Having worked at a branch for three months, I believe I've enough experience for a company review.
With a typical workday beginning at 8/9 am, once you began your shift you may be either asked to work at tills, shelve returned items or be assigned to a particular section of the store. Later, once it began to get busy, you may be reassigned to a different section of the shop floor or be asked again to work on tills. Afterwards, depending on customers you might be assigned to your original task or be reassigned. Later in the evening before closing time you'd be asked along with your co-workers to clean up the store in preparation for the next day.
In order to properly have a productive day at work, I learnt that teamwork, time management and motivation are three pivotal assets to accomplish that goal. Because of sometimes such a busy environment- you'd need to be "on your game" to have both a positive and productive day at work.
Luckily the management I encountered in the workplace was very positive with a democratic style of leadership in place.
As established above the values of teamwork, time management and motivation are three pivotal assets in order for productivity to take place- however, they also played a part in workplace culture. Values like these and general communication are what's needed to work at a branch for Mr.Price Branded Bargains.
However, the hardest part for me personally was the stress I felt whenever it got particularly busy. Without be
ProsTeamwork, sense of belonging, improved communication skills
Left standing for so long that I walked with a limp after my shift.
I worked as temporary Christmas staff in the Blanchardstown location. This job may be fine if you have a decent amount of experience in retail and working on cash registers. But overall I cannot recommend working here.
The pay is low (€9.80 for 20-year-olds and above) and the hours are fairly long.
There was no proper training provided.
I was more or less thrown in at the deep end. Nothing was properly explained, you just have to learn as you go or learn from other employees. For me this lead to making a lot of mistakes even after working there for a few months. And some managers would be mad if you made a mistake, even though they never bothered to show or tell you how to do things the correct way in the first place.
At the Blanchardstown location I found some of the mangers/assistant managers were not very unapproachable. And somewhat rude; often never saying things like "please" or "thank you." Having to work with them was difficult. They left me with a feeling of dread when working with them.
I understand that their job is hard and stressful but that's not an excuse for poor manners and poor management.
There were no seats behind the tills, which I know is fairly common for retail shops and I know it is not the mangers fault. However it's something I wish the owner would look into as staff are left standing for up to 4 to 5 hours, approximately. I literally walk with a slight limp after my shift.
Not perfect, but great employer if you want to progress a career in retail.
The quality of managers and team leaders varies widely. If you're lucky enough to be in a store with an excellent manager, this can be an amazing place to work.
Like most of retail, some staff with authority can be petty, especially if they are unskilled or uneducated. I found working with unmotivated and lazy sales assistants tiring - and unfortunately bad managers create bad teams.
I had a horrible store manager, but was given the opportunity to work in other stores and with other teams, and I absolutely loved that. The Area Managers (Support Managers) I worked with were all awesome.
The company promotes from within, so if you're looking to move up the chain, all you have to do is apply yourself and have an interest, and you can find yourself progressing very fast. This was definitely something I respected about the company.
ProsPromotion opportunities.
ConsWorking alongside mindless or unmotivated young people.
The only valuable aspect of this job is the merchandising training. Employees are not allowed to work on own initiative and are giving a list of daily objectives to carry out which In a fast paced environment is unrealistic considering you may be asked for help from a customer/colleague, you must answer the bell if it is being rung and having to merchandise everything yourself may take a substantial amount time if you are short on space. The interview consists of alot team related questions but there are very little opportunities to work as a valuable team member as management will have everyone split off from each other doing different tasks. Would not recommend for individuals under 18 as you will be paid less than minimum and have the same expected of those who are being compensated more.
ProsStaff discount, Friday treat
ConsPoor team environment, lack of communication and connections, high stress and high responsibility
Honestly you would be happy dealing with their idiotic HR if you were getting paid decent but as a sales assistant you’re only paid 10.10 an hr and as a keyholder you’re paid 10.45. Hrs are mad long and you’re only paid for what you’re rostered for not for what the clock in sheets says. Expected to wait back half hr after shift and not paid for it. Also during the pandemic the staff members didn’t receive a bonus because mr price is very cute they instead put money on the staff’s loyalty cards so you can only spend it in mr price and mr price makes the money back. They’re hungry cretins. Word of advice Do not work here they don’t care about their staff half their shops have no security so if you get hurt don’t think for a second they will care cause they won’t and their stores are very unhygienic so you will get physical sick a lot
ProsNone
ConsPoor pay, untrained head office, unhygienic environment, long hrs
Currently working at Mr.Price as a sales assistant and thinking of leaving the place.The pay is bad especially if your'e 16-19 years of age, you only earn between €6.86- €8.82 per hour. No Christmas bonuses , if your shift finishes at 22:00 and you leave the place 22:15 you are not paid for that extra time and there's no overtime for doing the night shift. The work required is fairly easy working on tills, packing out etc. but we're nearly always understaffed so getting things done is difficult. The only positive thing really are the other employees I work with - they are so lovely & helpful and you also get 10% staff discount- can you believe it a whole 10%. No employee satisfaction what so ever and there's constant maintenance issues.It's clear to see many of the staff including myself are unhappy here, unequivocally a major improvement is needed. If looking for a job make this your last option.
