Squires
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DismissSquires is a garden centre chain.
squiresgardencentres.co.ukBased on responses from 33 employees at Squires.
About jobs at Squires
Pay
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Only some people are paid a living wage
Do Squires pay a living wage?
Some people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
48% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and March 2023.
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 new Living Wage rates were announced on Thursday 22 September 2022.
The rates are now £10.90 per hour, and £11.95 per hour in London.
Employers are expected to implement the rise as soon as possible but by the latest 14 May 2023.
On the 14 May 2023, employers’ Breakroom Rating will be updated to reflect this.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Squires pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
48% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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.
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Under 23s get paid less than everyone else
Do Squires pay the same regardless of age?
No, people under the age of 23 get paid less than those above 23.
See what Squires pays different age groupsHow we know this
The average pay of under 23s is less than those who are over 23.Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Squires get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
84% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires pay sick pay?
Sometimes. Only some people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
54% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
48% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Squires?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 85% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 8% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 8% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and January 2023.
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.
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do workers at Squires worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
68% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
57% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2020 and March 2023.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Squires workers to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
59% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and January 2023.
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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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Squires?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
67% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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.
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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Squires managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
73% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Squires?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
67% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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.
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Only some students say it’s good
Is a Squires job good for students?
Only some students say this is a good place to work if you’re studying.
How we know this
50% of students report this isn’t a good place to work if you’re studying.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2022 and January 2023.
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.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Squires feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
67% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Squires get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
72% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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.
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Squires?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
68% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
57% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2021 and January 2023.
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Only some people recommend their team
Do people at Squires recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
52% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
50% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 47% 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 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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.
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Squires 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
72% 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 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
44% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2020 and March 2023.
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 Squires ranks
Squires ranks joint 31st to work for out of retailers.
- 31= Ryman
- 31= Squires
- 31= Flying Tiger
Rankings are based on Breakroom Ratings for employers with 30 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 30 March 2023.
Squires job reviews
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Best thing
Regular Nice Customers you know and understand
Worst thing
breaks 10mins
Squires Retail assistant, October 2022
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Best thing
So bad that it makes you build character, and learn what you really deserve
Worst thing
Hygiene was ridiculous, overworked, taken advantage of as we were young, horrible staff environment,
Squires Catering assistant, April 2022
Handy to know
What contracts are people on?
Based on 22 Squires employees
Based on 33 Squires employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 13 Squires employees