Bookshop - Manager Any Amount Of Books Employee Review

A great shop full of fascinating books; they pay staff fairly and treat them well in terms of breaks etc.; opportunities to learn about antiquarian bookselling (if you're able to stay on)

Strange communication style from management - they seem not to understand how human beings learn new skills. I was given extensive written and verbal instructions on my first two or so days and then expected to do everything according their very specific (and sometimes contradictory) rules from the get go - as if I were a robot being programmed. Charitably, the management's aversion to giving staff members ongoing guidance or instruction may stem from a principled objection to "telling people what to do". When I was told I was falling short, I was expected to discern from cryptic comments as to where my mistakes lay, and to check in the 'staff handbook' - a tome full of rules, many contradictory - as to how to do better, and when I didn't improve in the very specific way they sought (arguably, a non-issue anyway, though I was never given the chance to argue my side), I was let go. I missed one shift, no doubt one issue that led to my dismissal, in part because they only communicate about shifts via email, which sometimes contain errors. A rota exists, but only certain staff members are allowed to see it. In the 12 weeks I worked there two other people were fired. One, a graduate of a top university, with excellent people skills and by my reckoning a very competent member of staff (and I have worked in bookshops before), left her dismissal meeting in tears. Long term members of staff are generally on edge and one is a nervous wreck. My excellent customer service skills, while recognised, were apparently not valued here and not a priority for them.

books, west end location, some interesting customers

No progression or training, surveillance, restrictive , unfair management