Pros
The people at Swift are generally nice. The salary is fairly competitive for the area. There's on site parking and the office has big windows.
Cons
You're handed a key fob whilst in induction which monitors your movements in and around the building. You're also expected to log in and out of your phone with different 'aux codes' to have your working day further tracked. Of these movements you're allowed 15 minutes daily for 'tea and toilet' breaks. If you go over this you show as 'out of adherence' on manager systems. Whilst there's no reason why this role couldn't be a flexible one, the hours are strictly 9am until 5.30pm. Lunchtimes are strictly 1 hour and are timed in individual slots. They are often a sole affair. There's not much to do around the area so lunchtimes can get slightly boring on your own. Whilst your contract will state that your working day is 9am until 5.30pm you're expected to be in work by 10 to 9am each day, but you aren't actually told this. If you arrive at your desk at 5 minutes to 9am repeatedly you will be reprimanded. It doesn't help that Swift's clock is also fast, which means you'll get a 'red' even if you're at your desk and logged into your computer at 8.57am. Whilst the job is in Brentwood business park, traffic problems on the A12 and M25 mean it can take a long time to get there if you depend on these roads. Problems on the M25 can also cause big problems with traffic re-routing through Brentwood. However there are no allowances for these traffic scenarios. You're expected to leave the house earlier than you usually would just incase a crash occurs, which is fair enough it can be argued. But getting there and starting work half an hour earlier each day doesn't mean you can leave half hour earlier. As such, you may as well spend the little extra time commuting into London to enjoy a higher salary and more flexible working conditions. On the plus side it seems that if you are on time and adhere to the key fob movements successfully, it then doesn't matter if you talk for a good part of the day as long as you show 'green' on the management movement chart. If you're used to a professional style environment of working or the London culture, then this role isn't for you. I was apparently the 5th to leave in a couple of years. I lasted 3 months. It's a shame as it could be a great place to work however it does feel like working whilst on a leash. I don't usually leave reviews, however feel it would be helpful to further complaint handlers to understand to culture at Swift 1st/Swift Advances before deciding to take up the role.