Since founding our business in 2018 as a team of three, we knew that building a brilliant team would be key to scaling in line with our ambitions. From the start, we made it a priority to create a workplace where people felt valued and supported.
Not only is that the right thing to do, it’s also just good business. Attracting and retaining great people fuels growth, and we’ve seen firsthand how investing in our team pays off.
In 2024, we proudly became an accredited Real Living Wage Employer, which is different from the legal Minimum Wage, and ensures our employees earn a fair, sustainable wage that reflects the real cost of living and all the unexpected challenges life can bring. Here’s why it’s made such a hard-hitting impact.
Building a Business on the Right Foundations
We realised early on that a key part of our company scaling successfully would be more than just great products, but also having a strong, motivated team. Treating our customers right and having a very high standard of excellent customer service is a super essential part of our business, so treating our team really well was essential too.
From logistics and our warehouse to customer service, social media, advertising, and even our on-site TV shopping channel and tech teams, there are a lot of moving parts to our business. When you’re in the early stages of scaling, hiring the right people isn’t just important, it’s essential to sustainable growth.
We introduced employee perks for our team, including birthdays off, free breakfast, free products, and free EV charging among others, as well as flexible hours and a real living wage, which are two essential parts of our workplace, not just because it’s ethical, but because it’s smart business and keeps our team motivated, supported and ready to work hard.
The Case for a Real Living Wage
Going beyond the legal minimum and committing to paying a real, liveable wage was an easy decision for us. Yes, it’s a great motivator for our hard-working team, but more importantly, it makes a meaningful difference to their everyday lives. It means being able to afford nutritious food, keep the house warm, treat the kids on their birthday, or handle an unexpected dentist bill without stress. That kind of security matters, and we believe our team deserves nothing less.
It makes us one of only 0.002% of businesses in the UK who have pledged to pay at least the Real Living Wage to all employees, regardless of age or role. As our turnover has grown, it’s only right that we share this success with those who make it happen.
Paying a Real Living Wage is part of a much bigger picture for us. When people feel financially secure and valued, they’re more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stay. For us, it creates a culture where people care about the business because they know the business cares about them. That stability has helped us build strong teams, improve efficiency, and reduce the cost and disruption of high staff turnover, all of which support our long-term growth.
Attraction, Retention, and Reputation
As we’ve grown, attracting the right people has become more competitive. But being a Real Living Wage employer helps us stand out. It shows we’re serious about looking after our team, and that’s something candidates increasingly care about.
It also means we retain great people for longer, which protects our culture and makes scaling far smoother. And on top of that, it’s had a positive impact on how we’re seen by our customers, partners, and the industry. For us, being known as a company that does the right thing matters.
Why It Makes Business Sense
For us, paying the Real Living Wage has never been a box-ticking exercise or just for a good reputation boost. It’s a decision that sits right at the heart of how we run the business. It helps us build a team that’s motivated, loyal, and proud to be part of what we’re doing.
And in a business where high-quality service, speed, and teamwork matter every single day, that has real commercial value. Yes, it’s the ethical thing to do, but it’s also a smart move that’s helped power our growth. We’d make the same decision again in a heartbeat.
Specialising in homeware products, Amy started the business from her spare room in Rochester in 2018. Since then Must Have Ideas has grown into a 40,000-square-foot warehouse and a full-time staff of 200, focused on the highest standards of customer service.
After graduating with a Law degree from Kent University, Amy chose an alternative route, into entrepreneurship. Teaching herself digital marketing and everything there is to know about social media, she took her first innovative steps into the realms of e-commerce selling household products, today used by thousands of happy customers throughout the UK who have become regulars of the Must Have Ideas shopping website.