March Workertech Roundup

Spring has quietly (M)arched in on us, but the headwinds of change have not been so gentle. This month the the team at the Resolution Foundation has been busy examining data on pay volatility, health and incapacity benefits, and changes to the minimum wage, culminating in our overnight analysis of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement. Read on to see the highlights from our research.

Over on the Ventures side, we’ve been meeting with exciting ventures that are buoyed by the same winds, determined to use technology to help the most vulnerable workers against the backdrop of a dire economic picture.

On an optimistic note, some of our portfolio companies have achieved important wins early in the year, and in this month’s newsletter, we shine a light on one of them.

Until next month,
Aish Moothan
Ventures Manager

Spotlight: Security workers win a pay rise through Organise

G4S is a British multinational with reportedly the world’s highest revenues when it comes to private security companies. It’s contracted with securing sites such as hospitals and office buildings in London and across the country.

Yet, many of its night shift workers reportedly earn £10.90 per hour, below the Real Living Wage, which is set at £12.60 in the UK and £13.85 in London. This wage disparity is not unique to G4S; across the UK, outsourced security and facilities staff frequently confront low pay, unstable contracts and limited bargaining power.

Some are required to work as many as 60 hours per week, including nights, weekends, and bank holidays. The nature of their duties, which can involve working in isolation and facing potential violence, has been shown to result in relatively high levels of work-related stress.

Our portfolio company Organise is a digital platform for workers to connect, mobilise and campaign to change unfair workplace practices and fight issues of low pay. Several G4S shift workers are Organise members, and after years of being ignored by their employer, one worker took it upon themselves to launch a petition.

Organise members can remain anonymous when they sign on to petitions, protecting them from commonly faced consequences of reporting a workplace grievance, such as unfair treatment or dismissal. The petition rapidly gathered public support and, under public pressure, ultimately forced G4S to the table. The result? GS4 night staff are now paid equally to their daytime colleagues – a victory that results in an extra £2,017 in the pockets of night shift workers every year.

Read more about the campaign here: Organise Blog

Latest insights from the Resolution Foundation

Unstable Pay
Our report on earnings volatility examines the scale of the issue in the UK, with the data revealing how unpredictable pay affects millions of workers. Using HMRC payroll data from 2014 to 2019, the research found that over half of employees see fluctuations in their monthly earnings, with 15% experiencing changes of more than 25%. Young workers and those in low-paid sectors such as hospitality, retail, and social care were most affected. Weekly-paid workers experienced even greater unpredictability, with earnings shifting by an average of 19% from week to week.

While some workers benefit from flexible earnings, for many, unpredictable pay leads to financial stress and reliance on credit or government support. The ability to budget effectively and plan for the future is undermined when pay is inconsistent, raising serious concerns about economic security.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in fintech innovation that addresses financial instability within the overlooked market of low-paid workers. Access to earned wages, inclusive credit scoring models and workplace savings platforms are just some examples of technologies that are serving this market.

2025 Spring Statement analysis: Unsung Britain bears the brunt
The Chancellor set out her Spring Statement on Wednesday, a package of changes framed as a boost for economic growth, but the overnight analysis from our economists finds that the costs are being disproportionately shouldered by a relatively small number of disability benefits claimants.

While disposable incomes are now forecast to rise slightly over this Parliament, this follows a historically poor period of growth. Combined with the record-low income gains of the last few years, the 2020s are on track to be the worst decade for household incomes since records began. Low-income and disabled households remain the hardest hit. Over the next five years, after-housing-cost incomes for the poorer half of the country are set to drop by around £500—matching declines seen only in past recessions.

Key sectors such as care, retail, and hospitality – which employ the large majority of low-paid workers – continue to face stagnating wages, job insecurity, and limited career progression.

This dire outlook underscores the need for innovation within the WorkerTech sector, and as investors, we’re reminded of the basic yet unserved needs of the increasingly precarious market of low-paid workers. Financial resilience, upskilling and gaining employment will be top of mind for low-income families, and a large portion of them will need to be self-sufficient in the face of government support being scaled back.

The Resolution Foundation is also examining the state of minimum wage pay in the UK at the end of this month. We’ll cover that research in our April newsletter but you can watch the event discussing that research here.

Get involved

ICYMI: Our portfolio founder Danae Shell was featured in Sifted, where she discussed the benefits of having a Board for her company Valla and how they can help founders navigate turbulent times. Crucially, she also discusses how to build the right startup Board from the get-go.

P.S. Valla is hiring! If you’re an SEO whiz, a social media guru or an operations maestro who is passionate about worker empowerment, you should check out Valla’s open roles.

Crisis Venture Studio’s next investment round is officially open. Accepting applications from startups tackling homelessness, they are looking for innovative solutions in a renewed set of priority areas, which you can find here. Applications close on April 17th. Head over to their investment page to find out more.

Are you building WorkerTech solutions for education or employability? Social Tech Trust has partnered with the EY Foundation and Social Mobility Commission for their Grand Challenge, where they’ll test and refine concepts that can drive real-world solutions. It’s taking place on Wednesday, April 2nd in Central London and you can find information on how to join here.

Investment from Resolution Ventures 

Apply for direct investment from Resolution Ventures. We accept applications from WorkerTech ventures on a rolling basis. Or you can book a slot in our office hours for an initial conversation.