Reposted 10 days ago

Receptionist

Reed
Pay £12.50 - £13.50 per hour
Location Reading, Berkshire
Contract time Permanent

The Breakroom Take

7.1

Rated 7.1 out of 10, based on 69 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

See all job reviews

  • People enjoy this job
  • Good employer
  • Respectful managers
  • Proper breaks

About Reed

Reed is a recruitment agency.

Job description from Reed

At Reed we are always on the look out for skilled Receptionist for temporary assignments in the local area. If you are an experienced Receptionist and are available immediately please see the below and apply.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Manage office operations and administrative tasks
  • Handle correspondence, phone calls, and emails
  • Maintain and update records and databases
  • Assist with scheduling and coordinating meetings
  • Provide support to various departments as needed

What are we looking for?

  • Proven experience as an Administrator or in a similar role
  • Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities
  • Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
  • Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Benefits

  • Free Parking
  • Weekly pay

Job insights from Breakroom

Receptionists

Receptionists are the first point of contact for visitors to hotels or businesses

What you’ll do as a receptionist:

  • Checking or signing people in
  • Deal with customers or guests
  • Helping customers with general questions
  • Manage and take bookings for rooms etc
  • Answer questions both in person and over the phone
  • Take payments and provide invoices

Is it right for you?

This job may involve:

  • Standing
  • Sitting
  • Dealing with customers
  • Using a computer
  • Anti-social hours
  • Wearing a uniform

Map

Reading, Berkshire

A map of the rough location for this vacancy

What employees say

Pay

    Good
  • Most people are paid a living wage

    Do Reed pay a living wage?

    Most people are paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    87% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Good
  • Most people are paid market rates

    Do Reed pay market rates?

    Most people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    68% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get paid breaks

    Do workers at Reed get paid breaks?

    No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    86% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 43 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get sick pay

    Do Reed pay sick pay?

    No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    70% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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 Reed do extra work that they don't get paid for?

    Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.

    How we know this

    37% 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 November 2022 and October 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

    Needs improving
  • Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts

    How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Reed?

    Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.

    How we know this

    • 50% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
    • 21% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
    • 14% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
    • 14% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Good
  • Most people don’t worry about their hours

    Do workers at Reed worry about hours?

    Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    How we know this

    75% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 2024.

    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.

  • Good
  • Most people get a choice of shifts

    Do Reed workers get to choose the shifts they work?

    Most people get enough choice over which shifts they work.

    How we know this

    76% report that their manager gives them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Good
  • Easy to change shifts

    How easy is it for Reed workers to change shifts?

    Most people find it easy to change shifts.

    How we know this

    83% of people report that it’s easy to change shifts if they need to.

    Based on data from 18 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and September 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 Reed?

    Most people find it easy to book holiday.

    How we know this

    97% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.

    Based on data from 36 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Good
  • Shifts don’t get changed at short notice

    Do Reed managers change shifts at short notice?

    Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.

    How we know this

    76% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.

    Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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 Reed?

    Most people find it easy to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    79% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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

    Good
  • Most people feel treated with respect

    Do people at Reed feel treated with respect by their managers?

    Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.

    How we know this

    88% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Good
  • Most people get proper breaks

    Do people at Reed get proper breaks?

    Most people get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    70% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Okay
  • Some people are stressed

    Is it stressful to work at Reed?

    Some people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    53% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Good
  • Most people enjoy their job

    Do people at Reed enjoy their jobs?

    Most people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    88% of people report they enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2023 and October 2024.

  • Okay
  • Only some people recommend their team

    Do people at Reed recommend working with their team?

    Only some people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    39% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 44 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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 Reed?

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

    How we know this

    40% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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 Reed?

    Only some people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 45% 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 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

  • Okay
  • Head office only partly understands what’s happening

    Do people think Reed 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

    56% 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 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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 Reed is doing?

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

    How we know this

    35% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and October 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.

Find out more about working at Reed

What Reed employees say about their job

  • Best thing

    The children

    Worst thing

    The team I work with

    4.6

    Reed Employee, June 2024

  • Best thing

    Working with people

    Worst thing

    Salary could be better

    9.9

    Reed Manager, March 2024

See more reviews
  • Best thing

    Care I give

    Worst thing

    Short staffed

    3.9

    Reed Support worker, July 2022

  • Best thing

    I got to work from home

    Worst thing

    Worked every Saturday, nightmare to grt days off, clients are angry and management disrespectful

    2.3

    Reed Customer assistant, March 2022

  • Best thing

    You can take off time last min, pick up and drop shifts, there are always hours going

    Worst thing

    Management don’t care about you, they can drop your hours whenever they want, there is no career progression, you are just a person to fill shifts so they don’t get in to trouble for not filling shifts with social services, some of the homes you go to are unsuitable for both the carer and the service user and you’ll be the person to relay that information they wouldn’t check before hand.

    2.8

    Reed Support worker, December 2021

  • Best thing

    Working with other people and learning more dishes etc

    Worst thing

    Sometimes working through lunch or when you are supposed finish work

    8.9

    Reed Chef, March 2021

  • Best thing

    purposeful. good hours. necessary.

    Worst thing

    dangerous community issues at times.

    9.6

    Reed Support worker, February 2021

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