The best experience I've had

Nazreen Johnson (People and Culture Director) spoke to us about Arc Inspiration's experience of rolling out Wagestream's financial wellbeing platform - giving colleagues access to financial tools and services built around their income, and solving business challenges by making work more rewarding for their people.

Nazreen began by highlighting the significance of employee wellbeing in the hospitality industry. She shared,

"Employee wellbeing in the hospitality industry for me is incredibly important."

Reflecting on the implementation process, Nazreen remarked,

"In all of the years that I've been involved in system implementation from a HR perspective, this has got to be the best experience and the fastest experience I've had."

One of the key benefits of Wagestream has been its flexible pay feature. She explained,

"Access to flexible pay is probably the biggest benefit that our team members have seen."

She elaborated on the challenges faced when transitioning from weekly to monthly pay post-pandemic and how Wagestream eased this adjustment:

"The fact that we offer Wagestream now means that if they do need access to those earned wages, they can get it sooner than waiting to the end of the month."

Nazreen also noted improved employee engagement, stating,

"We've seen greater engagement from our team members around shifts and picking up shifts."

Another highlight has been the visibility and control offered by Wagestream, which has reduced payroll queries and encouraged savings. She shared impressive statistics:

"We've had 110 accounts opened since we launched in August of 2022."

She recounted two moving examples of how team members have used Wagestream to address personal needs:

"One was a general manager who's used an aspect of his savings pot to buy a puppy to help him with his mental health and wellbeing."

"Another team member recently used the money he'd put aside to help pay for some funeral expenses."

Summarising the impact, Nazreen reflected on the broader importance of holistic employee support:

"In the current climate, where everybody is feeling the pinch, it's not just about financial well-being. It's about holistically how do you support all of your team members."