Zizzi Restaurants Reviews

Hours, no help from senior management

Where do I start? I have worked in customer service for the last 4 years. Prior to that, I was a cleaner and I have to say I preferred cleaning up people's vomit and urine more than working here. I took the role as a second job as I had a low contract at my current position and needed the extra cash. At interview I was asked how many hours I wanted and I stated 16/20 and the manager agreed he could accommodate this. Upon signing my contract I realised that all waiting staff her contracted 5 hours minimum, which I find ridiculous. The rate of pay was lower than my other job but the tips were quite good. For the first month and a half I was given the 16/20 hours as discussed and so I quit my other job and decided to focus on this one. Big mistake. Probably 3 weeks later, on a very busy weekend night 3 events occurred that resulted in unhappy customers, only 1 of which was my fault. The manager took me to one side and threatened to fire me in the middle of my shift. I was crying and physically shaking, he made me carry on my shift for another 3 hours in absolute bits. He never spoke to me again and never apologised. It was mortifying from then on to have to face my colleagues. From this point onwards he cut my hours to less than 5 a week. Putting me on 'volume' shifts on quiet days where I would end up working in some cases less than 3 hours. The manager never worked a close shift and his personal hygeine left much to be desired. Another member of management would be very short and snappy if I didn't do something that I had never been shown how to do. I would be watched constantly and nit picked at. There was never any positivity or constructive criticism from management. 3 of the managers were lovely as we're all of the waiting staff bar one. The manager did the rota based on favouritism. You were expected to work from 6pm to in some cases 1am with no break/no food. I was given my own section on a bank holiday weekend when I had been worn it there about 2 weeks and had no previous waitressing experience which he knew when he hired me. I have never been treated so badly or left so much like dirt as I did working at this place. Other waitresses had to take on cleaning shifts in order to make enough money to support their families as the rota'd hours were so low. I was one of many people the manager had brought to tears. No respect of decency.