Blue Banana
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DismissBlue Banana is a fashion retailer specialising in alternative fashion. They also offer body piercing services.
bluebanana.com/enAbout jobs at Blue Banana
Pay
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Bad
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Blue Banana pay a living wage?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
77% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Blue Banana get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
92% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Blue Banana pay sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
100% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Bad
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Most people do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Blue Banana do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Yes. Lots of people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
75% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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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Bad
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Blue Banana?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 45% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 55% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 2023.
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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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Blue Banana workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
45% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Okay
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Can be hard to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Blue Banana?
Some people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
45% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Blue Banana managers change shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
64% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and March 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.
Bad
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Most people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Blue Banana?
Most people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
75% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do people at Blue Banana feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
55% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and April 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 Blue Banana get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
45% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2021 and April 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.
Bad
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Blue Banana?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
100% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Bad
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Most people don’t recommend their team
Do people at Blue Banana recommend working with their team?
Not many people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
77% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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 Blue Banana?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
55% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Good
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Most people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Blue Banana?
Most people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 73% of people report 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 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and March 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 Blue Banana 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
100% 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 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 2023.
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 Blue Banana 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 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2020 and April 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.
Blue Banana job reviews
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Best thing
People at the bottom are lovely and free piercings
Worst thing
Upper management are bullies, company very legally loose, force people to stay unpaid, refuse holiday, minimum wage for the lower employees, unrealistic expectations, no job security. The place feels archaic.
Blue Banana Deputy manager, March 2023
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Best thing
Free Piercings
50% off clothing and itemsWorst thing
Barely any notice for rotas.
Rotas are always changing.
Managers think piercing bonuses are just bonuses and not actually something that needs to be paid for.
If you're a piercer and call in sick they remove your bonus for that week.
Managers don't really care about you and for them, you're just another brick in the wall.Blue Banana Supervisor, February 2022
Handy to know
Based on 13 Blue Banana employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 11 Blue Banana employees