Spicerhaart has confirmed that staff who have not been furloughed have been asked to take a 20% pay cut.
EYE understands that those who are furloughed are receiving 80% of their salary from the Government.
The rest of their employees who are still working, have been asked to take a pay cut of up to 20% depending on how much they currently earn, plus they will still earn their commissions.
CEO Paul Smith gave us the following statement which says that the ‘vast majority’ recognise the necessity of the measure.
“We totally understand the concerns of all our work colleagues who are deeply worried by the impact that coronavirus has had on their jobs and livelihoods as well as the business as a whole.
“We have had to take a number of measures to maintain financial stability, including asking those who are still working and not furloughed to take a salary sacrifice to safeguard not only their own jobs but their colleagues too.
“Everyone was asked to sign up to these measures and the vast majority recognised it was necessary in order to preserve the company’s long-term future.
“We are so proud of the way in which the Spicerhaart family are pulling together.”
Comments (58)
Im really looking forward to the next installment from “The Wordsmith” and his predictions for the next 6 months.
We have a piece tomorrow that those who are commenting on this story may find, stimulating…
Set aside Spicerhaart.
In any organisation where staff are furloughed on 80% Salary, those who remain working should be taking 80% of their Salary to avoid any “them & us” issues going forward.
Those in the Lofty Towers need to take a larger percentage share of the pain, as they most often enjoy the largest share of the “good financial times”.
From these “Worker/Furlougher” 2 tier issues, to neighbours reporting neighbours, landlords/tenants, those walking or running or cycling too close to another, shoppers not distancing……etc ……and the list is very long! ……we will potentially have “Social Interaction” issues going forward.
As we have been lectured to Stay Home, Protect etc etc …..we may well need a campaign to “heal the invisible C19 scars”.
2020 will be etched in the memory for so many different reasons
Just to clarify are you saying that those working should only receive 80% of their salary the same as furloughed staff who are not working at all?
If so would that not further exacerbate any ‘them and us’ issues?
Exactly that.
I don’t see that I should have to select staff for furlough, through no fault of their own, and those that are “selected for work” receive 100% of their Salary …..in these unique times.
However, I get that I may have a different view of “we’re all in this together?”.
Ask furloughed staff if they would prefer to work or indeed need to work to earn 100% of their Salary.
I’ll pull up my chair and wait to get pelted….
I would never pelt anyone for reasoned discussions or for having a different opinion to me but when I pull my first staff in from furlough in a couple of weeks tine I wouldn’t dream of asking them to take a pay cut. Those on furlough completely understand the process and think it’s fair as they’ve been consulted throughout but then again they’ve been with me for between 5 and 15 years and know that I’ve made personal sacrifices to make sure they do come back to a job.
”The major” thinks he’s John F Kennedy all of a sudden.
LOL
Yes, he’s quite a card is Major Tim. That’s the same ‘Major’ that told us (in July 2018) that he’d bought a “significant number of shares in OTM” because “they were only going one way”. I guess he was right … they were indeed only going one way .. as they were c.180p a share when he bought them and now they’re 53p! Perhaps he should have consulted Ground Control!?!?
Thankyou for your keen interest in my posts. Although looking back over a year whilst flattering is a bit weird.As anyone knows you invest for the long term not the short term. Good job I bought a significant amount more this time round at 30p in the dip-as you say they are now 53p so I’m actually quid’s in overall. Fortune favours the brave. So.….I’m happy-hope your happy too.
We hang on your every word … then do the opposite! Seems to be serving us well so far!
You employ 16 staff…and have a go at Paul Smith who employs 2,000 you biff!
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
Thanks for that – WTF?
For some reason EA247 you think this article is suddenly about you. Odd really because it isn’t. Now toddle off with your pent up aggression. We don’t need that or your misjudged loyalty here thanks.
It is about taking another pot shot at someone who grew a business from scratch, to what it still is, the UK’s largest independent estatge agency group, that was hit by covid-19 and had tough decisions to take in a very short time in order to keep a company going.
Countrywide has begged the government to allow estate agents to open – everyone is feeling the pain massively – most have shareholder money to fall back on – Paul Smith spends HIS money and yet every time he does something, those on here find it easy to get onto a keyboard and have a go at him.
Then, when someone from inside the company defends…they are asked to ‘toddle off’.
Pathetic…if you have one branch, 2, 3 or 4 and employ 5, 10 or 15 people, and know the pressure this situation has placed on you, then think what that is like for 200 branches and 2,000 and the pressure there.
