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de Banke Group Reviews
Updated 3 Oct 2023
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Found 31 of over 39 reviews
90% Recommend to a Friend
Found 31 of over 39 reviews
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Top Review Highlights by Sentiment
Excerpts from user reviews, not authored by Glassdoor
Pros
- "It is refreshing and inspiring to work alongside like minded people that want to work a job that makes a difference and to be of importance." (in 9 reviews)
Cons
- "This can mean long hours from time to time, and things from work can continue to play on your mind away from work." (in 3 reviews)
- 5.024 Aug 2022Patent Formalities OfficerCurrent Employee, more than 3 yearsBirmingham, England
Pros
- Small family-like team, who are all like-minded brilliant people. This contributes to the really friendly environment which makes coming to work a lovely place to be. - The whole teams ethos works on honesty – a great quality when it comes to helping each other achieve great work. - We all share a common goal, wanting to achieve something special by keeping our working standards high, to provide a fantastic service to our clients and working relationships within our network. - No one person is an island – everyone will try and help where possible if there is an issue, and the whole team pulls together when needed. - The office is situated in a wonderful countryside setting. - It can be very challenging work – this cannot be understated. Every person puts their all in, and it can be challenging for numerous reasons, volume of work, issues that arise where you are needed to find possible solutions either individually or as a team, out of the ordinary queries or spotting potential problems before they surface etc. With the right work ethic, this should feel challenging but exciting. Not all challenges are met with a great pay off at the end, but should still be felt as a very rewarding process – hard work also does not go unnoticed. - All areas of the company are self managed to an extent, where you will not be told what to do, or have set goals to achieve on a day to day basis. It is down to the individual to work off their own back, whilst communicating within the team. - No matter the role, each person has an opportunity to grow within the business which is very much supported by the CEO and team, whether that be through taking on more responsibilities, showing initiative, promotions etc. - The CEO is very present at work and works tirelessly everyday to improve the business. He has a very open and honest approach,. - Unreal food, including breakfast, lunches and snacks prepared by our highly qualified chefs, which includes a Michelin head chef. - Incredible parties and events organized by the CEO, put together to show a huge amount of appreciation for everyone’s hard work. This can include secret locations, huge surprises, awards for team members with insane prizes - to name a few elements that all team members have the huge pleasure of experiencing. - Unlimited holiday – self managed and if managed with care, is a huge benefit - Massively caring team and CEO – everyone has a kind ear and we all aim to look after one and other. - On site hair dressing services.
Cons
The below aren't necessarily cons if you enjoy a challenge. - Sometimes can feel quite pressurized due to the high quality of work and attention to detail needed on a daily basis. - Problems or projects could arise which would need to be resolved sometimes under short timescales and to a high standard. - If you do not like self-management, then there is no specific 'structure' to your day. - You may need to find potential problems and follow through to suggest/implement possible solutions. - There is no defined ‘tick box’ structure to training, or daily tasks. Training is provided and mapped out by the team on a case by case basis to ensure any individual learning any given process understands it thoroughly. - Working hours – if looking for a clock-in and clock-out type of roll with fixed hours then this is not for you. To accomplish great work as a team, sometimes it is needed to pull together or individually to work beyond a 'normal' working hours structure. - It can be difficult to switch off.
- 5.028 Jul 2022Formalities OfficerCurrent Employee, more than 8 yearsSolihull, England
Pros
Much more than just a “job” with a team that really is just like a family. Everyone genuinely cares about each other with so much passion to do something extraordinary and to change the industry for the better. Roles are incredibly varied and whilst they can be very challenging, a huge amount of responsibility and trust is given to everyone, making the whole experience extremely rewarding and enjoyable. There are no rigid management structures which means there is a real sense of openness. Opinions are very much welcomed and everyone is valued. The MD genuinely cares for the well being of everyone. He is very approachable and works incredibly hard to support the team in whatever way he can. A fantastic office environment set in a countryside location with an array of super cool benefits such as onsite parking, top quality breakfast, lunch and supper, fortnightly hair stylist appointments and an unlimited holiday policy. No stuffy dress code and everyone is encouraged to just be themselves. If you are someone with a strong work ethic who really wants to LOVE going into work each day and has the desire to be part of something special then dBG will really not disappoint.
