FareShare Reviews

I worked at Fareshare UK for 2 and a half years. When I joined it was somewhat technically challenged but with good intentions and a growing department to get things cleared up. I mostly enjoyed my time there and learnt a lot - it allowed me to upskill broadly. Sadly as time went on it became evident that they are far more concerned with bowing down to every request that any supplier has without hesitation - even if it's detrimental to their employees or overall structure. The main disadvantage of working here is the woeful lack of organisation (technical or otherwise) and direction from leadership. There are no project management tools, no single sources of truth and no backing from above to try and consolidate data or working standards into one solution or location. They are also seemingly unwilling to set a standard of working. No process management at all. Every team works in a totally different and undefined way. There are a few core systems - but outside of that it's anyone's guess. This leads to data being scattered across a variety of systems and over time causes massive issues with accuracy, continuity and accessibility. It also poses a considerable risk; a lot of the solutions being used are not suitable for the data within them and don't have central oversight (and there are many more that simply aren't known about) The Technology team (known as the Information Centre) of which I was a part of was understaffed the entirety of the time I was part of it. Team members are stressed, overworked and complaints not listened to. Requests for new staff are declined or ignored. Multiple members of my team (myself included) were off for periods with stress related illnesses due to this while I was in post. Despite this Fareshare are happy to hire contractors for months on end at obscene daily rates to plaster up the ship as it's sinking - all the while telling staff that there isn't a need or budget for more permanent staff. They will gladly pay a contractor or third party company to tell them how XYZ should be run at a HUGE cost - when it could be done internally with some small investment - then either half-heartedly implement it or simply ignore the advice altogether. We did make great inroads into trying to consolidate the technology while I was there - but those in charge don't seem to understand the risk - so don't see it as a priority or something that needs to be fixed. This was a major contributing factor in me leaving as it was professionally embarrassing to not be able to fix obvious gaping issues and just have to co-exist while they spiral. Technology/IT as a whole within the company is being diluted and outsourced - even though it's the outsourcing that is causing a lot of the issues. Roles are poorly defined. There is a constant cycle of: Outsource a problem > pay large amounts of money to fix it > no documentation is done due to Fareshare not being able to give clear requirements or goals > it breaks 3 months later > the knowledge used to fix it has been lost or not captured > repeat. My direct manager was brilliant - but in practice (due to no fault of their own) was essentially pointless as no queries that they would raise to those above on our behalf were ever really answered or cared about. The way that the Fareshare network is constructed does not lend itself to best practice infrastructure (hundreds of partners - a lot of cross-sharing and mixed ownership which nobody wants to define along with heaps of legacy quick fixes). This would be fine if money and talent was invested into taking charge of this but it is not. A lot of what they provide/host as a service to the network is in reality either hanging by a shoestring, inadequate for the task, woefully mismanaged or a mix of the three. Leadership and directors want to project an image of a technologically advanced charity that is ready for the next generation of challenges in the food waste industry. The reality of the situation is that Fareshare cannot even manage their own infrastructure or data to what most would consider a good or acceptable standard. Projects are never completed because nobody has any idea of what is going on, what stage anything is at or where the progress is stored. Single people using archaic spreadsheets that are placed in a non-accessible place to manage major pieces of work, while project management tools purchased in impulse at a great cost sit unused due to lack of resource. Teams reaching out for better ways of working only to be told that there isn't capacity to manage it/money to buy it - leading to them signing up for services on their own out of desperation and causing potential data risks off as a result. Nothing is scalable and every solution or system is in a perpetual state of intense growing pains or critical mass with endless plasters on the cracks. Since the new CEO, George, was put into place it seems that Fareshare is attempting to run like a business. Going around touting that we are the next best thing and can offer everything under the sun - and it's simply not true. Things are promised that are totally out of what is realistically possible in terms out reporting or technical capability then it's dumped on the technology team to work it out - it's like they are trying to set people up for failure. HR are slow to respond and mostly ineffective. Benefits are non-existent. I'm not even paraphrasing - literally none. Pension is paltry. Pay banding is sporadic. I was put at a certain wage then told I was too high for my banding and would not have any opportunity for advancement unless my role changed - which it couldn't as they wouldn't allow it. Interal training or development is minimal to none. I started working at Fareshare because I wanted to make a difference and leave the world of corporate IT. I was okay not being paid top money, having a lavish office or the best kit. Upsettingly after spending a fair amount of time there - I have lost a lot of faith in the charity sector as a whole. I have seen large amounts of money be thrown into the furnace playing a constant game of catchup / patch the hole, all the while actual long term fixes are ignored. I have seen talented colleages treated poorly and their advice ignored. I have experienced high profile members of staff demonstrate a clear lack of understanding or care of information security or good working practice. There is so much potential for it to be a great place to work and the inefficiencies to be solved but leadership simply do not want to listen. It's to the point that it's almost a willing ignorance or continued delusion - what they believe is happening is so very different to reality. It's such a shame. Good people were leaving rapidly when I was there. I know it has continued since. Many of the people who I worked with are actively seeking new roles. The culture is not what it once was. The director of my department in the last year of me being there was nowhere to be seen when it came to issues within the team - but was more than happy to recite whatever those above told them at every possible opportunity. I would not recommend working here unless you have exceedingly strong morals which make you want to work for a Charity of this specific type. I thought I did - but over time it was eroded away. It will likely happen to you too. If you're considering working here for any sort of technology role - I urge you to look elsewhere for your own sanity and wellbeing.