at WH Smith Australia
Perth Airport, Perth WA
Retail & Stockroom All-Rounder: Deliver great customer service, manage stock, replenish shelves, and help keep the store running smoothly.
4d ago
WH Smith
(54 reviews)
Company Profile
Company overview
Website
Industry
Specialty Retail
Specialities
Retail, Hospitality
Company size
101-1,000
Primary location
Woolloomooloo, Sydney
WHSmith is a historic British retailer focusing on news, books, and convenience, and also Café operations across Australia. Our retail stores are located in some of the busiest and most exciting airports in the country, and our food sites in some of the busiest hospitals. Both provide a dynamic and fast-paced work environment that is perfect for driven individuals who thrive on a challenge.Our company values are Value our People, Drive for Results, Customer Focus & Accountability
Jobs at WH Smith
Based on your search activityat WH Smith Australia
Perth Airport, Perth WA
Barista & Café All-Rounder
Craft great coffee, serve customers with a smile, prepare food, and help keep the café running smoothly.
4d ago
Reviews overview
2.154 ratings in total
5
9
4
2
3
4
2
9
1
30
60%
24%
What’s it like working at WH Smith?
AI summary of recent reviews
Employees appreciate their colleagues and co-workers, who are described as friendly and supportive. Some value the unique airport environment and opportunities to make a real difference in business processes. Several employees have found their direct managers to be encouraging and trusting, allowing for autonomous work.
However, there are some potential challenges, including outdated operating systems that make tasks inefficient, upper management frequently changing priorities and setting unrealistic targets, prevalent micromanagement, inconsistent communication, challenges with work/life balance including long hours and limited breaks, understaffing during peak periods, and roster changes with short notice.
However, there are some potential challenges, including outdated operating systems that make tasks inefficient, upper management frequently changing priorities and setting unrealistic targets, prevalent micromanagement, inconsistent communication, challenges with work/life balance including long hours and limited breaks, understaffing during peak periods, and roster changes with short notice.
Recent reviews
5.0
Retail Sales Assistant
Aug 2026Melbourne Airport VIC 3045Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
A great inclusive and enjoyable job.
The good thingsCool nice fun and engaging
The challengesKeeping tabs on everything and all the customers.
1.0
Employee
Jun 2026Melbourne VIC 30001 to 2 years in the role, former employee
Protect your peace — WHSmith is not worth your mental health.
The good thingsLet’s start with the positives: absolutely nothing.
Actually, that’s unfair — there were life lessons. Expensive ones. The kind you only learn by working for a company so dysfunctional it accidentally becomes educational.
I also made some good friends, most of whom have since left, which probably says more about the business than any review ever could.
WHSmith taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of recognising red flags before they become your daily routine. So in that sense, thank you. Not for the experience — but for the clarity.
The challengesThe biggest challenge was the leadership culture — although calling it “leadership” feels generous.
I won’t name individuals, but in my experience senior leadership had mastered the art of talking about people, values and support while showing very little evidence of any of them. It felt like “people first” existed mainly as a poster, not a practice.
Empathy was rare. Trust seemed optional. Micromanagement was alive and well, presumably because letting capable people do their jobs would have been far too modern.
The systems made simple tasks feel like endurance events, and the communication often felt rude, dismissive and fear-based.
This is not a people-first company. It knows the words, but not the music.
My honest advice: protect your peace, know your worth, and proceed with extreme caution.
5.0
Cafe Manager
May 2026Modbury SA 5092Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
Great place, people, culture
The good thingsThe culture and support from management
The challengesThe operating systems
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