Leon credits staff benefits and wellbeing for financial growth

Restaurant chain Leon has put its success down to a healthy, happy workforce after investing in mental health and other wellbeing projects.

It also introduced the national living wage to all employees in January – three months earlier than the mandatory implementation.

Announcing the company’s 7.8% growth in like-for-like sales in the last financial year, CEO John Vincent said: “We want everyone to eat well and be well, and we start with our own team members, who are like family to us.

“That is why we have maintained benefits like free meals, paid breaks and, in addition, significantly increased the discount on meals when not on shift.”

Vincent spoke at the HR Directors Business Summit earlier this year where he explained his emphasis on physical and mental wellbeing with the company.

This includes the use of the wellbeing multiplier to measure staff wellbeing and his concerns of having a stressful workplace.

 

Watch Leon CEO John Vincent’s keynote speach at the HR Directors Business Summit

Vincent has used the martial art of Wing Tsun to help his personal performance this has since been rolled-out as a trial for baristas, which the organisation said had resulted in falling stress levels and faster coffee making.

The intention is to offer this or a similar benefit to other staff to help their wellbeing.

The wellbeing offering also includes massages for weekend workers and mindfulness classes for all store managers, in addition to two annual two-day wellbeing events for managers each year.