I gained so much valuable retail experience working here and my confidence has improved so much. The team is definitely the best part about working here, not so much the higher up management.

Pros

Lots of breaks

Cons

Low pay, sometimes days are slow

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No work life balance

Store Manager (Former Employee) - Nantwich, Cheshire - 21 May 2022

Constantly expected to be in early/stay late to complete urgent tasks in time. Lone working frequently, which doesn't feel safe. As a new manager, I had no support or training from my line manager. Company takes the staff for granted. Great colleagues, awful company.

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Insights into WHSmith

Based on 189 survey responses

Areas for improvement

Fair pay for job
Sense of belonging
Support from manager

Fast paced, task heavy

Manager (Former Employee) - Scotland - 20 May 2022

Started in 2016, company has reshuffled management since losing all managers and having 1 covering multiple stores, means there is a lot more responsibility for staff and took much for 1 manager to be able to keep all the plates spinning,

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ok

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Essex - 20 May 2022

typical day can depend on who's on shift with you. sometimes lots to do, sometimes not much. Customers are quite friendly most of the time. Decent for a few months or so.

Pros

Can be relaxed.

Cons

No benefits.

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Management

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Tetbury, Gloucestershire - 17 May 2022

Management were awful, there is no support the only thing I would say was good were the people I was working with but head office and higher ups were a nightmare.

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productive and fun workplace

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Ascot - 17 May 2022

Fantastic cooperation that works really well together.Communication with management is simple.Personally, I like working hours.Overall, if everyone plays their part, the work will be simple.

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No good

Management (Former Employee) - Various - 16 May 2022

Not as expected a lot required with thr role to the point its just not realistic. Having company phone does not help the work life balance. Company needs to go back to core values

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A bit bad

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Bridgend, Bridgend - 14 May 2022

It is just a bad company to work for, all they cafe about is profit, the pay is awful and the cost of everything in the shop is stupid. I also did not sign a contract which was ridiculous and very unprofessionalOvertime is almost guaranteed and is payed the month after! Terrible company, do not even consider working for them

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Enjoyable and friendly

Retail Assistant (Former Employee) - Carlisle, Cumbria - 11 May 2022

I enjoyed working there, the management were friendly and helpful the atmosphere was relaxed colleagues were always on hand to help if needed always knew what shifts I would be working as they were given in Advance.

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Boring and bad pay

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Worcester, Worcestershire - 9 May 2022

8 hour shifts go slow and area manager puts overtime bans on sometimes, the pay also isn’t great as they expect you to be incredibly hard working for just above minimum wage

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Fun place to work

Store Colleague (Former Employee) - Manchester, Greater Manchester - 6 May 2022

Great atmosphere with good team work. The work was a little boring but easy . The shifts were short and less people work there now. I would think it would be good for a part time job

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Minimum Wage for lots of responsibility

Part-Time Post Office Counter Clerk (Former Employee) - Gravesend - 30 April 2022

I worked in a busy Post Office within WHSmith. Handled large amounts of money every day, yet only received minimum wage.The staff I worked with were lovely but the overall management weren't helpful and only managed from afar. WHSmith now only have Supervisors in branches and Cluster Managers overseeing several stores in an attempt to cut costs. This isn't good for staff morale.

Pros

Nice staff

Cons

Low pay

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Ok nice staff and friendly team

Sales Assistant (Current Employee) - Euston, Greater London - 26 April 2022

Only been at WHSmith a month and a bit but I like it, the staff are nice and management too the work is pretty straight forward and not to hard. Decent hours and weekends off if you work during the week and holidays are good

Pros

Friendly staff

Cons

Expected to learn more than one thing, and remember everything (which can be hard)

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Awful team

Post Office Counter Clerk (Former Employee) - Exeter - 25 April 2022

Team unwilling to train properly leading to stressful days and not lasting longer than 6 weeks. Team manager not very approachable, did not treat team members with equal respect

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A Friendly Workplace

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Macclesfield, Cheshire - 20 April 2022

Working here was good, I had good hours and worked with a good, friendly team. All worked together well and the management in store were great. I left a couple of years ago however, so might’ve changed.

Pros

good teamwork

Cons

bad work/life balance

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Fast paced environment. You get out what you put in

Team Leader (Current Employee) - Bridgwater, Somerset - 19 April 2022

I've worked with the company for a couple of years now, and have been able to climb my way up to a management role. This is definitely a company for someone who wants to progress, and for someone who is a hard worker and a grafter

Pros

Chances to progress

Cons

Hours can be long

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It was okay

Shop Assistant (Former Employee) - Harrogate, North Yorkshire - 19 April 2022

Had great management when I worked there but company is awful. The job was fairly easy but some days could be stressful during big deliveries or planogramme changes.

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Rubbish company to work for

Team leader (Former Employee) - Oxford - 18 April 2022

Worst company I have ever worked for managers give you no encouragement to further your career , most of them are bully’s , the expect to much for too little and make you feel small and insignificant

Pros

None

Cons

Everything no work life balance, no company support

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Hard work is expected

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Leeds - 11 April 2022

Previously worked there during my working there was really hard you work by yourself for long periods of time whilst the other colleague goes and fills up in the afternoon there was only two members off staff all day and when we have full staff in the afternoon the majority spend it in the back talking it became a very toxic environment certain staff members where starting to become very rude to other staff members and no Matter how much you raised it up with management they never did anything because they where all friends so they never believed you but all in all on good days it was fun to work some people there can make it fun to work there

Pros

Decent pay

Cons

They only train you to work on the tills everything else you had to learn on your own

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Mentally draining...

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Milton Keynes - 11 April 2022

mentally draining not because of management lucky my supervisor was grat and supportive but very often I have been left on my own on a very busy shop floor. Company didn't really care when we were literally begging them for more stuff we've been exploited to the maximum for basic wages and treat like a rubbish by customers just because they think they can. but I am glad to see now that less people are applying for a sale's assistant role ! Your mental health is more important!

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Not great

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Enfield, Greater London - 8 April 2022

Used to be a great place to work, but continued cuts in staff and no decrease in workload will have a mental and physical impact and not a beneficial one, too many task which are pointless, poor communication, too difficult to say thank you for your hard work