I left mr price after 2 weeks, I was employed as goods in manager. There was absolutely no organisation, store room was too small and the company are too cheap to get insurance to instal a lift and use the floor upstairs, as a result 70 pallets were sitting outside the back of the shop everyday, stock was getting wet and destroyed, they had to be left on the shop floor every night and brought outside in the morning which took nearly two hours, what a joke of a place, management also speak to you like you’re a piece of dirt and they walk around with faces like slapped arses, they then wonder why they can’t hold onto staff, absolute joke shop. At the interview you get about 20-30 pages to fill out, there are questions about the condition of your mental health, since when can a business ask questions like that? Don’t go near it.
I joined mr price as a summer job whilst in university. Staff were friendly but there was a toxic atmosphere. The training I found to be extremely poor. They expected me to know things I was never told and this had negatively impacted my probation period and my relationship with management. I had only received formal training from management 4 MONTHS INTO MY EMPLOYMENT. As a result of this they failed me on probation and let me and a few others go. They got the busy periods like Christmas and back to school done and were happy to terminate young staff members on probation there after. Extremely poor communication from management
To end on a positive note regular staff there was lovely and management had always payed on time and were accommodating in regards to college and time off.
They took the 10 % employee discount, the shop is disgusting and is riddled with favoritism in management, workers and managers are ok but condescending and are dead weight, no training and unfair pay for amount of work expected, support manager is very unprofessional, childish and seems to have no experience actually working in fast paced retail environments, gives very unreasonable work load and higher ups cut costs at every chance, some co workers make me very uncomfortable and create a bad work environment, I dread coming into work, there is no recognition of work that you do and you must pick up slack off of co workers that managers prefer
ProsTime and half on sunday, some decent co workers
ConsMinimum wage, bad hours, heavy workload, lazy co workers, condescending managers, childish support manager
Mr Price , a company which firmly advocates for the slogan ‘Minimum Wage, Maximum Effort’.
The hours are utterly impractical and unequivocally contribute to an unhealthy work - life balance. You either start at 6am or finish at 11pm.
The pay is atrocious considering the roles and responsibilities expected of you. It raises the question, given the current economic climate and the ever rising cost of living , how do employees manage to feed their families and keep afloat ?
Unsurprisingly, staff turnover is just one of the many prevalent long term flaws of this so called Irish company.
ProsLong lunch breaks (unpaid of course), 10% staff discount (excluding food products of course)
ConsUnacceptable wages, disgraceful hours, lack of support and communication from higher authority.
Questions and answers about Mr Price Branded Bargains
What is the promotion process like at Mr Price Branded Bargains?
Asked 9 Nov 2022
No interest in promotion
Answered 14 May 2023
Non existent
Answered 8 May 2023
If you were to leave Mr Price Branded Bargains, what would be the reason?
Asked 11 Jul 2019
Extremely poor payment. Made to work long hours and work employees to the bone, never given thanks for any hard work you put in. Managers are rude and make working there a nightmare.
Answered 12 Jun 2022
Wages are too low for the amount of work you have to do. It's extremely stressful and physically exhausting.
Answered 3 Aug 2020
How often do you get a pay rise at Mr Price Branded Bargains?
Asked 7 Nov 2022
When you turn 18, 20 and 21
Answered 30 May 2023
Very rarely
Answered 30 Apr 2023
What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Asked 7 Feb 2020
Never. It's a really horrible place to work for. Managers have clear favorites. You are expected to do the work of 5 people all at once.
Answered 12 Jun 2022
No chance a toxic place to work for
Answered 29 Apr 2021
What benefits does Mr Price Branded Bargains offer?
