Trust Issues: Please activate the ‘4 Ds’ now to support retail workers with money worries
Guest Comment: Chris Brook-Carter, CEO, retailTRUST
I’d love to start by saying Happy New Year. I’d love to. But there’s not a huge amount to be happy about, is there? From 6 January, we were back in a full, six-week national lockdown with non-essential stores shuttered, while also getting to grips with the early impacts of Brexit and the news of more stores heading into administration.
January is a tricky enough time as it is. Coming straight after Christmas, it’s when people are hardest hit financially, and money worries soar. Each January, retailTRUST receives a huge increase in applications for financial aid and support. Between 1 January and 1 December 2020, the Trust provided over £828,000 of financial aid in the form of non-repayable grants to help retail colleagues remain in their own homes, feed their families or make hospital visits. This was an increase of 125 per cent on 2019. In light of the impact of Covid on job security, we are expecting this to hit record levels in 2021.
This is why we are calling on the UK retail industry to activate four Ds during January, which we have nominated our Financial Health and Wellness month. They are ‘download’, ‘donate’, ‘direct’ and ‘delegate’.
Download – https://www.retailtrust.org.uk/four/toolkit
Retailers can show their support simply by talking about wellbeing and the resources available. retailTRUST’s toolkit provides all of the materials necessary to start the conversation about financial wellness in the workplace.
Donate – www.justgiving.com/campaign/CaRe20
Last year, the Trust issued 125 per cent more urgent financial grants to enable individuals to remain in their own homes and meet their essential needs. This would not be possible without industry support and the Trust gratefully welcomes donations to allow it to help more retail colleagues during their time of need.
Direct – to 0808 801 0808, helpline@retailtrust.org.uk or www.myrtwellbeing.org.uk/financial-support
retailTRUST has relaunched the financial support section of its wellbeing site, which can be found at www.myrtwellbeing.org.uk/financial-support. Visitors will find lots of content on budgeting, planning, handling debt, talking to loved ones about debt, and debt and bereavement, among many other topics.
Delegate – subscribe to wellbeing workshops at https://www.retailtrust.org.uk/helping-your-business/wellbeing-workshops
Retailers are encouraged to speak to their colleagues about retailTRUST’s wellbeing workshops, where they will find tools to help create a happier and healthier workforce. The sessions are specifically designed for retailers and the unique challenges they face. Offering practical insights into many aspects of wellbeing, each workshop upskills participants to approach mental health and wellbeing with more confidence, a deeper understanding of the issues, and practical tools to take back into the workplace.
As ever, we are here to help everyone working in retail so please encourage colleagues and employees to get in touch with retailTRUST if they need our support. Our free and confidential helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0808 801 0808 or by emailing helpline@retailtrust.org.uk
