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    Aston University Reviews

    Updated 26 November 2018
    64 reviews

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    3.9
    StarStarStarStarStar
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    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    Aston University Chancellor John Sunderland
    John Sunderland
    8 Ratings

    Employee Reviews

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    Pros

    • "Good teaching facilities, good research, based close to city centre" (in 7 reviews)

    • "Good place, friendly staff and colleagues, excellent understanding manager" (in 5 reviews)

    Cons
    More Pros and Cons

    1. "Student Ambassador"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Student Ambassador in Birmingham, England
      Former Employee - Student Ambassador in Birmingham, England
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at Aston University part-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      -Supportive Team
      -Good working environment
      -Managers are easy to get to

      Cons

      -Had issues with payroll scheme

    2. "Great place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at Aston University full-time

      Pros

      Friendly staff for most part
      Good salary
      Great learning opportunities

      Cons

      Upper management can throw tantrums and can embrace the my way or highway approach

      Advice to Management

      Understand what you want from your direct reports.

      3. Join the Aston University team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. "Strong leadership but lack ethical practice by some exec members"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at Aston University full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      community atmosphere amongst staff due to its small/med size. location. constant refurbishment/renovation to modernise.

      Cons

      abuse of power by some leadership members considered untouchable due to their position. lack integrity and expense fraud is prevalent by senior leadership team. HR are illiterate so don't expect them to know what they are doing. instead read the policies as they don't comply with their own protocols. little-to-no staff development. extortionate canteen prices. high staff turnover in some depts yet not noticed by exec board. cause for concern.

      Advice to Management

      look into expenses by PVCs. you might find abuse is common and long term may save a fair few bob by removing the abusers of the system. scrap HR and start afresh. reward the little people more.

    4. "What you make of it"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Birmingham, England
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Birmingham, England
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Aston University full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Room to make improvements if you're hungry for it

      Cons

      Set in their ways which is frustrating if you don't challenge status quo constructively and effectively

      Advice to Management

      champion changemakers

    5. "Research fellow"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Birmingham, England
      Current Employee - Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Birmingham, England

      I have been working at Aston University full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Good environment, nice lab facilities and well-known research centre in photonics

      Cons

      mostly contractual, short to medium term contract

      Advice to Management

      Integration into academia can be increased

    6. "Rewarding Role"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at Aston University full-time

      Pros

      Working within a university that champions the Widening Participation (WP) programme gives me a great sense of job satisfaction, as I am in touch with students who may not have traditionally attended university, but who bring a new outlook and fresh ideas and challenges to my role. My team are like my close friends, and the overall feeling of being a part of the Aston University family leaves me feeling very secure. The campus is beautiful, and the training and opportunities for self-development are in abundance.

      Cons

      The HR/Payroll services at Aston could be much improved - I frequently have experienced problems regarding pay or taxation, that are a result of procedures not being followed. I think the internal customer service could also be changed up, so that I am not made to feel cheeky for asking for an advance payment when my pay is short a considerable amount.

      Advice to Management

      The university's good reputation precedes it, and as a former Aston student myself, I am immensely proud of the steps Aston is taking to make university a viable pathway for more young people. One thing I would say is to invest perhaps more in the Payroll/HR areas so that we can all have a better experience in this essential part of being an Aston employee.

    7. "Good job for students"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      Pros

      In uni, flexible, easy job

      Cons

      Not challenging, kind of boring at times.

    8. "Good place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      Pros

      Good opportunities to progress here

      Cons

      Campus / main building is a little tired

    9. "dssa"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Business Analyst in Birmingham, England
      Former Employee - Business Analyst in Birmingham, England
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at Aston University (Less than a year)

      Pros

      very friendly enthronement and good reputation

      Cons

      strict timeline and too much work

      Advice to Management

      be friendly and be nice to everyone

    10. "Research Fellow"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Research Fellow in Birmingham, England
      Former Employee - Research Fellow in Birmingham, England
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at Aston University full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      Good people, good salary, and old friendly Birmingham laying about.

      Cons

      Quite old labs downstairs in North wing, but now seems they refurbish them.