M Restaurants has announced the introduction of a £10 starting wage for all employees, as it works to change hospitality's reputation as a low-pay industry.
The wage, £1.79 an hour higher than the National Minimum Wage, will be introduced from 1 March.
He added: "The industry faces a chronic staff shortage, as the country no longer attracts the amazing talent from Europe and beyond that we used to take for granted. As an industry, we should use the current environment as a catalyst to make hospitality an attractive option to a limited workforce and change our reputation."
The move follows the implementation of M-indful Days by operations director Andre Mannini. The initative gives M employees four days off in addition to their annual holiday to take as required. The company has also given all staff access to independent counselling app Spill.
Mannini added: "We want our team to feel their best selves, both at home and in the workplace. Our M-indful initiative has been wholly embraced by the team and we seem to be going from strength to strength."
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