Have a thought and a bit of compassion for someone who is trying to do the best for 1750 staff.
That’s like saying don’t scrutinise Boris because he had COVID!
PAS is not getting sympathy because he throws rocks at everyone else constantly and in fact treats his staff badly. No one envies any CEO independent or otherwise at the moment just understand why he’s not being defended. That’s all.
You should probably stop counting all the branches spicerhaart closed and turned into ‘virtual’ offices EA247 – but then again most of us would say you shouldn’t count the majority that sit 10th or even worse in their region for market share and performance.
And let’s also quietly ignore that Paul’s dad actually started the company shall we? Or that buying new branches in acquisition, running them down and then replacing the staff with cheap trainees isn’t exactly genius at work.
How many more pro-spicerhaart posts do you have to invent before you earn a shiny spicer-badge for your jacket?
Agreed our industry is ever changing, but some businesses plan and prepare change, others wait for for the tide to take them to their destiny…the future might not be missed by those, but it may not be the destiny they desired at the start of their journey.
You keyboard warriors are havving a laugh.
You have probably never run a company before.
Probably never had to pay people for turning up and doing diddly squat.
Probably work for a company that pays its people from OPM – other people’s money.
Paul Smith’s company is NOT corporate – it is independent.
It is not shareholder money.
It is his money.
He stareted from one office and built it to 200 and 2,000.
How many offices do you have?
How many staff do you employ.
Shut up!
The top table cut their salaries before it was convenient to tell all of social media about it – they told no-one.
The remaining staff – working bloody hard CHOSE to take a pay cut not just to help themselves, but to help those on furlough to have a job to come back to.
You should be ashamed and embarrassed posting such ill-advised comments.
Paul Smith cares – the company cares – they do not always get it right but do you know what, neither dod Alison Platt when she came up with the outrageous £995 sell your house campaign, …nor Purpble Bricks who through money up against the wall knowing it is not their money and they can walk away at any time.
How many branches do you have?
How many staff do you employ?
Wind your necks in and shut up!
Thanks…feel better now. (no I am not Paul Smith or his love child!)
Well EA247 given you know him so well you’ll be aware that his track record of looking after his staff before this was actually appalling. Never gave a pay rise, took away sick pay for years, no company benefits and certainly very questionable handling of those recent redundancies.
So I don’t think most of us need to wind in our necks, but perhaps you do.
You clearly did not work for Paul before…if you did, a few facts.
If it is sooooo bad, why have so many been there 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years?
Also…never had a pay rise????
This is sales…if you want a pay rise, sell more houses numpty – don’t ask for bigger basics…sell!!!
Well EA247 if you’re not one of the many ‘Love Children’ then you’ve certainly been suckered in by the nebulous spicerhaart mantra! I can tell you first hand that the options staff have been given are ‘Accept the pay-cut, or be furloughed immediately’. Not much of a choice is it?
If your empty rhetoric helped you to feel better then that’s nice for you, but the majority of PIE’s readership seem to feel that you need to get out a bit more – perhaps see some real quality estate agency and customer service in action? You can leave the rose-tinted sunglasses in your lease BMW.
Spicerhaart are AT BEST mediocre – crippled by a huge staff turnover even before they mercilessly flushed multiple hundreds of their better (& therefore more expensive and experienced) staff away at the worst possible time…
That was not the conversation that those in the company had – again you are repeating 2nd/3rd hand and not first hand – I know as I was one who DID have ‘the’ conversation about ‘accepting pay cut or be furloughed’, as you say.
It is a pay sacrifice for a limited, and clearly defined, backed up by letter, commitment – not all accepted this and yet they STILL are working in the compnay and are not furloughed.
So your comment is incorrect – not based on fact – and just repeating what you heard from a man who heard something from a bloke in a park and thought they should repeat it.
Fact check!
Your comments are contradictory and just valueless puffing EA247 – but thanks for at least admitting it was ‘‘accepting a pay cut or be furloughed”.
Those of us with experience in this company know in our hearts that once any of Paul’s inexperienced and underperforming senior team feels that they no longer need you / sees you as a threat / can’t work out how to fix the myriad problems and plug the losses he’ll likely cut you loose without a moments thought for your future or ‘family’ –
Please keep your CV updated, and google ‘useful idiot’ for reference – although I’m sure you won’t recognise this in yourself until after it’s too late.
Yes I did indeed work there for more than 10 years thank you. I expect you were in nappies when I joined (and possibly when I left) judging by your puerile comments. Ta ta.
