Valpak Limited Reviews

Salaries are, frankly, immoral - made worse by a contractual (and frankly even more immoral) demand not to discuss with colleagues. You will, however, quickly note the clearly expensive and high-spec cars belonging to senior management gleaming from just outside the windows. There is a distinct lack of progression unless you are one of the 'favourites' of the Executive. The middle-management is often inept and petty - chosen for loyalty and pliability. They also suffer from a Stepford-like Stockholm syndrome where, because they can work from home and finish early of a Friday, they see Valpak as the promised land. It is not, they should leave. There is also a definite school-like atmosphere to the place (and not a school I would recommend). This is perhaps an unfair comparison as, in schools, you generally learn things. Unless you are a member of senior management, you will be made to feel like a somewhat dim-witted child: in need of the highest levels of supervision and condescension and most definitely not to be trusted around sharp objects. It has taken me several years since leaving to relocate my self-esteem and to recognise what truly competent and compassionate management looks like. It is not to be found at Valpak.

Where do I even start? Within the company, the workforce is overwhelmingly young - even at management level. I believe this lack of managerial experience has contributed to a culture of favouritism. Managers tend to reward those who fit a very specific mould - typically “sociable” or highly extroverted - while others with different strengths are overlooked or pushed aside. The culture at Valpak seems to suit only the extremely outgoing. If you are naturally extroverted, you’ll be praised and noticed; if not, you may feel invisible. The workload is also unreasonable. As noted by other reviews, working hours can be horrendous, with up to 8 hours of mandatory overtime per week for extended periods. I often found myself working until 2–3 a.m. to meet deadlines. Because I was new and the overtime wasn’t technically “mandatory,” I wasn’t paid for those extra hours. Training is minimal. You’re thrown straight into complex submissions with little guidance, which is both stressful and inefficient. The work itself quickly becomes repetitive, and internal mobility is very limited. To make matters worse, the pay is poor for the demands of the role. Overall, I would not recommend this job — it simply isn’t worth the toll it takes.