business leaders to step up and show loyalty to their workforce during the coronavirus crisis and says he is dismayed by the actions of some high profile companies who have rushed to make employees redundant in order to cut costs. “As employers, we are always quick to demand loyalty from staff,” says Sanjiv. “Loyalty is a two-way street though and it is now that our people need us to repay them by doing everything possible to make sure that they are looked after during this difficult and traumatic time.”
Sanjiv admits to having had numerous sleepless nights over the last few weeks, trying to ensure safe passage for his businesses through the current crisis with a significant and sudden decrease in revenue caused by the lockdown.
“We have applied to take advantage of the various government schemes available,” explains Sanjiv, “In the short term though there are still all the normal costs to be covered including the monthly payroll bill and in many ways it would have been easier to let people go or reduce their pay. That would have been grossly unfair though, our team have shown incredible loyalty and dedication over the last couple of years to make our businesses successful so we can’t just turn our backs on them now.”
Sanjiv says that all Unlimited Wellbeing (www.theuwgroup.com) employees remain on full pay, although many are now on indefinite furlough leave as part of the governments job retention scheme which contributes up to 80% of workers wages up to £2500. “We aren’t asking anyone to take a reduction in pay,” says Sanj. “We aren’t a huge company, but we will do whatever it takes to make up the shortfall for as long as we can, even if that means paying people out of our own pockets if we have to.”
Sanjiv is also adamant that looking after employees goes beyond financial support. “With many employees either working from home or in a furlough situation, we need to be mindful of their mental health too. “We are proud to be supporting a number of businesses with a range of online mental health solutions for their employees who are in lockdown,” says Sanjiv. “It’s good to see so many responsible employers taking this so seriously.”
A number of high-profile businesses have made news headlines recently with large scale redundancies and placing staff on unpaid leave amongst the measures being taken. Sanjiv says that whilst he understands the pressures that business leaders are under, there will be a heavy price to pay in the future. “Some of these businesses may find it very difficult to retain or attract quality people when things return to normal. “One of the few positives to come out of this situation is an increased sense of community and customers may be very unforgiving as well and simply take their business elsewhere”
Sanjiv is adamant that when the country finally begins to emerge from the current lockdown that businesses need to be able to bounce back quickly and says that looking after employees now is the only way to achieve that. “Getting a business back on its feet can only be done with the full support and hard work of the people who work there. Those businesses that have shown loyalty to their people now are the ones that will receive it back when things return to normal.”
The Unlimited Wellbeing Group are a Leicester based health and wellbeing provider to the business community and private individuals and is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
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1) Sanjiv Corepal - Founder Unlimited Wellbeing Group
2) Sanjiv Corepal & Dave Leverton - Directors Unlimited Wellbeing Group
3) Unlimited Wellbeing logo