Cons
Trying to find people that want to do something extraordinary really is not easy, which means recruitment can be time consuming and challenging. Whilst extremely rewarding, the roles are very demanding and some have struggled with this due to life commitments. Therefore probably not for those who are after a 9-5 type “job” where switch off is always guaranteed.
1 - 5.030 Jul 2022Operations AssistantCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearSolihull, England
Pros
- Everyone in the company gets on like friends which is such a rarity and it makes it a pleasure to come to work each day. - If you have a problem this is shared and everyone helps to get the issue sorted, no one is ever too busy to help. - We have the opportunity to make a difference and have the chance to change the way we work each day by thinking up ways we could improve our processes and actually implement these. - The systems we use are one of a kind and the tech team are always working hard on ensuring they work at their best. I’ve never worked somewhere with such a reliable tech department! - In ops you learn something new everyday, it can be challenging, but the satisfaction of being able to problem solve with the support of the team around you makes it so worthwhile. - The food is a big highlight of the day too! The quality is outstanding and everyone gets excited each day trying to guess what the next meal will be.
Cons
- Some days can be really tough. Having to juggle lots of different tasks can add extra pressure to your day. - We do have a lot of work to do each day which can mean we stay late more often than not. - It’s not a job you can switch off from at the end of the day and you can find yourself checking on things when you’re at home.
1 - 5.030 Jul 2022Operations AssistantCurrent Employee, more than 1 year
Pros
For the first time in my professional life I can actually say I enjoy my job! For me the operations role is incredibly rewarding, you play a hand in a lot of different areas of the business which I really love because it’s very rare there is a quiet moment, there is always something to do. I came onboard hungry for development, success and to do something out the ordinary and exciting, I can confidently and honestly say all those points have been met. You learn something new everyday and this might not always be an easy learning curve but how can you do something extraordinary if you want everything handed to you on a plate. The perks at IP Centrum are something I’ve never come across. From clean organic 5*+ breakfast, snacks, lunches and dinners throughly thought out by the chefs to annual Summer and Christmas parties which are simply out of this world, free chiropractor treatment, healthcare, CIPA qualification support, unlimited holiday and above the industry standard salaries this all contributes to how this job really isn’t average. This is a most unique dynamic I have ever come across in a team, you’ll have parts of the team who have been here years and don’t have any involvement in the operations assistant day to day role but when you need help they’re jumping in two feet first and ready to be trained up to make sure no one is struggling. Not only this, everyone is always there to help, you’re never looked down on or judged because you don’t know the answer to something or you need help and that is like gold dust, there is no selfishness and everyone genuinely cares and wants to do a great job.
Cons
There are challenges whether that be a project or an “out of the norm” situation which could pop up in the day to day, these are intense but when you complete a project or resolve the type of situation mentioned above the feeling is euphoric not only personally but as a team. You learn so much in these moments which has enabled me to grow massively in my development in the role which is invaluable. It’s important not to come into the role and expect you can do your standard hours and go home. That fits into the category of an average 9am to 5pm job which IP Centrum is certainly not, how can we achieve something above and over the standard by restricting ourselves? Sometimes you can find yourself working late, because as a team we don’t believe in leaving something for the next day if it can be done today it should be done today regardless on the time. The difference is everyone in all parts of the team will be working with you to make sure you’re not working too late and definitely to make sure the late finishes aren’t consistent.
