I Work at Tesco and its a joke!
Tesco where I work is getting worse. We are always being told to do the work of two or three people; we are overstaffed when you can regularly see 6 or 7 managers in the staff canteen at the same time doing nothing.
You could not find 5 people in my store who would tell you they are happy working there. It is getting worse as more staff leave they do not replace them and expect the remaining staff to do even more work, its ok though as I’m sure the store manager will get his usual bonus.
I could go on for hours and hours telling you how poorly run Tesco are but whats the point as they will never change. I can only say don’t go to work for Tesco if your thinking about it and if I was you don’t shop there either because it’s a joke.
339
comments
Leave your comment here
339 comments:
The staffing levels we have in my store are about exactly what is budgeted for by head office, and surprise surpise, everything runs absolutley fine!
Tesco Wankers view from the canteen of coz!
Tesco-Complaint -- I see you have conjured up another fine example of the general public to join your debate. Im starting to see the type of people on your side. Or is it just another "disgruntled staff member"
Get a grip TM - Richard and I only post as Tesco-Complaint and the only other regular we know personally who posts is Jim. We don't know anyone else personally to our knowledge.
Well, the least you could do is deter abusive posts like the last one.
Well everyone has their right to an opinion and to publically state that opinion. It does get a bit rediculous though when regular commenters are being abused by people. If you want to keep them commenting here then perhaps you should try to deter such things. It's no wonder you don't get more staff members openly commenting here when that happens.
It does appear though that certain areas in stores are chronically understaffed at key points in the day (a trip to my local Tesco at 8pm this evening will see queues down the aisles with only 5 or 6 of their 33 tills open). The previous post on the Crawley photo lab situation also demonstrates this.
In my experience people have always been replaced when they leave. Since Tesco only requires a weeks notice from their general assitants it may of course take a few weeks before their replacement is recruited. It may be different in other stores, I don't know.
We don't want and don't have the time to be censors thats why anyone can post and the posts are unmoderated and unedited but if people post purely to abuse the best thing to do is to ignore such abuse completely as these comments are normally designed to want attention.
Tesco Wanker, you may have made a good point about "view from the canteen" but by also calling your managers wankers it defeats your argument and makes people ignore your point and not take you seriously.
TC, How can you justify Tesco Wanker's commet of view from the canteen as a "good point"??
You have no knowledge at all of how I execute my job within Tesco, and to suggest that I spend my time in the staff canteen is outrageous.
In fact I spend less time in there than any general assistant or manager, and we are all entitled to the same break benefits.
I don't think managers (well, most of them) truly earn their large wages, yet assistants often do the work of 2 or 3 people on a single wage. The situation is made even worse when you see all the managers stocking shelves on their daily 'rumble' at around 3pm! Imagine getting paid over £12 an hour for just stacking shelves.
I've just got to say that I've been at Tesco for a year now and I feel it disgraceful that I'm not treated as an equal. For starters I only get single rate if I do Mon-Sat overtime while most of the others get double time or time and a half. Also if I'm sick, I have no option but to go into work as I can't afford to have the first 3 or 4 days unpaid - again most of the others get sick paid from day one. And not being paid for breaks and dinners? Asda pay their staff through theirs. Staff discount? We wait a year, Asda staff wait six weeks. I'm aware that the final two points affect all Tesco staff by the way.
While I'm on the subject of Asda, over Christmas they had staff in every aisle filling shelves and more on hand to deal with customers. I couldn't believe my eyes. It seems they don't worry about such crap as PI! We have two people on the entire grocery section during the days and I work in an Extra! So why are we Britain's number one supermarket? Granted we were on the ball with dotcom, but the real reason is we scrimp on staff and don't pay our staff for breaks. Maybe there's more *shrug*
That's the thing about being merely an assistant, you can take a step back and see how much of a joke Tesco can be to work for. Managers on the other hand are institutionalised, they are trained to eat and sleep Tesco and just won't be told when someone holds a negative opinion of their precious company.
Pissed off PI Bloke, somewhere in West Yorkshire...
Everyone always thinks the grass is greener. Whichever company you work for, you will find out all the negative things about it. You may get padi for breaks at Asda I don't know, but I believe the overall benefits package at Tesco is better. For example, pensions, shares etc. I know people who were able to buy their first house due to Tesco SAYE and BAYE schemes. http://www.peopleattesco.com/benefits_index.asp
I'm also certain we pay the most per hour, so in the end it probably balances out.
I personaly know of many staff, and managers who have left Asda, and Sainsburys because they were unhappy and joined Tesco.
General Assistants always measure the "amount of work" in terms of, lets say the more physical attributes of a job, ie. shelf filling etc. A manager may not break out into a sweat as much as a general assistant, but their jobs can be just as demanding and stressfull in other ways. If there are issues in the department it is the manager who is held accountable.
I am constantly rushed off my feet, and never have time to stop for long extended breaks, and often work longer hours than contracted, so I find this type of attitude towards manager's quite appauling.
However, I will agree that some managers are totally useless and don't deserve a penny they are paid, yet this can also be the case for general assistants too.
I also work in an Extra, I don't know how much money your store takes, but I'm sure we have about 4-5 people on grocery, 2 on BWS and 2 on frozen. Anyway, they should only need enough people to fill the Top-up delivery as the main fill is done at night. We have at least 14 people just on Non-Food. I have 4 staff in non-food stock control, plus a team leader and another 2 in the evening.
I'm a fresh food stock controller, my manager and another stock controller have recently quit, been on my own doing 3 peoples job. Do I get a managers bonus?
Wow, I've just stumbled upon this site by accident, there are some interesting contributions here, most people have made fair and valid points. Fundamentally, all supermarkets have the same problems, for both customers and employess. I have worked in three major ones, there are chances to develop in all of them, this will improve your salaries/benefits. This is provding you have the right attitude at work and live the company values. If you choose to stay as a GA, you can still achieve 'bonuses' by joining the SAYA and BAYE schemes, this has paid for a fair few new cars and long-haul holidays for me.
Anyway, I'll contribute more when I have learnt to navigate the site.
I believe Tesco's benefit package is probably the best in the business backed up by one of the best hourly pay rates.
Yes, Tesco make you wait a year before you can get staff discount and they apply a limit to it. Somerfield for example (purely just because I've worked there too) give you two cards -one for you and one for someone who lives with you - on the day you start (also worth 10%) but that's pretty much all you get.
It does balance out in the end but I still think Tesco offer more than most. Plus there are advantages to having unpaid breaks, there have been a number of occassions where I have been able to leave early as a result of missing a break. As long as it doesn't impact on the service they provide it makes little difference to the company since they have had the time they paid you for on that day. If you can't leave early then you get some extra money or they owe you the time back at a later date.
I also think it's true that while managers don't appear to do a great deal to your average GA they have far more stressful jobs with a lot more responsibility to warrant the extra money they receive. It's not a job I would want, that's for sure.
Some great points there. On Fridays, my team don't take a lunch break and they have their "early day", so they are out the door by 1pm! So this works out well for them.
two quick things:
1) Tesco Manager (TM) - please read our post again - we said "MAY" there fore we expressed no view as to whether it was a good POV or not. I am a wordsmith by profession and that word may was there for a reason.
2)Anonymous - thanks for the kind words and welcome to the site - if you need any help navigating the site please let me know by email. Also please think about choosing yourself a name when you post so we know who you are!
Richard
tc - Richard, as far as I am concerned there is no "may have been", due to the fact that "Tesco W@nker" made a suggestion about me that was totaly untrue. It can't even be a justified opinion, as it is based on nothing remotely factual.
I appreciate that this site is unmoderated and uncensored, but at least don't encourage his antics.
i am working at a tesco ndc were we make up the orders to go to the stores and belive me there are so many people in there to get the orders out that you cant move which means everything slows down so we are overstaffed and the shops are understaffed some team to work for aint it
Just to add to the debate about the benefits package offered by Tesco. It can be argued that their package is very good for the retail industry.
However, retail employees are amongst the lowest paid workers in the entire economy.
To put the pay of Tesco employees into context, Tesco rank 97th in the FTSE 100 share index for pay. The only businesses in the FTSE 100 to pay their staff less are William Hill and Next (http://money.guardian.co.uk/pay/story/0,,1886352,00.html).
Added to this, it is worth noting that in some respects, the benefits package offered to staff is being slowly eroded, for example reducing the rate paid for working Sunday overtime or removing the entitlement to sick pay until staff have been ill for three days.
Tesco Manager, you obviously exemplify the ‘look after our people value’, and treating staff well is a great motivational tool and very good for the business, but that type of kindness would be frowned upon in some of the stores I have worked in. I still vividly remember being severely chastised by a trading manager for allowing my staff to use the same arrangement once, as a one off so they could get to a football match, for no better reason than him no liking the idea of the arrangement.
I know the pay for most staff is not the best, but I think it is the highest paid in the retail industry. Although the salary for managers is quite competitive, and I myself feel I am well paid and receive one of the highest grades of pay in the company at my level.
I agree that sometimes in Tesco you are almost "forced" to treat staff in a different way then you would naturally like to, especially if you have a less understanding senior team manager. I run non food stock control and my boss leaves me to run it how I see fit. :)
I don't know of any recent changes, but I remember being told that I would only be paid time and a half for overtime whereas other members of staff would be paid double time as they had been there before they decided to change it.
Doesn't seem fair really, but what can you do?
Now all overtime is single rate for new employees. Sunday is still time and a half. However, they used to pay a "Saturday Premium", this has long been removed. This was in the days when Saturday was seen in the same way Sundays were almost, I guess to encourage staff to work Saturday when the majority worked in the weekdays. As Sunday becomes more like any other day of the week for the retail industry, it's likely the sunday premium may go too. I know all the changes are agreed by the Unions though.
I think your comment is rubbish , i have worked for tesco for 7 years i am a night line manager in a extra store , my staff are happy. i am ALWAYS on the shop floor, i am in before them and leave after them (12hrs shift) i say hello when they come in and bye when they leave . you need to speak to your manager about your problem NOT put silly comments on a web site . yes there are problems in some stores it takes a 12 weeks to train a new member of staff to a standard level . please tell your manager of any problems , managers are there TO MANAGE NOT to fill remember that.
Goods points, and totally true. I used to work nights as a section manager as well.
"managers are there TO MANAGE NOT to fill remember that." So how is it, the two stores of Waitrose I work in do I see managers filling shelves just as much as other employees. Sure, they have paperwork, ordering and other managerial stuff to attend to, yet they manage to fit that around helping out on shopfloor and filling shelves just like other members of staff?
And saying that Tesco is one of the highest payers in the sector is total rubbish. I've seen what my job would entitle me to at Tesco, and its a whole £1 less. Not to mention the fact I get double time on sundays, discount in Waitrose and John Lewis and an annual percentage bonus.
Now, I don't want to say Tesco sucks because of this. I'm sure there are a great many people who enjoy working there. But at my local stores, I couldn't see myself working there. Just my opinion. The atmosphere is just dire. I'd probably still work at Waitrose if they paid me Tesco rate just because I love the people and the job as a whole. (Just don't tell Waitrose that or they'll try reducing my pay ;)
But just to touch on the complaints issue. TM you keep mentioning how success outweighs the complaints. That maybe true, but it doesn't mean you can ignore the complaints. Just because on a whole people are happy to shop with Tesco, doesn't mean everyone is happy. The reason you don't see people praising Tesco's good service is because it's a service people expect from you. However, when people find something wrong, they are going to moan. It's a fact of life, and one which as a buisness Tesco (and Waitrose when people complain) needs to address to ensure it doesn't happen again. It's no good telling people who complain, "well it's not like that in my store." That may well be true, but it isn't something they want to hear. They don't want to be fobbed off with some fact that the majority of Tesco customers are happy and satisfied.
Resolving a complaint well can be the difference between someone deciding to shop with you again and deciding to vent their frustration on the web, and never shopping there again. I work on the Customer Service Desk at Waitrose and have seen this proven a fair couple of times. Resolve an issue a customer has quickly and without fuss and their usual response is "that's ok, these things happen." And they usually will be seen to continue shopping with us. However, fail to resolve the issue or having them have to wait around for someone to answer there query and you'll often never see them again. But of course, this is only the people who genuinely have a complaint. But we won't go in there.
I hope to hear you're responses to these comments TM, and hope they aren't as derogatory as some comments I have seen typed here.
P.S This would be so much easier on a forum don't you think? Just so much easier to read replies on those, rather than like this.
JazzyC,
Before branding other peoples comments "total rubbish" please read them a little more carefully.
I know that Tesco has one of the best benefits package, including hourly rate. I did only only think that the hourly rate was the best, and is certainly one of the highest compared to the other major brands.
A manager's key role is not to actually fill the shelves, just as it wouldn't be desirable for let's say, a checkout manager to sit on a till all day.
However, from time to time, a manager will need to perform any job within the operation in line with the needs of the business that day. The manager's in most Tescos do work, filling up or whatever, on the shopfloor, but in my expereince the operation will not run smoothly if the manager has got his head stuck down an aisle all day. In fact, the company has made many changes within the business to enable more staff, including managers to spend more time on the shopfloor.
Tesco is number one, and continues to strongly hold that postition because we give customers what they want. If Tesco did only deliver mediocre service, then it wouldn't have come from a weaker postion in the past, behind the other brands, to the number one spot, with no signs of slipping.
I'm not suggesting that individual customer complaints should be ignored because the majority are happy with the service, in fact customer feedback forms a large part of our business plan across all stores.
Also, just to clarify, the comments I post here are my own view from the perspective of an employee of Tesco. The content of your post implies I'm almost responding official to actual customers of Tesco in my posts, specifically in your references that I am "fobbing customers off" etc. (with my comments)
TM: Tesco is not number one in any measure except for size and profit. Tesco is number one at extracting the most money from the customer - not something to boast about really is it?
Believe it or not TM but customers don't really care about how many stores you have in your chain or about how much money you made last year - thats what shareholders care about.
For customers the best supermarket is obviously the one that provides the best quality food, the best service and the best prices. That certainly isn't the overpriced Tesco according to industry magazine The Grocer and in the experiences of many on here Tesco consistently fails in service as well.
We haven't had a food quality debate yet but the the prices and quality of fruit and veg at Tesco's in London compared to larger busy Turkish grocers, market stalls and the German discount storessuch as Aldi is staggering in our and everyone we know's experience. Thats why my local Turkish grocer has loads of top quality low priced fruit and veg and Tesco express stores have a very small section - after all who in their right mind would consistently pay more for less?
If anyone wants to know who the cheapest supermarket six years running is - please follow the link below to find out it's Asda and that that's something Tesco don't want you to know hence they complained to the ASA - link:
http://tesco-complaint.blogspot.com/2006/11/tesco.html
TC, you really like to distort the facts and ommit information dont't you?
Can you show me where The Grocer magazine makes the reference "overpriced Tesco".
I can show everyone this though from that same magazine:
...."Tesco was voted Britain’s best by both consumers and industry experts at The Grocer Gold Awards this week as it walked off with a triumvirate of trophies.
The UK’s biggest retailer beat strong competition from Waitrose to win Grocer of the Year, voted for by members of the financial community, media, nonfood retailers and major suppliers.
It was also declared Britain’s Favourite Supermarket in a poll of 10,000 shoppers by ACNielsen for The Grocer...."
As far as the claims made by Asda that they are cheaper, the ASA upheld Tesco's complaint and told Asda not to repeat the claim.
