“The team feels happier because they know that they’re somewhere that values them,” said Phill Elston, operations director of London Living Wage employer, Brompton.

Making 100,000 bicycles each year, Brompton has been operating from Greenford and shipping globally since 2015.

Since 2020, Brompton has been paying its staff at least the London Living Wage – an hourly rate of pay currently set at £13.85 and calculated based on what people need to live in the capital.

The company has always been dedicated to paying a competitive salary to its employees, with the majority of staff currently being paid more than the London Living Wage hourly rate.

Being accredited is good for business. Employers who sign up to become accredited will be able to access a range of great benefits from Ealing Council including free access to employee training and business support programmes, grants to cover costs, and free recruitment services.

‘Every penny helps’

Gitesh Vaghela and Anna Komorowska have both been employed by Brompton for about 4 years. Gitesh enjoys his job and the challenges he handles throughout his working day. When asked about being paid fairly, Gitesh told us:

“Being paid the London Living Wage helps to pay my bills and I can put some money aside for my kids’ futures. Every penny helps.”

Anna likes working for Brompton because it’s convenient for her and enables her to spend time with her family. She said:

“Life is expensive now. Being paid the London Living Wage allows me to live in London. I can save money so I can fly home to visit my family in Poland, which is really important for me.”

‘Attract better talent’

Phill thinks being an accredited employer makes Brompton a more efficient organisation. He added: “Offering the London Living Wage is a great reason for a potential employee to come and look at what we do.

“By being accredited, you can change how your staff live their lives and make sure you reward them fairly. You’ll attract better talent and will retain that talent – people will stay with you and, in turn, understand the purpose of the business that little bit better.

“Your staff can provide for their families and have the life that they really want to have. They’ll stay in the job longer, work harder, and work smarter. I think it’s a really fair way of demonstrating your commitment to them.”

‘A great time to get accredited’

Council leader Peter Mason said: “There are plenty of reasons to pay the London Living Wage, which benefit both employers and their employees. With our generous incentive scheme, it’s a great time to get your business accredited. There are now more than 75 accredited employers in our borough, and we will continue to support them so our residents can access the decent living incomes they deserve and in turn have happier, more comfortable lives.”

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “It was great to speak to Brompton employees and hear about how the London Living Wage has helped them and their families. The company wants to make sure that all of their staff are paid fairly for the work that they do, and from talking to Anna and Gitesh, their quality of life is better for it. The experiences of these Brompton employees show that paying the London Living Wage improves recruitment, staff retention, and productivity.”

Unlock incentives and support

Come along to our free roadshow event on Tuesday 4 February from 8:30am, where you will learn more about the free incentives available, network with industry experts, and start your journey toward accreditation. Sign up today.

You can also speak to a member of the team by emailing invest@ealing.gov.uk, or fill in a short online form to express an interest in becoming an accredited employer.