Waterstones

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Waterstones is a retailer. They sell books.

waterstones.com

Waterstones job reviews

Showing 16 reviews

  • Best thing

    The coffee. Coworkers sometimes. Food is pretty food.

    Worst thing

    Management are out of touch, high expectations and unrealistic deadlines. Nonsensical changes made overnight. Poor experiences with HR who are more concenered with company stability than moral obligation.

    4.6

    Waterstones Employee, August 2023

  • Best thing

    most people are kind and it’s a cool place to work

    Worst thing

    i wasn’t trained on anything i was just kinda thrown into the deep end

    3.9

    Waterstones Bookseller, August 2023

  • Best thing

    The staff and talking about books

    Worst thing

    The workload

    7.0

    Waterstones Employee, June 2023

  • Best thing

    People are lovely and respectful, everyone has a fun yet professional work ethic.

    Worst thing

    Understaffed, was dismissed a new member of staff when needed most.

    4.2

    Waterstones Barista, May 2023

  • Best thing

    The customers and being able to talk about books.

    Worst thing

    Management and head office - they listen but never do anything to help you. I had so many meetings about the same issues and nothing ever came of them!

    3.7

    Waterstones Senior bookseller, April 2023

  • Best thing

    Books!

    Worst thing

    Customers, low pay, long hours, no flexibility and working weekends

    4.6

    Waterstones Employee, April 2023

  • Best thing

    Books

    Worst thing

    Temperatures in the store over colder months are ridiculous - staff are often wrapped up in coats, scarves, gloves, hats etc on shift.

    6.1

    Waterstones Employee, April 2023

  • Best thing

    Feeling clever. My colleagues. A cosy environment. I love talking about literature with customers and staff.

    Worst thing

    Lone working. Only ever 2 of us in the shop, so being on my own for atleast 3 hours of the day. Horrible customers. Christmas time is hectic and hard work. Shop floor staff aren't appreciated enough. I feel guilty for having a day off sick because it would mean my colleague being on their own, maybe all day.

    7.5

    Waterstones Senior Bookseller, March 2023

  • Best thing

    Interesting especially if you live books. A good way to interact with people and recommend books

    Worst thing

    Stressful at Christmas, never enough staff to do what you need to and a very physical job

    9.0

    Waterstones Manager, March 2023

  • Best thing

    The discount, having early access to new releases, being around books all day and talking about books I love to others! I also work with a really great team and feel I get paid fairly.

    Worst thing

    Can be a little stressful at busy times

    9.7

    Waterstones Employee, December 2022

  • Best thing

    The team, staff discount.

    Worst thing

    Poor management, nepotism, lack of training, underfined working roles and often expected to work outside of role, low opportunity for progression, reluctance to pay for maintenance of equipment which is often faulty.

    4.6

    Waterstones Barista, August 2022

  • Best thing

    Other employees

    Worst thing

    Inflexibility of rota

    7.6

    Waterstones Barista, June 2022

  • Best thing

    The team is really nice and supportive
    Also 50% discount is good
    Overall really nice place to work, good work environment and very organised

    Worst thing

    Can be quite dead so longer shifts drag on as there’s not much to do sometimes

    9.4

    Waterstones Barista, December 2021

  • Best thing

    Customers, coworkers, talking about books, pretty consistent work and not too busy most of the time.

    Worst thing

    Not enough staff/hours so very little wiggle room if someone is off sick. Not enough staff in some days so team is stretched this. Cluster approach means no over time outside of Christmas as staff cover is arranged between stores.

    8.9

    Waterstones Senior Bookseller, April 2021

  • Best thing

    Discount and colleagues

    Worst thing

    Some customers, pushing books of the month even though most of the time they are terrible but you get told off if you don't do a certain amount everyday. No progression

    2.0

    Waterstones Senior bookseller, December 2020

  • Best thing

    Discount.
    Booksellers are always extremely nice and dedicated (not so much head office or management)
    Books.

    Worst thing

    Lone working all the time (dangerous in centre of town as anyone can come in).
    Management belittling you, treating you like you’re five years old.
    Manipulating head office staff.
    Middle management as a whole.
    No freedom at all to do the job.
    Expected to do way more than we are paid to do.
    No training, then expected to know everything within a week.
    Nobody listens when staff have genuine complaints.
    Severely understaffed to the point of unbearable stress, sometimes 2-3 people on shift in a shop of 6 floors.
    Fire exits full of stock and nobody listens when we make a complaint as it’s a huge hazard for customers and staff.

    2.3

    Waterstones Expert Bookseller, November 2020