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Hertfordshire County Council
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DismissHertfordshire County Council is a local authority. They oversee local services.
hertfordshire.gov.uk/home.aspxBased on responses from 63 employees at Hertfordshire County Council.
About jobs at Hertfordshire County Council
Pay
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Okay
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Only some people are paid a living wage
Do Hertfordshire County Council pay a living wage?
Some people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
34% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 56 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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.
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Hertfordshire County Council pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
59% of people are paid below the average pay for the type of work they do.Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and August 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 don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Hertfordshire County Council get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
70% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 56 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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.
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Only some people get sick pay
Do Hertfordshire County Council pay sick pay?
Sometimes. Only some people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
58% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2021 and September 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.
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Hertfordshire County Council do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
39% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and September 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.
Hours and flexibility
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Okay
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Hertfordshire County Council?
Only some people get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 15% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 15% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 23% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 46% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and September 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.
Good
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do workers at Hertfordshire County Council worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
80% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and July 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.
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Hertfordshire County Council workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
63% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and September 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.
Bad
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Hertfordshire County Council workers to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
79% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and September 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.
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Can be hard to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Hertfordshire County Council?
Some people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
46% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 56 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Hertfordshire County Council managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
75% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2020 and September 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.
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Hertfordshire County Council?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
44% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 57 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 2022.
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.
Good
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Most parents say it’s good
Is working at Hertfordshire County Council good if you’re a parent or carer?
Most parents and carers say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
71% of people who care for a child or other relative report this is a good place to work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2020 and August 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.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Hertfordshire County Council feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
68% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 53 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and August 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.
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do people at Hertfordshire County Council get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
57% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2021 and September 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.
Bad
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Hertfordshire County Council?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
68% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 60 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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.
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do people at Hertfordshire County Council enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
44% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2021 and September 2022.
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Only some people recommend their team
Do people at Hertfordshire County Council recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
66% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2021 and September 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.
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Only some people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Hertfordshire County Council?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
35% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 57 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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.
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Only some people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Hertfordshire County Council?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 54% 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 57 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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.
Bad
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Hertfordshire County Council 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 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2021 and September 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.
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Hertfordshire County Council 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 50 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and September 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.
How Hertfordshire County Council ranks
Hertfordshire County Council ranks joint 246th to work for out of public sector bodies.
- 237= Monmouthshire County Council
- 246= Hertfordshire County Council
- 246= Flintshire County Council
Rankings are based on Breakroom ratings for employers with 5 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 3 October 2022.
Pay ranges at Hertfordshire County Council
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£5.84–9.55 per hour
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Pay not available
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Pay not available
Hertfordshire County Council job reviews
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Best thing
Making a difference to students lives.
Worst thing
Stress
Staff shortagesHertfordshire County Council Employee, May 2022
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Best thing
Control over my day
Children and their comments. I make a positive environment within my room
Worst thing
Workload
Lack of respect nationally
Hours I have to work.
Having to work in order to do my work. E.g need to have day planned and resourced before it starts at 8.15. I can’t just go home for the weekend and then come in on Monday. Constantly thinking about it.
Lack of resources
Constant scrutiny
Hertfordshire County Council Primary teacher, April 2021
Handy to know
What contracts are people on?
Based on 15 Hertfordshire County Council employees
Based on 32 Hertfordshire County Council employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 13 Hertfordshire County Council employees