Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

What is the best part of working at the company?
There aren't any good parts working for this company. They mistreat the staff, sometimes coming in without a desk to work at. If you have a disability adjustments need to be addressed. you are ignored, even though they state they help their staff under the disability employment Act 2010. You don't receive adequete help. Most staff are depressed because of the workload and non-appreciation. I have worked in the department for 23 years and this is the worst it's ever been.  The majority of people want to leave.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The workload and non-appreciation.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The staff have been made to fit into an office which is not fit for purpose. There are more people than desk availability. Your needs and well-being are ignored. They had an away day team building inside the office, so it wasn't an away day and staff had to bring in their food and pay for the pizza that was provided. Nowadays you don't even get a free cup of tea or coffee or water!  Managers talk down to the staff and if you have an opinion and use your initiative, you are given a warning or disciplinary. I have become very depressed working for this company.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I have difficulty going to work because of my back condition, so it is very painful to walk. It takes me 3 hours to get ready and get to work because of the distance. I have asked for a transfer but this has been ignored. I have asked if I can work from home but they have said no. I have asked for transport to help me get in, to no avail.  They offered me access to work which I am not entitled to because I am a Civil servant and I am supposed to get help from them with cabs for work travel, but I haven't received it. My day consists of being in pain and sitting at a desk all day and then struggling home.

I have worked at the Department of Working Pensions for the last 15 years. My latest role was a Team Leader to 14 staff.  My daily duties included - Making sure all statistics were input before the deadline, dealing with any HR issues, distributing work and making sure advisers were hitting their targets. chairing meetings, writing reports, dealing with customer complaints, filing, telephone calls, updating system with data.

I have learned how to prioritise work and my Customer Service is excellent. I am excellent with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
I have learned how to motivate a team and get the best out of them.

I had excellent relationships with Management and liaised with them daily.

I am a definite team player and would always volunteer when nobody else wanted to. I would cover any shortfalls within the team and liaise with colleagues to see if there was anything I could help them with.

The hardest part of the job would be having difficult conversations with staff, anything from their sick absence to their targets not being met.

The best part of the job was the daily challenges that were set, the people and all targets being met.

A once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of one of the biggest estates deals in Europe.  I learnt so many new skills specifically dealing with very senior external stakeholders such as MP's, Ministers and pressure groups.  I learnt personal resilience and  how to really build a network of contacts quickly and how to get the most out of those contacts.  The hardest part of the job was getting the work life balance right and at times accepting work would take over and helping family prepare for that.  The best part was the team work and camaraderie  and the sense of satisfaction week after week when thing came together.

Work time is logged electronically to the minute, you sit at your desk, answer non-stop incoming calls (don't take too long after the call ends to prepare for the next call, you're out of call times are strictly monitored), or make outgoing calls with a poorly written script that you must stick to, no deviation, you are basically a robot.  Make sure to meet call time targets, breaks are scheduled to the minute too, don't go too early or late.  Pay and benefits were reasonable.

Friendly department with fairly good morale.
Training could be better, but is adequate for the job.
Not very well organised, though this improved.
A fair bit of chopping and changing of work roles but not excessive.
Good on-site facilities with gym, creche, indoor five a side pitch, various shops and right next to the metro. 
Parking can be tricky.
Promotions were few and far apart with many promises and no delivery.
However, flexitime is good and management reasonable with regard to most matters.

Managing the weekly/fortnightly unemployment / job seekers, looking at examples of customers searching for work and completing paperwork to ensure that payments were timely and correct.

I did not enjoy this role as some of the customers that were claiming unemployment benefit were extremely aggressive in their approach and made physical threats over a period of time, added to the lack of staff security I did not feel that it was a safe environment to work in.

I started in 1987 with the Old DHSS as a benefit processor at A.O grade, processing benefit claims for Suplimentary Benefit (as it was known then) preparing payments.I was promoted as an EO later and took the advisory role . This role is quite challenging but very rewarding giving you great satisfaction when you help people to have some means to feed themselves and their families until they find work.

Working from home 3 days a week.Labour market and work capability decision making. Crisis loans and Unemployment Benefit & Jobseeker's Allowance processing.  Habitual Residency Test(HRT) decision making. The work Programme. Deputy team leader. Crisis loans was considered the hardest as unrewarding. Decision Making and processing most enjoyable part of job over the years. 

Job centre is a very good place to work in. it provides those with difficulties in life chances to survive. 

everyone was very supportive of each other and there was always chances of progression and self development.

Excellent Jobs
Great Management
Always Busy 
Helping the customer get the best possible outlook

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