Thu 9th Sep 2021 - Costa gives 5% pay rise to 14,500 staff and adds 2,000 jobs Costa gives 5% pay rise to 14,500 staff and adds 2,000 jobs: Costa Coffee is to give all 14,500 of its store team members in UK company-owned stores will receive a 5% pay increases in recognition of their ‘commitment and continued passion during the difficult times presented by the covid-19 pandemic’. The company stated: “Costa’s store team members have faced many challenges, including changing restrictions and health and safety guidelines in line with government guidance, and in many cases, their own personal challenges in unprecedented times. Costa Coffee team members are at the heart of the business and the brand remains committed, as it did pre-pandemic, to supporting team’s personal and financial wellbeing. Costa Coffee is also looking to hire over 2,000 new team members in preparation for a busy festive season, with more store openings and higher consumer demand. These new team members will also benefit from the increased pay award. From 1 October 2021, all store team members will receive pay increases of at least 45p per hour, bringing minimum pay to £9.36 per hour from £8.91. The company’s fully trained barista maestros, who play an important role in helping to manage stores, having also perfected the art of creating perfectly crafted coffee, will see their pay go up by 65p per hour, bringing the minimum for these more experienced roles to £10.29 from £9.64 per hour. Top rates of pay for store team members also increase, depending on location and experience, to £11.29 per hour from £10.64. In real terms, this means that the average Costa Coffee store team member working between 20 and 40 hours per week will see their annual take-home pay increase between £500 to £900, based on a 45p increase. Those receiving 65p will see an increase of between £700 to £1,400. This makes Costa Coffee a lucrative prospect for those searching for roles in the sector and their salary will be complemented by a range of existing benefits and perks, which include a quarterly incentive scheme, high-street discounts, free coffees on shift, a team member support fund, and a significantly enhanced pension scheme.” Neil Lake, managing director Costa Coffee UK and Ireland, said: “Our team members are the heart of our business and as we continue to emerge stronger from the pandemic, this 5% pay increase is one way we are able to show our thanks to them. Our teams have been through the most challenging year and a half in living memory and have shown incredible passion, resilience, and commitment as they continue to serve perfectly crafted cups of Costa coffee to consumers across the country. We are committed to putting our team members first, investing in their safety and wellbeing and their long-term development, ensuring we remain a great place to work for all our current team members and the 2,000 team members we’ll be welcoming in the coming months.”