Dixons has offered employees
the chance to buy a computer after two years’ service in a bid to strengthen
staff loyalty and improve IT skills.
In exchange for a small cut in
salary, staff are loaned a computer for two years with the option to buy at the
end of that time. They can make cost savings of up to 40 per cent on the retail
price, claims Dixons. The deal was offered to 17,000 eligible staff last summer
with one in seven employees taking it up.
James Welsh, Dixons’ head of
employee rewards, said, “It made sense for the Dixons Group to offer its
employees a reward with its roots in IT, not just because of our connection to
technology, but also because IT skills are becoming ever-more important.”
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He added, “By helping staff to
obtain a home PC, we have created more than goodwill, we are investing in the
skills, productivity and flexibility of our staff.”
The opportunity to introduce the
scheme arose when Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown introduced
legislation allowing employers to lease computers at a discount.
