Worried I’ve made a mistake taking new job at Waitrose

[Symposium]

Trying to get back to work after 15 years of being stay at home mum. Just been offered my first job but it’s only 8 hours a week. I jumped at the chance and now I’m having doubts. Do they offer more hours once I’m in? Is it usual for them to start you off low hours to see how I get on? Anyone got any inside knowledge? Initially felt pleased as I need to start somewhere and 8 is better than nothing, but now Suddenly worried I’ll be stuck on 8 hours forever.

Well done getting the job. Just do tge job and see how things develop. If you need more hours in future it will be easier to get a job when you've some experience. Good luck!

I had a bit of a false start today. I had emailed earlier in the week asking about uniform and should I go in on Friday as that’s the start day on the contract. I got an email back just saying to dress smartly so I took that to mean yes going on Friday... Then this morning I got a load of emails saying that training modules had been added to my workday account. So, I turn up today and they didn’t know who I was and weren’t expecting me! Everyone was very nice and they checked and could see I had been added to the system but it wasn’t fully activated yet or something as I had no new login. The temporary one switched off yesterday as it said it would the day before you start. I was asked to come back tomorrow and it should be all sorted out by then. They said it’s not the first time it’s happened and not to worry. But of course I’m a bit worried. Fingers crossed it all goes better tomorrow.

How's the job going ? X

DS worked there part time/holidays from age 16 to 22/23 when he finished at uni. I think they were really good to him and I enjoyed the discount!

I had a better luck second time I went in. At least they were expecting me this time. I spent the shift just doing online training in the office. They’ve given me a locker key and taken my order for uniform. I’m back in on Friday and they said I’d be shadowing someone, so that will be interesting!

I started on 8 hrs, 2x 4 hour shifts a week, when I first went back to work post kids. As others left, and the needs of the service changes, I took on more hours to suit me. Now on 22.5 hours which is perfect for me 👌🏻

It sounds like the perfect gentle introduction back to work. Glad your second shift went well.

You’ll be fine. Think of all the extra hours you’ll pick up in the summer holidays too.

I’m just over a month in and so unsure of myself. I don’t know if I’m doing ok or not. I feel a bit thrown in at the deep end. Training is really sporadic and there seems to be a different manager in every week. Some staff have been encouraging me to ask for extra hours but not sure if that’s a good idea until I pass the probation? That’s if I do pass! I haven’t had any feed back to know if I’m on track or not. So worried.

You hit the nail on the head with training! It’s pretty non existent and mainly consists of watching what everyone else does and then asking questions if you get stuck.

try not to overthink it. You will pass probation unless you commit a heinous crime like stealing or swearing at a customer.

if you want the extra hours, take them. Overtime is usually plentiful and management don’t care how long you’ve been there, they just want the work done.

you’ll be fine 😊

Some of us work at Waitrose, if you tell us what sort of jobs they’ve got you doing maybe we can help?

FWIW I think it’s normal to feel so unsure of yourself at the beginning in a new job.

If you know who your Team/People manager is you can ask them for a quick one-to-one so you can check in with how they think you’re doing. It’ll make you look good to do this as it shows you care!

Ask questions! Here or to your colleagues/managers. There’s no such thing as a stupid question, it’s how we learn.

As @sunnyday2025 said, you will pass probation. It costs money to bring in a new staff member and they don’t want to lose it, so you’re extremely likely to be kept on.

There will be lots of managers, each responsible for a different thing and each with their own ‘team’. You’ll see different ones on different days but you’ll get to know them all in time, and you can talk to any of them.

Wave to @Waitcrows!
partner from Suffolk here

Waving back @sunnyday2025 I’m in Cambridgeshire!

Thank you both, I do feel a little better now. I find using the headsets to communicate really stressful, I feel so self conscious and it doesn’t help that I don’t know half the staff yet and they don’t know me! I’ve mainly been shown how to date check the stock and yellow sticker stuff. Also a bit of bringing down cages and putting out stock. I’ve also done a very short shift on the cash till that also does click and collect and returns. I’m supposed to have had a 30 day review but I haven’t seen a manager to ask about it yet.

Ok I can help with reductions and working stock if you have any questions about those.
It does take a little bit of time to feel fully confident with the headsets but as you get to recognise everyone’s voices it will get easier. With your review, do you have any way of sending a message to your manager to ask about it?

I did find the first few months a little difficult because there just seemed to be so much to learn about how the shop worked, who all the managers were, all the online training, all the other online bits we’re supposed to use etc. You just mustn’t be afraid to ask questions and I promise it gets easier if you can stick with it.

Do you know how to access the partner intranet and BOP from home? I found reading through things there away from work really helpful.

Discount would be worth it imo!

Thank you. It’s just hard when I’m only in a few hours each week. Just when I think I’m getting the hang of things, I find myself at the end of my shifts for the week and then I have 5 days off before I’m back in again. I feel like I forget things in that break but it does come back to me once I get started again. It’s just a bit stressful and knocks my confidence. I’m usually on the ball and quick to learn things so I’m not used to feeling like this. I do ask when I’m not sure or get a bit stuck but I feel so stupid and feel like I’m apologising all the time. Everyone has been really nice and I haven’t ever been told off about anything so I am probably being too hard on myself.

I get it as I’m part time too. At the beginning I would go home and write in a pocket sized notebook all the steps of each job I’d done, then i’d keep it on me at work so I could refer back to it if I needed to (or you could use notes app on your phone)
I still do this when I train in a new task and I’ve been there a few years! I also still forget basic things when I come back from holiday and I know some of my colleagues who’ve been there much longer are the same

You didn’t answer my question about BOP but it’s possible you don’t know about it yet. It’s an internal website you can access from work or home that shows how to do everything you might need to do in branch. I find it really helpful to refer to when I’m learning something new.

Hi, I don’t know what BOP is. I have the workday app is it different from that? I feel like there’s loads they haven’t explained to me yet. I find it a bit stressful as I like to know how everything works and I’m just being drip fed bits and pieces. But then again I do understand that I can’t learn it all at once! Its funny I never even thought to take notes, that’s a good idea , I think I’ll start doing that.

Hi @Symposium I’m going to send you the link to BOP in a private message as it’s an internal thing. You’ll just need to log in with the same details as Workday. Once you’re in you can just click through and have a look at all sorts of processes in there, in your own time. I think they try not to overload you too much with info right at the start, as there is a lot to learn! But it’ll all come in time. Hopefully having access to BOP will help you a bit

What a lovely thread with lovely helpful people. Congrats OP - it sounds like you are off to a good start. And well done all those Waitrose employees, who've encouraged you. Wish I worked there now we're not posh enough for a Waitrose where I am MN at its best.

Thank you!

Hiii I work at Waitrose I’m worried about leaving as I’m still on the probation period does anyone know if I can leave Waitrose and come back to complete the probation period after applying again ?

Hi, I’m not sure they would take you on a second time if you left during probation period, as it doesn’t look good commitment-wise! I don’t know that for a fact, it’s just how I would see it. I do know it costs the business quite a lot of money to take on a new person, so are they going to want to spend that on you twice? Why do you need to leave during probation, it’s only three months? (You don’t have to say, it’s none of my business)