Lets go green- uniform wise! (ASDA Stores)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	ASDA Stores
Date:	31/10/07 (3420 review reads)
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How many people can imagine themselves saying 'I work in a supermarket, and I love it!!!'?

No, I couldn't either, but strangely I do. I came to Asda after my maternity leave ended, and I decided to leave my old job. My reason for leaving was slightly unusual. One of the regular customers of the bakery where I used to work was a very handsome doctor. The same very handsome doctor who had to stitch up my poor battered lady bits after I had forced a 9 pound six ounce baby into the world. There’s no way I could have faced handing him a sticky bun while wondering where his hands had been that day!

What’s the application and interview process?
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Applying for a job at Asda was easy. I just shimmied my way up to the customer service desk, and asked if there were any vacancies available. I was given an application form to fill in, and told that there were always vacancies somewhere in store.

The application is mostly like any other, with the same details you'd have on many application forms for jobs anywhere. But then they have a slightly unusual section. They have a multiple choice quiz to fill out! What fun, I Love a good questionnaire. It's mainly giving you a choice between two ways of working, such as 'Do you prefer to use tried and tested methods, or do you prefer to find a new way of doing things'

If you fill the form out successfully and impress Asda, one of two things will happen. You will either be invited in for a group selection first time, or someone will call and say that there are no vacancies currently, and could they keep your details on file. This is what happened to me, and I was a little skeptical that they wouldn't keep my details at all, but a week later I got another phone call saying there was a group selection and would I like to attend.

The group selection was unlike any other interview I had ever attended. There were twelve up us in the room, and we had to chant, sing, dance, arm wrestle, and build towers out of chocolate. I guess this was to see which people were sociable, friendly, and could work in teams. After that several of us were invited back for a second interview.

In the second interview you will be informed which jobs are available, and asked which position interests you. If they have strong feelings you'd be really good at a certain job, they'll let you know, but they're not at all pushy about it.

What will it do for my career prospects?
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Well, I got the job. I initially started working on the deli counter part time, and after being there for six months, I have been trained (at my own request) on several other departments, including fish, Beers wines and spirits, the Asda cafe, the canteen, and checkouts.

This means I have a varied and interesting week, because as well as working my own hours on the deli department, I can also offer cover to other departments which are short staffed, picking up plenty of overtime, and keeping my days varied.

When working for Asda, they'll take you as far as you want to go. If you want to be promoted, ask. They certainly won't do it on the spot, but they'll see that they give you plenty of training and help to achieve your goals. You are encouraged to apply for other vacancies within the chain, either in your own store or others, and you will be encouraged to design a 'job-ladder' plan for yourself, so that you and staff around you know exactly where you aim to go in your career.

What are the staff like?
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In my experience working with Asda the colleagues are some of the friendliest I've come across in any job I've done. As well as being friendly for the sake of the job, they are also real friends of mine. I've had them round my house, crashed them cigarettes, and bummed taxi fare off various workmates. In a big supermarket, you'll never know everyone (in my store there are over 400 staff), and there will be the odd person you don't click with, but so far I've not met anyone I've disliked.

Is it fun working there?
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The colleagues (by the way, at Asda, we're never staff, always colleagues, to encourage friendliness) are all, in my experience, friendly and sociable. Unlike many other jobs, I haven't found I am discouraged from talking to my friends at work, or from enjoying myself and having a laugh.

So long as it doesn't reflect badly on the company, of affect the level of customer service, you can have fun.
Another of the things I really like about Asda is the way they throw themselves behind charity events, with fancy dress, leg waxing, cake sales and all sorts of other fund raisers on a regular basis. It's nice to have fun events at work, especially in the name of a good cause.


What Benefits can I get?
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I also like the wide range of benefits they offer. I'll name just a few here, as there really are too many to list.

Firstly, after 12 weeks continuous service, each colleague receives a ten percent discount card, valid on all products except lottery tickets and tobacco in any Asda, George, or wal-mart store. They can also nominate another user, who most live at the same address, to benefit from this discount. Throughout the year they also have double discount days, which mean the savings can really mount up. Misuse of the card is very much frowned upon though, and is a sackable offence.

At Christmas, each colleague receives a £20 gift card, which can be redeemed against any product in store, except lottery. We also get free Christmas dinners and money towards a party or event ticket.

