OrderWise Reviews

- Poor management I worked hard for this company, over the course of 7 years-plus. Most of the managers I had (bar the good ones who left) were essentially a mouthpiece for the company, armed with tools and procedures to keep tabs on whatever you were doing, at all times. The clocking system is to-the-second and although it is useful in a fire situation and helps calculate built-up flexi-time, it was also designed in such a way that staying behind for (e.g.) 10 minutes wasn't accumulated in your favour but being 1 minute late for work WAS owed back to the company. I think that speaks for itself. - Toxic work environment The MD and certain other managers would sometimes use expletives, loudly, to get their point across, as well as in e-mails (of which I have copies). Criticism or suggestions (however constructive) were largely not taken on board and certain contractual things (such as an overt lack of clarity around inventions clauses and restrictive covenants) left a bad taste in my mouth, not to mention the fact that you're expected to pay back the training costs for teaching you how to use the software (up to a year after you leave, and you only find this out on the first day when you get your new contract). - Micromanagement There was no trust in staff and this showed! Constant micromanagement instead of letting staff just do their jobs was one of the reasons I left. If one member of staff broke the rules ( egregious at times, granted), it would often be to the detriment of the entire company in the form of rule/procedural changes. Appraisals had to be asked for. One management strategy, which I saw used against other members of staff as well as myself, was to ask loudly, in a room full of people, why something wasn't exactly as the manager expected it, like a child being told off by a teacher with anger-management issues. - Poor pay Pay is poor. Whilst working there, people left what would be considered as a skilled 'career' job, to work in shops for more money but without the responsibility, stress and lack of recognition for hard work. When some staff left, the company were suddenly able to find the extra salary to keep said staff. - Lack of career progression I expressed interest in other areas of the business on more than one occasion and my only ‘progression’ move within the business wasn’t one I requested and was done so on the instruction of management and I was made to feel like I didn't have a choice at the time - it didn’t turn out to be a progression either. The interest I actually expressed in departmental moves fell on deaf ears and nothing ever came of it. If (as has been implied by some of the obsequious responses to the negative reviews - everybody has the right to be heard - that's why platforms like this exist) the lack of career progression was down to a lack of ability or performance on my part, then it was certainly never communicated to me, verbally, via e-mail or through any disciplinary mechanism. My formal disciplinary record whilst employed here was spotless, despite some of the language used in some of the e-mails I received.