I've had the misfortune of going into an Aldi once, what an awful expereince. Cheap and nasty food, no staff anywhere and 2 checkouts open with a queue literally down the aisle.
Asda has a very poor product range compared to Tesco, and I certainly don't think the quality is anything special.
Even if Asda was cheaper, I'd rather spend a few more pence, and have a better range and quality of product.
In my opinion Tesco has the best balance between price and quality.
Trying to make some silly comparision between "London Tesco's" (hmmm small area!!) and a market stall or "Turiksh grocer" did make me laugh!
Do you really think most people would want to shop at these places? Why shop at 10 different places when you can go to one.
The supermarket industry magazine's Grocer 33 Survey compared the price of 33 products across eight retailers on a weekly basis for a year.
In June 2004 The Grocer named Asda winner of its annual "cheapest basket" award for the seventh year in succession.
Tesco Manager, Firstly we note elsewhere you are quick to claim offence from others but openly comment offensively yourself. Perhaps you don't intend to be so aggressive but the tone of your comments are often in that vein. If this is something you could look to moify we would be grateful.
Back on topic you actually proved my point, best supermarket is measured by reference to profit and voted by financiers and et al as you mentioned. Profit is of no concern to customers and just shows we are paying too much at Tesco needlessly.
The factors consumers really care about are price, service and quality - none of which Tesco wins - for 2007:
The Grocer 33 – Best for Availability – Waitrose
The Grocer 33 – Best for Service – Morrisons
The Grocer 33 – Best for Price – Asda
Of course The Grocer will have praise for Tesco making lots of money, its an industry magazine after all. But it is clear that Tesco seems to always fail to be cheapest yet advertises as if it is - I mean "If every little helps" just shop at Asda!
"The content of your post implies I'm almost responding official to actual customers of Tesco in my posts, specifically in your references that I am "fobbing customers off" etc. (with my comments)" I think you're beginning to take my generalised opinions about Tesco Customer Service too personally.
Obviously I recognise you don't represent the official response of Tesco. Lets face it the official response of Tesco wouldn't be so quick to take offence at something said. (Now that was me being personal).
I realise that there are indeed managers and stores that give excellent service. But you're not going to hear about them because this is a complaint site not a praise site. As almost every person knows and says, "it's good to have a rant and a moan every now and then". People vent their frustration on sites such as these because they need a good moan. The only problem I see is that TM who is apparently taking it upon himself (with some back-up from Al and others) to defend the store. Thats all well and good (it would be an unfair fight otherwise.) But this isn't about a fight. People come here to vent frustration and anger at a (probably minority) occurrence they had in a Tesco store. To then receive a reply from someone saying "it's not like this in the store I work in" isn't the response they want. In fact, it most often winds a person up to the point they'll bite back. Heck, i'm biting back now after you accused me of making personal remarks about you. And yes, I realise I am making a personal attack on you know. If a user of this site found a Tesco Manager posting on here, I don't think they want to see them defending the place by comparing their experience with the general experience. If I stumbled upon a Waitrose complaint site (there no doubt is) and I took it upon myself to give the view of on Waitrose Partner I wouldn't say "It's not like that." I would give more of a response like "I'm sorry to hear you had such a terrible time in your local store. Have you thought of calling the Branch Manager and lodging a formal complaint? If you like, I can follow it up from my branch and make enquiries my end about the problem, and get back to you (hopefully by the end of the week)?"
Just because I'm not currently working doesn't mean my customer service takes a nose-dive. I care for the business I work for and no doubt so do you. But being a bit more courteous and thinking about customer service outside of work would no doubt do a lot to help disgruntled customers feel a lot better.
Having a Tesco manager posting on this site should allow customers to gain insight into the workings of Tesco. Perhaps they could give advice on the best way to take their complaint forward? Managers and employees have knowledge of how the business works that no ordinary customer has. If you were the bridge between customers and this knowledge, Tesco's reputation would go up. Instead, all I can see happening (and this is a generalised view of your posts to date) is you're not helping the customer, but merely finding any fault in their argument. And to someone who is posting on this site (remember they are often frustrated) it appears you're making an attack on them and their opinion. Something anyone would fight back from.
Now I have lost my trail of thought throughout typing this. And no doubt you'll post more comments on this site. But may I just give you on piece of advice. If you don't like what you're reading, don't come here. It isn't you're job to defend Tesco. And even if it were, defending it on a site like this will only worsen the situation. As you often point out your branch doesn't have these complaints, so all I can say is continue doing the job your doing, as you're obviously doing it well enough to please the customers in your store. But, if you are going to continue to visit here, be aware that not every Tesco branch is as good as yours. As much as a large business wants to have the same standards store to store, its down to the workers of their store to work to them standards.
I will defend the Tesco where I think they deserve to be defended. It's definitely not my job since I no longer work there, but work for one of their competitors. However, I will also back-up the posters to this site if I believe that Tesco have been in the wrong.
I do try and take a balanced view and stance in my comments, although I know I fail at doing so more often than not. You'll probably find more comments from me that back Tesco up because I have worked there and know what staff have to put up with on a day to day basis. Had I not had this experience I probably wouldn't have hung around this site.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Waitrose staff or partners, whatever, get a bonus related to the companies profits each year? It would therefore be in the individual's interest to do the absolute best they can for their customers. Your attitude towards customer complaints shows this, the fact that you are willing to do some of this in your own time as well.
Tesco staff however, get bugger all except maybe a free buffet when the profits are announced. They get a few vouchers (to spend in Tesco naturally) at Christmas and that's pretty much it. They get paid the same regardless. Perhaps that why some of their customer service is lacking, the staff get their money anyway so why should they be especially bothered if customer X isn't 100% happy (I'm talking just general assistants here)?.
Perhaps if Tesco as a company made thier staff feel in someway responsible for their success and part of the bigger picture which makes it possible, as Waitrose seem to do, they would be more inclined to go the extra mile. It doesn't necessarily need to be in terms of financial rewards, just some way of saying thank you and making staff feel appreciated would help.
I recognise that saying "it doesn't happen in my store" isn't exactly what a customer wants to hear. However, there seems to be an attitude on this site that once a complaint has been made then it must be the same in every store. This may not be the intention but it's definitely the way it comes across sometimes. Perhaps that's why TM and myself feel the need to point out that it doesn't happen everywhere. Of course there are some stores better than others, as I suspect there are in any retailer. Perhaps TM and myself have had the fortune of only experiencing the better ones.
Tesco-Complaint:
Your post yet again displays blatant misleading information. What's all that about 2007 Grocer awards? They haven't even been held yet.
You seem to think that Tesco is most popular for some other reason that people PREFER to shop there and we give customers what they want more than the other brands.
Whenever you make a negative remark about Tesco, you write it in such a way that implies it's what EVERYONE thinks, as in the entire population. Well, no, the views are just your own, and the tiny tiny proportion of people that go out of their way to complain on here or maybe elsewhere.
Because you despise Tesco so much, you are in denial about how much the rest of the country actually loves the place. SO arrogant to think that your opinion is the only right one over everyone else's.
You often make statements like "Tesco gives bad service", which suggest that across the board Tesco does this everywhere all the time. No, this is not fact, just the opinion YOU have, perhaps shared by a FEW others.
There is an Asda, JS and Morrison's all within 3 miles of the Tesco I work at. How come the Tesco is busier?????
Unless you can come up with some factual and verifiable comments, don't bother replying to my post.
there are plenty complaints sunshine! like jazzyc says you are doin your company no favours and you are just a cocky tesco manager. actually i'll bet ur just a shelf stacker. or a security guard! oh and why is it all the security guards are black and the managers white? betcha cant answer that one tesco matey.
For the amount of customers Tesco serves each week the amount of complaints is comparatively LOW. Obviously not all customers will complain directly to the company so we won't hear every single complaint that people have.
Tesco will always try to meet the needs of it's customer's and this is the reason they are very successful.
There is no argument here; Tesco is the most popular supermarket. If it were Asda or Sainsbury’s in the same position as Tesco, all these same complaints would be directed at them.
The majority of people have a choice of where to shop. So if you are NOT forced to shop at Tesco, why keep complaining about something if you don;t have to be a customer.
Tesco's rivals were once more successful about 15 years ago. So how did Tesco turn this around? By giving bad service? No, I don’t think so; it is by listening to their customer's and giving them
what THEY WANT.
There are Tesco employed security guards and agency guards. So if they are agency guards, your question needs to be directed at the particular company that has the contract with Tesco. To say all guards are black is untrue. Having black security guards is not unique to Tesco. I've seen a higher percentage of black guards in most other sectors too. Why is this a problem for you?
I saw this point earlier on this page, so to paraphrase:
"Tesco has a better product range than Asda."
I find that not to be the case at all - in fact if it wasn't for the fact that I hold a staff discount card, live next door to an Extra and don't own a car, I would definitely shop at Asda. Quite honestly, I can say that in terms of choice, Asda has all our local West Yorkshire Tescos beat.
And while I'm here, I've got to stress that I am a bit miffed at our benefits system. Due to my start date (early Dec 2005), I'm not going to qualify for SAYE until the back end of this year. I've not even qualified for my free shares yet. And this is despite me working for an incredibly busy PI department for two Christmas's now! I've worked Christmas for the past two years like anyone else at Tesco, yet all I've got to show for it is a 10% discount card. It's going to be close to the third Christmas before I start earning what I deserve. If I'm still there that is! ;)
PI guy, West Yorkshire
I've visited many Asda's and the choice is not as good as Tesco. That's for food and also non-food.
Perhaps your particular local Asda has something that Tesco does not have, but overall the product range of Tesco is greater.
Broadly speaking, the product ranges of the major supermarkets are largely homogenous. It is worth noting that Asda are stronger in the north than the south, with Tesco being stronger in the South.
If a large Extra and a large Wal-Mart Supercentre opened next to each other the main points of differentiation would be superficial details such as the staff uniforms, own brand labels, etc. Range would be virtually identical. Compare the Large Asda Wal-Mart Superstore (not quite a Supercentre) to the Tesco Extra in Warrington. There is very little difference in product range.
That is for Food and also for Non-Food. Each store has it’s own strengths (E.G. Asda is still ahead of Tesco on clothing), but there is no clear winner overall.
But this is still a distraction from the central debate about the quality of the jobs at Tesco.
Looking at my post from earlier in the week, before we talk about Tesco having the best pay in the sector, we should remember that Tesco are 97th out of the FTSE 100 share index companies for pay, with only William Hill and Next paying their staff less. We should also note that J. Sainsbury, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Dixons and W.M. Morrison are also constituents of the FTSE 100 (http://www.ftse.com/objects/csv_to_table.jsp?infoCode=100a&theseFilters=&csvAll=&theseColumns=Mw==&theseTitles=&tableTitle=FTSE 100 Index Constituents&p_encoded=1). So much for saying that Tesco staff are the best paid.
Some branches have reduced the Sunday overtime rate from time and a half to (approximately) time and Two pound Fifty (I can’t remember the exact figure), I suspect that this will continue to decline. I think Tesco Manager is right. Over time the plan is to make Sunday another day of the week. This is especially important with the opening of the new Express Stores, some of which can trade all day on a Sunday, raising costs if staff are paid generous overtime rates.
PI Guy is also making an interesting point. Some people can wait up to two years to receive their generous benefits package. Even then, the package is not all that it seems. The two main share incentive schemes at Tesco create a financial disincentive to staff leaving the business. Even when PI guy finally get paid what he deserves he may find he has to give some of it back if he moves somewhere that pays better.
The share save scheme ties employees to either three or five year contracts. This can lead to generous profits. I believe the current five year option has a buy price of £1.98 against a market value of about £4.14. A tidy profit. But the benefits of this scheme fall disproportionately to the highest paid employees at the company. Some staff who only earn around £6 an hour may not feel that they can afford to save at all, excluding them from this ‘benefit’.
The other scheme, ‘Shares in our Success’ is a watered down version of the old Profit Sharing scheme. Under the old scheme, staff received a percentage of their annual pay in shares. They were then free to sell these immediately if they wished, or keep them as an investment. Under the new scheme staff still have a proportion of their wages allocated to them. But the staff do not own the shares for another year. If they leave the business in that time (quite possible given the high turnover rate in retail), they loose their ‘bonus’. Again the benefits of this scheme fall disproportionately on higher paid employees than checkout staff.
For example, in a medium sized superstore, a checkout operator earning £9000 pa might get an allocation of £360(based on bonus being paid as 4% of earnings). They would have to wait a year to get any access to this money, which would be lost if they left the company if they left within a year.
Compare this to the store manager, who might earn £50,000 a year, giving them a bonus of £2000. Still hardly generous in a business where the turnover of a store is likely to exceed £1 per week. The obvious counter to this point is that the Store Manager is simply being awarded for the greater responsibility which their job role entails, which is true. Both employees pay tax, reducing the Net worth of the bonus, but the checkout operator is quite likely to be on benefits (e.g. tax credits), which will be impacted by the sale of the shares, reducing the net worth to the Checkout Operator still further, hence the disproportionate distribution of the value of the bonuses to the higher paid staff, for whom tax credits are not an option.
Tesco is the largest Retailer in the UK, measured by stores, Turnover and Profit. They are also the largest private sector employer in the UK. A substantial proportion of these employees are amongst the worst paid in the country. It is worth noting that Tesco make heavy use of outsourced call centre staff and cleaners (again, amongst the worst paid sectors of the economy and as outsourced employees paid less than directly employed staff). Tesco also employee a lot of agency security guards, another low paid sector of the economy, as agency staff they have no job security.
So what is the significance of staff being low paid? There is a direct correlation between poverty (which I think is a reasonable term to use when staff earn so little as to qualify for benefits) and poor health. So statistically the staff earning the low wages are more likely to suffer ill health. This is then compounded by the fact that Tesco will not pay sick pay until someone has been off sick for three days. So the worst paid employees are encouraged to come in to work when they are sick. And if they take time off sick too often (which statistically they, are more likely to do) then they will be in serious danger of being fired. This does create the impression of a gap between the rhetoric of “look after our people so they can look after our customers” and the realities on the shop floor.
Again, there is an obvious counter to the question of why it is appropriate to stop paying sick pay for the first three days and to have a system that expedites the dismissal of staff who are persistently absent from work. The retail industry has a very high rate of staff turnover, combined with the issue of absenteeism, this can be very expensive for business.
But what is the root cause of these problems?
Poor pay will lower the incentive to go into work, so this creates the necessity to have a ‘stick’ to threaten employees with if they are absent from work (i.e. the threat of dismissal). The pay in the retail sector is a dismal carrot. Combine this with another popular Tesco initiative to reduce absenteeism: a free dinner in the staff canteen for three months 100% attendance. Given the retail value of this meal is (approximately) a mighty £1.50(n.b. the wholesale value is well below this and staff catering is increasingly outsourced anyway).
If staff benefits were improved it is highly likely that motivation, attendance and staff turnover would improve. This would then feed forward into customer service standards and productivity levels.
TM frequently argues that if customer service were that bad, customers would vote with their feet and leave. This is an interesting point to debate in other strands on this blog. One thing that does happen is that Tesco staff frequently do vote with their feet and move on to other jobs, hence the high rates of staff turnover which are common at Tesco and across the retail industry overall.
Maybe a greater focus on the Carrot would be worth considering?
Some excellent points there business teacher. If I may add one:
I think that lower paid staff are less likely to go the extra mile to make a customer's experience excellent rather than ordinary. I've certainly come across a lot of the "I don't get paid enough to do that" attitude.