Asda work with other companies to get staff discounts on other products, such as cinema tickets, driving lessons, holidays, cars, and various insurance related products.

They also have a company pension scheme, in which they will match any payments you make into your pension.
Other benefits include share ownership plans, long service rewards, money for customer praise about you, colleague recognition scheme, and many others.

How flexible are Asda?
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Whatever your situation, whether you prefer to work days, nights or evenings, or maybe only want to work seasonally, for example at Christmas, Asda can probably find a job for you.

For example, if you were a student away from home, and worked in the store in the evenings to supplement your student grant, did you know that Asda also do a store swap, so that if you returned home for the holidays, you would still have a continuous service record.

They also offer a shift swap system, so that if you have a day you want off, so long as you can arrange cover by another colleague, you'll get it.

Asda also offer various kinds of time off, including time off to have fertility treatment, school starters leave (so parents can take their children to school on the first day), career breaks of up to two years, emergency family leave, parental leave, study leave, and benidorm leave, which is up to three months off for colleagues over 50 who want to take a winter break in the sun.

Although Asda are flexible with tie off, they are very stern on sickness. Firstly, there is no sick pay. If you take a day off, Asda will not pay you for it.

Also, anyone having three or more separate occasions of sickness within six months (except in cases of a serious illness needing treatment Asda are aware of, i.e. Dialysis treatment) will lose their bonus for the year. Bearing in mind the bonus for myself as a part-time colleague is over 200 quid, it's a lot to lose. You will also face a counseling session should your absence be above three percent, which could lead to dismissal.

I think this approach is harsh but fair. It stops people pulling sickies, and if you need time off for a dependent as I have done in the last week (my daughter has measles) they don't count that as sickness but as emergency leave. It works.

What are the worst things about working for Asda?
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I think anyone who works in a supermarket or large store, in any kind of customer service capacity, would tell you that customers have the ability to seriously ruin your day. In a store like Asda, especially when it's busy, customers will complain about all sorts of rubbish.

And despite the fact we have a perfectly good customer service desk, and a dedicated phone line, they still often take their troubles out on any member of staff they catch. If you're the cleaner, don't be surprised to be shouted at because there's no cola, and similarly, if you work on fish, you may have to put up with someone complaining they couldn't find the trolley they wanted.
Unfortunately, much as you might want to slap them in the gob, it's your job to be polite, and give them the whole 'YES SIR, NO SIR, THREE BAGS FULL SAH!' treatment.

The uniform is also a downside. We all know what it looks like....nasty bright green. But bearing in mind Asda issue the uniform to you, and you must wear it in a certain way. They are very fussy about all colleagues wearing a name badge, about aprons being worn a certain way, and about shoe colour. Also, carrying the uniform to and from work is bulky, and the lockers you are allocated are often too small to store you clothes in.

One other downside, which may be personal to my store, is the problems with canteen staffing. Our staff canteen in very understaffed, meaning that every shift I work, I have to go without a hot tea nowadays, whereas when I first started , I had a hot meal on each and every shift. There are vending machines, but by the time I take my break in the evening these are very often empty.

What are the best bits?
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I really love working for Asda. I love the fact that I can sit and have a giggle with my workmates, and that I've made loads of friends through my work. Since working here I go out a lot more with a much wider group of people.

I also enjoy the fact that if I want to try a different job, or try working in a different area of the store, I am encouraged to do so. It means I can now work in several areas and jobs as well as my own position on the deli. For me this is important, as not only can I provide cover and earn lots of overtime payments, but also I learn new skills all the time, which should hopefully help me gain promotion.

And, perversely, the customers I listed as the downside are also one of the best bits. There are some regular customers who are such characters they never fail to amuse. One of my favourites is a lady called Sylvia, (she knows I'm mentioning her) who always takes the time to say hello, have a chat, and very often offer a toffee or relationship advice to the staff. While rude customers can ruin your day, nice customers can make it.

Conclusion
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I love working for ASDA. I love the busy hectic environment, the people I've met here, the training I've received and the majority of the customers. It's no wonder Asda have been voted one of the top ten companies to work for the third year running .I think provided you're a team player, willing to train, and can work hard, you'd do well here.

For more information, or to browse and apply for jobs online, visit the following address and click on 'enjoy jobs at Asda at the top of the page.

Thanks for reading, hope the review has been useful to you.

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