WHSmith Employee Reviews

Coworkers were friendly and kind. Management could be rude at times. Overall a good place to work. Pay is minimum wage but fair as you are not overworked.

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Okay for the experience

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Andover, Hampshire - 20 September 2023

Left by myself sometimes when I needed help worked once a week so o didn’t know much and customers were sometimes rude. Good for experience and talking to people somewhat

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Insights into WHSmith

Based on 596 survey responses

Areas for improvement

Sense of belonging
Fair pay for job
Energising work tasks

good first job

Shop Floor Assistant (Former Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire - 20 September 2023

much better than i thought. would recommend to anyone starting as a new job and want to get basic experience into the world of work. friendly colleagues i wish them all the best

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Sometimes very stressful , head office dont care

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Harpenden, Hertfordshire - 20 September 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?The team members and some lovely customersWhat is the most stressful part about working at the company?Working on your own , huge list of jobs to be completed , cluster manager rarely comes in store What is the work environment and culture like at the company?Fast paced , stressful , lovely work colleagues , tired looking store , What is a typical day like for you at the company?Serving customers, puting out news and magazine deliveries , changing displays , puting stock out , getting in deliveries, customer queries , book orders , lottery etc

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Normal retail job

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - United Kingdom - 19 September 2023

Ok to work in, what you'd expect of Retail. Till work, warehouse, organisation, replenishing stock and making new visual displays, helping customers etc.

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Shocking company

Store Manager/store leader (Former Employee) - Burton-On-Trent - 18 September 2023

Manager role for store lead pay, forced to work days that you should be spending with family. Don’t bother complaining to higher up as they promote rubbish working days, store team like to whine about everyone including management but are happy to go running to higher up managers if you say or make a mistake. Training is non existent before starting the role, you have to learn as you go. Blamed for everything even if on holiday, somehow it’s still your fault! Some days went fast as you was busy, other days you are walking around making the store look nice. Unable to do any changes to make the store look better as it’s not allowed, made to do unpaid overtime and don’t expect to be paid outside of shift times! Salaried so knew what take home pay was to be which is good but be prepared to do extra for free! If you have to go into work on day off, make sure you take the time back as you’re not paid as promised! Was told by several people, WHSmith “restructured” and forced people to either take roles for less pay

Pros

None

Cons

11.23ph for management role

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Good place to work

Post office operations manger (Former Employee) - Wigan - 16 September 2023

Good place to work and a good team always willing to support and help out A bit old school but easy to work around and support from other store managers was always available if needed

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Volatile workplace in current times

Customer Assistant (Former Employee) - Salford Royal Hospital - 15 September 2023

I got let go from this company, and I think part of that is the whole store wasnt doing specific things due to poor management and they needed a scapegoat, which as the newest and youngest member happened to fall to me. As a job it's alright, although cost cutting measures meant that what you could do was limited due to lack of anyone on shift with you and needing to keep an eye on anyone possibly stealing. Just when they send a message in saying they've 'overspent' by £1000 despite no one working overtime you probably know whats coming.

Pros

Lunch meal deals, shorter shifts (at the store I was at), good coworkers

Cons

Lack of full training, lack of updates about your progress, oftentimes a lack of management in sight during shifts

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Awfull

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Scunthorpe - 14 September 2023

Worst job Iv ever had the management is awfull and the staff treat other staff and customers awfully , they expect so much done in so little time but they don’t want to pay you for it

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Productive and fun workplace

Store Assistant (Former Employee) - Bath, Somerset - 11 September 2023

Great place to work, managers and colleagues very supportive. Had an enjoyable few years working here. Pay could be better but shop work is always underpaid

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Jobs at WHSmith

Not worth to do very disappointing .

Post Office Clerk (Former Employee) - Wokingham, Berkshire - 8 September 2023

Only do if you need really don't expect promotion and any benifit and goodwords from any . So much politics in small environment no value though you are hardworking .

Pros

You will not get bored with different transactions .

Cons

Low pay and high expectation from manger.

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Fun.

Customer Service Assistant (Former Employee) - Manchester, Greater Manchester - 6 September 2023

Great workplace. No bias between management and team members. Everyone feels welcomed. Although shifts can be quite inconvenient. Overall a fun workplace.

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Stable and secure

Warehouse Operative (Former Employee) - Reading, Berkshire - 6 September 2023

It was a good job working nights, allowed me to do uni during the day. Competent management, stable snd steady work. After few years working nights become very difficult. Friendly staff.

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Good working environment

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh - 3 September 2023

Pleasant colleagues, good working environment, effective management, reasonable approach to the demands of work. The most enjoyable part was working in a positive environment.

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Lovely staff, but the pay system was terrible

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Ashford, Kent - 2 September 2023

I enjoyed the staff I worked with but felt I was almost overworked each week, especially during December when I was working a full 7 days with 1 day off then doing 7 to 8 days in a row again (the online ROTA also never showed me what shifts I was working throughout the whole month, just for the week I was in). also, if you worked and managed to gain over £800, the company would cap it at £800 and give the rest of the pay the next month?! I somehow felt that was not legal, which is also a part of why I left.

Pros

nice staff

Cons

extremely rude customers almost everyday, capped pay

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liked meeting customers

Till Assistant (Former Employee) - London, Greater London - 31 August 2023

good meeting customers and helping on tillsgood shift patternsgood discount on productsheavy if you're bundling up unsold magazines and paperslots of sweets!

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Productive and fun, learnt ew skills such as how to attend customer

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Luton Airport - 25 August 2023

Amazing colleagues Would go in at my shift time, first will clean shelving, scan and put magazines out then would attend customer ask if they need help then would make a pick list to pick stock then would restock the shelves

Pros

Discount on staff meals and other items

Cons

Quite shift

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Minimum wage pay

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Brighton - 22 August 2023

They pay you minimum wage. £7.50 for a 20 year old. Ridiculous. I do the same work as everyone else. Can’t imagine being under 18 and working here. £4.55 is ridiculous for difficult work

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Unproductive

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - North Lanarkshire - 21 August 2023

General retail work easy but boring as almost every day's is the same. Unorganised management and rotas not done in advance. Not much room for progression but expected to do management jobs without being promoted.

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Lovely management + friendly staff

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Nuneaton, Warwickshire - 21 August 2023

WHSmiths Nuneaton is a great place to work, although quiet occasionally, there is always something to do. All the staff are friendly and feels like being part of a team!

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Relaxed workplace.

Retail Assistant (Former Employee) - Kilburn, Greater London - 21 August 2023

A lot of shoplifters that you need to be aware of, nice manager and co-workers. Pretty old store with no air conditioning, no security either. Due to the area there are a lot of elderly people that may annoy you

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