a typical day at work entailed being constantly bullied and treated horrible. Management is terrible as they are lazy and bully their staff. The other temporary staff were brilliant lovely people. there are no good things about working for card factory the money is awful and so is the management. Dont work here even if your desperate.
This is most definitely the worst company I have ever worked for. When I began this job 7 months ago I was told that it was great to work for with a lot of benefits. While I began as a sales assistant I was quickly 'promoted' to a 3rd Keyholder. I have regretted this decision ever since. If you become a 3rd Keyholder (aka: Supervisor) you have the same responsibilities as an assistant manager, however you will be paid minimum wage unless the manager and assistant manager are not working. In some cases you will have keyholding responsibilties while they are working so they will get paid for it - you won't but any problems fall back on you.
Also, you are required to come into work 15 minutes early, which is to allow time to count your till before beginning, however you can be made to work for free during those 15 minutes and will not get that back in any form of payment or break, as all breaks are unpaid. You will also be expected to stay in for 15 minutes (minimum) after you stop being paid if you are working the evening shift. This may be due to cashing up issues or because the manager/ assistant manager do not allow to you leave when you are meant to because they will continue to find jobs that need done, such as filling out gift bags or the card racks (which can be done the next if it is really necessary)
You are expected to dedicate your life to Card Factory, expect phone calls asking you to work on your day off and if you cannot then you should not expect your manager t
Consminimum breaks. minimum wage. breaks the law. no consideration for employees.
I had a very uncomfortable interview with the manageress there and at that point had I not been desperate, I would not have applied. The job itself is easy, albeit very frustrating. You are given a role of tidying cards but serving customers at the same time. That means you cannot get anything done. All my colleagues were very nice and the shop plays music all day which is also a light relief. But the manageress will constantly tell you what you are doing is wrong and will never praise you for working hard so this leaves you feeling unmotivated. Christmas I imagine is a total nightmare. I have been told that queues form outside the door. My advice is to try for any other minimum wage job but this one.
ProsMusic, and nice colleagues
ConsNever expect to use your inititative or expect thanks.
There is a friendly staff
Job is easy and not stressful
Different job options
Various shifts patterns
Unfortunately no bonuses.
minimum wage
No sick pay
Head office don't discuss things together. You get one telling you how they want things then another comes in and changes it then first person comes back and tells you to put it back.people at head office think they are so superior to you and expect you to stand to attention.sone very horrid people who belittle you and don't see how hard you work
ProsNone
ConsHave to work loads of hours unpaid to get tasks done.never enough room in stockrooms
really long and tiring hrs . do expect a lot from you with little wage offered .you are not allowed a social life. easiest thing is getting in the hardest thing is getting out.
a lot of two face people who try to stir it between new members of staff same to take on any one as a lot of people shouldn't be in the job they are doing .
met some really nice people saying that most of them are temps
no commutation from head office to management
the job can be enjoyable depends who you work with.
card factory same to let any one be a 3rd key holder usually silly little girls who throw there rattle out of the pram when they don't get there own way.think there entitled to numerous smoke breaks and tries to turn every one against you, Very two face staff who think because they have been there longer they no everything and try to exclude you and make you feel uncomfortable so you will leave. key holders who can't manage staff as i said let any one be as key holder
Prosgetting out
Consworking with silly little girls, long hrs, really bad pay
I was an assistant manager working under a bully of a manager which is the normal thing for card factory managers as I knew a few. This company is very much if your face fits your ok otherwise your fighting for hours. They make you do a lot of unpaid work. Hardly any breaks. Things are always said behind your back. Nothing is ever done professionally. I worked in the essex area and I know at least 4 stores were the same. Card factory do not care in the slightest about there staff. You can be called in with no notice and if you can't work it your be the worst person ever. The wages are also very poor!
Prosthere isn't any and im not exaggerating.
Constoo many too put the main one is the bullying.
Great place to work especially at Christmas when it gets really. really, really busy which I love. My manger and assistant manger are great to work for. They really believe in me and trust me. They always call me first when there more hours available. They always give me the days I need off. The whole team is amazing and we are more like family then work colleagues
I started as a Christmas temp, no interview just was told to sign something, was only later told it was my contract. Only paid minimum wage, so £4.35 an hour as I am 16 years old. I was not given a copy of my contract. Put on the tills on my first shift, next to no training, with queues 10 people long all the time it was very overwhelming. I was left on my own on the tills, as I ‘had to learn’, wasn’t to,d what to do when I needed help. I then got kept on after, all the other employees sat in the back drinking tea, left me on the tills always. I was treated with disregard, on empty days given nothing to do and sometimes they forgot about my breaks. I worked there for just over 4 months and I have just quit, would not recommend working there. I was traumatised as this was my first job, I had no experience and I could not see until afterwards how unfairly I was treated.
friendly atmosphere, i was taught all aspects of the job, i enjoyed working with the public helping people find what they needed. I enjoyed the fast paced working role, my manager was the best iv ever worked for very friendly ,fair and helpful.The best company iv ever worked for.
