Retail chain provides £30m support for staff during health crisis
Liverpool-based discount retail chain Home Bargains has pledged a £30m support fund for its staff to help them through the current health crisis.
In a tweet to staff and customers the business, formed by the Morris brothers under the trading name of TJ Morris, it outlined its backing for any staff who might have to self-isolate, or those who are in high risk groups who might have to isolate themselves to stay healthy.
The chain also reassured customers that its supply chain is strong, but urged them to shop sensibly, introducing early shopping hours for the elderly and vulnerable.
Homes Bargains’ tweet to its staff read: “Thank you for your amazing work during this unprecedented time.
“We want you to feel secure during this turbulent period, so have created a £30m coronavis fund to financially support you during the outbreak.
“This will include paying staff that need to self-isolate for up to two weeks by maintaining their pay during this period, and to support team members in high risk groups that need to isolate for longer periods.”
It added: “If staff do not need to self-isolate between now and December they will be paid two weeks’ extra salary, so they do not miss out.”
The group’s message to its customer base said: “Our dedicated staff are working around the clock to keep all of our stores open, so we can continue to serve our communities.
“We have a robust supply chain in place and will continue to support the country whatever it takes.
“To ensure all customers get the products they need, we’re limiting the maximum number you can buy of some items, and we would like to prioritise the first hour of opening for vulnerable customers – please could non-vulnerable customers not shop during this first hour of opening each day.”
‼️ Announcement to all our staff and customers ‼️ pic.twitter.com/PJk8lvInDM
— Home Bargains (@homebargains) March 18, 2020
It concluded: “Thank you for all your support and patience. We will get through this together.”
In less than 24 hours the tweet had received more than 40,000 ‘likes’ and been re-tweeted 7,600 times.
More than 1,400 comments had been posted, including one reading: “We need to see more announcements like this.”
Another read: “When things are back to normal and I’m choosing where to shop, I’ll be remembering the companies that looked after their workers during this crisis.”
