Gordons Chemists

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Gordons Chemists is a pharmacy company. Their locations are mostly in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

gordonsdirect.com

Rating based on 24 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

About jobs at Gordons Chemists

Pay

    Okay
  • Only some people are paid a living wage

    Do Gordons Chemists pay a living wage?

    Some people are not paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    67% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people are paid below market rates

    Do Gordons Chemists pay market rates?

    Most people are paid less than average for their job.

    How we know this

    70% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get paid breaks

    Do workers at Gordons Chemists 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 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get sick pay

    Do Gordons Chemists pay sick pay?

    No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    91% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists do extra work that they don't get paid for?

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

    How we know this

    86% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists?

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

    How we know this

    • 60% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
    • 10% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
    • 10% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
    • 20% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

    Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2021 and May 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.

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

    Do workers at Gordons Chemists 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 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Good
  • Most people get a choice of shifts

    Do Gordons Chemists workers get to choose the shifts they work?

    Most people get enough choice over which shifts they work.

    How we know this

    80% report that their manager gives them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Good
  • Easy to change shifts

    How easy is it for Gordons Chemists workers to change shifts?

    Most people find it easy to change shifts.

    How we know this

    67% of people report that it’s easy to change shifts if they need to.

    Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2021 and February 2023.

    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
  • Easy to book holiday

    How easy is it to book a holiday at Gordons Chemists?

    Most people find it easy to book holiday.

    How we know this

    92% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.

    Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists managers change shifts at short notice?

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

    How we know this

    80% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists?

    Most people find it easy to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    71% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

Workplace

    Okay
  • Only some people feel treated with respect

    Do people at Gordons Chemists feel treated with respect by their managers?

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

    How we know this

    36% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Good
  • Most people get proper breaks

    Do people at Gordons Chemists get proper breaks?

    Most people get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    86% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people are stressed

    Is it stressful to work at Gordons Chemists?

    Most people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    73% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists enjoy their jobs?

    Most people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    67% of people report they enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 2024.

  • Okay
  • Only some people recommend their team

    Do people at Gordons Chemists recommend working with their team?

    Only some people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    47% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get enough training

    Do people get enough training when they start at Gordons Chemists?

    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 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get support to progress

    Are people given support to progress at Gordons Chemists?

    Only some people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 57% 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 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists 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

    93% 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 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t feel well informed by head office

    Do workers feel well informed about how Gordons Chemists is doing?

    Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.

    How we know this

    80% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and February 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 Gordons Chemists ranks

Gordons Chemists ranks 14th to work for out of pharmacies.

  1. 13 Kamsons Pharmacy
    5.9
  2. 14 Gordons Chemists
    5.7
  3. 15= Well Pharmacy
    5.4

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

Gordons Chemists job reviews

  • Best thing

    It's local

    Worst thing

    Understaffed and expected to hit unachievable targets.

    1.5

    Gordons Chemists Pharmacy dispenser, July 2021

  • Best thing

    Lovely staff and discount

    Worst thing

    Closing at 6pm

    9.4

    Gordons Chemists Sales assistant, March 2021

Handy to know

How much notice do people get of their shifts?

60% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
10% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
10% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
20% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

Based on 10 Gordons Chemists employees

How are people paid?

By the hour 100% of people report they get paid by the hour.

Based on 15 Gordons Chemists employees

What contracts are people on?

7% report having zero hours contracts.
13% report having low hours contracts. (less than 16 hours)
33% report having part time contracts. (16-35 hours)
47% report having full time contracts. (more than 35 hours)

Based on 15 Gordons Chemists employees