MYTRAVEL
is preparing to shake up its pay structure following an eight-month review of
how it rewards staff.
UK
managing director retail distribution Dave Harris is set to add at least £1,000
to basic salaries for shop staff from October after a working party of senior
managers decided starting pay was too low.
Altering
the way agent pay is constructed was a central theme of findings unveiled by
MyTravel last week, which saw Harris admit that the company had failed to
address employee concerns in the past.
He
said: “The review hasn’t just been about pay – it’s about motivating staff and
looking after their wellbeing. In the past we were found lacking when it came
to the basics.”
An
immediate pay rise of £500 for staff on the current basic pay level of £8,000 a
year – around 30% of MyTravel’s 4,500 consultants – has been approved to bring
the shopstaff
in line with those working for non-travel retailers on the high street. Staff
not affected by this will receive a 2% rise. But Harris said further increases
to the basic level were on the cards when a new pay scale is introduced in
October.
“The
scale will reflect on how well people do their job and on their experience, and
will dovetail with the new staff and managers’ training programme,” said
Harris. “A typical staff member might earn the basic £8,500 and then get £1,500
in commission and bonuses on top. We could incorporate part of the bonus into
the basic. It has to be a reasonable and realistic basic – why pay people to
sell when that is part of their job? We want to reward people for exceeding our
expectations.”
New
bonus packages for individual stores will be introduced on May 1 for managers
and staff in an effort to build teamwork.
Harris stressed targets would not concentrate on
bookings made in-store but would focus on the volume of business generated –
fitting in with MyTravel’s desire to drive sales through a range of
distribution channels.