1 - 5.029 Jul 2022Chef De PartiesCurrent Employee, more than 3 yearsBirmingham, England
Pros
Pros • I have been working at de Banke Group for 4 years now. The experience has been incredible and genuinely lucky for the opportunities and the experiences it has given me for example being able to enter different chef competitions. • Promotions – they pop up every now and then and what’s awesome is that the opportunity tends to be offered in house before sourced else where which for me shows massive respect for us to grasp the opportunity. • Rewarded - trying your best and you put in a lot of effort will not go un-noticed. • Freedom – another rare thing about this workplace is that you can literarily speak to our MD about any problem and issues to find the best solution to solve the problem, you can literally be as brutally honest and speak your mind about anything • There have been circumstances where I have had an honest telling off but that’s reality, if you want to grow as person you need to be surrounded by people that give you honest feedback. • Chef point - as a chef you are normally restricted to specific menus, however here at De Banke group, were given the opportunity to try new and exciting experiments, which I never would have dreamed of to have an opportunity like this within the industry, I have the freedom to almost do anything to educate myself! • Perks – this must be mentioned because of how crazy they are! Summer and winter parties, hairdressing, chiropractor and obviously the incredible food we serve!
Cons
• Challenging place to work yes, its hard work yes, long days yes, with that being said, if you would like to work somewhere extraordinary these are big factors to consider • Not really a con but some may see it as one, being prepared to get stuck in no matter what the task may be.
1 - 5.029 Jul 2022Junior AnalystCurrent Employee, more than 3 yearsSolihull, England
Pros
There’s no point trying to sugar-coat this. It’s not always easy going here. It’s not the type of place where you can arrive at 9am, tick your daily boxes, and leave at 5pm on the dot. For some people, that’s a deal breaker. For others, it’s what you thrive on, pushing your boundaries both personally and professionally, expanding your comfort zone. It opens up a whole world of opportunities. We’re a pretty small company, currently only employing around 25 people. Being so small, there’s no corporate shenanigans and no chain of command to go though: it’s us and the boss, and this means the level of trust and responsibility which you hold is likely unparalleled in the industry. Having to manage many aspects of the business all at the same time whilst possessing the power to make critical decisions allows you to develop a far greater understanding of how the business operates on a far more macro scale. Working here, you know that everything you do has the potential to have a massive impact on the business - you’re not just a small cog in the machine, you’re far greater than that. Of course, with responsibility inevitably comes some stress, but it would be unreasonable to not expect that. Certainly this is partly due to the nature of the sector we operate in, with clients all around the world (and the fact that you have so much responsibility), but it does mean that you can’t always have a full cut-off between work and home. Urgent email comes in at 9pm just as you’re settling down to dinner, or when you’re out over the weekend? You should probably pick it up. That might sound silly, but think of all the times you’ve contacted a company about something urgent, and you don’t get a response until the next working day, and how frustrating that is. Having said that, everyone will always do their absolute best to make things work for you if there’s a specific period where you either can’t be contacted, or would really prefer not to be! Related to this is the “Unlimited holiday policy”. Yes - it is genuinely unlimited, and that’s because we all trust that no one is going to abuse it. If you want to take a month off for your wedding and honeymoon, in most other companies that would completely wipe out your holiday allowance, but not here. It has to be a balance though, and you have to be mindful of when you are looking to take time off as the effect of one person being away can be huge, so it’s down to us as a team to work out what is and isn’t going to be feasible. As you therefore aren’t working with your standard statutory holiday days, it does mean that you sometimes end up finding that you haven’t actually taken much holiday at all, but that’s really down to the person though, and not necessarily a flaw of the policy. You do need to be prepared that you might need to shuffle around your planned days off though but, again, everyone will always try to make sure that doesn’t need to happen. We have a team of chefs on-site who cook genuinely world-class food. There’s the option to have breakfast, lunch and dinner every day if you’d like. You’ll eat things you never thought you’d ever try: Caviar? Yep. Truffles? Yep. The best fried egg you’ve ever tasted? Yep. Fancy a haircut, or maybe a colour change? We have an in-house hairdresser who comes to the office every couple of weeks for just that. Bad back? Free Chiropractic treatment, which was such a massive help to me at the beginning of this year. What about a team party? None of that “you can have 2 drinks on the company”, we’re talking private jets to Monaco and Spain. No joke. It’s safe to say that you’re treated pretty well here, but you’re of course expected to give a lot back, too. It might be cliché to say it’s the people who make the company, but that’s absolutely the case here. Everyone cares so much about what they do, and it’s a real privilege to be surrounded by such an amazing group of like-minded individuals. Working here, you know that everyone really cares about what they do. It’s a hard day’s work, but it’s incredibly rewarding, and at the end of the day you get home feeling like you’ve really achieved something.
