Asda has today launched two new colleague benefits and confirmed that its proposal to increase retail pay rates to £12.04 per hour has been accepted by colleagues.
The new benefits, accessible to all 150,000 Asda colleagues at no charge, offer valuable guidance in two specific areas. Care Concierge, managed by Legal & General, offers expert assistance regarding later-life care for loved ones, while the Mortgage Advice Bureau provides comprehensive guidance for colleagues navigating property purchase or remortgaging.
These latest additions to Asda colleague benefits are in addition to the comprehensive pack of existing resources available to colleagues to support their health and wellness outside of the workplace. These include round-the-clock access to a private GP service, unlimited mental health support and flexible wage services through Wagestream.
Asda also confirmed that its proposal to increase hourly pay for all store-based colleagues from £11.11 to £12.04 has been accepted following a ballot by Usdaw members. This represents an 8.4% increase in pay and a total investment of £150m in colleague pay this year, which makes Asda the highest-paying traditional supermarket.
The rates will initially increase from £11.11 to £11.44 on 1st April to meet National Minimum Wage requirements, followed by a further rise to £12.04 on 1st July. Rates for colleagues at stores inside the M25 will rise to £13.21 per hour.
Hayley Tatum, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer at Asda, said: “We have made a record investment in pay this year to recognise the great work our colleagues do serving customers every day and we are delighted that our proposal has been accepted. We also understand that supporting our colleagues goes beyond pay and the workplace, which is why we continue to explore new benefits for colleagues to provide support for their and their families health and wellbeing.”
Through a new agreement with Legal & General Care Concierge, all Asda colleagues can take advantage of free confidential one-to-one telephone services where they can receive expert support and advice about later life care for their loved ones. Care Concierge is open to all colleagues completely free of charge. In 100% confidential calls colleagues can receive guidance on finding care homes and home care services, information on NHS funding entitlement, state care support and other benefits.
Rita Butler-Jones, Head of Defined Contribution (DC) at Legal & General, adds: “We are pleased to be working with Asda to support their employees through our Care Concierge service. We know that finding and funding later life care can be a daunting and stressful task – especially when balanced with work and family commitments.”
“Care Concierge provides practical and emotional support to help people make informed decisions about the best care options for themselves or their loved ones. We believe this is a valuable benefit that can make a real difference to the wellbeing of Asda’s colleagues.”
The Mortgage Advice Bureau are one the UKs largest mortgage brokers. They will offer Asda colleagues free unbiased mortgage and protection advice. They offer an app with a budget planner, and 1-2-1 telephone or video appointments with a mortgage adviser at a time to suit colleagues.
Sean Coleman, Senior Mortgage & Protection Adviser at the Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: “We are extremely proud to be able to offer all Asda colleagues access to our completely free service, with what is usually the largest financial commitment they ever make. Providing expert, unbiased advice, can help navigate what can be a very complex and crowded marketplace.”
Comments are closed.