Great Western Railway

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Great Western Railway is a train operator. They run train services across Wales, the South and South West England.

gwr.com

Rating based on 181 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

About jobs at Great Western Railway

Pay

    Good
  • Most people are paid a living wage

    Do Great Western Railway pay a living wage?

    Most people are paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    98% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 46 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 Great Western Railway pay market rates?

    Most people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    84% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 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 Great Western Railway get paid breaks?

    Yes. Most people get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    96% of people say they get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 47 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 Great Western Railway pay sick pay?

    Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    100% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 46 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 Great Western Railway do extra work that they don't get paid for?

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

    How we know this

    82% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.

    Based on data from 45 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

    Okay
  • Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts

    How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Great Western Railway?

    Only some people get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.

    How we know this

    • 29% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
    • 5% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
    • 5% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
    • 61% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

    Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 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 Great Western Railway worry about hours?

    Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    How we know this

    71% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    Based on data from 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 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 Great Western Railway workers get to choose the shifts they work?

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

    How we know this

    78% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 45 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.

  • Okay
  • Can be hard to change shifts

    How easy is it for Great Western Railway workers to change shifts?

    Some people find it hard to change shifts.

    How we know this

    56% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.

    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. 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 Great Western Railway?

    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 47 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 Great Western Railway managers change shifts at short notice?

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

    How we know this

    78% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.

    Based on data from 46 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 Great Western Railway?

    Most people find it easy to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    98% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 46 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some parents say it’s good

    Is working at Great Western Railway 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

    56% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.

    Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2022 and February 2024.

    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

    Good
  • Most people feel treated with respect

    Do people at Great Western Railway feel treated with respect by their managers?

    Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.

    How we know this

    76% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 42 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.

  • Good
  • Most people get proper breaks

    Do people at Great Western Railway get proper breaks?

    Most people get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    75% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 48 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 Great Western Railway?

    Some people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    42% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 48 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 Great Western Railway enjoy their jobs?

    Most people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    78% of people report they enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2024.

  • Good
  • Most people recommend their team

    Do people at Great Western Railway recommend working with their team?

    Most people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    76% of people report that they would recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 49 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 Great Western Railway?

    Most people got enough training when they started.

    How we know this

    96% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 48 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.

  • Good
  • Most people get support to progress

    Are people given support to progress at Great Western Railway?

    Most people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 67% 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 39 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 Great Western Railway 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

    85% 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 46 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 Great Western Railway is doing?

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

    How we know this

    34% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 41 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 Great Western Railway ranks

Great Western Railway ranks joint 9th to work for out of public transport providers.

  1. 9= Oxford Bus Company
    8.4
  2. 9= Great Western Railway
    8.4
  3. 14= Heathrow Airport
    8.3

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

Pay ranges at Great Western Railway

  1. £54.9k-62.4k per year

  2. £32.3k-40.0k per year

Great Western Railway job reviews

  • Best thing

    No stress no targets

    Worst thing

    Shift work

    9.8

    Great Western Railway Train driver, October 2023

  • Best thing

    Working in dispatch (SDA) I got a real grounding on working in a safety-critical railway role which set me up well for successfully applying for a Train Manager role. I had a great team in my station, everyone would help eachother out and go the extra mile when favours were needed. The union is strong and will back you strongly if there were ever any issues with management, but most of the time management were reasonable and would back down somewhat if we felt they were being too unreasonable.
    The company invest a lot of money into training their staff and providing a decent looking uniform.

    Worst thing

    Early shifts by far. Also in your first 6 months you only get statutory sick pay. Control don't have an appreciation of how things are on the front line.

    9.8

    Great Western Railway Employee, April 2023

Jobs by location

  1. 7 job openings

Handy to know

How much notice do people get of their shifts?

29% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
5% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
5% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
61% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

Based on 41 Great Western Railway employees

How are people paid?

16%
by the hour
84%
an annual salary

Based on 49 Great Western Railway employees

What contracts are people on?

Part time 86% report having part time contracts. (16-35 hours)

Based on 21 Great Western Railway employees