Almac
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DismissAlmac manufacture pharmaceuticals.
almacgroup.comBased on responses from 33 employees at Almac.
About jobs at Almac
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Almac pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
96% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The new Living Wage rates were announced on Thursday 22 September 2022.
The rates are now £10.90 per hour, and £11.95 per hour in London.
Employers are expected to implement the rise as soon as possible but by the latest 14 May 2023.
On the 14 May 2023, employers’ Breakroom Rating will be updated to reflect this.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Good
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Most people are paid market rates
Do Almac pay market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
79% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Bad
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Almac get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
83% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Good
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Most people get sick pay
Do Almac pay sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
73% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Almac do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
81% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Good
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do workers at Almac worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
100% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Almac workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
54% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Bad
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Almac workers to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
82% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and November 2022.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Almac?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
79% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Good
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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Almac managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
96% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Almac?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
76% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Good
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Most parents say it’s good
Is working at Almac good if you’re a parent or carer?
Most parents and carers say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
67% of people who care for a child or other relative report this is a good place to work.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2020 and December 2022.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Almac feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
78% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do people at Almac get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
36% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Okay
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Some people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Almac?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
58% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Good
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Most people enjoy their job
Do people at Almac enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
79% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2021 and January 2023.
Good
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Most people recommend their team
Do people at Almac recommend working with their team?
Most people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
67% of people report that they would recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Okay
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Only some people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Almac?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
40% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Almac?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 46% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Bad
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Almac head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
71% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and November 2022.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Good
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Most people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Almac is doing?
Most people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
83% of people feel that they are kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2020 and January 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
How Almac ranks
Almac ranks joint 27th to work for out of manufacturers.
- 27= Diageo
- 27= Almac
- 27= Warburtons
Rankings are based on Breakroom Ratings for employers with 30 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 25 March 2023.
Almac job reviews
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Best thing
The staff friendliness, the pay, the benefits, the openess of the company and management. Freedom from management, no micromanagement or extra pressure to get jobs complete, they would rather have it correct and perfect than rushed and messy
Worst thing
Stress and red tape from the government working in such a highly regulated environment
Almac Employee, April 2022
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Best thing
The team
Worst thing
The amount of pressure to get something right that's not fully understood by even the more experienced team members and management
Almac Employee, July 2021
Handy to know
What contracts are people on?
Based on 18 Almac employees
Based on 33 Almac employees