Shorter working week more holidays same pay - Wisbech firm recognises staff achievement

A major Wisbech employer has given its staff a new reason to be cheerful in its 50th anniversary year with news it is cutting the working week and improving employee benefits.

Anglia Components employs nearly 150 people in its sales, technical support, operations and warehouse teams with over 100 of them based in Wisbech.

The company has enjoyed an exceptionally successful year despite the global economic climate and shortages of the electronic components that it primarily sells.

Top of its new list of benefits for staff is Anglia will now close at 1pm on Fridays – giving all staff a longer weekend. Holidays have also been increased to 27 days (pro-rata for part time staff).

Previously, this level of holiday was available only to staff with 20 years' service – others were on a sliding scale starting at 25 days for new joiners.

The company will also now close for the full day on the last working day before Christmas. Even though these measures reduce total working hours, all staff will remain on the same pay.

Other new benefits now extended include a comprehensive health plan, with a range of benefits to assist with health and well-being needs for the employee and dependent children. Anglia is also offering company life insurance, additional flexible leave for important family events and the opportunity to access pay early in times of financial need.

Anglia CEO Steve Rawlins said: "Anglia has been able to grow during years which have brought not only the COVID pandemic, but also specific challenges in the semiconductor industry in which we operate.

"This is in no small part due to the commitment and dedication of our team. We have carefully considered how to not only recognise their achievement, but also how to support them better. The additional time off being offered is intended to help them achieve a better work life balance. We are also offering ways to help with other pressures like attending family events during office hours, large and unexpected bills, and health concerns."

Steve continued: "We have always been a caring employer, investing heavily in keeping our employees safe during the pandemic, with measures to increase distancing including Perspex screens for those whose roles couldn't be carried out from home.

"Some of these measures, like silver ion door handles on all doors, door opening foot pulls, sanitising gel handles, sanitising keyboards and hand sanitisers at all entrances remain in place.

"Anglia also continues to provide air purifier machines which operate during the day, and they also release ozone at night. We already offer a paid-for Christmas party and employee barbecues, champagne for special birthdays, flowers for births and a house move day. We are extending these too, with recognition for five, 10, 15 and 20 years of service. We have always offered a comprehensive 25-year service award."

Anglia Components plc is the UK’s leading independent authorised distributor of semiconductors, optoelectronics, interconnect, passive and electromechanical components. A signatory of the ADS SC21 programme, the company holds AS9120, ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditations.

Technically adept, with an experienced team of staff, Anglia supports OEM and EMS companies in every sector of electronics manufacturing. Anglia's suppliers include many of the world's leading electronic component brands, complemented by many smaller companies with leadership in their chosen technologies.

Anglia stocks over 2 billion components from over 1.3 million product lines in the UK. Components from every supplier are stocked in depth and breadth for same-day dispatch. Anglia aims to streamline logistics and reduce customers' transaction costs through services that include VMI, KAN-BAN, API, EDI, BoM management tools and customer-dedicated inventory, while an accurate, on-time delivery performance is a vital goal for the company.

Technical support spans a sampling service that delivers over £150,000 worth of free components and evaluation tools each year and expert technical advice from well-trained product specialists and face-to-face guidance from field applications engineers. Both commercially and technically, management of industry legislation and component obsolescence are recognised as areas of vital importance to customers.

Anglia is driven by an ethos of ever-improving customer understanding and, as a privately owned business, aims to provide a fast, consistent and highly responsive service. Further information can be found at www.anglia.com