Argos Shift Manager
Sainsbury’s
Estimated pay: £27.5k-37.5k per year
Salford, M5 4QU, United Kingdom
Full time
The Breakroom Take
- Pays all ages fairly
- Recommended by students
- Proper breaks
About Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s is the third largest supermarket chain in the UK.
Job description from Sainsbury’s
About the role:
Argos Shift Managers are responsible for managing shifts within our Argos stores, inspiring and motivating teams and being the go - to people for on-the-job support. They coach colleagues in store to ensure everyone can deliver brilliantly for our customers whilst also working alongside the team. Often, they'll get to lead the full store operation in the absence of the Store Manager, ensuring the resource is allocated to deliver day to day tasks such as organizing the warehouse, taking deliveries and serving our customers. They're experts in our products and services focusing on driving sales and profitability.
What makes a brilliant Argos Shift Manager:
Has experience of organising, running, and planning for, a fast-paced operation.
Is comfortable directing a team, providing day to day coaching and on the spot guidance to support the delivery of brilliant experiences for both colleagues and customers.
Support the Store Manager in ensuring the store is safe and compliant.
Demonstrates strong commercial awareness such as having product knowledge. An Argos Shift Manager should use this commercial awareness to really understand our customers to drive sales.
Can work towards and deliver KPIs with the aim of driving profitability for the store
Has a growth mindset, continuously develops and helps others to grow.
What we offer:
We truly value our colleagues and provide a market-leading benefits package:
Discount card - 10% discount off on your shopping at Sainsbury's, Argos, Tu and Habitat after four weeks. This increases to 15% discount off at Sainsbury's every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day.
Free food and hot drinks provided for Colleagues in all our stores.
Generous holiday entitlement, maternity and paternity leave.
Pension - we'll match 4% of your contributions and if you change your pension plan, you may receive more from us.
Sainsbury's share scheme - build up an investment at discounted rates
Wellbeing support - access to emotional support, counselling, legal and financial advice
Colleague networks - link with like-minded people to help fulfil your potential.
Our Cycle to Work scheme gives you the opportunity to hire a new bike and cycling equipment, whilst saving on tax and NI.
Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more.
What employees say
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Sainsbury’s pay shift managers enough to live on?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
95% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 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 Sainsbury’s pay shift managers market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
74% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 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.
Okay
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Only some people get paid breaks
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s get paid breaks?
Sometimes. Only some people get paid breaks.
How we know this
38% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Good
-
Most people get sick pay
Do Sainsbury’s pay shift managers sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
77% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Needs improving
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Most people do unpaid extra work
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Yes. Lots of people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
79% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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
-
Needs improving
-
Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do shift managers get of their shift pattern at Sainsbury’s?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 13% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 22% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 39% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 26% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
61% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 18 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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 shift managers at Sainsbury’s to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
53% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2023 and April 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
-
Easy to book holiday
How easy is it for shift managers to book a holiday at Sainsbury’s?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
82% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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
-
Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Sainsbury’s managers change shift managers shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
74% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Okay
-
Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it for shift managers to take sick leave at Sainsbury’s?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
55% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 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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Most parents say it’s bad
Is working as shift managers at Sainsbury’s good if you have caring responsibilities?
Most parents and carer say this is a bad place to work.
How we know this
70% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and November 2024.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
81% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 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.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get proper breaks
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s get proper breaks?
Most people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
83% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful for shift managers to work at Sainsbury’s?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
79% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
53% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do shift managers at Sainsbury’s recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
50% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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.
Okay
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Only some people get enough training
Do shift managers get enough training when they start at Sainsbury’s?
Some people didn’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
58% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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 shift managers given support to progress at Sainsbury’s?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 43% 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 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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 shift managers think Sainsbury’s 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
96% 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 February 2023 and February 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.
Good
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Most people feel well informed by head office
Do shift managers feel well informed about how Sainsbury’s is doing?
Most people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
77% of people feel that they are kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 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 Sainsbury’s employees say about their job
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Best thing
It on most days is a straightfoward shift
Worst thing
the workload can be overwhelming some days
Customer assistant at Sainsbury’s, March 2025
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Best thing
Being able to talk to new people
Worst thing
Night shifts and never got proper training.
Trading assistant at Sainsbury’s, March 2025
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About this pay
CloseEstimated pay
This pay estimate is based on data from 24 Sainsbury’s employees who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Take the Breakroom Quiz to compare your job.