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AO
Claimed profile
Good news! AO has claimed their Breakroom profile.
They care about what their frontline employees think and want to be a good employer.
DismissAO is an online retailer. They sell household and electrical products.
ao.comBased on responses from 42 employees at AO.
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do AO pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
74% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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. It is currently £9.90 per hour, and £11.05 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do AO pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
65% of people are paid below the average pay for the type of work they do.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
77% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do AO pay sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
77% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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.
Okay
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do workers at AO do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
34% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 35 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and August 2022.
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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Bad
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at AO?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 55% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 15% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 30% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Okay
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Some people worry about their hours
Do workers at AO worry about hours?
Some people worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
50% of people report they worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 2022.
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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get any choice of shifts
Do AO workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Most people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
70% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2019 and August 2022.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for AO workers to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
47% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 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 AO?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
77% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
76% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
70% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2020 and August 2022.
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.
Bad
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People work a lot more hours than their contract
Do people work the same number they are contracted for at AO?
Most people work a lot more hours than their contact..
How we know this
71% of people report working 8 hours or more than their contract.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 2022.
Why this matters
At a good job, you should expect to work about the same number of hours that your contract guarantees you, most of the time.
It’s useful to pick up or drop a few shifts here and there, but if you often work a lot more hours every week than you’re contracted for, a good job should guarantee them.
This means you’re more likely to know when you’ll be working and how much you’ll earn in advance.
Okay
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Only some parents say it’s good
Is working at AO good if you’re a parent or carer?
Only some parents and carer say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
46% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and July 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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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do people at AO feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
42% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 38 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
49% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2020 and August 2022.
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 AO?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
61% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do people at AO enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
36% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2021 and August 2022.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do people at AO recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
59% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
53% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 38 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 62% 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 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO 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
80% 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 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 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.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how AO is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
55% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 38 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and August 2022.
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 AO ranks
AO ranks 18th to work for out of technology retailers.
- 17 Cef
- 18 AO
- 19 Currys PC World
Rankings are based on Breakroom ratings for employers with 5 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 16 August 2022.
AO job reviews
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Best thing
The office has a Starbucks
Worst thing
Short unpaid breaks, rude customers, no support from management if a customer is being overly aggressive, customer threatens you and you’re told to be nice to them and “take ownership” of the customers issue, can never get in touch with the drivers when needed, 4 mins per day allocated for bathroom breaks and if you go over the allocated time you get a warning, no sick pay, wages are always wrong
AO Employee, February 2022
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Best thing
Stress free no one bothers you
Worst thing
You don't find out tomorrow's start time till about 10pm sometimes
AO Delivery driver, January 2021
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Handy to know
What contracts are people on?
Based on 22 AO employees
Based on 42 AO employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 20 AO employees