Avanti West Coast

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Avanti West Coast is a train operator. They run routes across the UK.

avantiwestcoast.co.uk

Rating based on 104 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

About jobs at Avanti West Coast

Pay

    Good
  • Most people are paid a living wage

    Do Avanti West Coast pay a living wage?

    Most people are paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    97% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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 current rates are £12.00 per hour, and £13.15 per hour in London.

    Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.

  • Good
  • Most people are paid market rates

    Do Avanti West Coast pay market rates?

    Most people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    95% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2022 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Good
  • Most people get paid breaks

    Do workers at Avanti West Coast get paid breaks?

    Yes. Most people get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    77% of people say they get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 35 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Most people get sick pay

    Do Avanti West Coast pay sick pay?

    Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    94% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 35 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Most people don’t do unpaid extra work

    Do workers at Avanti West Coast do extra work that they don't get paid for?

    Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.

    How we know this

    75% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.

    Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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

    Needs improving
  • Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts

    How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Avanti West Coast?

    Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.

    How we know this

    • 67% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
    • 2% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
    • 0% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
    • 31% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

    Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2022 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Good
  • Most people don’t worry about their hours

    Do workers at Avanti West Coast worry about hours?

    Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    How we know this

    76% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2022 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get any choice of shifts

    Do Avanti West Coast workers get to choose the shifts they work?

    Most people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.

    How we know this

    79% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.

  • Needs improving
  • Hard to change shifts

    How easy is it for Avanti West Coast workers to change shifts?

    Most people find it hard to change shifts.

    How we know this

    81% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.

    Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2023 and January 2024.

    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.

  • Okay
  • Can be hard to book holiday

    How easy is it to book a holiday at Avanti West Coast?

    Some people find it hard to book holiday.

    How we know this

    47% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Shifts don’t get changed at short notice

    Do Avanti West Coast managers change shifts at short notice?

    Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.

    How we know this

    68% 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 March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Most people find it easy to take sick leave

    How easy is it to take sick leave at Avanti West Coast?

    Most people find it easy to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    75% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most parents say it’s bad

    Is working at Avanti West Coast good if you’re a parent or carer?

    Most parents and carer say this is a bad place to work.

    How we know this

    79% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.

    Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and November 2023.

    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

    Okay
  • Only some people feel treated with respect

    Do people at Avanti West Coast feel treated with respect by their managers?

    Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.

    How we know this

    38% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Only some people get proper breaks

    Do people at Avanti West Coast get proper breaks?

    Some people don’t get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    47% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Some people are stressed

    Is it stressful to work at Avanti West Coast?

    Some people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    61% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Most people enjoy their job

    Do people at Avanti West Coast enjoy their jobs?

    Most people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    71% of people report they enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

  • Okay
  • Only some people recommend their team

    Do people at Avanti West Coast recommend working with their team?

    Only some people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    53% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Good
  • Most people get enough training

    Do people get enough training when they start at Avanti West Coast?

    Most people got enough training when they started.

    How we know this

    74% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get support to progress

    Are people given support to progress at Avanti West Coast?

    Most people aren’t given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 70% 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 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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.

  • Needs improving
  • Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening

    Do people think Avanti West Coast 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

    91% 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 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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
  • Only some people feel well informed by head office

    Do workers feel well informed about how Avanti West Coast is doing?

    Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.

    How we know this

    62% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

    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 Avanti West Coast ranks

Avanti West Coast ranks joint 44th to work for out of public transport providers.

  1. 44= Lothian Buses
    6.9
  2. 44= Avanti West Coast
    6.9
  3. 44= c2c
    6.9

Rankings are based on Breakroom Ratings for employers with 5 or more Breakroom Quiz responses, accurate as of 19 March 2024.

Pay ranges at Avanti West Coast

  1. £14.24-20.00 per hour

Avanti West Coast job reviews

  • Best thing

    Solo working

    Worst thing

    Highly regulated, lack of clarity from business on the future. Too much government interference in regards to pay and terms and conditions.

    6.4

    Avanti West Coast Train driver, December 2023

  • Best thing

    Free Rail Travel
    Good Pay
    Strong Unions and good working conditions

    Worst thing

    Difficult to progress or secure permanent contracts if you don’t have family who are well established in the company. Nearly everyone is related to someone else on the railway

    8.0

    Avanti West Coast Welcome Host, March 2021

Handy to know

How much notice do people get of their shifts?

67% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
2% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
31% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

Based on 42 Avanti West Coast employees

How are people paid?

49%
by the hour
51%
an annual salary

Based on 35 Avanti West Coast employees

What contracts are people on?

3% report having zero hours contracts.
3% report having low hours contracts. (less than 16 hours)
70% report having part time contracts. (16-35 hours)
23% report having full time contracts. (more than 35 hours)

Based on 30 Avanti West Coast employees