The Rugby-based hybrid mail and critical document management specialist was already a longstanding accredited Living Wage Employer and has this month additionally secured the Living Hours accreditation.

The Living Hours programme works alongside the Living Wage and calls on employers to provide workers with the right to decent notice periods for shifts, of at least four weeks’ notice, with guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled within this notice period.

Workers also have a right to a contract with living hours; one that reflects accurate hours worked, and a guaranteed minimum of 16 hours a week, unless the worker requests otherwise.

Datagraphic said it was proud to be the first company in the industry to provide its workers with the security of known hours alongside a real living wage.

Managing director Robert Hoon said: “Living hours is the right thing to do for every business. Every employee helps our business thrive, no matter where they work within the organisation.

“It’s therefore vital that individuals working for us have the security of knowing they have the regular hours and wages needed to help support their families.”

As part of its Living Hours accreditation, Datagraphic is also contacting its suppliers to understand how their current staff contracts align with the Living Hours measures.

The company said that while it understands that not all employers can offer employees Living Hours, it believes the security of hours and notice periods is important to protect workers from in-work poverty. It is therefore encouraging its supplier network to consider the standard as a marker of best practice.

Living Wage Foundation director Laura Gardiner told Printweek: “Without clear notice of shift patterns provided in good time, millions of workers have had to make impossible choices on childcare, transport and other important aspects of family life.

“This has disproportionately affected the lowest-paid workers in the UK, for whom the insufficient notice of work schedules from employers has exacerbated the additional burden of constantly shifting restrictions on economic activity on their working lives. That is why the Living Wage Foundation introduced the Living Hours initiative in 2019.”

She added only one-in-ten workers doing shift or variable hours work currently receive as much as four weeks’ notice.

“In fact, it’s more common for workers to get less than a day’s warning. Working with businesses and employees across the country, we know first-hand the impact decent notice periods can have on performance, productivity and welfare.

“It is encouraging that Datagraphic has become the first business in the print industry to adopt Living Hours – joining four other businesses so far that are leading the way on security at work. It’s employers like Datagraphic that will help us rebuild and recover from this crisis.”

As well as hybrid mail, Datagraphic offers secure document processing for a wide range of disciplines from finance, payroll, HR, operations and customer services for a wide range of clients including numerous blue chip brands.

In August 2020 the circa 100-staff company installed a Fusion Cross inserter from Böwe Systec, following investment in 2019 of an Apex 128 Mailsorter from the same manufacturer.