This review will talk about the objective merrits/faults of the company. Staff friendliness, management etc varies from store to store but I'll relate to my own store in those regards.
Job Work/Life balance
I think this is good. You get contracted hours which are always fixed and according to your available hours (which you register on their site) you will be allocated extra shifts. Additionally,via the site, you can pick up extra shifts in the 'shift marketplace'. If you have other responsibilities in life like family, study or other jobs, simply make sure these time of unavailability are reflected in your availability record and you'll never have any conflicts. As other reviewers have noted, Next may change your shift times on shift day with NO notice. They expect you to live on the portal. I have experienced such a change once and was able to get to work earlier as per the change but if I ever don't I'll let them know that it's unrealistic to expect everyone to pick up same day changes.
IMPORTANT! The EU has a law in place called the Working Time Directive. This states that you are entitled to 11 hours off between shifts. I've heard anecdotal evidence and personal evidence that Next doesn't observe this. I think this is due to the availability times that you register when you start. If you have 00:15-23:45 Monday-Sunday you seemingly waive this entitlement. Once you join the company, make sure that you go onto the website and allocate yourself those 11 hours (e.g
I have worked for next 3 times i was still at school when i stared and it was awful, it was my first job and i never had any training and managers treated me terribly. They spoke down to all staff and treated you like you were not working even when you were with customers. Needless to say i left after 2 months.
The second time i worked for the company it was a different store, i was at university and it was so much better the management were nicer and the staff were so much happier at there job. I got a lot of training which made me feel much more confident in the job and i felt appreciated by managers. It was unfortunate that i had to leave as i did enjoy working there.
I currently work for the company in a different store again and it is the worst yet. I might be because there has been changes to the company but it is awful. I have not been working there long but i am constantly applying for other jobs as i am miserable in this job. The managers treat the staff badly in the way they talk to you, constantly on your back and talk to you like you are beneath them. Some floor managers are lovely but others are really unfriendly, unhelpful and rude when i see them on the shop floor they never smile they just scowl at you like you are doing something wrong by being in there presence.
The contracted hours are terrible, you get really small contract hours but they expect you to work extra hours when they click there fingers. They don't work by the contract, as they are meant to ask
Prosend of the day.
Consmanagement
1.0
Sales Consultant | Cwmbran Town | 15 Jan 2018
Awful place to work
Awful training. After showing you some of what you need to do, they expect it to be perfect. Tell you to ask when you need help but some people seem annoyed when you do ask. Treated like dirt by customers and some employees. Overworked because a lot of people quitting and not taking on more people. Only good thing is that extra hours can be taken up online and some nice people. No training for difficult customers. Overheard staff gossiping about other members of staff. Looked down at for having learning difficulties. Minimum wage is not worth working somewhere that makes you feel completely worthless and stupid, even though I have a degree.
When booking days off, constantly asked to come in. Managers making staff members look stupid to customers. Told after a month of working there that I was wearing the wrong uniform. Told I was not allowed to wear leggins when I had smart skinny trousers on. Shop floor staff have to wear shoes that are not comfortable for the type of work. If you are working shop floor and delivery in one day, you are not allowed to wear comfortable clothes that are safe for carrying heavy boxes. This was not said in a professional manner, I felt more like a naughty child being told off.
Left on my own to work during a busy Christmas shift when I wasn't trained efficiently. Till training was just showing you once and expecting you to remember everything. When not sure about something, someone would just take over or rush through showing what nee
ProsStaff discount. Online portal for picking up hours and booking time off.
ConsThe way you are treated, bonuses, never enough equipment, Customers, some staff, small staff room, management, lack of training...
2.0
Sales Consultant | London | 11 Jul 2015
Needs to really invest in looking after it's employees!
I'm here for the up and coming Sale of Spring-Summer. Generally speaking, it is a fast-paced working environment that can really pile on the levels of stress. That you learn to live with.