Of course there are exceptions to this and some people love their job for what it is and not what it adds to the bank balance at the end of the month.
Personally I think I'm somewhere in the middle, although it probably depends on the day I'm having!
Oh, and I'd agree that Asda and Tesco have pretty much the same range. The non-food ranges are slightly different as Asda seem to manage to offer more than a similar size Tesco store as far as I have seen. They also have a far greater range of entertainment products (CDs, DVDs etc.).
Asda also have those cherry muffins. Can't get enough of those.
Every Asda I've been to had a lower standard of non-food than the average Tesco Extra. Perhaps business teacher does not know "what good looks like"!
How much a company pays it's staff is irrelevant of how much profit it makes.
The retail sector pays what it does. Whether it is in a Tesco or anywhere else. It's all roughly the same. The wages are fair for what the job entails. They are basic jobs and do not need any formal qualifications.
There needs to be another thread entitled "Tesco Manager is a Joke"
PS I agree with the general feeling that Asda is better and is cheaper. Personally I cant goto Asda since I moved down south. I can choose Tesco or Sainsbury's and after trying both I now stick to Sainsbury's as Tesco is plain greedy and also it disgusts me that Tesco throw away so much food everyday - more than other stpores who happily reduce them so as not to have too much wasted food. Africa is starving but for Tesco its better to throw away food. It makes me sick to see the huge clear bin bags of pastries and bread which the small tescos throw out everyday. they don't even give it to homeless people (i asked them). sickening.
All this debate on whether Asda or Tesco is the cheaper. It's so pathetic, when it's over PENCE!!!
In fact you all would be the first to complain when Tesco does anything to save money, what about you lot.
Anyway, I have enough money not to allow a few pence saving dictate where I can shop. Perhaps, if the small amount you may or may not save by shopping at Asda is so important you should consider not paying for the luxury of an internet connection.
TM, I've got to give us that. Tesco's non-food range is second to none.
PI guy, West Yorks
What does good look like?
An interesting philosophical question, which we could address in a number of ways.
I will return to the point of range, product lines, non-food etc later, but for the moment, I will try to address the question of the quality of retail work in general and Tesco jobs in specific.
Maslow and Herzberg are seminal writers on motivation and essential reading for anyone who wants to study Business. Try www.businessballs.co.uk if you are interested in finding out more.
So what is my point? According to Herzberg, money is a hygiene factor, other hygiene factors include a sense of security, personal life and relationships with colleagues, amongst others. If these factors are present it will be possible to motivate employees. Without the presence of these factors employees are likely to be dissatisfied.
So what is my point? If employees do not have a wage that allows them to enjoy a personal life, they cannot be motivated and are likely to be dissatisfied. Arguably a wage that leaves people as members of the ‘working poor’, (in paid employment, but relying on social security) leads to the absence of this particular hygiene factor. This is then compounded by the high rate of staff turnover, which degrades relationships with colleagues. The here today, gone tomorrow climate with some staff makes good quality relationships hard to develop.
So there are two hygiene factors that will be hard to achieve with some staff.
By increasing the minimum rate of pay to something approaching a ‘living wage’, the number of staff who fall into the ‘working poor’ category will decrease, this will help meet the hygiene factors by making a personal life more affordable (it will also make a day off more expensive for employees, reducing absenteeism) and contribute towards a decrease in the rate of staff turnover, which will improve the rate of staff turnover. This should give more continuity and cohesion in work groups, giving more scope for workplace relationships, another hygiene factor achieved. Finally we can motivate our staff. This is what good looks like.
So what is the relevance of profit to wage rates? The two variables go hand in hand. One of my students illustrates the point quite well:-
“When I open my shop I will want to make as much profit as I can so I will pay my staff as little as possible because wages are a cost and I need costs to be as low as they can to make a big profit.”
I think he has a promising future in retail, don’t you?
So looking at the FTSE 100 again, we see a number of retailers that are inferior to Tesco when judged in terms of their market share, turnover and profitability, but they are all paying their staff more than Tesco (see my earlier post), furthermore, as Tesco have become more successful over the last fifteen years they have steadily cut their benefits package (I agree with TM, Sunday is quite likely, going to become another day of the week for their staff, attracting no premiums in the future). Isn’t this counterintuitive?
Surely as a business becomes more successful and unarguably significantly more profitable, you would expect them to improve the benefits that they pay their staff?
Surely the last thing that you would expect from an increasingly successful business is to outsource their in-store catering operations to a firm that now charges staff for cups of tea and coffee which had previously been free during the leaner years?
Most jobs in Tesco stores are indeed unskilled, requiring no formal qualifications. Is this justification for paying low wages? My youngest Sister recently finished her GCSE’s and decided to work for a year before doing her ‘A’ Levels. She has an unskilled job in a factory that has a ‘single status’ policy for it’s employees (i.e. equal benefits for all staff), and at the age of 17 she has started on a wage of £6.50.
If small businesses can afford to pay their staff well why can’t our most profitable retailer?
Indeed, are the wages fair for the work that is required? Does this article from the Ecologist charting a day in the life of a checkout operator sound familiar to any supermarket employees, current or former?
“Snatched five-minute chats with fellow workers at break times were treats that lit up the day, as was the banter with the more amiable customers. But this wasn’t enough to compensate for the tedious monotony of the checkout or the stressful and tiring nature of the work environment. As the week drew on, I became more and more aware of a stabbing ache between the shoulder blades. Helping customers pack is all very well, but doing that and scanning goods at the same time involves twisting and stretching your torso in an unnatural way, often putting downward weight on wrists. I found myself struggling with 12-packs of beer and bumper boxes of pet food. It was easier to pack standing up than sitting down, but doing that only meant swapping a sore back for tired legs.”
(Source: http://www.theecologist.org/archive_detail.asp?content_id=323)
Just because people have fewer qualifications or are working in an unskilled job, does that mean we should not compensate them well for working long (and often anti-social) hours in a stressful, physically demanding environment, where all too often they have to deal with rude and aggressive customers?
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40)
"Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end." (Immanuel Kant)
There are centuries of moral philosophy that tell us that what good looks like.
I don’t think that creating an inversely proportionate relationship between financial success and rewards for the worst paid staff looks particularly good in any light.
£6.50? Isn't that more than Tesco pay most of their staff who are over 18 (shop floor staff that is, you can bet management make much more)? They pay even less for under 18, which I have never found fair. If someone under the age of 18 is doing exactly the same job equally as well as someone over 18 then they should be paid the same. Of course Tesco won't simply because they don't have to.
I remember checkouts all too well. It's an incredibly boring job when you're doing it every day. I was never affected by any pain while it was my actual job, but now if I am asked to go an a till for a while I do experience it. This is of course discounting the headache from the general background noise and screaming children.
I remember working two weeks of 15:30 to 00:30 on checkouts and that was an absolute nightmare. There was no way you could have any sort of life if you did that every week. By the time you get home and unwind enough to sleep it's around 2am and then you're not awake again till 10 or 11. So even if the next day was your day off you've already spent half of it sleeping off the previous shift.
To Business Teacher
Can you please name the store(s) where you think they charge staff for tea and coffee???
Yet again, like so many other others you are spreading your ill-informed nonsense!
Your posts are becoming increasingly long and boring! Full of other peoples ideas from text books and now even The Bible!
Tesco Manager you have extremely poor manners and are the worst possible advert for Tesco.
Tesco Manager, can I take it from the fact that you have resorted to a combination of personal insults and obfuscation that you concede that I am right here?
If you feel able to logically defeat my arguments please feel free.
Otherwise if you haven’t got anything nice to say please be quiet.
I already did:
"..To Business Teacher
Can you please name the store(s) where you think they charge staff for tea and coffee???..."
I have been reading this blog for a few days now and one thing is obvious, Tesco Manager is a complete and utter cretin. He/she/it has been proved wrong on just about everything and has been a complete hypocrite in complaining about insults yet at the same time being insulting to others!
I can only conclude that Tesco manager is a nightmare to work for and he is lying about everything he says - just look at his behavior on here and compare to business teacher - we clearly cant believe a word tm utters from his belligerent mouth.
To the Anonymous poster
Can you please specify where I have been proved wrong?
If you have indeed been reading this blog you should realise that the majority of it is just personal opinion and not actually based on anything factual. No one has actually proved anything, it's just opinion or the use of selective and partial statistics.
I have not lied about anything. Please show me where this has taken place?
The only person who is lying is yourself by making untrue statements.
I agree with the tesco manager - I used to work at a local branch on a checkout and before that stocking the shelves. There is nowhere you will work where everyone will be happy - it is impossible! If you are truly unhappy in your job then look else where.
I can say I made a lot of friends when I worked for Tesco - people I am still in contact with years later! OK, some of the managers are annoying (again you will find that anywhere you work) but a lot of them from my experience work very, very hard. I had a lot of time for my manager and if I were to see her now I'd stop for a chat - I can't say that for every place I worked! She was hard working and did her very best to make sure that staff concerns were heard.
Just because you seem to have a problem with the company I think you're being childish for taking it out on someone who works there as a manager. You're pulling a Jade and bullying them - ignoring what they say and attempting to belittle them.
tesco is gay
remember - those who teach,cant do anything else
I'm posting this as the mother of a learning disabled employee of Tesco. She worked at a very large branch for 18 months on the checkouts, without supervision, taking cheques, money, etc., with no complaints whatsoever. She worked only 9 hours contract hours but during the year she was asked to do so much overtime, which she never refused because she wanted to show how good an employee she was, and wanted to increase her contract hours, which they refused to do. She did absurd shifts at their request, such as 8.00 p.m. to 11 p.m. and 7.00 to 1.00 a.m., always taking a minicab home at £14.00 a time, so that she was left with little to show for her work. I phoned and wrote to the Personnel Department asking them to increase her contract hours and to make them sociable, but received no response. At the end of the year she was left owing £895 in underpaid tax because she had received Incapacity Benefit to which she was entitled for the 9 1/2 hours, but would not have been entitled to Disability Working Tax Credit because she was not doing 16 hours contract hours. She came off of the Incapacity Benefit, went on to Working Tax Credit because of the average during the previous year, but was not asked to do any overtime this whole year and now has to repay 6 months at £69 per month to the Working Tax Credit people, i.e. £1,800 for this year. Would anyone else work for 2 years and end up owing so much money. To make matters worse, my daughter hurt her back on the checkouts one day, went in the following day in pain, reporting her injury to a Manager who told her to see how the day went, she was called into the office and told that she had snatched a credit card from a customer and had not smiled at him. My daughter had no support at the meeting as a learning disabled employee is entitled to and was very distressed at the first time being disciplined. She had 2 weeks off of work because of the pain to her back (lifting a large crate of bottles to scan), for which she was not paid. She said she didn't want to go back on to checkouts, we went to a meeting with the manager of the store and his abusive behaviour towards my daughter was something I would not wish on my enemy. He jabbed his finger at her, told her that his only concern was his customers and humiliated and frightened her. Prior to the meeting, my daughter had been handed a sheet of paper with her name on stating that her new duties were to be that of a cleaner and explained to her how to take her bucket and cloth around the store. My daughter had burst into tears, and came home. At the meeting the manager stated that if she didn't want that job she would have to send in a doctor's letter. Subsequently another senior manager from another store confirmed to me that no such job as the cleaner existed. My daughter was put on "gardening leave", whilst the Union tried to persuade Tesco to find her a new store away from the outrageous manager. It took several months until they found another store for her, but for the past 2 months she has not been paid the new hours and I have had to chase the old store up to find out where her wages are. Is this really my job to do? The Union have been very helpful but Tesco are now victimizing my daughter, who throughout has done absolutely nothing wrong. What is your answer to this?
From week to week, what overtime shifts are required will change. Therefore it probably wasn't appropriate to contract the shifts, as what they need one day will be different the next.
Obviously you are understandably upset with how you feel your daughter was treated, but the problem you had with the Tax is not Tesco's fault. Overtime is never guaranteed, and the amount offered can change from time to time.
The 2 weeks she had off work should have been paid, at least from after the 3rd day, depending how much company sick pay she was entitled to.
If your daughter had a meeting about a customer complaint, it was probably not a disciplinary meeting, just an informal discussion, and therefore not requiring any representation.
Cleaning jobs do actually exist in-store. Each store has a cleaning schedule for different areas, often the grocery section, and is carried out by Tesco employed staff. We have someone at my store whose only job it is to clean the shelves; a different section each night etc.
I'm sorry to find that you too do not understand the law as it relates to DDA. I had thought that my daughter's manager had slipped through the net in Tesco's training. My daughter was taken on as a Learning Disabled employee, as a Customer Care Assistant. She obtained the job through Remploys. People with Special Needs need continuity in their job and react differently from other people. That is their Special Need. The law states that in order to treat people with a Learning Disability fairly you have to treat them differently according to their Needs. That is the law and the protection afforded to people like my daughter. She was entitled to receive either Incapacity Benefit or Disability Working Tax Credit as of Right. Therefore, Tesco had a duty of care towards her and to make reasonable adjustments to keep within the law which they did not do on a number of counts. Firstly the overtime was asked of her and I told them that she should not be asked to do short shifts where she ended up out of pocket time and time again. The meeting might be an informal occasion for you and "normal" people, but for a Special Needs employee, it was frightening and she was entitled in law to have someone with her. No cleaning job existed at her store. This was confirmed to me and the Union Area Rep at the grievance meetings which we attended. Nor was my daughter taken on as a cleaner, therefore she did not have to bring a doctor's letter as was requested of her. Bullying and harrassing a Special Needs employee is unacceptable and you cannot justify it, particularly if you have no knowledge of the law. Tesco really should send Managers on a course to acquaint them with more information than you are offering here.
It is not a question of me not understanding the law. As and when a manager has a learning disabled person in their department then any specific information or training would be completed. However, each store has a Personal Manager who would ordinarily deal with issues in this area. A manager of a department would liaise with Personal on any issues, as they are the experts. It would not always be necessary for every manager to have in-depth training on DDA.
I would like you to reconsider your comment:
..."Bullying and harassing a Special Needs employee is unacceptable and you cannot justify it, particularly if you have no knowledge of the law..."
I certainly did not "justify" this at all. In fact you did not provide anything in your post to indicate there was a pattern of bullying and harassment. If there was, then yes this is totally unacceptable.
I wasn't attempting to minimise any of your issues, just give my point of view from the information contained in your post.
I have just stumbled across this website and i have to say that any job is what you make of it!
I started over 6 years ago in Tesco as a cashier and worked my way up to manager, i agree that some of the managers that work for tesco are out for themselves and couldn't care less for their staff, but i find these are the managers who tend to have been taken on externally. I have worked with approximately 60 different managers in the past 6 years and worked in 3 different large stores, and all of the managers who worked there way up actually completely understand what their general assistants really do and have little complaint from their staff.
Through the free shares i have received from Tesco in my 6 years myself and my partner have had many long exotic holidays and plenty of spending money too.
I also do not get paid double time for working Sundays and as an ex-wages clerk can completely understand why new starters should not get paid company sick pay for the first 3 days of absence, as this reduces the absence problem we have in many stores-which also leads to staff shortages and low morale.
I have seen many comments on here about how wonderful ASDA is i have to say i have shopped in my local ASDA and find they actually have less on their shelves, also the prices on some of their items are well over priced! And yes they have more staff on the shop floor but they also seem to have more groups of staff standing round discussing their plans for that evening!
