Start360 Strengthens Staff Morale and Retention by Becoming a Living Wage Employer
Start360 is a leading charity based in Northern Ireland, supporting individuals and communities through transformative Health, Justice and Employability services.
With offices across Belfast, Ballymena, Lurgan, and Derry/Londonderry, we provide frontline interventions to over 20,000 people annually. Our mission is to empower individuals by putting them at the centre, supporting positive change and long-term wellbeing. As a registered charity with under 100 employees, we pride ourselves on being values driven and person centred, and we are committed to fairness and dignity for all, including our staff.
Motivation for Living Wage Accreditation
Start360 believe everyone deserves a wage they can live on. As a people-first organisation, accrediting as a Living Wage Employer was a natural step aligned with our values of respect and empowerment. It formalises our commitment to fairness and social justice, ensuring every employee is recognised and rewarded for their contribution to our organisation. Accreditation demonstrates to our staff, funders and partners that we are serious about creating a compassionate and equitable workplace.
Implementation Process
Working with finance and HR, the process took around 2 months, including policy updates and internal communications. Accreditation was finalised once all criteria were met, ensuring we were fully compliant and ready to sustain this commitment going forward.
Additional Workplace Changes
Becoming a Living Wage Employer coincided with wider organisational efforts to improve staff wellbeing.
Challenges and Barriers
Our main challenge was ensuring that all staff and third-party contracts aligned with the Living Wage. Some adjustments to budget forecasts were necessary, but through phased planning we successfully embedded the changes. Strong leadership and a clear communication plan helped reinforce why this mattered and how it supported our mission.
Benefits of Living Wage Accreditation
Accrediting as a Living Wage Employer has strengthened staff morale and retention at Start360. Employees feel valued and respected, knowing their pay reflects fairness and dignity. Internally, it fosters a culture of trust and mutual respect, while externally it bolsters our reputation with funders and partners.
It means a lot to know that Start360 values its’ staff to commit to the Real Living Wage. It’s not just about the money, it shows the organisation genuinely cares about fairness and doing the right thing. I’m proud to work somewhere that puts people first.
- Start360 Staff Member
Accrediting as a Living Wage Employer was a no-brainer for Start360. It’s about dignity, fairness and leading by example. When we say we value our staff, the Living Wage proves we mean it.
- Tom Bennett, Director of Services