The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter is proud to announce nine new Members of the Charter. These employers have achieved membership status through their commitment to putting good employment into action and being exemplars of employment excellence, even through these challenging times.

For those of you who might not know us, we’re one of Manchester’s longest standing local charities and were founded in 1977 to work with adults who are going through a process of recovery or rehabilitation. We have a learning centre in Ancoats where we provide training and support to over 700 people each year who experience problems with homelessness, drug and alcohol use, offending, and mental health.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only presented huge health challenges that will continue to ebb and flow over the coming months, but it has also brought economic shocks that are truly unprecedented. These have already led to structural change and the need for greater adaptation and further innovation in many aspects of our lives, not least employment standards.

Guest Contributor Lee Jefcott, Partner at Brabners: The dramatically changed working environment during the pandemic has led many to consider whether in fact they wish to go back to the bad old days of pre-pandemic working, with long commutes, pointless meetings, juggling childcare and the stress of long working hours. A few weeks ago supermarket giant Morrisons announced it would be switching staff at its head office to a four day working week, with overall weekly hours reducing to 37.5 from 40 but maintaining the same salary level.

Guest contributor Daniel Howard, Programme Manager at the Living Wage Foundation: During the Covid-19 pandemic the country’s ‘key workers’ - delivery drivers, care workers, supermarket staff - have been tirelessly working on the front line to keep our country safe, looking after our loved ones and getting food to our tables. Despite the huge contribution these workers make to society, we know that over 1 million key workers are not receiving a real Living Wage.

Guest contributor Jennifer Atkins, People Director at Bruntwood: Bruntwood had huge plans for 2020 after another successful year. Then Coronavirus hit… something we’d heard snippets about and that a few of us initially dismissed as flu... But in just four weeks we completely changed our way of working, re-shaped colleagues’ lives, and got used to business as “unusual”.

Guest contributor Alun Francis, Principal and CEO of Oldham College: For all the dramas and challenges we have had in the past, nothing could have prepared us for the Covid-19 crisis. We are signed up to the Good Employment Charter, and we take it very seriously. Our priorities as a good employer have been to keep staff and learners safe, keep delivering our service, and help to protect the NHS.

Guest contributor Kelly Gilmour-Grassam, Director at Making you Content: As an agency that has always embraced flexible working, we were quick to adapt to the 'new normal' even before the official lockdown. The past month hasn’t come without its challenges (and inevitable impact of a huge strain on the economy), but Making You Content has managed to ride the storm so far by keeping true to our values as agile, curious, genuine and capable grafters.

Guest contributor Rachael Parr, HR Director at Electricity North West: Electricity North West employees have officially been named as key workers and we pride ourselves on being able to keep the power flowing throughout the region, no matter what. We have two priorities: 1. Keeping our colleagues and customers safe. 2 Keeping power flowing for the North West.