Dreadful place to work, steer clear !!!! - Recensione dipendente - Customer Assistant presso Laura Ashley

Easy to see why staff turnover so high as bullied and intimidated by managers on a daily basis and threatened with 'disciplinary' action for the slightest (and often imagined) misdemeanours. Impossibly high standards and targets are set which seem to be in place to install fear rather than inspire hard work. The training videos bare little resemblance to what happens on shop floor as team are expected to complete (often nonsensical) tasks to the detriment of good customer service. Pressured into selling the in store MasterCard which is time consuming and ties up the tills (queues build up and sales are lost) Threatened with disciplinary action if accounts not opened. Locked in each night to spend further 20 minutes 'tidying', expected to go over shop with fine tooth comb, everything to be examined for perfection five times over. Utter madness. Customers are greeted at front door in an effort to deter shoplifting as tight fisted company won't install CCTV or employ security meaning staff are unprotected and open to suspicion. You will be expected to work any hours and days you are given, including most weekends, often at short notice. Most of the staff were working 50% extra hours than stated on their contracts, perhaps this was deliberate and to avoid paying extra holiday pay and uniform allowance? The uniform allowance and staff discount seem generous but products are expensive and my personal opinion is that the clothing range is very overpriced, though the sales are good. Staff expected to hand their life over to the company to the detriment of their family responsibilities, health and welfare.