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First Distribution

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First Distribution Reviews

2.9

37% would recommend to a friend

(28 total reviews)

Debbie Abrahall

79% approve of CEO

33% positive business outlook

First Distribution has an employee rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars, based on 28 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The First Distribution employee rating is 25% below average for employers within the Information Technology industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

28 reviews
1.0
Jan 17, 2017

Lack of integrity, morals and ethics

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Initial salary offered was better the competition

Cons

Management and structure of company

avatar
First Distribution Response
9y
Having just been made aware of Glassdoor and a disgruntled employee’s post about Fist Distribution I felt compelled to respond. It does surprise me that an ex-employee who clearly has a major grievance with our company is given a public platform to post derogatory and slanderous comments about the company and management and gets to do so anonymously. First Distribution is a premium brand organisation that represents some of the most globally trusted brands in IT. We have been in business for 33 years and set the highest standards of work performance for our employees – in line with the expectations of our vendors and of our customers. We drive our business around key values of honesty, integrity, accountability, mutual respect, positivity, teamwork and enjoyment and those individuals that embrace those values are able to strive and succeed in our company – with many members of staff have long service records of between 10 - 20 years and a core management team of people who have worked for the CEO for between 20 – 25 years. The company has experienced massive growth over the past 8 years and in the last year alone the branch in question, in which the anonymous individual has complained, the staff complement has gone from 70 to 141 people attracting some of the best talent in the market. The regional manager in question who the employee has an unwarranted rant against is a highly respected and highly accomplished individual and the comments are totally unfounded and slanderous. Like all companies we are not without our faults however every individual is treated respectfully. The aggrieved ex -employee was given various opportunities to excel in our company and despite being put in various different roles, failed in each one. In order to ensure that every employee is treated fairly, in any poor work performance review we engage a neutral 3rd party legal company, who also found this ex-employee to be totally incompetent, and had made a recommendation for dismissal. Sometimes the individual needs to look at themselves rather than continually blame everyone else for their failings.
3.0
Oct 3, 2013

Learning

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexibility and freedom to apply own ideas

Cons

Management inability to communicate reflects badly on staff

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First Distribution Response
9y
Although this was posted over 3 years ago, having just been made aware of Glassdoor and having just seen this post I would still like to respond. It is quite possible that in the period mentioned there were communication issues as there was no Regional Manager in the Midrand office (the Regional Manager having been put onto paid leave for 12 months due to health issues) Since then the Midrand management team has been significantly bolstered with a new Regional Manager and HR Manager having been employed for this branch approximately 2 years ago. A whole new middle management team has been on-boarded. Formal employee reviews with bi-directional input is very much the norm and employee input is very valued in terms of new ideas and changes to make the business more successful. If you are still with the company I urge you to continue to have open and honest conversations with your manager or with HR.
2.0
Jun 14, 2023

Do your research

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- There are no pro's

Cons

- Micro managed - No promotions - Salary : Basic - Benefits - None - Quick to repriman, slow to apologize and acknowledge faults -

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First Distribution Response
2y
Hi there. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We take all feedback seriously, and we are genuinely concerned to hear about your experience. It is our top priority to ensure that our employees feel valued, supported, and heard throughout their time with us. We are disappointed to learn that you have had negative interactions with some of our supervisors. Our company culture is built on principles of respect, teamwork, and professional development, and we do not condone any behavior that goes against these values. We would appreciate it if you could provide us with more specific details about your interactions with these supervisors so that we can address the issue appropriately. Regarding your comment about trust in our HR department, we want to assure you that HR is here to support all employees and ensure their concerns are heard and addressed confidentially. If you ever felt uncomfortable or hesitant about reaching out to HR, we apologize for any shortcomings in our communication or support systems. We will work diligently to improve this aspect of our organization so that all employees can feel confident in seeking assistance from HR. We want to ensure that your concerns are addressed and that we can take the necessary steps to improve the working environment for all our employees. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us identify areas for growth and change within our organization. Please feel free to reach out to our HR department or any member of our leadership team to discuss your concerns further. Your input is essential to us, and we are committed to making the necessary improvements to provide a more positive and supportive work environment. Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention. We hope to have the opportunity to address your concerns and improve your experience with our company. Sincerely,
Viewing 1 - 3 of 28 Reviews

Glassdoor has 29 First Distribution reviews submitted anonymously by First Distribution employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if First Distribution is right for you.