Cons
Wrote the review before I realised it had to be split out... just read the above!
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de Banke Group Response2yThank you! I think this is a very balanced and fair review. It highlights many of the challenges - some of which aren't actually negatives to the kinds of people who love working here, but are important to go into with one's eyes open. It isn't an easy ride here, and certainly the majority of the time I spend during interviews is trying to put people off! :) It definitely isn't for everyone, but if the way you're built means you have a deep need to do something really hard and extraordinary, as long as it's for a worthwhile purpose, and you're respected for it, then it's probably for you. I'm very lucky to have such a great team of people who care so much about what they do, and about our purpose. <3
- 5.031 Jul 2022Finance AssistantCurrent Employee, more than 5 yearsSolihull, England
Pros
I have been employed at the de Banke Group for six years now. Before joining the company, I would have never dreamt that jobs like this existed or that I would be lucky enough to work for someone like the CEO - Simon. Working at the de Banke Group you will find the whole team is friendly, a group of extremely helpful individuals, each an expert in their field. The team feels more like friends and family, this extends out to customers, suppliers and even down our regular courier drivers! Everyone genuinely cares and supports each other. If ever you have a problem everyone pulls together to resolve it as a team. I’ve never experienced this prior to working at the de Banke Group. The de Banke Group is an SME with a flat management structure. This means there is a lot of trust and responsibility placed on you, so you need to be able to use your initiative and get things done without having to be asked. This is a demanding job where you are required to manage your time and workload in the best way possible, always giving 100%. Your hard work and commitment to the company does not go unnoticed. Employees are rewarded for their efforts with an endless list of work perks! To name a few; • Well paid salaries and annual bonus. • Unlimited holiday policy. • Modern offices based in a beautiful countryside location. • A massage chair you can use at any point during the day. • In house restaurant providing 5* organic breakfast, lunch, dinner along with snacks, fruit, hot and cold drinks at no cost to employees. • Fortnightly hairdresser service, again at no cost to employees. You’re able to have your hair colored, cut and styled by a senior stylist, all while you work! • Chiropractic treatment. • Bupa Health care. • Two all-expenses paid staff parties a year, where you can expect to travel on a private plane and be spoilt rotten by the CEO. • Personalised hampers at Easter and Christmas. If the CEO loves something for himself, he wants to be able to share this with his employees. Whether that is the best quality office chair, the latest iPhone or an Oura ring. I work part time hours; the CEO has always been very understanding and extremely flexible with my requests to chop and change my working hours over the years.
Cons
This is a very fast paced environment where you will have to hit the ground running. There will be times where you work long days. It can be hard to switch off because you genuinely care about what you do and want to provide the best service.
- 5.013 Feb 2022Sous ChefFormer Employee, more than 3 yearsSolihull, England
Pros
Working for Debanke group was a huge part of my life for the 3 and a half years I was employed. The boss is an absolute gent who is always there for his staff members both professionally and personally, I've never met a boss so invested in the team and it was incredible to be made to feel so valued and important during my time there. During my time working there I was encouraged and given the chance to grow professionally and personally, this is due to the atmosphere created by the staff working there (who are all individually amazing people) , as well as the support and patience from the boss. Working for Debanke group you can expect a friendly and positive work environment and the opportunity to meet and work alongside very focused and talented people, the work is hard and the standard is extremely high. You will experience perks that are far from your average, the staff party's are incredible , usually involving a flight and an all expenses paid weekend courtesy of the boss. These party's gave me memories I will never forget and I feel sad that I wont experience them again. You will experience a full catered working day ( this was my department). myself previously working in 1,2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants through my career as did the chefs still working at Debanke group. we were dedicated to providing the highest levels of service to the team and we loved every minute. You can expect spontaneous events based around random acts of kindness both inside and outside of the office, this is something the boss very keen to promote. For me, the best take away from my experience at Debanke group is the relationship I developed with the boss. He supported me both professionally and personally and continues to do so. I've met some fantastic people working at Debanke group and I will miss it.