I was only there under a seasonal contract but I really enjoyed my time there. I was trained well by the permanent staff and I was able to ask for any help with what ever I needed help with. The manger that I was under was very understanding of my family situation and it was just a nice place to be in.
ProsNice staff and good communication
ConsNo extension of contract
5.0
Customer Service Representative | Glasgow | Mar 27, 2018
my review just gives my opinion on a few things from working in the card factory.
my daily duties involved stock taking, stocking shelves , operating tills , delivering excellent customer service and general house keeping.
i learned how to handle money and how to help a customer in need.
my manager was very supportive, i got on great with her she also taught me new skills.
everybody in the workplace was very friendly and down to earth.
The hardest part of the job would have been working the tills but once i learned it was ok.
the most enjoyable part of the job was helping people get what they needed.
working in the card factory wasa great opportunity for me to build costumer service, meeting deadlines and being around different people everyday , it was always busy where it was Christmas times and if im honest i enjoyed that i like being around people
Manager easily got stressed and took it out on staff
The manager had bad customer service skills. The sales assistants were very helpful in assisting you if there was something you was n unsure about. Although it was a seasonal job I enjoyed most of my time with the company.
Steady day to day work, I took great pride in sorting out displays.
Busy at peak times, sometimes under-staffed when very busy periods occur.
Co-Workers were easy to get along with and work alongside.
ProsGood Location
ConsObscure start/finish hours
1.0
Customer Service Representative | Lincoln | Jul 5, 2019
Horrible place
Worst place to work at. Staff are not nice, especially when you’re new to the job. you get treated very badly if you’re not ‘in with the staff’. very long hours, sometimes you don’t even get a break but the other staff members think that they can take a break whenever they want! I was under 18 at the time and i was allowed a 15 minute break per 4 hours working however i never did. it even stated this in the staff room and on my contract
High expectations with MANY other issues all on minimum wage
For the Minimum wage you will be asked to work unpaid hours as a "favour" and if you don't due to having a life the manager will cut your hours out of spite. If they call you last minute to come in and you are unable due to other out of work circumstances, they will cut your hours as well because they don't view you as beneficial for the operations of the store when they need you. At this point which is a fact they will not consider whether a family member is on their death bed or you are extremely ill.
Some weeks you will get 4 hours but yet demand one to put them as a priority drop everything else and if you're lucky you will get more hours.
No health and safety adherence from my own experience physical and verbal abuse by colleagues or even management is classed as normal.
Hard work is not recognised and motivation is not evident from management, team work is there on the good days. Management will expect you to work as a team for them when they need it such as working for free during stock takes which takes at least 2 full working days
You will only get half an hour break but those who smoke are given breaks inbetween and you are made to feel that you are not even entitled to a break and you're close to loosing your job if you consider taking your hour or half hour break during a full day shift sometimes not at all, from what I know this is actually illegal
There is very little opportunity for growth unless as previously stated.....you work free hours as a
I worked on the tills for my shifts. I served customers on a daily basis and helped out customers with any problems they had. I learned how to work the tills.
I spent 10 years totally loyal to Card Factory. However if someone better comes along you are totally pushed out. Blew the whistle on the manager for not acting on bullying in store and I got pushed out by the Manager and Area Manager. Totally unprofessional place to work
Questions And Answers about Card Factory
I'm 16. Am I eligible to apply here?
Asked Mar 12, 2019
At 16 yes.
Answered Jun 5, 2020
Card Factory employs people aged 16 and above 👍
Answered Apr 19, 2020
How many hours is classed as part time
Asked Feb 17, 2019
30 hours a week, if you go over by request of manager this will be paid as overtime
Answered Apr 19, 2020
Anything under 30 hours a week. If you go over this will be overtime
Answered Apr 19, 2020
What is the work environment and culture like at Card Factory?
Asked Nov 2, 2018
Very good. If you have a good team the days can go very quick
Answered Apr 19, 2020
Horrible, no atmospheres
Answered Nov 2, 2018
What is the vacation policy like at Card Factory? How many vacation days do you get per year?
Asked Aug 5, 2020
minimum according to government guidelines
Answered Aug 5, 2020
If you were in charge, what would you do to make Card Factory a better place to work?