Judging by the comments on here I think most who comment are actually running their own businesses.
‘Probably never had to pay people for turning up and doing diddly squat‘
What does that even mean? Who does that.
I’m sure your post was a knee jerk reaction but it doesn’t make much sense to be honest.
I’m sure there was a point to your post…still looking..but sure it will hit me some time.
#24
You keyboard warriors are havving a laugh.
NO JUST STATING FACTS
You have probably never run a company before.
YES I HAVE, TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL AGENCIES
Probably never had to pay people for turning up and doing diddly squat.
DOING DIDDLY SQUAT!! I HAVEN’T FURLOUGHED ANY STAFF AND CONTINUE TO PAY THEM FULL SALARIES. ALSO RUNNING ON SKELTON STAFF ALLOWING THEM TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
Probably work for a company that pays its people from OPM – other people’s money.
ITS ALL MY MONEY
Paul Smith’s company is NOT corporate – it is independent.
AS IS MINE
It is not shareholder money.
NOR IS MINE
It is his money.
AS IT IS MINE
He stareted from one office and built it to 200 and 2,000.
How many offices do you have?
NOT AS MANY AS THAT
How many staff do you employ.
16
Shut up!
NO!!! THIS IS AN OPEN FORUM ALLOWING FOR FREE SPEECH
The top table cut their salaries before it was convenient to tell all of social media about it – they told no-one.
THEY TOLD SOMEONE AS YOU APPARENTLY KNOW
The remaining staff – working ****** hard CHOSE to take a pay cut not just to help themselves, but to help those on furlough to have a job to come back to.
CHOOSING MEANS THEY HAD A CHOICE, TAKE A PAY CUT OR RECEIVING A REDUNDANCY NOTICE IS HARDLY A CHOICE
You should be ashamed and embarrassed posting such ill-advised comments.
IVE NOT BEEN ADVISED BY ANYONE, 100% MY THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS
Paul Smith cares – the company cares – they do not always get it right but do you know what, neither dod Alison Platt when she came up with the outrageous £995 sell your house campaign, …nor Purpble Bricks who through money up against the wall knowing it is not their money and they can walk away at any time.
NOT SURE WHAT ALISON PLATT OR PB HAVE TO DO WITH THIS
How many branches do you have?
ALREADY ANSWERED ALTHOUGH HAPPY TO ADVISE AGAIN SHOULD YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN
How many staff do you employ?
AS ABOVE
Wind your necks in and shut up!
AS ABOVE
Thanks…feel better now.
IM HAPPY YOU’RE HAPPY
…and your point is?
You employ 16 staff…and have a go at Paul Smith who employs 2,000 you biff!
No point to be made, just responding to your post on an open forum that you CHOSE to participate in
And from the looks of it I treat my 16 staff better.
PIE is a great place to have an opinion and I’ve respected your comments, not sure why you feel the need from your first post to the last to throw insults around.
However if you could shed some light on exactly what a “biff” is that would be great so I don’t have to spend time researching it, I’d much sooner spend that time looking after my staff
I thank you
I want to know what a “biff” is as well!
Best Independent Friend Forever.
Compare the way Haart have conducted themselves in the last couple of months compared to others such as Connells Group.
So much for the big cash reserves and financial security spicerhaart repeatedly claimed to have –
You can’t have it both ways Paul – your ‘family’ of staff worked very hard to make you a wealthy man, and this is how you treat them?
I don’t think there is anyone that would enjoy taking a pay cut, but the reality is that we live in unprecedented times and if it is needed to see us out the other side, then so be it. I also think that being in the same boat as our furloughed friends feels fair and I for one, will take doing the work to see us all out the other side. Trust and support are huge things right now, and its sad to see in times where we really should be doing all we can to support each others situations and decisions, so many chose to get their stirring stick out instead.
I know people enjoy beating others up for their choices, and only time will tell if Paul has got it right. What will be interesting though, is the ability of those so quick to type brutal and damning opinions, to admit they were wrong.
I bet 20% of my salary, you don’t.
So, you would take personally a 20% cut even if it meant defaulting on your mortgage, being unable to pay bills, provide care for family members who are unable to get their usual NHS care?
Between that and having no job in a few months because in not doing so, it saw the company go under? Yes. Id rather struggle slightly for a short period, than unbearably for a long while.
If you are spending “only” 20% of your salary on your mortgage and bills (presumably utilities, council tax, water rates, food, and insurances), what are you spending the other 80% on?
