Stephen's Bakery Reviews

Nothing particular - can be busy but keeps the day going and exciting

An opening shifts official start time is 5:45am, however to get as much done as expected for the shop opening you do have to be in earlier and you are not paid for this. All members of management come in significantly early. If on an opening shift you are often on for the whole day to do the closing shift too, which is a 4:15pm finish. This is standard even if there are other members of the management team that start later who can easily do a close. You will only get a half hour break on these shifts. You are technically entitled to two 10 minute breaks too but they are at the managers discretion and with how the day is set up, and poor performing staff members, you don’t get these breaks. If you’re in from 5:45am-4:15pm this is hard going as you are on your feet for the whole day. If you are the only management on for the day this half hour break will be interrupted, as you are expected to keep everything filled to a good standard, and you will be interrupted constantly by other staff members. There is virtually no management of the staff, with a bury your head in sand approach taken. This has lead to poor standards and expectations of the staff. There are constant complaints regarding the poor performing staff members, as the other staff have to run around at the back of them to ensure that everything gets done. Some of the staff could really do with coaching on good customer service, when I mentioned this I was looked at like I had grown three heads. Some in particular will complain and talk about other staff members to customers which is inappropriate and unprofessional. You will be encouraged to have conversations with poor performing staff members, but you will not be backed up at all as “I don’t see it” and “It doesn’t happen like that when I’m on shift”. It happens constantly no matter who is on, and other staff members complain about the poor performance constantly. This is unfair to those who have to pick up the slack, and to the poor performing staff who should be encouraged and supported to improve. There is very little training, and the rare instances of feedback opportunities are not fulfilled in way that is remotely beneficial to the staff. I would really consider working elsewhere, as it is genuinely not worth the wage with how the shop is run currently.