As the cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen, MKM has committed to helping its team weather the storm by announcing the roll-out of an energy support payment scheme.
This scheme will see MKM pay every employee (except Board members) an additional £1,000 this winter, with the payment designed to help ease the burden of spiralling energy bills and is part of the merchant’s wider wellbeing programme of supporting its staff beyond the 9-to-5.
CEO Kate Tinsley said: “At MKM, we have always lived by the mantra of ‘Doing the Right Thing’, which is why we’re rolling out our energy support payment scheme this winter for our staff. We employ more than 2,500 people nationwide and want to ensure that every one of our people feels supported by MKM, both when at work and at home. We hope the payment scheme will go some way in giving our team a little peace of mind this winter.”
Employees working across MKM’s 104-strong branch network and in Central Support will benefit from the £1,000 payment (£400 in October and £600 in February). The scheme is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to help MKM boost employee welfare. The merchant also launched its Go Home Safe campaign, which encourages a focus on safety right across the business and the results are said to be speaking for themselves, with MKM’s health and safety performance improving year-on-year and employees across the network encouraged to take a proactive role in implementing safe working practices.
MKM has also recently celebrated the official opening of its latest new branch, with a helping hand from national treasure Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards. The former Olympic ski-jumper opened the new branch in Gloucester, located just around the corner from the dry ski slope where he learnt his legendary skills.
And coming from a long line of plasterers, Eddie was firmly at home at the builders’ merchant, where he delivered a motivational speech to the newly-formed MKM Gloucester branch team. Headed up by Branch Directors Charles McArthur and Rob Caren, the opening of the outlet has created 17 new jobs for the local area.
Local charity Gloucester Feed The Hungry – one of the new depot’s official community partners – was on hand to receive the proceeds of the fundraising efforts of the team, with a cheque for £580 presented to Founder Hashim Norat. The funds will provide 1,160 hot meals (enough meals to keep the project going for two and a half weeks) for those in need in the local community, including those experiencing homelessness and vulnerable senior citizens.
The branch is also partnering with Gloucester City AFC, a club that is committed to giving back to the local community as well.