I don’t think it’s unexpected that some businesses will need to do this. However in my view pay cuts should apply to all including Paul Smith and his senior team. That’s what a real family would do- all stick together.
So Mr Smith – did you all take a pay cut?
The irony of this is that Mr Smith spouted so much vitriol towards his peers, when it seems his own house is not in order by any stretch. If only he had listened to his own sage advice!
Big companies alway expect total loyalty from their staff which is sometimes a one way street. Only the staff will make the decision on reasonableness and they will reflect on how they have been treated when good times return.
Absolutely. The only people not getting a wage in my small business are myself and my business partner and we’re still working flat out. My sales pipeline still stands as does the majority of the Lettings income. I am truly grateful for the furlough scheme. If some of those staff feel resentment against those who are at home receiving 80% of salary and some of those at home feel resentment against those who are able to work and make bonuses that won’t bode well for future relationships.
I run a small independent agency and for varios reasons have been unable to furlough some of my team. I am paying them out of my own pocket as I appreciate that without them my business would not floiurish, Anyone who takes advantage of a good group of staff in these awful times, derserves what they get.
Nothing like the cynical use of a global financial crisis…to scr*w your staff.
PIE…will you be inviting PS to contribute further(?), as I think I speak for most in here, when I say…we’d rather he didn’t.
There’s lots of people on here who have obviously never run a business.
Would you prefer he continued making redundancies? His scale of business cannot be compared to a ‘well run independent”.
Like most of us, he’s caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Derek…do you mean beyond those made without waiting for the detail on the Govt’s furlough scheme, or engaging with it (300 or so staff if I recall the report correctly), or in addition to?
It seems fairly obvious that the current crisis came in the nick of time for PS/Spicerhaart…
Derek,
Paul has time and again boasted how much they have in the bank and what a fantastic financial footing they are on compared to others while throwing stones at them.
I am sure he would get sympathy if he showed more sympathy over the years.
He is just getting what he has dished out in the past.
Many independent’s staff and partners would be taking much bigger temporary haircuts than 20%
Countrywide announced that those staff paid over £45kpa would take a temp 20% cut as it bags another £10m of borrowing from the bank taking it up to £95m .Free and easy .
Independents only could dream of such a cushion
The self-entitlement of them all . Cut your cloth
Not much love for Mr Smith is there?
In the same boat as other characters such as Quirk, Purplebricks and Rightmove ……..
Half the comments here are from RQ’s fake accounts…
The most shameless man in the industry…
Spicerhaart the gift that keeps on giving – what an absolute PR disaster they are. Wow, how I’d love to apply for a job with this big family business on the other side (not). Shameful behaviour and for all of their CEO’s preaching, I have zero respect for them as an organisation in our industry.
Any recruiter who takes on their projects when they need more staff is morally corrupt, as well as Spicerhaart, its a disgrace of an organisation run by a bunch of ****** and I have nothing but pity for their staff, however, if any of them are reading this, be assured Spicerhaart’s behaviours are not representative of the vast majority of well run independent estate agency businesses such as mine who wouldn’t have a business without great people.
“Confused 70” I think you are. Get real about the difficulties the industry are facing through no one’s fault.
Give him your plan to save his company then!
spicerhaart ignores all sensible advice – always has, from the top down.
Simple, treat your staff properly and they will look after you. Have a set of values and deliver to them. This mob churn through staff quicker than anyone, evidenced by so many recruiters constantly hawking for staff for Spicerhaart all on the pull of a shiny BMW and a guaranteed salary for a few months. No one has a career at Spicerhaart, it’s merely a making do until a better job comes along for most. If you think the way you are intimating, then reckon you’ll be in the same situation as them as well. Good luck, but in my view, rather than getting angry and defensive, take a long hard look in the mirror and ask yourselves how other businesses have amazing staff engagement and staff prepared to walk on hot coals for their employers at the moment. Either change your recruitment process or change your management. Mr Smith’s archaic style of management and running a business isn’t fit and proper for this generation.
Paul Smith!!!! A man so full of his own self importance he’s forgot what’s really IMPORTANT. He talks about the haart family like its something very special and treasured by all, I’m not sure how many employees feel special now or indeed part of a family….what goes around comes around and you Mr Smith deserve everything that’s coming your way
This has happened in other large scale agency businesses too. Its just happened on the hush.
Can’t see how “the family is pulling together” when “the family” has just made hundreds of people jobless.
Agreed.
No business is a family, though some owners are more benevolent than others.
Do the Spicers staff made redundant get to still go to the ‘family’ gatherings?