For those of you that think Tesco are an awful company to work for then go and work for ASDA take a drop in money, take the extra benefits, how long do you think it will be until you find something else to moan about working there?
I think the comment re. the learning disabled employee should be made a main post on the site. That is an appalling way to treat anybody and needs to be highlighted.
Great point Al, the issues affecting the learning disabled employee sound serious and worthy of wider attention; it definitely needs highlighting.
Please could the anonymous commenter submit an article about this which can be published on the front page? Please note you can remain anonymous.
The instructions for submission are in the top right hand sidebar on any page of the site.
Regards, Steve
Thanks Al and Steve for your support. I have just sent the email as you suggested and am very grateful to you. I'm not sure how to track it, so perhaps you will help me here! I have signed the email "Concerned Mother". The Learning Disabled have such difficulties in getting employment. They are known to be loyal, hard working and conscientous, but it is a sad reflection on those who could employ staff with Special Needs that very few do. Only minor adjustments need to be made, as you will see from my daughter's story. The treatment meted out to my daughter by the previous store manager was unworthy of a company like Tesco, if they value their reputation. I have never made any excuses for any of my children (all grown up now) if they behaved badly, and if my daughter had done anything wrong whilst in Tesco's employment, I would never justify it. However, as I keep reassuring her she did nothing wrong and she has overcome her deep depression now she has established a good relationship with her new colleagues and store manager. (The old manager seems happily to be in his job still, no penalties for him!)
Re: My Learning Disabled daughter. Forgot to mention that there is no locker available in the new store where she can put her handbag. Something to do with employees taking home the keys I believe. (Her mobile was stolen from the previous store when she left her bag in the staff room.) She stuffs her mobile, purse, clocking in card,Disabled Travel Card, tissues etc. in her pockets. Her clocking in card must have fallen out, she has had to write her starting and finishing times in the book at reception - don't know whether Wages Dept will pick that up! No new clocking in card has yet been given to her. Also for the past 12 months she has been asking for a uniform, which has not yet materialised. Her old uniform trousers became too tight and split, as did the blouse. She looks different from her colleagues as she wears her own clothes and she wants to be the same as everyone else.
Lets get some facts straight here. How can trousers get too tight? dont you mean her legs become too fat, hardly Tescos fault.
Also really Tesco have done you a favour taking your daughter off your hands for a few hours a week and what thanks do they get? some matriarchal bitch phoning them up every five minutes when in fact you should be thanking them for saving your carpet.
To Anonymous, are you a Tesco employee, Manager or Customer? You seem to think that Tesco is babysitting the young woman. She is an employee and does the same work as everyone else. So what is your problem? Let's see if you are brave enough to put your name to your comment. Perhaps when you sober up you will see what you have written and imagine she could be your sister.
I am a customer, whats it to you love?
Whats my problem? nothing and your right she is an employee and does the same work as everyone else so what is the fussy about, should just get on with it like everyone else. The mother is the problem only sees her daughters disability not ability.
Bag of shite
Is that Inbred Jed? Use your full name matey!
Is Inbred Jed well known on this site, because his comments make no sense to me.
Inbred Jed is a prat who is best ignored.
Al you boring fart.
You are always on BOTH sides of the fence. You have no backbone you pansy
Minor physiological point but surely one would have a strong back with repeated fence balancing?
Who needs swiss balls!
Erm.. you haven't actually read ALL of my comments have you?
I don't agree with the "Tesco is always wrong" attitude some people take here (yes it is a complaint site, I know, thank you) and I don't agree fully with the "Tesco can do no wrong" attitude people like TM take.
If you have nothing intelligent to say Jed, then we'll leave it there.
Jed. Perhaps you will come across this when you are sober. Having complained to Mr Leahy personally and, separately to Tesco, I received a phone call today from my daughter's previous store. The young lady is ordering two sets of uniform for my daughter immediately, her two months salary is being made up and she will be able to collect it - no mention of post dated cheques and a meeting has been set up with a senior personnel manager for my daughter, me and the Union Area Rep. The outcome of that meeting will allow me to decide whether or not to take Tesco's to an Employment Tribunal for all the unresolved matters and the treatment meted out to her by her previous Store Manager. Perhaps then he will have to answer to Tesco Management and Board for his behaviour.
You called me a "matriarchial bitch". and stated that Tesco's were doing me a favour by taking my daughter off of my hands. It sounds to me that you were lacking in maternal input, not least in the "good manners" department or ensuring you had a good education and kept off the booze.
Concerned Mother
If anyone would like an indepth post on to how tesco (and probably most other companies) structure their staffing targets let me know and I will explain all as I just typed it all out, hit preview instead of post and closed down window and not going to re-type it again tonight.
Needless to say if you feel you are doing 3 peoples work it is one of three things....
1) You are carrying lazy collegues who are doing less work than you.
2) Your manager has not trained you how to do your job correctly so taking longerto do a task
3) You were lazy and are now being performanced managed.
oh...and a fourth one...your manager has not filled vacancies or reviewed their PI and hence dept is under manned.
I have worked in an Extra store for 4 years. During that time I have seen morale go from being sky high to an all time low; and quite simply I put it down to how the store and its' staff are managed.
The fact is that most Tesco managers have been brainwashed by virtue of the fact that the majority of them have only ever managed within Tesco. They have very little, if any, experience of the outside world and therefore can not recognise their own short commings.
tesco's is the worst company i've ever worked for. managers think they can treat all the people under them like shit and they do and if you rasie a grevance nothing still gets done
i have been reading your site and as everyone is able to put their veiw mine is this to the concerned mother i think it's disgusting how they have treated your daughter be it her having a disability or not this shouldn't happen. to the TM ITS NOT YOUR JOB TO DEAL WITH IT ITS THE PERSONAL MANAGERS (AS A GO BETWEEN) i my self had the oportunity to wrok witha lad from remploy(elsewhere) no managers salary just assistant for me which is not the point as you should take care of your colleagues.the lad i worked with had this and his confidence boomed and was able to work on his own and felt comfortable to ask for help when needed just like any employee.anyone who looks after their employees be it tescos or anywhere else reeps the rewards those who don't.... to TESCO COMPLAINT i work for tescos i am fortunate where i work we all pull together. my one moto in life don't like your job find another and get over it its not just tescos it just depends who you work with and your attitude
you see, i only started working at tescos about 6 months ago, and i thought that for a multi billion pound company they would offer training and equipment to do your job correctly, but no... they would rather much tell you to follow a "experienced" employee and see how they do the job and you follow. which is ever due to lack of funding, which is very doubtful, or that the managers are too lazy, and what i dont understand is that there are so many managers that no one knows who to speak to, since all one manager does is redirects/tells you to talk to the other manager who just happens to do the same.
another trait of tesco managers is that they dont do anything correctly or on time, for example i was in the process of booking my holidays for march since last november, which all of the managers knew about but it just so happens that i cannot go due to the fact that they were told about it too soon and could not get the right documentation for a legal holiday, i thought that 4 months would be enough since booking holidays for march time started in january and i told them about it in november, an overall view of a multi billion pound company is that it needs some serious work doing to it as many of my colleagues walk around the store an work as if they were literally zombies...
i have worked for tesco for just under three years and was told when i started i would get free tesco shares for every years service but as i started just after the date tesco give these shares out and the fact that it takes a couple of months to be isued with the shares it was over 2 years before i got them and if i leave or get sacked within a year of the shares being isued i loose them so it will be over three years after i started working at tesco before i get one year worth of shares and every time i get awarded shares i will loose them if i leave
In the years that I have worked ofor Tesco, it never ceases to amaze me how seemingly trivial and insignificant things take precedence over those which require immediate attention. e.g. Insufficient equipment to enable a job to be performed in a cost effective and efficient way. Having the Customer Service Reporting System on both tills as opposed to only one. The sheer frustration to both staff and customers at being constantly kept waiting is incomprehensible!!! Despite repeated requests however, we are told it will be too costly to have the system installed on the other till. Perhaps someone should create a cost analysis of wasted time of staff against that of the installation hm? Myopia rules OK!!
I hate working at my local tesco store. All the managers seem to do is stand around chatting on their phones and doing bugger all. Also, we are VERY VERY short staffed! it's now got to the point where there's only 2 people on Sundays (just me and one other staff member who hasn't got a proper contract). Also the managers can be arrogant and pain in the arses sometimes. Also team leaders can be annoying. You also get told to do something then have a teamleader demand why you are doing it and who would keep coming to you and badgering you why you are taking so long to do a job. Also with Tesco, they expect you to do jobs in 5 minutes. WELL I'M SORRY BUT WE ARE ONLY HUMAN. WE ARE NOT ROBOTS! Also, Tesco DO NOT (well at the store where i work) replace people who have left! and also sometimes they book loads of people on holiday at the same time!
Our staff restaurant is shit! we don't get a full variety of meals. All we seem to get is food from the freezer and jacket potatoes! WE NEVER get proper cooked sunday lunch on a sunday, all it is is chicken korma and rice and some other shit!
There is one manager in our store who gives out disiplinaries whenever he feels like it and for the smallest things! He even demands that you give him back his cardboard cage (even if you don't know he was about to use it).
The money isn't ok and it isn't bad. It's average really!
Break entitlement is also confusing!
I'm hopefully going to quit in September which should be good especially as i can get on with my life instead of working in some crappy tesco store!
Worked nightshift for three years
Have saw some really good workers messed about until they leave
I am getting the hell out before I become ill or god forgive start to get used to it
Never worked for a such a shower of tubes
You will do well in Tesco if you are a plank and/or a ball licker
A job for a few months to buy something nice and nothing else
LUCAS IS A BULLY
Hello, just stumbled across this site, thought I'd relay my own story about my bad experience working for a Sainsbury's Local.
I started working at the store in question the year after I graduated. After attending two induction days, which was all the training I was given, I was sent out on to the shop floor with my spanking new uniform. The work wasn't particularly good or bad, in fact I started to enjoy the job a bit (when I say 'enjoy', I mean I managed to find a way to not deeply hate the job).
My tour of duty at the store was cut short due to circumstances that still make me wonder how an employee in C21st Britain can be treated in such a manner. During Christmas I was persuaded (ie. threatened with the sack if I didn't) to work Christmas eve and Boxing Day (even though I had expressed a wish when I was hired to go home for a few days and see my parents). I needed the job, so I was forced to work it. Later on in the week, on the train home, I recieved a nasty call from the shift supervisor (X) asking where I was, that I was already two hours late for work. When I told them I was not put down to work on the rota, the supervisor told me to "Go to hell" and hung up.
I decided to ignore this incident and turned up to work my next shift. I made a point of looking at the rota as soon as I turned and sure enough, my name had been scribbled in to work the shift I had missed, with the original staff members name crossed out. Things started normally untill X took over the shift, halfway through mine. X was curt and unresponsive to my requests for assistance on the tills during a busy period and inquiries about what duties I needed to perform when I couldn't think of anything to. I ignored this deliberate rudeness and consciensciously carried on with my work.
A week later, I woke up in bed gasping for breath and I knew straight away that I was suffering an asthma attack. I tried to get up from bed to get my inhaler, which I had stupidly left in the living room. I crashed down as soon as I put weight on my legs and knocked my head. My flatmate heard this and came to assist, and I remember regaining consciousness as he was on the phone to the hospital.
He gave me my inhaler and I quickly started to calm down. I still had a throbbing headache and found it difficult to walk without feeling nauseous and giddy. It was then that I realised that I was supposed to be in work in quarter of hour. I called the store and told them what had happened. The rather unsympathetic reply I recieved was that I should come into work anyway, I could recover whilst I was working! I told the manager I was speaking to that this was unacceptable, that I would at least need the morning off to fully recover.
He put the phone down on me and five minutes later I recieved an angry call from the store manager. He told me that the reason I had given for not being in work (almost being hospitalised for an asthma attack) "was shit" and he demanded to see me in work otherwise he'd expect the unform back within seven days. I pointed out that he shouldn't use language like he just had to an employee to which he replied "piss off you smart arse are you coming in?". I told him that he had crossed a line talking to me like that and I'd feel uneasy ever working under his authority. I also pointed out that my flatmate could verify my story. He didn't bother to reply to this and hung up the phone.
I considered taking this matter further, but quickly realised there was little point; I noticed in my employee contract that the store could fire me without explanantion in my first six weeks of the job. I was ending my fifth. Also, I had attracted the scorn of two members of staff thanks to my disagreement with X, and I doubted that the colleagues I had befreinded would attract the scorn of their manager by telling how much of a foul mouthed bully he could be.
I had to tell this story because I've read a few of the posts on here defending Tesco. The retail industry relies upon treating employees like dirt. It's endemic, and it's the only way these companies can make the money they need in their attempts to control and monopolize the industry; pissing money away on stores that are opened with the sole aim of squeezing out competition, loss leading policies and having the power and influence to gag the media (in the case of Tesco especially, see Vietnam and their gagging of the Guardian).
Hello, just stumbled across this site, thought I'd relay my own story about my bad experience working for a Sainsbury's Local.
I started working at the store in question the year after I graduated. After attending two induction days, which was all the training I was given, I was sent out on to the shop floor with my spanking new uniform. The work wasn't particularly good or bad, in fact I started to enjoy the job a bit (when I say 'enjoy', I mean I managed to find a way to not deeply hate the job).
My tour of duty at the store was cut short due to circumstances that still make me wonder how an employee in C21st Britain can be treated in such a manner. During Christmas I was persuaded (ie. threatened with the sack if I didn't) to work Christmas eve and Boxing Day (even though I had expressed a wish when I was hired to go home for a few days and see my parents). I needed the job, so I was forced to work it. Later on in the week, on the train home, I recieved a nasty call from the shift supervisor (X) asking where I was, that I was already two hours late for work. When I told them I was not put down to work on the rota, the supervisor told me to "Go to hell" and hung up.
I decided to ignore this incident and turned up to work my next shift. I made a point of looking at the rota as soon as I turned and sure enough, my name had been scribbled in to work the shift I had missed, with the original staff members name crossed out. Things started normally untill X took over the shift, halfway through mine. X was curt and unresponsive to my requests for assistance on the tills during a busy period and inquiries about what duties I needed to perform when I couldn't think of anything to. I ignored this deliberate rudeness and consciensciously carried on with my work.
A week later, I woke up in bed gasping for breath and I knew straight away that I was suffering an asthma attack. I tried to get up from bed to get my inhaler, which I had stupidly left in the living room. I crashed down as soon as I put weight on my legs and knocked my head. My flatmate heard this and came to assist, and I remember regaining consciousness as he was on the phone to the hospital.
He gave me my inhaler and I quickly started to calm down. I still had a throbbing headache and found it difficult to walk without feeling nauseous and giddy. It was then that I realised that I was supposed to be in work in quarter of hour. I called the store and told them what had happened. The rather unsympathetic reply I recieved was that I should come into work anyway, I could recover whilst I was working! I told the manager I was speaking to that this was unacceptable, that I would at least need the morning off to fully recover.
He put the phone down on me and five minutes later I recieved an angry call from the store manager. He told me that the reason I had given for not being in work (almost being hospitalised for an asthma attack) "was shit" and he demanded to see me in work otherwise he'd expect the unform back within seven days. I pointed out that he shouldn't use language like he just had to an employee to which he replied "piss off you smart arse are you coming in?". I told him that he had crossed a line talking to me like that and I'd feel uneasy ever working under his authority. I also pointed out that my flatmate could verify my story. He didn't bother to reply to this and hung up the phone.