However, being a newbie and a fabric in particular from a previous retail background doesn't really carry any weight in the eyes of certain levels of management in this company.
You get sucked in, as at first they are nice as pie and appear to move heaven and earth for you, however, as weeks go by, the 'mood' changes.
I want to work and I have work ethic, but ultimately, I'm no gopher or just somebody who is talked down too and made to feel inadequate rather than be filled with encouragement.
They have 'Team Coaches' within departments, but you rarely hear from them; maybe because the 'Sales Co-ordinators' are constantly around to muscle in - there's a lot of power-tripping from certain people because of their position - it's as if they are insecure within their own fulfilment of just working there and need some kind of a buzz from telling others "do you want to" or, "Can you serve", the moment you turn you back to make the effort in clearing those till banks which they can have a go at you for the moment in nature of activity, those surfaces pile up with stock.
They don't look after their employees as well as they should do and one example is sticking you on one particular zone all the time; that means, one person could effectively be serving on tills throughout their entiret
ProsGood clothes and great women!
Consunsociable hours!!!!!!!!!!!
1.0
Stocking Associate | West Midlands | 13 Dec 2018
Use as stepping stone and move on
Stock/delivery assistant
All the work you do and the time you take to do it is monitored through a productivity system. This productivity system also determines your bonus but more on this later.
So for example, an 8 hour shift with 30min unpaid break, you need to be on the delivery system for 7hours 30 min.
How does this work?
You come in to work, you clock in and then get told what delivery you're processing. This can be anything from home dept to kidswear.
You grab the tubs/rails/pallets of stock for the relevant stock and you are then required to scan the stock on to a workstation you're assigned to. Eg If I'm processing kidwear, I will have to scan tubs of stock onto Kids 1 workstation etc. The tubs will give you time on a workstation depending on how full they are.
So for a 7.5 hour shift, you need to scan about 5.5-6 hours worth of stock on to your work station, This will give you 1.5-2 hours to put the stock away or on to the shopfloor once you've processed.
That means for the next 6 hours or so, you're stood in one spot pulling packaging off items and then tagging, hanging and size cubing items.
The bonus depends on how productive you are or how much stock you process. So if you do the bare minimum as I've mentioned above and just process 6 hours worth of stock, assuming the store is hitting sales and customer service targets, you will get around 50p/hour.
The company however now expects you to do a lot more though, so you will be expected
Pros25% discount with 75% off uniform. Non management colleagues
ConsRotas, store managers, benefits constantly eroded, pay, expectations
3.0
Sales Assistant | Croydon | 8 Dec 2012
Not for everyone
I've been working for Next for nearly 2 years now, working in 2 different stores.
My first store was in a local town centre, so it was rarely busy on weekdays. Because of this, customer service was always top priority, and you were always pushed to do your best. Training is good, but staff can be unfriendly and two-faced.
My current store is the opposite; A very busy store just outside Central London. The main priority here, is trying to get through the day. The customers are rude, staff can be lazy, and management unfair. Training for new staff is virtually non-existent, with new starters being thrown into situations they can't handle yet.
Customer service standards are pretty low, unless mystery shoppers are about. Despite this, staff get along very well.
Regardless of which store you work in, there are many things which are the same throughout the company.
-New starters are normally given the worst jobs and shifts, and sometimes taken advantage of, so beware.
-Every single member of staff is required to work on Christmas Eve and Boxing day.
-You are required to learn about your department (even weekend staff), and at times, it can seem like alot to take in.
-You are required to promote the online voucher (when it's valid), by asking EVERY customer. Managers get on your case if you don't reach target. (You do get paid for it now though)
-You get 75% discount on your uniform for work. You get 25% discount on everything else
-Job advancement is so-so. You'll probably be doi
Prosflexible shifts, bonus, uniform and staff discount, friendly staff, constantly have tasks to complete
Consbad management, understaffed, repetitive work
1.0
Stocking Associate | Southampton | 20 Jan 2013
Poor management, tedious job
As a Student I had a 4hour flexible contract with the company and was told that extra hours are usually available and shifts could be moved if my course got in the way.