Cons
Although there is much room for growth you must be able to hit the ground running, it is a very high standard working environment and the best will be expected at all times. All staff member regardless of the department will be expected to go above and beyond what is the normal. This can sometimes make it hard to fully turn off. Days can be long and the work can get intense but hard work is always rewarded and celebrated at Debanke group.
2de Banke Group Response2yThank you sir! Whilst your role wasn't part of us delivering the day to day operations of the business, as you know, our team at The Table (staff restaurant) are every bit a part of our amazing team. I'll always respect the passion and pride you took in your work and your craft. We had our share of laughter and metaphorical tears - but nothing amazing every got done without passion, so thanks for everything! Wishing you every success for the future!
- 5.05 Jul 2021Chief Technology Officer (CTO)Former Employee, more than 1 yearSolihull, England
Pros
Brilliant people with a shared mission. A founder who genuinely wants to create the most productive delivery culture with rewards for those that can make a big contribution. The team genuinely feels like a family. Always willing to try the latest tech if it can make a difference. Honesty and zero tolerance for corporate tricks top to bottom through the company. Unique benefits that make you feel you're in something very special.
Cons
You need to believe how intellectually challenging the work will be, and the adjustment you may need to work in an entirely open culture unlike most places you will have experienced. The team wants to tackle incredibly hard things, and will not carry you if you're not all in. (if this is a pro for you this might be the right place, but be honest with yourself) In trying to transform an industry, if a certain approach hits a dead end then something you slaved over may need to be put in the bin. Although the right call, this is painful for everyone from the founder to the developer,
2 - 5.07 Apr 2021Operations AssistantCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearSolihull, England
Pros
- Honestly, the biggest pro is the people that work here. Starting a new job working remotely was very daunting, yet everybody was so eager to make me feel welcome and immediately part of the group. Any help needed is never too much bother and there is a real sense of team and wanting to succeed together. - Successes are immediately recognised, and you truly feel appreciated for everything you do - even the littlest of things! Which makes everyone want to try even harder and strive to be the best that you can be. - The workload is exciting and varied. Most days something new comes up, and when it does everyone pulls together to find the best way forward, you're never left alone to figure it out. - The work can be hard. Sounds like a con, but definitely a pro. You cannot sail through a single day, and have to keep focus at all times, but this makes you really feel like you've done something important with your time. (and I love feeling mentally tired at the end of the day!) To balance this out, there is a really generous holiday policy, and time off is encouraged to ensure that you are well rested. - The company processes and technology are evolving quickly, I have only been here 6 months and already so much has changed and there are plans for so much more! It fascinating to see what is being created, and everybody is regularly kept up to date with the progress, not just the people directly involved. Everyone is treated like an equal, and success is celebrated together as a big team.
Cons
- We work until the work is done, which means some late nights. Sometimes really late nights! But this doesn't go unnoticed and processes are constantly being evaluated to ensure efficiency and ease the workload for us. If you need to leave earlier, everyone will jump to cover for you. - There's a lot to know and remember - every day I will come across something that I am not sure on how to handle, but this means that I am constantly learning and improving, which is great!
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de Banke Group Reviews FAQs
de Banke Group has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on over 39 reviews left anonymously by employees. 90% of employees would recommend working at de Banke Group to a friend and 92% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has decreased by -3% over the last 12 months.
90% of de Banke Group employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated de Banke Group 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.7 for culture and values and 4.6 for career opportunities.
