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Northern Rail
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DismissNorthern Rail is a train operator. They run train services in Northern England, the East Midlands and Staffordshire.
northernrailway.co.ukBased on responses from 155 employees at Northern Rail.
Pay
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Good
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Most people get paid breaks
Do workers at Northern Rail get paid breaks?
Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
How we know this
90% of people say they get paid breaks.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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.
Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Northern Rail pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
100% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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.
Good
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Most people are paid market rates
Do Northern Rail pay market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
76% of people are paid above for the average pay for the type of work they do.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2019 and July 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.
Good
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Most people get sick pay
Do Northern Rail pay sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
97% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Northern Rail do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
84% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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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Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Northern Rail?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
75% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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 find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Northern Rail?
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 140 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2020 and July 2022.
Good
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Most parents say it’s good
Is working at Northern Rail good if you’re a parent or carer?
Most parents and carers say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
72% of people who care for a child or other relative report this is a good place to work.Based on data from 57 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2020 and July 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.
Good
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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Northern Rail managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
77% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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.
Good
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4+ weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Northern Rail?
Most people get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 21% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 1% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 4% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 75% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 111 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 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.
Good
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do workers at Northern Rail worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
98% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 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.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Northern Rail workers to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
50% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 92 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2019 and July 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.
Bad
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Most people don’t get any choice of shifts
Do Northern Rail 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 145 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 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.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people enjoy their job
Do people at Northern Rail enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
69% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 35 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2021 and July 2022.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Northern Rail?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
69% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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.
Good
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Most people aren’t stressed
Is it stressful to work at Northern Rail?
Most people don’t feel stressed here.
How we know this
68% of people say they don’t feel stressed at work.Based on data from 144 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 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.
Good
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Most people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Northern Rail?
Most people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 72% 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 143 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 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.
Good
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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Northern Rail get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
91% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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.
Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Northern Rail feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
82% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 139 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 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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Head office only partly understands what’s happening
Do people think Northern Rail head office understands what's happening where they work?
Some people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
67% 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 132 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and July 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.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do people at Northern Rail recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
34% 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 August 2021 and July 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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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Northern Rail is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
50% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2021 and July 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 Northern Rail ranks
Northern Rail ranks 9th to work for out of public transport providers.
- 6= Southern
- 9 Northern Rail
- 10= Metrobus
Rankings are based on Breakroom ratings for employers with 5 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 4 July 2022.
Pay ranges at Northern Rail
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£22.99–31.43 per hour
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£15.81–18.03 per hour
Northern Rail job reviews
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Best thing
Low pressure of work
Worst thing
Management
Northern Rail Employee, February 2022
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Best thing
Excellent progression chances. Lots of over time if you want it. Friendly and helpful work colleagues. Great managers. Good company pension. Good job security.
Worst thing
Long shifts and night work.
Northern Rail Clerk, January 2021
Handy to know
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 111 Northern Rail employees
What contracts are people on?
Part time
91%
report having part time contracts. (16-35 hours)
Based on 54 Northern Rail employees
Based on 32 Northern Rail employees