Three UK employees see pay rise by almost 24%

Employees at Three retail stores are set to receive a bumper pay rise in the new year, with many seeing their pay soar by almost 24% in 12 months.

Customer advisers in the mobile operator’s UK retail stores outside of London will get a 10.1% increase, taking their hourly wage to £11.15. Those in London will receive an 8.1% pay rise, taking their wage to £12.32 an hour.

The pay rise, which will take effect on 1 January 2023, will be the second pay rise Three employees have had in a year. Compared with wages at the end of 2021, hourly pay outside London has grown 23.7%, while pay in the capital has risen 16.8%.

Head office staff are set to receive a 7% pay increase, while all staff earning less than £30,000 per year in retail and head office roles will receive a one-off cost of living payment of £500.

Three UK chief people officer Mark Redmond said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues for their hard work – especially during a particularly busy time in the lead up to Christmas. They are the backbone of our company, and it is right that we reward them for their efforts.”

Many employers have been awarding higher than usual salary increases as inflation accelerates. Analysis by XpertHR found that the average pay settlement in the three months to November reached 5% – its highest level for 31 years.

In the 12 months to November, the consumer prices index measure of inflation was 10.7%, falling slightly from 11.1% recorded in the year to October. This means many employees are suffering a real-terms pay cut.

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