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Heron Foods
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DismissHeron Foods is a frozen food supermarket chain in the Midlands and Northern England.
heronfoods.comBased on responses from 134 employees at Heron Foods.
Pay
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Okay
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Heron Foods do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
40% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Heron Foods pay sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
92% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Heron Foods get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
91% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 55 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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 are paid below market rates
Do Heron Foods pay market rates?
Most people are paid less than average for their job.
How we know this
73% of people are paid below the average pay for the type of work they do.Based on data from 56 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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 aren’t paid a living wage
Do Heron Foods pay a living wage?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
82% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 66 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Hours and flexibility
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Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Heron Foods?
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 60 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do workers at Heron Foods 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 65 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Good
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Most students say it’s good
Is a Heron Foods job good for students?
Most students say this is a good place to work if you’re studying.
How we know this
81% of students report this is a good place to work if you’re studying.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and June 2022.
Why this matters
A good job should allow you to fit work around important things in your life, like studying.
Life isn’t just about work. Good jobs make space for you to do well in both.
Okay
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Only some parents say it’s good
Is working at Heron Foods 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
50% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2020 and June 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.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Heron Foods 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 53 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Heron Foods?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
39% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 59 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 2022.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Heron Foods workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
38% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 65 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Heron Foods managers change shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
55% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 62 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Bad
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Heron Foods?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 50% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 17% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 23% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 10% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 70 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do people at Heron Foods get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
55% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 56 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do people at Heron Foods feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
35% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 62 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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 enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Heron Foods?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
48% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 69 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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 enjoy their job
Do people at Heron Foods enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
40% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2021 and June 2022.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do people at Heron Foods recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
51% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 72 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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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Some people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Heron Foods?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
65% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 68 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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 get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Heron Foods?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 40% 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 67 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Heron Foods is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
56% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 64 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
Bad
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Heron Foods 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
75% 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 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2021 and June 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.
How Heron Foods ranks
Heron Foods ranks 18th to work for out of supermarkets.
- 17 Costcutter
- 18 Heron Foods
- 19 Budgens
Rankings are based on Breakroom ratings for employers with 5 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 3 July 2022.
Pay ranges at Heron Foods
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£5.10–8.91 per hour
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£9.18–10.05 per hour
Heron Foods job reviews
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Best thing
When you work at the store I’m at we are a team. We work well together and sometimes get the whole job done
Worst thing
If you smoke you get a smoke break when you want. If you don’t you will do a 6 hour shift with out a break. Constantly on your feet trying to get the job done. With constantly 1 member of staff being needed
Heron Foods Employee, June 2022
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Best thing
Can get hours over contract, though contracts only give out low hours.
Worst thing
Most weeks you get less than a weeks notice of the rota for the following week.
Staff not treated with respect.
Poor work culture due to unsupportive management.
Shifts and Holidays underpaid.Heron Foods Employee, March 2022
Jobs by location
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50 job openings
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67 job openings
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57 job openings
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34 job openings
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60 job openings
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1 job opening
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36 job openings
Handy to know
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 70 Heron Foods employees
What contracts are people on?
Based on 64 Heron Foods employees
How are people paid?
By the hour
90%
of people report they get paid by the hour.
Based on 72 Heron Foods employees