I considered taking this matter further, but quickly realised there was little point; I noticed in my employee contract that the store could fire me without explanantion in my first six weeks of the job. I was ending my fifth. Also, I had attracted the scorn of two members of staff thanks to my disagreement with X, and I doubted that the colleagues I had befreinded would attract the scorn of their manager by telling how much of a foul mouthed bully he could be.
I had to tell this story because I've read a few of the posts on here defending Tesco. The retail industry relies upon treating employees like dirt. It's endemic, and it's the only way these companies can make the money they need in their attempts to control and monopolize the industry; pissing money away on stores that are opened with the sole aim of squeezing out competition, loss leading policies and having the power and influence to gag the media (in the case of Tesco especially, see Vietnam and their gagging of the Guardian).
www.verylittlehelps.com
You will find lots of disgruntled Tesco staff here, along with pictures of when things go wrong.
I've been working for Tesco for a couple of months, and I'm not having a great time of it.
My managers and most of the people I work with a lovely, but I'm finding the job just so... pointless. What's the point in following plans and changing around all the stock when in a couple of weeks it'll all be swapped back again? Can't they leave the stock in one particular place and keep it that way?!
Also, I don't think I'll ever phone in sick. Even if I am pretty ill. Even if you take one day off, you have to go to a disciplinary meeting, even if you were unwell. And they seem to treat being off sick as some kind of offence. They try to discourage you from doing it... like you can help it! If you're ill, you're ill!
But, apart from those things, Tesco is a good place to work if you have the stamina and aren't too fussed about doing the same things over and over...
It can be boring, but it's better than having no job at all.
Tesco, Tesco, Tesco, it is really sad to read how people are being treated across the stores at Tesco. They announce large profits £1.4 bn after the 're-structure' and then expresses having to cut back on payroll etc does not make working for them any more tangiable than denting my street cred to work for Mc Donalds.
I am based in the headoffice and in some dept can see CONSTANT bitching of colleagues who really feel they want to give everyone a fair chance. (Obviously these people have been fooled in to believing Tesco is thee place to work)
There are WAY too many managers that are over paid for what they do and the majority don't really know how to execute their roles effectively and please, do NOT get me started on people management.
Yes a job is a job and if you don't want the responsibilities then Tesco are ok to leave you to get on (in decent stores) but if you want to progress and make the change that will benefit all staff (especially shop floor assistants) you need to change who you are and 'polish' your core to mirror that of a drone and then you loose your identity along the way.
I have suggested many ways that staff can benefit from maintaining a great dept but its all about 'simpler, better, cheaper'
In property & acquisition I'm sure the strategy of future growth is all planned out, but if Tesco don't follow up on their 'taking people with you' they won't have the full productivity of their staff. The Customers will notice and it is only fierce advertising that we manage to attract the level of trade we have now, this won't last forever!
So what exactly am I waffling on about? If you want a career in Tesco that is accelerated so fast that you will fall hard due to incompentancies that could have been addressed by the correct training then come and join us. The pay (regardless of industry category saying we are the one of the highest paid in retail; our bills don't reflect our job)the pay is ridiculously low for people that haven't got a brown nose and the hours are not as flexible as claimed.
If you want a decent career where you can see the benefits of what you do and that everyone feels they have a part to play then I would avoid Tesco at the moment.
Any comments are welcomed and I'm sure it will be a pleasure to address them.......:)
Ok so im a 'team leader on options' i work for hertford tesco's and have read all the above posts.
Heres a little about what goes on on my department which is produce. So that the manager dosent get high waste, he chucks stuff down the compacter and dosen,t record it. Which as you are prob aware is gross mis conduct. Twice higher management have been informed and they choose to ignore it so they too dont get a shouting at.
There are many other things he does that are not 'the tesco way'but its ok, cos at the end of the day he's a manager and any of us normal ga or tl would be sacked.
I have been on options for over a year and it pees me off that i cant get placement cos managers that are incapaable of doing there job are filling the places.
My three years' experience working for Tesco showed that there's a two level system running; there's what should happen and then there's what actually does happen. The 'Tesco Way' is a joke, it's about being seen to be doing the right things whilst managers are bending and twisting the rules behind the scenes in order to manipulate their target figures for shrink, waste etc. This includes selling out-of-date products on fresh counters and using reduced stickers to cover the dates on pre-packed products, even though this is illegal and dangerous. GAs are forced to carry out such dodgy practices because of the fear of reprisal, on direct instruction from managers, but if it ever comes to light what is going on (for example during external health & hygiene audits) then the managers deny all knowledge and it's the GAs who end up carrying the can. Then they have the cheek to ask questions like, "How can we raise morale in the store?"
One other point I'd like to make; such is Tesco's fear that people might speak out on sites such as this, they've included on Page 43 of their staff handbook, the following directive; "Any information posted by an employee on a public internet site such as You Tube, My Space or a personal Blog, which refers to Tesco or can be identified with Tesco is prohibited without authorisation from the Stores Director." Take note Tesco Manager, the deeply unintelligent and often ill informed sweeping comments that you are making on this site put you in breach of your contract. Should your precious company discover what you've been up to, make no mistake about it, they will hound you down and discipline you to within an inch of your job!
In reply to the Oracle......
As an USDAW rep, I actively encourage staff to question anything they feel is wrong either by questioning the manager or seeking advice from the union reps. I am more than willing to waste my time in a disciplinary meeting when the GA has done the right thing and refused,as they say, 'a reasonable managers request'. Far to often the managers think they can get away with things and then blame the GA when the s**t hits the fan and this is totally unacceptable. Foretunatly, this is becoming less and less in our store because of the union reps. More GAs need to be questioning, more GAs need to be using thier reps.Our fundemental job role is to make sure everyone follows policies and proceedures and, the good reps, makes sure this happens.We represent the managers too and they have the same sort of things happening to them. The managers are under pressure from the Senior Team managers.
Hertford2661...... I have been on Options since week 17 2007. I was signed on with the recommendation of accelerated options which is 3 months......longest 3 months I have ever known ! I also have the thing with not being given a placement but for the reason that 'I am not good enough' ( actual words said to me by my senior team manager ). Obviously, my assessors were out of thier minds to recommend me for acceletated.
my bf has worked in tesco for years, is doin his managers training, works hard 6 days a week, and the ppl higher up are taking the piss making him do shelf stacking etc and not doin managing! he hates his job and its not a case of the grass is always greener coz i work in a shop and i like what i do. my unkle's also worked there for years and feels like he's stuck. i wouldn't recommend tesco to anyone.
my experience with tesco has lasted 6 years and that is 5years 11months too long there sick policy is abismal and there managers are all brain washed bullies
Hertford2661.......would just like to inform you that I am STILL on Options ! That will be 2 years in 11 weeks time
did you know that even with record profits this year tesco staf have been told that thay have to pay for the uniform now talk about penny pinching
I worked for tescos for 2 years and left the store after my safety was at risk where i lived i decided to leave the job.
after a year at my next job they started making everyone redundant and i had no choice but to leave, i came back to tescos and have been back almost 5 months, and I can honestly say they havent changed at all.
We are ALWAYS understaffed managment dont quite seem to acknowledge staff like the deputy managers do and they give tasks which have a deadline, be honest in job where you work on the shop floor and tills. there is never a guarentee you will finish at the same time as last time because there is no guarentee you wont be on the till but they still expect results and grill you for not achieveing them.
managment also seem to ignore simple things we should do and cut corners for example we are scorned by managment for not doing things by the book however i constantly come across a number of issues that managment simply choose to ignore or would rather blame the issue on someone else.
I do enjoy working at tescos at times but i cannot say id want to continue there if given the option of a better job. however with the way the credit crunch and large unemployment continues i dont foresee myself or many others getting a better job.
that is the way i see it!
managers are good at there job because the manage to do nothng and get payed a better rate than the normal colleagues, my manager makes us get "involved" in the ordering, this is just an excuse for her to delecate her jobs to us so she has none and can have a permanate break. lazy bitch
i have worked for tesco for 11 years, i used to enjoy my job immensly and have worked on several depts. this last 3 years tesco have gone downhill. we have no staff and basically if you complain about it then u r told there are millions of people who will do your job. 6 months ago our old personel manager moved me onto the bread dept so i could do early shifts so i could go back to college. im a quarter way through my course and ive just been told they are changing my hours. WHAT?? I told them that the hours i do suit me with college and basically tough shit i hav to comply or your out in 30 days. Im sorry but if they can treat u like this after 11 years then if u hav just started u have no chance. This is under dispute with the uniion at the moment as they are asking the impossible of me. This proves they are shit 2 work for and they dont care about the staff, and long termers look out your next. the longer you hav been there the worse it is as it is cheaper to employ new staff. not as much holiday pay or sick pay. all i can say is im stickin to my course whatever th outcome and thank god i have a esscape lol. I HATE TESCO. we hav to put up with so much shit including jumpin on tills as multiskilled staff calls are put out, when u go bak 2 ur dept they ask wat hav u done 2day. My advice is keep a note book on everthin u do. You alway hav back up. I could go on an on and on.
Please dont join up is my advice n every little helps, (my arse LOL)
I left Tesco a few months ago, best thing I ever did....everyone i worked with was unhappy and the managers basically couldnt give a shit, all they cared about was the customers and their wages, the rest of the staff were just basically told to *get on with it and stop complaining* even when we had a problem, the managers didnt wanna know, or told us to take a day off, then complained that we're understaffed, but wouldnt employ more people, just told the rest of us to *go faster and do the job better*
But i'm not there anymore so whatever happens with that company means FA to me :D
I work at Tesco and am just appoaching my 3rd Christmas there. Yes, I am asked to do extra jobs such as gap scan and reductions, but so what?! We get a good pay for our job..and lets face facts..you don't need qualifications or specific skills to work at Tesco so what are you expecting?
I only came across this site because I was looking for the new overtime booking site. I think if you really have an issue with Tesco then you should work somewhere else and not slate it on the internet. The MILLIONS of people who shop in our stores can't all be wrong..so obviously it's not all as awful as you say.
for the general assistants complaining about management and their roles, u clearly have NO understanding of the pressure we are under to deliver our KPI's just be thankful u get to work ur hours, get ur full break entitlement, do ur job and go home and forget about it! i have been a manager for 3 years and the job is continuously getting harder, i have seen people literally having a nervous breakdown due to their job,and as for having breaks why should managers not be allowed to have a break together as GA's on the same depts do?? i have been a GA and a Team Leader before becoming a manager and i can assure u, in a non management role u have it easy!
I work at Tesco on the checkouts part time whilst im still at school and i can't believe some of tesco's decisions. "I don't queue is ridiculous". Im sure customers are not bothered about waiting for a mere 1 minute before being served and at the same time shop floor staff are being forced to go onto a till because there is a trolley waiting to be served. Do Tesco realise that no work gets done on the floor when they constantly drag staff off the floor to the checkout. Another thing Tesco are really bad for is not employing enough staff. At our Store we are constantly told we are understaffed and are bombarded with over-time sheets. Here's a bright idea spend some of your billions of pounds of profit and employ an acceptable amount of staff which will probably increase efficency. Not one person at my work likes working there. You get people saying "yeah but its good money", and thats only what money you see at the end of it. I have heard of many people working well beyond their shift and they receive no extra pay for it. The thing that is really bad is the lack of thanks you receive from management in Tesco. You very very rarely receive a "thank you" for doing anything helpful. It is a job but it's not a job i'd reccomend
I do have to agree In my tesco people are pushed to maximum mental and physical we have to stay after hours where they telling US WE HAVE TO BECAUSE JOB IS NOT FINISHED and thats our duty where we are 3 and job is for 6 and menagers are standing and fakin shouting on us to work faster it is like a prison , they trying to scare us by saying we wont find a job everything is geting worse bla bla bla , I DO WORK THERE because I need money and stable job for now but trust me even with privilage card IM NOT SHOPING THERE I want them to fall down like little kid from the bad and cry
hi ive just stummbled across this site while looking for the online overtime,and wowwww have i been looking for someone to have a really good gripe at,the only thing is everything i wanted to say about tesco well when i say everything you know what i mean you could be here for a decade naming all the wrongs about tesco but the main things are, although the benifits may be pretty good they take away any goodness with the way they treat their staff,i know what im talking about ive been with them a very long time and have seen it all, but it just seems to get worse every day you are just expected to do more and more every time you turn up for a shift the staffing levels are a joke people are doing the job of two and three people and why is it you will never get a manager who agrees with you, thats because they have got a job to do and that is to deliver a store so whether they agree or not thy will never admit it,so in a way you cant blame the managers they want to keep their jobs and are probably afraid of losing them,its a company thing all these budgets are coming from the company and from ppl who have probably never even worked in a store that have no idea what its like,but i just wish some of these managers would grow a pair and back their staff up sometimes,after all if the staff didnt do the job the managers would not get the browny points.i could go on and on and write a book but i wont instead i will give a few examples of what gets to me in my store and feel free to comment if your store has the same issues. understaffing,being expected to stay back to finish a job (without pay or time back),staff training is at 0%,the amount of managers and team leaders they have could be reduced to make way for more staff,and to deal with the staff that we all carry on a shift instead of leaving them to do what they want, which is nothing, you know who you are.
hi there i m working for tesco for one year and i dont really like it or enjoy it. at the bigining it was all fine cause i dindt know the sistem how tesco works then when i opned my eyes it was to late then they dont like me do u think this i fair?????? i put a request in then i m still waiting it was b4 christmas i m still waiting for it then a then ask us if anyone was interested in doing helth and safety rep i told them i m then they told me if u r moving from here is not good to u is it.....nice nice.....
I was a GA, then a Teamleader now a manager. I've worked in 5 countries for tesco doing project work and I have managed for 5 years in stores aswell. When I was a GA we skived (everyone did as the job is generally piss easy) When I was a teamleader we skived (everyone did as I was completely over paid for the job I was doing) Now that I am a manger I am expected to deliver enormous amounts of work, never get my tea breaks and always work past my hours! Disgruntled employees are always a result of the few good ones picking up the slack for other poor members of staff that are lazy! I agree completely with GA's that feel they have more work to do than others but often its not because the managers are in the canteen but because they let the guys they work with do what they want. Here is not the forum to complain its at Tesco with your manager, tell them who is making your life harder and if it is your manager then use the correct grievance form. Store managers are under a huge amount of pressure to deliver kpi's and are always aware who their weakest managers are but often don't have the grounds to demote or punish them. Your grievance forms (if justified and not put in by lazy GA's as forms put in without genuine merits undermine those put in by staff with genuine issues that do need to be resolved) will give them the amunition they need to deal with poor managers in the business. Crying on sites like this will help you achieve nothing. Sites like these do nothing to aid the staff as I have yet to have any feedbcak at JTP meeting or group meeting about this site.... which means it has no voice within the business. I am senior team and have dealt with managers that cannot be seen to lead well. It is near impossible to dismiss Tesco staff/managers due to our policies but not impossible. Help us to help you! Voice these concerns in the correct forum because voicing them on here will definately not get you anywhere
I work in the tesco distribution centre at Middlesbrough for over a year now and it got to be the worst job I've had in over 15 years all their care is percentages their don't care that it's a two person lift and you need 30 on a pellet ( sometimes at shoulder height) or that's even been time and motioned their just like calling your name. like I said over 15 years working for different company doing different jobs I've never had a single warning or a little chat about my work till now I've lost count of all the informals abt percentages, not using horn and talken too long for battery change
i have worked for tesco for 25 years, yes it has had its ups and downs but in this climate who am i to complain. staff discount 6 weeks paid holiday great pension and the highest pay in the food retail industry, i would say its great and iwould say i am lucky to have a job,
The Tesco on a high street near where I work is deffinately a victim of poor training and bad management it has a terrible atmosphere and is always a nightmare to be in. the management and security in particular never look to be doing anything, the staff that are older are always chatting about anything other than work and never look at you when serving. It is extremely heavy traffic for shoplifters as the staff are so slack. this is basically the way retail on a mass scale is nowadays most of the time, because the management aren't interested in the staff and the staff aren't interested in the company, and as a result the customer see's bad service and no quality care. If more people shopped local and sourced out the best fresh fruit and veg and best butchers like we used to the big companies would be forced to spend on better quality training etc?
i worked for tesco as a loyal manager for 17 years all was well until i put a grievence in against
a store manager.,after this all doors were shut when it came to transfering to other store .the last straw was when a manager at the st mellons store in cardiff describe my staff as being shit workers,this manager had never worked with my staff i believe that this behaviour is exactly what is wrong with tesco
michael walsh 07859050827
should i need to give evidence in any tribuneral then i have a lot to say good luck the staff at tesco you will need it
Working at Tesco for 3 months now. I work 11 hours a week. Four hours Friday, 7 hours Saturday. Along with this I am also a full time student at a 6th form college and spend 5 full days a week there.