I learned... nothing. I don't even know who my manager was. Every shift involved taking clothes out of bags, putting size cubes on and then hanging them around the stockroom. I had no health and safety training for the ladders which I used and some of them were questionably stable; I nearly fell once as the base slipped when I stood at the top.
I could never move my shifts when I needed to if Uni interfered. Despite giving all of the other available dates I'd be able to work in the given week when I needed a Saturday off I just had no hours so was left unpaid.
The online rota system is terrible as well. You can see up to 2 sundays in advance my logging into the employee portal. My shift would regularly change unexpectedly and on several occasions I would be see a shift on a sunday which would then change back to saturday during the week leaving me unable to plan my weekends.
No additional hours were ever available besides during the run up to Christmas, despite what I had been told in the interview. The management 'forgot' to inform the Stockroom that Christmas Eve and Boxing Day are compulsory shifts (this is not in the contract) , they only decide christmas hours 2weeks in advance and use the online rota so nobody is told or asked about availability. As I had no internet for a few days I didn't find out
As Merit Sales and Team Coach of the Ladieswear and Childrenswear departments, my typical day at work can vary quite dramatically. Above anything else, my most important task is to maintain high quality customer service, no matter where I am where I am working on the shop floor. My title as Merit Sales shows that I am prepared to go above and beyond for customers in the store. Strong product knowledge and years of retail experience have enabled me to quickly react to the needs of a customer and spot any buying signals they may need assistance with. As a Team Coach I provide training, guidance and leadership to new or less experienced members of our retail team. Throughout my day, I could be assisting any number of customers or working with my colleagues to provide the best customer service.
Through out my time at Next, I have learnt a tremendous amount about the retail environment as well as working with others towards a common goal. I have learnt a huge amount about how our Brighton store works as a business and how providing great customer service translates into sales towards our targets.
The Management team at Next are very friendly and hard-working. I would never feel uncomfortable asking them anything or for any advice. The same goes for my colleagues, of whom are equally hard working and go that extra mile for customers. The team at our store in Brighton is very strong and there is rarely anyone someone doesn't get on with.
The most challenging aspect of wo
ProsFlexible hours, great colleagues, challenging yet diverse roles
ConsLimited to 20 hours a week, occasionally strict policies
1.0
Sales Consultant | Leeds | 7 Nov 2014
NEVER WORK FOR NEXT - SHORT SHIFTS, MANAGEMENT RUDE!!!
I worked for Next in Leeds for 3 years and has to be the WORST job ever! The work is pretty basic simple stuff but the fact that you are left to do it on your own without training is the hard part or when your left to run around like a mad man trying to do 3 peoples worth of work.
The give you really short breaks and small 3 hour contracts. They expect you to work whenever they click there fingers.
Unless you can attach yourself into one of the 'drinking clicks' your work life will not be very pleasant. Managers will often contradict each other, there is always one rule for one person and another for you and if you try and argue your point you will be threatening with a disciplinary for answering back.
Management consists of sales merits, coordinators, team coaches, sales managers and store managers. No training is given but they say if help is needed then ask but when you do its too much of a effort to help out.
They always keep us in behind after closing time to clear up the sales floor but we don't get paid for it. Usually 30-45 after our shifts finish. No surprise that all the part timers leave instantly.
The co-workers were mainly young women in early 20s who were very terrible, gosspy, and awful people. Always talking about partying and talking very rudely about customers that were in the store. You're meant to be part of a team, but the staff would not help you out even when you would tanoy for them. They would getaway with it considering they were
ProsDiscount, shift marketplace but no one takes shifts because they hate working there
Conslong hours, short breaks, last minute shifts
1.0
Sales Consultant | Morecambe | 27 Jun 2015
I couldn't wait to start then soon began to wish I never had!
