Casual Tour Guides
Royal Ballet and Opera
£15.81 per hour
Covent Garden
The Breakroom Take
- Great team mates
- People enjoy this job
- Good employer
- Paid breaks
- Respectful managers
- Proper training
- Proper breaks
About Royal Ballet and Opera
The Royal Ballet and Opera is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Ballet and Opera.
Job description from Royal Ballet and Opera
£15.81 per hour
Casual engagements only
As the home of The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, we want many more people to enjoy and engage in exceptional ballet and opera. We are now looking for additional casual Tour Guides to join our inclusive, friendly and professional team.
Our Tour Guides play a key role in ensuring that visitors are welcomed warmly into a safe, captivating and theatrical environment by delivering an engaging, informative and memorable tour whilst also promoting the RBO brand and art forms, programme of activities, charitable purpose and any commercial opportunities.
Tours can take place 7 days a week and run at both the RBO in Covent Garden and the RBO Production Park in Purfleet (Essex), as well as online and other possible venues when required.
We would love to hear from you if you can demonstrate the following:
- Experience as a Tour Guide (relevant transferable skills will be considered)
- A knowledge of and an interest in theatre crafts, particularly opera and ballet
- Excellent verbal and nonverbal communication skills and impeccable presentation
- Fluency in English
- First-class customer service skills and the confidence to manage a group of people effectively and professionally, while remaining calm, safe, patient and dynamic.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the diplomacy required to build and maintain good relationships with colleagues at all levels within an organisation.
To be considered, please email a short video of you speaking on a subject related to the RBO that you are passionate about which should be no longer than 3 minutes to the RBO Tours Manager on marie.deane@roh.org.uk, as well as completing the application form. Application forms that do not include a video link will not be reviewed.
The Royal Ballet and Opera is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation. As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential minimum criteria for our vacancies.
A full casual role description is attached below. If you have any access requirements for your application, please contact the RBO Recruitment Team on hr.recruitment@roh.org.uk
Closing date for applications: 8am, Monday 12th May 2025
An assessment centre will be held on site at ROH Covent Garden for shortlisted candidates w/c 19th May 2025
Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK. No agencies.
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What employees say
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Royal Ballet and Opera pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
93% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Good
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Most people are paid market rates
Do Royal Ballet and Opera pay market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
93% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Good
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Most people get paid breaks
Do workers at Royal Ballet and Opera get paid breaks?
Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
How we know this
86% of people say they get paid breaks.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Okay
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Only some people get sick pay
Do Royal Ballet and Opera pay sick pay?
Sometimes. Only some people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
43% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Royal Ballet and Opera do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
79% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Needs improving
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 17% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 54% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 13% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 17% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Needs improving
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Most people worry about their hours
Do workers at Royal Ballet and Opera worry about hours?
Most people worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
76% of people report they worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Royal Ballet and Opera workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
36% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Royal Ballet and Opera workers to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
45% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
96% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Good
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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Royal Ballet and Opera managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
81% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
93% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 27 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Needs improving
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People work a lot more hours than their contract
Do people work the same number they are contracted for at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Most people work a lot more hours than their contact..
How we know this
75% of people report working 8 hours or more than their contract.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you should expect to work about the same number of hours that your contract guarantees you, most of the time.
It’s useful to pick up or drop a few shifts here and there, but if you often work a lot more hours every week than you’re contracted for, a good job should guarantee them.
This means you’re more likely to know when you’ll be working and how much you’ll earn in advance.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Royal Ballet and Opera feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
90% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 29 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Good
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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Royal Ballet and Opera get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
85% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Okay
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Some people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
56% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Good
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Most people enjoy their job
Do people at Royal Ballet and Opera enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
92% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Good
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Most people recommend their team
Do people at Royal Ballet and Opera recommend working with their team?
Most people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
70% of people report that they would recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
72% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Royal Ballet and Opera?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 46% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 26 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Royal Ballet and Opera head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
84% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 25 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and January 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Royal Ballet and Opera is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
54% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 28 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Royal Ballet and Opera employees say about their job
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Best thing
The people
Worst thing
Un social hours
Technician at Royal Ballet and Opera, November 2023
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Best thing
The place is stunning
People are always willing to helpWorst thing
Job is not always guaranteed
Employee at Royal Ballet and Opera, December 2022
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