Construction business Wates Group has returned 3,500 non-furloughed employees to full pay, effective immediately.
In April 2020, the organisation introduced businesses wide pay cuts and furloughed 1,400 employees. Those at board level received a 35% reduction in salary, senior employees received a 30% decrease, while non-furloughed employees, received a 15% pay cut.
The organisations move to return employees to their full pay has been made possible due to the business performing better than expected during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
The organisation has also begun to return furloughed employees week by week, reducing the number of employees on furlough from 1,400 in April 2020 to 469 employees in July 2020.
The Wates Group will continue topping up the pay of furloughed employees to a minimum of 70% of their salary.
David Allen, chief executive at Wates Group, said: “I want to thank all my colleagues for the amazing job they’ve done of keeping the show on the road. Because of their efforts and professionalism, we have been able to take the positive decision to return people to full pay in July. We will continue to support our furloughed [employees], topping up their pay to a minimum of 70% of their salary.
“I’m proud of the great things Wates has achieved during this testing time, and particularly of our work supporting the NHS by helping to create new facilities at both the Royal London Hospital and the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Sunderland.
“We are now focused on accelerating into the second half of 2020 and on playing our part in responding to the government’s call to ‘Build, Build, Build’.”