The 11 hours a week I am contracted to are fine by me, and are why I took the job, however I am CONSTANTLY forced and bullied into working overtime on both the days I work and also on Sundays, meaning if I work overtime on sunday for an entire month, I have 0 days that month to myself.
The Team Leaders that 'ask' me to do overtime don't seem to realize that Sunday is the only free day in my week, and make it out as if I am obligated to work Sundays.
During my interview I said I may be able to work some Sundays, but it was unlikely due to school and rugby commitments. Since then these words have been twisted, and they Team Leaders seem to think I said I could work every Sunday no problem.
Another annoying thing is that they'll ring me up asking to work in 2 hours time, however when I rang 2 weeks in advance to book off ONE day of work, they said I hadn't given them enough notice.... Cheeky bastards.
It's left me considering leaving this job that I REALLY need to put me through 6th form, why should I get treated like shit when I work more days a week than they do?
I have worked for Tesco for 8 years now. It is definitely getting worse in terms of workers rights. This extends not only to GAs but to management.
I work the nightshift and whenever we have had people leave there have been no replacements. This is not a short term problem but is measured in years - until recently. Now when people leave they are replaced by foreigners and local people are not even interviewed (The official response is that the locals don't want the employment. When challenged on this, the response is that this is covering the equal opp policy that Tesco has - does the percentage of ethnic minority have to be over 25% then, as this is what it is on our shift?). One of my team leaders is Polish and has already acquired one friend for a job, apparently with more on his list. I think that the local community is suffering as there are many hard working people, who having been made redundant, would fit those jobs just as well. (Don't think of me as racist - just concerned about the community I live in and the effects this has on it!)
Back to the subject of who works hardest. All our night managers work as hard as the GAs to the detriment of their paperwork. This includes ARs, reviews, holiday bookings etc. They also have to stay on after their shift ends to hand over to the day managers. This is unacceptable! We also have a number of GAs who are so conscientious that the finish their aisles off before they go home, often giving 2 hours a week UNPAID overtime.
I feel it is bad senior management within the local store that causes this problem. If the conscientious were not to do this overtime and the managers went home when due, the senior team would realise that they cannot run a store on the budget they are given and would then push for it to be rectified.
We also have a problem with holiday bookings. We are only aloud two people off on one shift at one time. Logistically with the number of staff, the number of weeks due to them and the number of weeks in a year this is an impossiblity! I have been denied holiday and have many days which I am unable to book before the end March. To get the holidays I want I have resorted to booking 2013-2014 dates - is this really acceptable?
On another subject our night team is regularly messed around regarding bank holidays. I appreciate that the bank holiday night shift can run into or out of the actual bank holiday, Tesco have a policy of telling us which date they have chosen about two and half months ahead of the BH. However, we were not informed about the August BH and are now still in ignorance re the Xmas/NY BHs. Why is this?
I am not alone in being dissatisfied with our working conditions. We are unable to do anything as when we have concerns and relay them to our union rep, she consistantly make sure that the store is the one protected (not being paranoid!). I have taken to bypassing her to get simple answers to enable me to plan my work life to gel with my private life.
From completely disgruntled but still conscientious.
iv worked at tesco for a few months now and i can comfirm that its a joke, managers look down and constantly judge you. you are made to do the work of 2-3 ppl and to top it all my manager has booked my holidays without telling me so i dont even get to choose when I want to be off. FU tesco and your lazy disrespectful managerial staff.
Have been working on the Tesco Checkouts in Redditch for over a year whilst studying. I have decided to leave because they treat people like a MACHINE!! Meet 50 Customers per hour, scan certain amount of items an hour, keep grumpy Tesco customers happy and all for a peanuts pay packet of ^£6.80.
I only work part-time and the managers are depressing, they haven't got any brains and led by a nutcase store manager who understaffs and expects the poor checkout worker to slug it out!!
Tesco Redditch store manager really needs to boot. The majority of checkout operators have reduced significantly due to leaving as they were unhappy with the excess of work they were dealing with.
Very Little Helps..
I also work for the Tesco Extra Redditch store, its the worst thing i've ever decided to do. The managers are unpleasant and the silly Tesco policies they have implemented 'I don't queue' is an complete joke.
The managers and particulary the Store manager have utter disregard for the well being of the staff on checkouts. Other departments have it easy and get paid more which doesn't make sense.
Similarly, I also work part-time on checkouts and the queues and the amount of customers you have to serve is EVIL and the managers aren't helpful at all.
I agree, the store manager needs to get the boot everyone's fed up of him even the other deparment managers.
Checkouts in Redditch- The worst place on planet!!
I have just quit my part time job at Tesco after 4 years (been there since i was 16 and am now in my last year at uni) and i can safely say its the best feeling in the world. As a Sunday worker and a young person i can say i regularly feel like I'm taken for a mug! i seem to have to work bank holidays even though i booked them off months in advance. I'd rather be skint then work at Tesco again!!
been working at tesco for 2 months now on checkouts.. must say, the store manager was completely rude to me today when i had a problem and needed help.. totally unsympathetic! they think that because its coming to christmas now that its fine and we'll think it ok that we get ignored because they're more concerntrated on the customers..
don't get it sometimes.. other then that.. love it :D
tesco employee.<<.i have worked at tesco for over a year now, and the packages and benefits are great However, the attitude of more than 90% of the managers in store is discusting to be honnest,the way they speak to each GA is a joke, and some are f'n' and blinding at staff and useing bully tattics at younger staff it makes me sick, yes the managers are there to delegate work loads to ga's but not with that attitutde and tone! often heard calling customers behind there backs as (in-breeds and scruffy c##nts) there our life line without customers we would not have a job? how discusting is that!! but in todays society i suppose they know that there is millions out of work so they can get a way with it as u can be replaced in an instant,yet staff who leave never are? hence being understaffed and running around like a headless chicken..half the managers there to run departments lol couldnt run a bath never mind a department its a complete joke...oh and as for canteens,,if your not in the little clicky circle sat on the top table then ur looked down on as a porper,,your given more than enuff jobs to do on top of ur daliy work load without extra time to do it then that bloody waist of time rumble thing everyday, complete waist of time,,,all managers twiddling with tins on the shelves just having a natter amongst themselves and getting paid a good wage for doing sodd all!!every little helps??? not in my store,,im told on a regualr basis to ignore customers and do pointless daft jobs rather than serve and sell to customers to make money and profit and give great customer service,,i would not reccomend tesco to anyone now that ive done some time there...you not what they say...to many cheifs and not enuff indians...
Sainsburys managers are over weight ignorant lazy do little scum. Store manager once said I am not interested in the shop or the staff he could not give monkeys about anything. Owe apart from reaching his bonus. This store manager was running 2 stores and total ignorant. As for his un qualified under managers all who attained rolles by in house promotion made possible as there family members where in high rolls in store sheds light ignorant scum can get up ladder just needs hours ass kissing and family in a higher position
I had good dump in box but for life me can't recall what freezer I hid box in in redditch at least the freezer will taint smell till it's been found was it the meat freezer was it veg I can't recall might have been the walk in. Can the store manager help thx merry Xmas to all
When is environmental healthgoing to visit ASDAS in reditch there is a strong vial smell coming from a freezer when it is opened wonder why store managers are allowed to bully staff out of a store reditch enjoy your Xmas dinner go easy on that stuffing I would watch that dipping down in unrotated freezers as you might get bit extra free compliments on behalf of manager who bullied me to leave ASDAS reditch shit happens
I see ALOT of workers from Tescos in Redditch complaining and I'm not at all Surprised LOL...
Sack all the Managers, there's simply too many in this store, an immense expense for Tesco especially when its losing Market share. Instead replace them with competent managers that can manage workload and increase checkout staff.
Im a FORMER checkout worker!!
Reading over some of these comments does make me laugh... I work for Lidl and do 13-14 hour shifts, over christmas I started at 12 and finished at 2am only to start again at 5am the next day.
I run the entire Non-Food section of the store by myself, but I am also expected to be on tills, fresh, ambiant,frozen and on call for spillages. We have 3 members of staff to do everything in the morning.
Am I bitter or complaining? No. Its called work ethic - you need to get on with the job, just like everyone else in the world. If you stopped complaining and just got on with it you would find life a lot easier.
Just remember that while managers may seem to do very little there is a lot of back office, things that need to be done that you wont even notice..
@ Lidls worker, please don't compare the working environments of Lidl and Tesco because the difference is very LARGE! Firstly, Tesco is the World's 3rd largest Supermarket, every £1 of out of £10 goes directly towards Tesco in the UK economy. This means that it has over 20 million on Tesco Clubcard not to mention those that aren't a clubcard member.
On the other hand, Lidls have a mere 2 per cent market share and its hardly ever busy; not only this but the fact a Tesco employee has to work much harder as Tescos have 30.2 per cent of Market share now THAT speaks volumes. It means that Tesco is busier than Sainsburys and Asda put together. So in real terms it's like saying the sales Lidls makes in a Year, Tesco makes in a DAY!!
Another FACT, despite Tesco employees working much harder when its ALWAYS busy we get much fewer pay compared to someone working at LIDLS who gets £10 something.
So please next time talking about 'Work Ethics' we work at companies which have totally different environments!!!! Please remove your comment is you have any self respect because your just embarassing yourself!
I worked for tesco for a number of years so I know how it works. The reason Lidl staff are paid more is because they have to do more for their basic duties. Whilst you may have more customers through the door you also have significantly more staff.
Lidl is the 4th largest retailer on the planet so please do some research before assuming these things.
I wont get dragged into an argument over the differences between the two companies, but I have management experience with both and have seen first hand what they are like.
If you all think your job is that hard and that you're abused that much then I implore you to leave. In this day and age there are plenty of people who will happily do your job without moaning.
I know exactly where you're coming from...I have been working for the company for 5 years and it has got steadily worse! In our PFS to have it legally maned we need 267.5 hours...we currently have 218.25 hours and we're told we are over staffed. Where do they thing we're pulling the rest of the hours from?! Also agree about the managers, you can regularly find all the managers on break together while we're left dealing with the shit from the customers!
Before the lidl kid jumps on the band wagon, im not lazy, i just dont believe that most of the managers or team leaders are qualified in customer service, they constantly speek to staff as if we are uniportant and believe they are above us, never have i worked for a company with such disregard for their staff, if we were appreciated more the complaints would be far less...
tescos,
treat staff in the hull branch as second class citizens they dont know half of the workers names and are not intrested if a customer complains because they are busy talking, while people are waiting for them to help
been at tesco for 6 years and it actually made me realise that i cannot work there for the rest of my life, most management dont care unless your related or having an affair, and people in this day and age cant get other jobs because of the recession, but for such a big company to treat staff so appauling is horrific!!!! Just like doing a viewpoint, will anything get done when you advise them of there failings???? NO
i also work for tesco and i get fed up of customers complaints everyday for que lenth and how cold the shop is i work on c/outs and its freezing you end up poorly and when your off you get hauld in to office. the managment sit in offices were its warm and when you complain about the cold they lok at you as if you have 2 heads. and the union is all for tesco not the worker
if every store and worker stuck together and set a time and date for a massive walk out for better work and condations and more staff (union)does nothing)the top brass might get ther finger out of there arse and do something. cause if they thought they would lose money (for them selves not store)they might move shit quick.
Just to add that I work in the (as far I am aware) the store that takes the most money or makes the most profit in the country.
On a Sunday in a Tesco Extra I single handedly am expected to cover the whole of Grocery. Now I get a little help when the guy from backdoor does the dollies in the morning before I get in. Other than that I get cages left out from the night staff (that I dont have time to work) I also cover B,W&S as well as frozen and I often find myself getting CSD calls for Eggs - all the time. Not only that but if single backdoor staff member is on leave on a sunday I have to take in the deliveries.
No wonder I find myself demoralised, when Im at work. When I need assistance or aid I am told to "speak to your manager about it" - I work Sundays, its not compulsary for them to be in!
I am a Produce Manager on Asda!
I am 21, joined August 2011
I do 50 hours max, had 5k pay rise in 6 months (now on 31k)
Have a clear route to get a Store Manager position and the potential to earn silly money in a lucrative career.
Don't knock retail management, easiest way to be very well paid, so long as you put in the time, effort and let whatever your managers say go over your head..
well i work part time for an express and we have the same staffing issues and no-one wants to do the job quite simply why would you? for £6.60 an hour completing 2-3 peoples work? on the other hand it is very easy work just boring.
And its not very rewarding... unlike my rugby coaching job where i am on £13 an hour and actually enjoy the job. Tesco need to stop being money-saving due to recession as they claim and actually hire staff!!
I work on Checkouts in the New Dudley, West Midlands Extra store. And all i can say it is a complete sham!!! We have the same problem minimum staff and they expect us to work like machines. They treat people unfairly, and 70% of store are related, surely that is not equal oppurunities!!!!!! I hate working for TESCO, i wish i never left my last job :(
Tesco redditch? Where do I start??!!?? I think Phillip Clarke needs to Pay a visit to this store and see these nut case managers at work! Firstly they don't have any respect for there workers, employ brain dead managers who can't spell and then they have problems communicating to customers. I work for Tesco redditch but will leave once I complete Uni but would never recommend anyone to work for this Tesco extra redditch store. The managers need to get there finger out there arses, have a habit of chatting about shop floor workers and to make matters worse you have to deal with rude, smelly and abusive customers.
i work for tesco. while the pay is good i still strugle to pay my bills because they higher so much part time staff. its rediculas, i have been there for 3 years and i have asked for more hours and they still give me the same answer. "there might be some more hours coming soon" and of corse the part time staff start late in the afternoon/evenings. and i am left to do a whole days work in 4 hours because night shift cant do there job and my team leader constandly dose her job from the ouside company like the cards in her working hours wichs shes not aloud to do but no manager says anything becasue she has been there for about 15 years. mean while im left doing all the work and im on my own on the department expected to go straight on the checkouts whenever the call and still somhow go to hardlines calla and get the work done, witch is inposible on my hours. and the next day the managers bitch about me because i couldnt get anything dont but because most of them are dicks if i talk back or even try to corect them they threatin me with a warning and on top of that most of the time all the managers and older team leaders sit around doing fuck all because they can get away with it. it is a discrace how they think they treat there staff and should be ashamed to call them my boss when i do everything. and not only that when nightshift actualy workes there delivery its left for me to clean up and sort on to cages at 4 in the afternoon. why cant somone get of there arse for a change and do something. and i still have to go to checkout calls and hardlines calls and work the backstock. and after all the shit they put me through they cant even offer me more hours. we are always short staffed in our shop and honestly i think its because if the shop manager keeps the budget down wnough he gets more money for him self
im the previous comment, i fogot to add while there is all this bad stuff not all managers and team leaders are as bad as that there as some who works hard and trys making it easyer for me and other members of staff. honestly i wouldnt care about getting left to do everything if they would atleast show me some gratatude and respect. more hours would show both of them but that dosnt seem to be happening any time soon
I have worked as a manager for tesco for a few years and have never taken the daily breaks that i am entitled to. I work as hard if not harder than my team and still have to fit in training kpi targets action plans and all the other things demanded of us. I earn my pay and the only thing to get me down is complaining GA/CA staff. If you don't like it...... Leave!