There's many things wrong with Next, firstly when you start your put on the changing rooms because your not trained on the tills, then your barely trained on the tills and left on your own so when customers come in for returns etc you would feel useless!!
When this happens you have to find someone who has been trained and ask them which would annoy customers obviously and you'd feel an idiot.
Many times I was put on a department away from anyone for example the man's department which is normally upstairs and barely any staff are around so when a customer would come with the likes of a return you would have to ring management of the department to come and do this for you which they would make you feel like your a pain even though the company haven't provided the correct training!
The management would be so blunt and stay out of the way of staff but when they were around normally first thing in a morning whilst they tell you which department your working on they would be rude and speak down to you.
Whilst I was there I went away on holiday came back to there been a rubbish mystery shop which wasn't my problem as I'd been off but the management would take it out on everybody and scream across the shop floor at you if you left a customer waiting for even 2 minutes whilst you clean the shop floor which was embarrassing and rude!
Then during a sale the management would pick on silly points such as moaning to all the staff in front of customers that the hangers need to go
ProsNo pros
Conseverything it was awful!
Questions and answers about Next PLC
Why did you leave your job at NEXT Plc.?
Asked 16 Mar 2017
I work at DVP if a manager is trying to bully or is rude, they get twice back. I stand no bull, I send them into a mentally unfit state. I enjoy it, mind games is great. I also have time off when I want, stuff em.
Answered 16 Sep 2020
I had to leave for my mental health. There is not enough time to do your job. When you reach a target, they increase targets. The managers insist on you making 100% targets every day, and you're not allowed
one mistake, when you're working at break - neck speed. Even when they put you on something new that you've not been trained on. They have these "guns," or "zebras" as they call them, which monitor where you are every second of the day, even timing you on the toilet. All this for minimum wage. You are dehumanised, they break your spirit every single day. One day, I broke down from the pressure and the bullying, and I realised I had to leave, as the place was driving me insane. The colleagues are lovely, just not the head office / management and rules.
Skinny colleagues were allowed to wear black leggings, but not me (size 14).
You are forced to buy your uniform, but it's their choice of outfit. Which you have to buy.
Answered 26 Aug 2020
What is the Next PLC employee discount?
Asked 17 Mar 2017
Clothing allowance
Answered 11 Dec 2019
Next staff discount 25% on purchases, also 75% off for uniform allowance
Answered 7 Jun 2019
When do you get paid? Weekly? Monthly? Do you have to wait for the staff discount
Asked 12 May 2017
New thing... you get paid weekly if you are new to the business. You can opt out to monthly. But cant opt back in. Existing employees cant opt into weekly pay
Answered 26 Jul 2019
I get paid weekly although I can request to get paid monthly if i wanted too, and had to wait until I was made permanent (3 weeks) to receive my staff discount. However I have worked there for five months and yet to receive my uniform allowance.
Answered 14 Jul 2019
What is the organisational culture at Next PLC?
Asked 2 Mar 2017
Recently the work load has been crazy because of online work and cutting cleaning hours and minimum cover... however still expected to get same jobs done. Stressing managers out and staff are chasing their tails as they cant finish anything off
Answered 26 Jul 2019
Make our share price rise and rise
Answered 25 May 2018
What would you suggest Next management do to prevent others from leaving?
Asked 28 Mar 2017
Be honest from day one. Nobody actually knows what it is they expect of you. They treat everyone like uneducated eejits.
Answered 4 Aug 2019
I would suggest starting with the management themselves. The issue I had in the store I worked in was predominantly an issue with management. They were all horrific to work around, constantly gossiped, thought they were better than everyone else. This meant the workers had no respect for them and hated their job. I raised a complaint about another staff member to my assistant store manager, which I was told to drop and ignore because they were friends outside of work. There was another manager hearing this conversation when it happened, who said nothing and did not intervene. Did not mention the fact that this was extremely unethical and the manager in question should of been disciplined for. Next is the worst company I have ever worked for. No progression, terrible pay, no care for staff and safeguarding.
