PDSA

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PDSA is a vet charity. They provide free and low-cost treatments for pets.

pdsa.org.uk

Rating based on 54 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

About jobs at PDSA

Pay

    Good
  • Most people are paid a living wage

    Do PDSA pay a living wage?

    Most people are paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    71% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 34 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people are paid market rates

    Do PDSA pay market rates?

    Only some people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    52% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 23 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get paid breaks

    Do workers at PDSA get paid breaks?

    Sometimes. Only some people get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    65% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 34 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.

  • Good
  • Most people get sick pay

    Do PDSA pay sick pay?

    Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    70% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 30 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.

  • Okay
  • Some people do unpaid extra work

    Do workers at PDSA do extra work that they don't get paid for?

    Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.

    How we know this

    52% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.

    Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 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 PDSA?

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

    How we know this

    • 20% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
    • 32% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
    • 0% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
    • 48% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

    Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get a choice of shifts

    Do PDSA workers get to choose the shifts they work?

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

    How we know this

    62% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 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 PDSA workers to change shifts?

    Some people find it hard to change shifts.

    How we know this

    35% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.

    Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 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 PDSA?

    Most people find it easy to book holiday.

    How we know this

    85% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.

    Based on data from 34 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.

  • Okay
  • Shifts can get changed at short notice

    Do PDSA managers change shifts at short notice?

    Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.

    How we know this

    45% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.

    Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 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 PDSA?

    Most people find it easy to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    69% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 29 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 PDSA feel treated with respect by their managers?

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

    How we know this

    40% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 35 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get proper breaks

    Do people at PDSA 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 35 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 PDSA?

    Most people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    92% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 37 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.

  • Okay
  • Only some people enjoy their job

    Do people at PDSA enjoy their jobs?

    Only some people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    46% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 2024.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t recommend their team

    Do people at PDSA recommend working with their team?

    Not many people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    68% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 37 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 PDSA?

    Some people did’t get enough training when they started.

    How we know this

    58% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 36 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 PDSA?

    Only some people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 61% 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 33 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 PDSA 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

    97% 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 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2022 and January 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 PDSA is doing?

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

    How we know this

    63% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 32 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 PDSA ranks

PDSA ranks joint 158th to work for out of charities.

  1. 158= Active Prospects
    5.2
  2. 158= PDSA
    5.2
  3. 158= The Avalon Group
    5.2

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

PDSA job reviews

  • Best thing

    Animals and collegues

    Worst thing

    Customers been disresptful

    6.6

    PDSA Employee, May 2022

  • Best thing

    The girls I work with

    Worst thing

    Bullying. Favouritism. Pressure. Lack of genuine support

    4.6

    PDSA Call centre agent, February 2022

Handy to know

How much notice do people get of their shifts?

20% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
32% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
48% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

Based on 25 PDSA employees

How are people paid?

19%
by the hour
81%
an annual salary

Based on 37 PDSA employees