Not long come across this site, I've had a good read at all POV. First off, Mr Blogstarter, Quit. You clearly don't like your job, the company or the people in your store. So do us all a favour and leave, and we'll recruit someone who actually wants to serve our customers.
Managers are entitled to the same breaks as a Customer Assistant, yet the customer assistant works their base hours and goes home. A manager end up doing well over 45 hours a week - and don't get paid for it.
My staff are fantastic, we share the workload,rarely call in sick and always pull our own weight, because that's what a TEAM is supposed to do. Ultimately, it's my accountability to manage that TEAM. Don't tar every Tesco member of staff with the same brush. There are an incredible amount of numpties out there, but we do have some fantastic people who really strive to deliver a great job. You need to take a step down off you're high horse, because I bet you're not one of them.
I have worked for tesco for 6 years as i joined part time whilst at university, and since then it has got worse and worse...i now work 40 hours + after including overtime
The commentor above, who is a manager, fair play if you work hard and i dont have a bad thing to say about you, or a few managers at my store...but thats the problem...a few! It maybe by choice but i work 12 hour days quite often, but when managers at my store do it they moan to no end and i actually had some asking me to do something for them because they were too tired and had been here for 9 hours- funny enough some of those days i was doing a 13 hour shift and i still dont expect others to do my job.
Many GAs are lazy too, i totally agree...but they are not in responsible positions earning double what others earn...Managers who are lazy should not be managers, and the fact they get away with it and remain managers proves the store(s) are run by more than a few lazy managers
But you say do everyone a favour and quit to the blogger but a lot of us cant afford to quit and i have been trying to look for a fulltime job to replace it for a while now, but its not easy as it has to pay as much as Tesco in the area or a lot more out the area where i can cover my and my partners wages.
I will admit Tesco pays pretty good for the type of job, but from my experience thats only because otherwise people will not work for them. And that is only for the type of job and not the workload.
When i started this job in the warehouse there were 2 people and me doing a half shift in the evening everyday mon-fri, 3-4 on a sat and 2 full days on a sunday...
last month there was 2 people mon-wed, 3 thur-sat and exactly enough cover on a sunday with no overlap...which actually in my opinion was not far off enough admittedly to do our actual job- but then we are expected to do a list of extra jobs and when ever two people are in together the second person is taken onto another department...
now a full-timer has left, and there are covering only his shifts when no one else is on and will be filling it in this way so there will only be 2 people everyday
I will also like to mention this is an extra store and we are forced to keep RSU outside....as a Manager you should know its a legal requirement to have 2 people tail-lifting outside, which DOES NOT include the driver- how is that suppose to work?
Again i do not know about your store or you personally but most of our managers are young, in-experienced and don't know anything...personally on 1 department i have had a dozen different managers and i would say only 2 actually understood the job/department and knew how to do it
Admittedly i have heard most other stores are run a lot better..but i think the recent drop in tesco share price speaks for itself...
Our store banned all overtime during that period and then almost all departments were forced to work dot-com or checkouts...therefore shelves were not filled, and tesco lost customers and money...ironically the investment of more people would have got the shelves filled and made the company more money...but that is the corner cutting, money scrapping that happens in my store...
This is a brilliant blog and just to add Tesco is a joke! All Tesco's Extra stores do is destroy small businesses, and Tesco as a whole produce low quality, ill food.
I remember years ago, around early 2000 when a Tesco store had an epidemic of diseased chicken and continued to sell these to the public and my family (unknowingly of course) continued to purchase Tesco's poultry until after always eating this we would all become sick and it wasn't until years later a documentary emerged on BBC1's panarama if I recall correctly of Tesco's incorrect handling of raw meat and maggots and other diseased chickens still being sold on our shelves.
Makes me utterly sick to my stomach Tesco does! Eurghh
I work for a store in Colchester, Essex. We are undergoing a massive refit , and the customers are all spitting fire. The store manageress is an absolute bastard and has made no bones about how ruthless she really can be by making knee-jerk decisions staff-wise. The sooner I can find alternative employment the better. The worst job I have ever had. Bunch of two faced back stabbing bastards. Oh I did forget to mention that I am a manager as well, but old school and work shoulder to shoulder with my team, commanding respect for my actions and not demanding them from my position.
i've worked in my store almost ten years and when i first started there was 6 people on that section and now theres only 2 people doing the job of 6. tesco have a shitty idea of scrimping around and forcing work on the staff, two managers left due to the abuse of deputy manager and his cocky attitude. i've would of left but who can afford to take time off work to find another job. But the biggest piss take is this so called bonus package that you only receive 3.6% of your wage after 3 fracking years. PHILIP CLARKE YOU ARE A CUNT
Speaking from experience (working in Tesco Express and Tesco Extra) for 3 years... I can't think of many positive things to say about Tesco. I would say that most of the managers are simply Tesco Robots. Their people skills.. and actually a lot of their skills are lacking.. If you can dedicate your life to Tesco and basically allow them to bend over over and sing the Tesco Song Sheet without complaining, you will be a manager at some point... how soon depends on how many people above you turn to alcohol or have a nervous break down. I've worked in PI.. I'm not too sure how much people expect to be paid for changing labels over... but No one bothered me... I got given a SRTB number and handed piles of labels and off I went.. talking to the cutest girls in the shop until my shift was over.
This mention of Managers in the canteen.. I've been on shifts (express format) where there's been 3 managers and 1 CA and i was expected to work stock.. serve tills.. look for shop lifters... It sometimes is ridiculous and for the life of me.. I don't know why or how more customer don't complain about walking up to a till.. and having a manager stood in front of them.. ringing the bell for the CA.. basically saying "I'm above serving you" I've heard customers go crazy over that.
I could honestly write a 5000 word essay about all the experiences but I just want to point out just this one.. A customer started having a "fit" in the middle of the shop.. I was first on scene.. "team leader" came up to me.. I said.. "have you got the phone"... He replied "no"... (he stood there.. gorping at me while i tried to stop the shelves falling on this persons head...) "GO AND GET THE PHONE AND RING FOR AN AMBULANCE" i said to him, with my voice raised a little... I kid you not... the guy came back to me.. with the phone.. put the phone in my hand.. and walked back off to do his routines. I had a customer grabbing my leg having a fit.. the ambulance call handler on the phone.. other customers standing around gorping at me.. and no first aid qualification or team leader to be seen. This guy.. for all his faults was a decent guy.. the ONLY talent .. if you can call it one.. was he broke his back putting stock out in the warehouse as a CA.. and they bumped him up to team leader.
Another thing then the rants over. When i first started in Express i was told this "you will never be allowed to be on the shop floor alone" due to safety issues.. shop lifters etc.. I Yet being one on one with the manager was a regular thing.. and when they went to "pick gaps" i was on my own.. surrounded by drunk customers.. and this was an excepted part of working for Tesco.. Is this standard across the UK? Also.. Viewpoint... our area manager actually told our manager.. that the results didn't matter because he knew that some people in our shop were going to "set her up"...
I could go on.. and on.. and on.
Speaking from experience (working in Tesco Express and Tesco Extra) for 3 years... I can't think of many positive things to say about Tesco. I would say that most of the managers are simply Tesco Robots. Their people skills.. and actually a lot of their skills are lacking.. If you can dedicate your life to Tesco and basically allow them to bend over over and sing the Tesco Song Sheet without complaining, you will be a manager at some point... how soon depends on how many people above you turn to alcohol or have a nervous break down. I've worked in PI.. I'm not too sure how much people expect to be paid for changing labels over... but No one bothered me... I got given a SRTB number and handed piles of labels and off I went.. talking to the cutest girls in the shop until my shift was over.
This mention of Managers in the canteen.. I've been on shifts (express format) where there's been 3 managers and 1 CA and i was expected to work stock.. serve tills.. look for shop lifters... It sometimes is ridiculous and for the life of me.. I don't know why or how more customer don't complain about walking up to a till.. and having a manager stood in front of them.. ringing the bell for the CA.. basically saying "I'm above serving you" I've heard customers go crazy over that.
I could honestly write a 5000 word essay about all the experiences but I just want to point out just this one.. A customer started having a "fit" in the middle of the shop.. I was first on scene.. "team leader" came up to me.. I said.. "have you got the phone"... He replied "no"... (he stood there.. gorping at me while i tried to stop the shelves falling on this persons head...) "GO AND GET THE PHONE AND RING FOR AN AMBULANCE" i said to him, with my voice raised a little... I kid you not... the guy came back to me.. with the phone.. put the phone in my hand.. and walked back off to do his routines. I had a customer grabbing my leg having a fit.. the ambulance call handler on the phone.. other customers standing around gorping at me.. and no first aid qualification or team leader to be seen. This guy.. for all his faults was a decent guy.. the ONLY talent .. if you can call it one.. was he broke his back putting stock out in the warehouse as a CA.. and they bumped him up to team leader.
Another thing then the rants over. When i first started in Express i was told this "you will never be allowed to be on the shop floor alone" due to safety issues.. shop lifters etc.. I Yet being one on one with the manager was a regular thing.. and when they went to "pick gaps" i was on my own.. surrounded by drunk customers.. and this was an excepted part of working for Tesco.. Is this standard across the UK? Also.. Viewpoint... our area manager actually told our manager.. that the results didn't matter because he knew that some people in our shop were going to "set her up"...
I could go on.. and on.. and on.
tesco is the worst ive ever ever worked for,if your not a tesco clone and like a piece of candy rock which you break open and reads teco inside forget working for them,the place is full of jobs worth junior 21 year old managers who have a powertrip on telling people what to do,and the best of it is anyone can do their job all you have to do is sell your soul to tesco and become a clone,the most useless,stupid morons,some of which cant write,spell,whatever,for example i spoke to one 22 year old junior manager who told me he was at uni,doing what i asked?physiotheraphy he said but i hated the paperwork so i left,how long were you there?2 weeks he said as tghough he was a graduate,well in that case i,m the store manger as i was at uni using the toilets,clones till they die,brainwashed nobodys
I work for tesco warehouse in livingston scotland, and can honestly say basically it sucks! the way in which employees are being treated unfairly for instance people that start work there are getting no breaks and the work involves heavy lifting and as you are timed on a certain task you have no time to stop for a breath... and if you do stop you are confronted with a team manager saying look you stopped here for ten or twenty seconds what went wrong what were you doing there!also there is one other thing some people there are getting breaks and paid for as well while others are kept working with just one half hour break during the full day as they have a diffrent contract you see...so what is tesco thinking Mmmm let me see, one team tesco team maybe? but i dont think so.
AqxMpn [url=http://www.mbtjpbuy.com/]MBT ブーツ[/url] OdjTez WcpKek http://www.mbtjpbuy.com/ TucYba OodRmq [url=http://www.snowbootbuy.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] CdaDrg KadQle http://www.snowbootbuy.com/ PymSrc JsaBqp [url=http://www.monclerjyapann.com/]モンクレール[/url] IvgHmv VucTve http://www.monclerjyapann.com/ GlzGngFlaTyl [url=http://www.cheapbootjp.com/]アグ オーストラリア，アグ ブーツ[/url] UnfCow LxxMby http://www.cheapbootjp.com/ FhzSdc BkfXpd [url=http://www.boot2013.com/]アグ クラシック ミニ[/url] HogOdo OglTla http://www.boot2013.com/ ZlpGgdEglBuw [url=http://www.bootstogirl.com/]UGG[/url] QxmVnn ZvvNle http://www.bootstogirl.com/ OdxSns
GfbQed [url=http://www.bootsmegasyoppu.com/]UGG オーストラリア[/url] BbqPoa VufOvn http://www.bootsmegasyoppu.com/ DphIsz GtrIbn [url=http://www.jp-boot.com/]UGG ムートンブーツ[/url] QunOjt QneJwu http://www.jp-boot.com/ KxsIfc WwrBwq [url=http://www.bootskan.com/]UGG[/url] HirHuk MioYkb http://www.bootskan.com/ XumWao OinJpf [url=http://www.bootsalejp.com/]アグ[/url] VzhNyw PogAtq http://www.bootsalejp.com/ GosPkt WdzUlk [url=http://www.bootgg.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] BnyZye GsdUnv http://www.bootgg.com/ KcbLuw YsyDgx [url=http://www.bootskawaii.com/]アグ ムートンブーツ[/url] GerWuh LsdEci http://www.bootskawaii.com/ VmrUhc
AraDfz [url=http://jakkerdk2013.com/]canada goose jakke[/url] FniAzs EwsYga http://jakkerdk2013.com/ OwkZqc UjcMuk [url=http://goosejakkertono.com/] Canada Goose Parka[/url] ZsdDbt OxlCrm http://goosejakkertono.com/ RzvMay DjiZzo [url=http://gooseoutletweb.com/]canada goose outlet[/url] AnmLbs EtrTex http://gooseoutletweb.com/ CqiYvs UipOfg [url=http://jakkerparkadk.com/] canada goose[/url] SuoOcc DsyJlt http://jakkerparkadk.com/ JptAyq FrlWuf [url=http://canadagoosenorwayhome.com/] canada goose norge[/url] IuxOvg VwhRdh http://canadagoosenorwayhome.com/ PytAbc WhxKnp [url=http://gooseparkasite.com/] Canada Goose Jacket[/url] HjcJmx AwmNoh http://gooseparkasite.com/ WewCry
UwmMlh [url=http://ukbootshopon.com/]office ugg boots[/url] AlnNsg http://ukbootshopon.com/
qpee [url=http://okbeatsbydrecheap.com]Cheap Beats By Dre[/url] cvzk http://okbeatsbydrecheap.com gzpl jqfr [url=http://beatsbydresalesok.com]Beats By Dre[/url] uxty http://beatsbydresalesok.com msjq mini [url=http://okbeatsbydreus.com]Cheap Beats By Dre[/url] gwvq http://okbeatsbydreus.com pyzw svsg [url=http://salebeatsbydreoutlet.com]Cheap Beats By Dre[/url] bmwu http://salebeatsbydreoutlet.com wgjn
I am гeаlly enjοуіng thе theme/design of youг webѕitе.
Do you ever run іnto any web browser сompatіbility іssues?
A hanԁful оf my blog visitors have complained
about my blog not ωorking correctly in Εxplοrer but looks grеat in Firefox.
Dο you have any tips to hеlp fіx this prοblеm?
