Team Member at The Spinning Jenny, Manchester Airport T2 - Anonymous employee SSP Group Employee Review

1.0
Jul 25, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A perfect example of decent, hardworking people in a bad situation. The vast majority of the staff who work for SSP, particularly the managers, are decent, honest people. It's a job where everyone is treated like dirt by the upper echelons (even outlet managers), but gets on with what has to be done. My colleagues and superiors were a decent bunch of people, always respectful of others and understanding of their pain of working for SSP. Everyone hates it here.

Cons

Everything except the people. Well, mostly. -Poverty wages, EXTREMELY early starts for little or no reward (25% premium: 6.70 * 1.25 = 8.38ph), 4am for me but even earlier for others. -Everyone from team members and outlet managers are paid poverty wages for working to the point of sheer exhaustion. -Refusal to pay for references if you come from University (just £10). -The HR department are absolutely DESPICABLE. Where else would you be fined £200 for quitting early? Just because it's legal doesn't make it morally right. DO NOT WORK FOR SSP, EVEN IF YOU ARE AT YOUR LOWEST EBB. YOU WILL QUIT EARLY, AND LOSE £200 OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.

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5.0
Jul 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Great team members and make money depend on the season

Cons

management aren’t on site all the time due to managing multiple locations.

1.0
Feb 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The employee meal discount is genuinely helpful since bringing food into the airport or buying it from outside is difficult. Many hourly employees are friendly, supportive, and hardworking. Most frontline managers try their best and often go above and beyond despite the pressure they face.

Cons

Senior leadership in the Northeast region operates with intimidation, ego, and favoritism, creating a toxic and unprofessional environment. Schedules are changed constantly with little notice, and employees are expected to work long, exhausting hours without regard for work–life balance. When employees speak up about burnout or need to call out due to exhaustion, they are often targeted instead of supported. Union employees frequently earn more than the supervisors responsible for managing them, which creates tension and undermines morale. Promotions are based on personal relationships rather than merit, and nepotism is widespread across multiple levels of leadership. HR functions more as a disciplinary weapon than a neutral resource for resolving issues or supporting employees. The overall culture is retaliatory, inconsistent, and not aligned with ethical or sustainable business practices.

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SSP Group Response
4mo
We are sorry to hear about your negative experience. Your feedback is important to us,
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