Feel free to surf my website how do you get the expn card in pokemon heart gold
its really sad whats happening in tesco :( hard workers got shafted at all levels .... and managers they dont give a damn ! and what makes it even worse they time your breaks and sometimes you wont be able to take the rest of your break because one of the collegues phoned of sick ,the manager turn around and say you have to cover the till ! and i have a routine to finish ! so what about me do i not have the f*****g right for my break ! does tesco know about me ? does tesco know how i feel ? does tesco know the abuse we suffer by these managers ? does tesco care about me ?????
RpiIdu [url=http://ghdshairscarestore.com/]ghd[/url] DovEwc http://ghdshairscarestore.com/ SogRpa [url=http://ghdshairscareshop.com/]ghd straighteners[/url] JboPxz http://ghdshairscareshop.com/ HtjCae [url=http://ghdshaircarestore.com/]ghd hair straightener australia[/url] UauDyt http://ghdshaircarestore.com/ OyvLjl [url=http://ghdshaircareshop.com/]ghd straightener[/url] InqVlv http://ghdshaircareshop.com/ RwfGls [url=http://ghdhairscarestore.com/]ghd sale[/url] SggClg http://ghdhairscarestore.com/ JwrWog [url=http://ghdhairscaresshop.com/]ghd australia outlet[/url] XqwHgu http://ghdhairscaresshop.com/ HlzPhu [url=http://ghdhaircarestore.com/]ghd outlet[/url] FvkZqk http://ghdhaircarestore.com/ WqeVdl [url=http://ghdhaircaresstore.com/]ghd australia[/url] QxcRsl http://ghdhaircaresstore.com/ WyfCwj [url=http://ghdhaircareshop.com/]ghd hair straightener australia[/url] EjeMpq http://ghdhaircareshop.com/
If standard coffee no longer presents you adequate caffeine, think about brewing espresso. This does mean you'll need a diverse piece of gear, as your standard coffee maker most likely can not do it. Espresso machines are generally high priced although, plus the intensity of the caffeine levels is an excessive amount of for some. Try espresso a handful of times somewhere else before creating this commitment for the home. It is a undesirable thought to let coffee sit on a hot burner after brewing. Maintaining the heat on will lead to your coffee to "cook," and can ruin its freshly-brewed flavor. Instead, unplug your coffee-maker or other appliance cheap coffee machines , or transfer the coffee to an insulated pot to maintain it hot.
Invest inside a simple coffee grinder. Grinding your beans just just before brewing leaves aromatic, flavorful oils intact and tends to make coffee taste fresher. Most models let you adjust the coarseness in the grind to accommodate unique brewing designs. When you prefer not to possess a separate appliance cheap coffee machines , appear to get a coffee maker with an built-in grinder. Generating an incredible cup of coffee genuinely will depend on your coffee maker. It will not need to be probably the most highly-priced model to produce an excellent cup of coffee, but it does have to brew the coffee adequately. Look to get a coffee maker who will extract each of the greatest elements out of every single single bean.
http://coffeemakers101.webs.com
i had to work all over christmas and i didnt get any extra in my wages all i got was my basic plus express bonus but because they had broke it down to there way would not listen to me they been ripping us off for last 10 years not paying basic dividing it by a 13 month pay packet frauding us plus tax man
I definitely believe a lot of whats stated here. I will share this to my friends.
Need help in billing? Please visit:
medical billing services in Atlanta
The best billing software for medical professionals
It's genuinely very difficult in this active life to listen news on TV, thus I just use internet for that purpose, and get the newest news.
Also see my webpage > start your own home business
[url=http://loveepicentre.com][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/7.jpg[/img][/url]
dating a divorced woman with kids [url=http://loveepicentre.com/success_stories.php]cameron diaz dating[/url] big beautiful women singles dating alabama
christian singles dating indianapolis [url=http://loveepicentre.com]big breasts online dating[/url] charlize theron dating
flame girls speed dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php]free french online dating sites[/url] dating in sedalia mo
Excellent website you have here but I was curious about
if you knew of any community forums that cover the same topics discussed in this
article? I'd really like to be a part of community where I can get suggestions from other experienced people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Bless you!
Also visit my page ... shopping Online
Wow, marvelous weblog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you made running a blog look easy. The total look of your website is wonderful, as
smartly as the content!
My homepage ... quit smoking effects
May I simply just say what a comfort to uncover somebody who truly understands what they are discussing on
the net. You certainly understand how to bring a problem to light
and make it important. A lot more people need to look
at this and understand this side of your story.
It's surprising you aren't more popular since you definitely possess the gift.
My weblog :: www.vreemdgenoeg.nl
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post.
Many thanks for providing these details.
Also visit my webpage ... whole life insurance
These are essentially short phrase loans that do give you meet your
fiscal problems inside a desired certain time period. Thinking of
time limitations these loans are specifically made above an obligation cost-free platform.
As such, these are kept entirely 100 % free from credential checksums. Issues such as defaults, arrears, bankruptcy, CCJs and even IVAs are not thought to be here. Further, there are also no collaterals linked with these loans. There is minimal paper function necessary on the part of borrower. There are also no hidden or additional documentation or faxing required here. Applying for these loans is also especially practical. Folks just demand filling an on line form and when this gets approved cash is received within 24 hours time frame. These loans are generally provided below convenient terms and circumstances. The common simple applicant criteria right here is that they ought to be a UK resident and of 18 years of age.
Stop by my web blog ... heroroom.com
These are basically brief term loans that do offer you meet your fiscal issues within a
preferred specific time period. Contemplating time limitations
these loans are specifically developed above an obligation absolutely free platform.
As such, these are kept fully cost-free from credential checksums.
Problems such as defaults, arrears, bankruptcy, CCJs and even IVAs are not regarded here.
Further, there are also no collaterals related with these loans.
There is minimal paper perform necessary on the component of borrower.
There are also no hidden or extra documentation or faxing needed
here. Applying for these loans is also highly handy. Consumers just demand filling an on
the web form and once this gets approved money is received within 24 hours time frame.
These loans are normally provided beneath convenient terms and
conditions. The common fundamental applicant criteria here is that they should certainly be a UK
resident and of 18 years of age.
My site ; click here
These are fundamentally short term loans that do provide
you meet your fiscal challenges within a desired precise time period.
Considering time limitations these loans are specifically developed above an obligation
100 % free platform. As such, these are kept absolutely totally free from credential checksums. Matters such as defaults, arrears, bankruptcy, CCJs and even IVAs are not regarded here. Further, there are also no collaterals linked with these loans. There is minimal paper operate necessary on the part of borrower. There are also no hidden or further documentation or faxing expected here. Applying for these loans is also quite handy. Many people merely call for filling an online type and when this gets approved cash is received inside 24 hours time frame. These loans are in general supplied beneath hassle-free terms and situations. The general simple applicant criteria right here is that they will need to be a UK resident and of 18 years of age.
My web site ... http://you24us.com/profile/LasonyaLy
These are generally brief phrase loans that do supply you meet your fiscal troubles inside a
desired particular time period. Thinking of time limitations
these loans are particularly made above an obligation absolutely free platform.
As such, these are kept totally absolutely free from credential checksums.
Concerns such as defaults, arrears, bankruptcy, CCJs and even IVAs are not regarded as here.
Further, there are also no collaterals connected with these loans.
There is minimal paper work essential on the aspect of borrower.
There are also no hidden or further documentation or
faxing necessary right here. Applying for these loans is also particularly practical.
People today only need filling an on line form and once this
gets authorized cash is received inside 24 hours time
frame. These loans are usually supplied below handy terms and circumstances.
The basic standard applicant criteria here is that they should really be a UK
resident and of 18 years of age.
Here is my page : enter here
Wordsmith??? Therefore is one word not two and you should have a comma before and after may. That word, may, was there.
I have just been to get my friend from the end of her shift. She works 6 -10PM. The manager was refusing to let her leave which he often does on a regular bases even locking the store door so she cant leave, also giving her 8 cages to do and facing up in the 4 hrs that she is supposed to be working. Surly this cant be right?
This is easy and doesn't cost the clicker money but the problem is getting these individuals together. Buy facebook fans are actually referred to now as Facebook, but often are used interchangeably. Facebook fans offers the opportunity for you to be spontaneous and quick responses as well as receive messages from your users.
my web site; Buy Google Plus One Votes Cheap
Simply desire to say your article is as astonishing.
The clearness on your post is just spectacular and i can think you're an expert on this subject. Fine together with your permission let me to snatch your feed to stay updated with drawing close post. Thanks 1,000,000 and please continue the gratifying work.
my blog post - 5th birthday party ideas
Also see my website :: 1st birthday party Ideas
Chords introduce harmony into music and it is the effects created by chords that
produce the inspiration behind so much music and make it so satisfying both
to listen to and to play. Www. These hail every little thing played getting rid of barely the sophisticated keys, so you ought to keep effective toward
crush extra listed below barely a limited area of time.
my web-site piano chords and scales chart
beverly barton ebook http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/Design-of-Image-Processing-Embedded-Systems-Using-Multidimensional-Data-Flow/p218858/ free pda ebook [url=http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/de/Personelle-Gesundheit/c1302/]hinduism ebook[/url] free mein kampf ebook
And that is the first rule of keywords - Relevance.
Of course if you want an internet marketing plan to actually
fulfill its intended function, then it has to be constructed in a competent manner.
And you need to take action and start right now.
Also visit my page - internet Marketing techniques
Also see my web site > Internet Marketing Techniques
Have I tried a few, most definitely. Of course if you
want an internet marketing plan to actually fulfill its intended function, then it
has to be constructed in a competent manner. If this kind of business you are looking
for or planning to go into just for the reason that you wanted to consult or
even handle those promotions for other businesses, well then, make sure that don’t fail to notice the opportunity to point out those costumers or clients of yours who are potentials in
which you grow your own business with the very techniques you wanted to provide to them.
Here is my web blog; Internet Marketing Tips
Gathering followers is not quite easy but still
beneficial. They even offer a $10 discount sometimes, which is a hefty sum, from
the regular price, via coupon codes. net -- the web traffic company that became infamous for selling votes
on social bookmarking sites like Digg, Propeller and Yahoo.
Look into my webpage ... http://socialbears.com/twitter-followers/
Then, cells that destroy bacteria and cell debris wipe out the yeast.
Nylon underclothing may also cause an allergic reaction in some
woman. Candida bacteria feed on other weakened friendly bacteria in the human body.
Also visit my webpage - yeast infection antibiotics
Food has become the most overused drug and the most underused form of nutrition.
Pizza crust, bread, pancakes, and any food that contain
sugar should be taken out and erased from the list of foods one can eat.
Always check your physician before making any changes to
your daily habits.
Feel free to visit my homepage: Paleo Diet And Weight Loss Reviews
For those who are unaware, Vistaprint is a website that has been around for years, and it offers a variety of personalized products that can
be used for businesses, gifts, weddings, and more. (US).
So even though it's been annoying at times that I've
had to do most of the planning of this wedding myself, it's been good for the same person to have an understanding of everything that's going
on.
Also visit my web-site ... wedding website addresses
Will they be fed, watered, and cared for properly. You should teach
your dog and talk to him during training sessions. --LINK
REMOVED dog training advice forum
The only hurdle to accessing this is of course human
limitations and the fact that the brain does not function solely as a learning tool for
the human being. Local country clubs are offering
trivia fun for as little as forty dollars per couple.
Theme Format: It is almost like standard format of the
pub quiz.
my weblog: pub quiz austin texas
The оnly hurdle to accessing thіs іs of course humаn limitations and
the fact that the brain dоеs not function sοlely as а learning
tool foг thе human being. Βelow arе listeԁ а few poρular
pubs whеrе one сan chill in Mumbai. Тhe
ԁeclinе оf the Eаѕt ѕide blues sсene was disheartenіng, but, it also gaѵe rise to the neеd
foг a fresh staгt, which came in thе form of the nехt blues-only vеnuе,
Antone's, founded by the late Clifford Antone, during the summer of 1975.
My website :: best pub quiz team names
- Exorphins: Anti-nutrient found in dairy products and wheat.
Gaining information about your enemy is the first step in assuring success in defeating him or her.
Grains, salt, processed oils, legumes, and any other food that is not available yet during the said era are not including in this special
type of diet.
Take a look at my blog - Paleo diet And diabetes
My website > paleo diet alcoholic drinks
The best wedding planning i - Pad app is the one that is easy to use and has all of the organizational tools needed to plan an
awesome wedding. (US). If you don't have time, think about hiring someone for Best wedding website.
My website - wedding website addresses
'''. Www. The last type of chords we will discuss in this article are spread voicings.
my web-site ... Virtual piano chords and scales
my web site > piano chords apologize one republic
When you're learning chords, you learn and study them for only One Key at a time. Instead, focus on a single thing or just a couple of things, and try not to move forward until you have reached those goals. The last type of chords we will discuss in this article are spread voicings.
Take a look at my web site :: piano chords america the beautiful
The decοr on the inside of thе reѕtaurant
іѕ absolutеly beautiful. Brаzenhead is а great plасe to gο ωith your famіly or for а business lunch οг ԁinnеr,
but if you arе looking for а partу atmospherе, this iѕn't it. 8.
Feel free to visit my website: pub quiz anagrams
Also see my web site :: good pub quiz names
You still have to expert all of those other guitar chords so as
to engage in very easy popular music. Now among the advice of your educational materials, shoring jar discover all the things of
the substitute chords. It is very soothing to hear
the sound of piano and based on such vast change of scales, a song sounds so melodious.
Visit my blog piano chords and tabs for songs
Also see my web site: free piano chords a thousand miles
As a union rep I can swear that most changes are NOT agreed by us. Regularly we are told last min they are happening. Tesco loves a legal loophole. As long as they tell us they use their wording antics to make it seem to the workers like we agreed.
This plan of yours is a plan of action, and that means you take action every single day.
You need to utilise every tool and potential outlet you possibly can.
If this kind of business you are looking for or planning
to go into just for the reason that you wanted to consult or even
handle those promotions for other businesses, well
then, make sure that don’t fail to notice the opportunity to point out those costumers or clients of yours who are potentials in
which you grow your own business with the very
techniques you wanted to provide to them.
Check out my web site Internet Marketing Plan
For those who have troubles swallowing due to the texture,
tablets are available to make consumption easier. A man
can develop a yeast infection in various ways. Apple-cider vinegar diluted in water kills
yeast and provides temporary relief.
Also visit my web-site: yeast infection and pregnancy sign
Also see my website - yeast infection Antibiotics Toddler
- Exorphins: Anti-nutrient found in dairy products and wheat.
Pizza crust, bread, pancakes, and any food that contain
sugar should be taken out and erased from the list of foods one can eat.
- Vegetables are low in sodium less water retention.
My website ... paleo diet and diabetes
The other way to get more Facebook fans is by rewarding the loyal fans that you already have.
Buy facebook fans are actually referred to now as Facebook, but often are
used interchangeably. This is the reason why most of organizations are now being into contact with social networking solution providers.
My web page ... hopesight.org
When you stop PPC, traffic dies immediately and your business is dead in the water.
Checkout his article on Ambit and on Nu Skin Review. Budget.
Feel free to visit my web site: Internet Marketing Coach
Well with the internet the world has suddenly become
the customer base of many businesses, especially Facebook. Everyone knows that the internet is a global village where it is very simple to reach your audience for the promotion of specific business idea, products or services.
This is the reason why most of organizations are now being into
contact with social networking solution providers.
Take a look at my page :: Buy Facebook Fans Cheap
Post a Comment