Center Parcs staff share ‘toxic’ side of working at holiday park – ‘you’re not a person’

Center Parcs is one of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations, but staff have shared an insight into what it’s really like to work at the family-friendly resort

Former staff members of Center Parcs have given a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the realities of working at the popular holiday hotspot, citing a ‘toxic’ atmosphere and ‘unrealistic workloads’.

The famed forest-based retreats, which attract thousands of visitors each year, offer an impressive range of activities, a Subtropical Swimming Paradise, and the Aqua Sana Forest Spa at every site. Currently, there are five Center Parcs nestled in forests across England: Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire.

Since its inception in the late 1980s, it has been a hit with families and has emerged as one of the UK’s favourite spots for weekend or week-long getaways. The charm of the wooden cabin lodges, set within a village and surrounded by approximately 400 acres of land, only enhances its allure, with guests immersing themselves in the captivating woodland setting.

The resort also features a range of dining options, including the renowned Pancake House, shopping facilities, and bike hire centres. Just last year, over two million people flocked to one of the Center Parcs locations for a much-needed escape, maintaining an impressive 97% occupancy rate throughout the year.

However, away from the bustling family-friendly destination, employees have revealed the less glamorous side of working at one of the country’s busiest and most beloved resorts – and it’s reportedly no walk in the park, reports the Mirror.

On Indeed, a popular job site, 526 past and present Center Parcs employees have posted reviews giving an insight into life working for the organisation. While many sang the company’s praises, a review from July this year stands out as particularly striking.

Titled ‘toxic’, the post comes from a staff member who claims to have worked as a food and beverage assistant at the Elvedon location. The reviewer penned: “You’re left to struggle. Management don’t care unless it affects their bonus. You won’t get support even if you’re at rock bottom – Just bring those profits in. You’re not a person with feelings, emotions or a life outside work.”

They proceeded to share a shocking account, stating: “The perfect example I can think of is that our storeroom and our customer area had air con. The staff didn’t, and you’re left to combat 30 plus degrees of non stop service. Avoid. You can do better.”

The same month saw another disgruntled Center Parcs employee, a housekeeper/cleaner in Elveden, take to Indeed, claiming an ‘unrealistic workload’. In the review, the staff member noted: “I was in house keeping and it started off very well. The management couldn’t be any politer than they were but after a couple of months their attitudes changed dramatically when I wasn’t doing the job to their standards.”

They further shared an unimpressed anecdote, writing: “They would lie about the lodges I cleaned saying that they found marks and food stuff stuck on things in the lodge but quite often I would clean for example the kitchen sideboard to perfection and my manager would say that there was marks on it when there definitely wasn’t.”

This candid account raises some eyebrows and brings to the forefront certain grievances shared by Center Parcs’ employees. One former employee blasted: “They made me feel very useless and they even said if I couldn’t do the job properly then I shouldn’t bother coming in to work anymore. I asked about other work that I could possibly do and they said there wasn’t anything. So now I’m out of work and I have 3 children to feed. I had a very unpleasant experience working there.”

The company received an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5 across five key areas: work-life balance, pay and benefits, job security and advancement, management and culture. However, it wasn’t all negative.

A cleaner in Nottingham highlighted the job perks, saying: “Not bad place to work, good team mates and not bad for holiday discount and day passes. Very hard work and not a lot of time to do it in. And you can see a lot of wildlife as well.”

Meanwhile, a spa therapist in Wiltshire raved: “Great place to work, so many amazing perks to enjoy with your family outside of work time. Working with amazing brands and working with a great team that helps you throughout your working day. Working in the forest is the perfect place to escape outside life. Pay is competitive and a nice yearly bonus scheme.”

In response to the scathing reviews, a representative for Center Parcs said: “We are sorry to hear these reviews as we take great pride in our colleague experience. We employ around 10,500 people and nearly 4,000 of those colleagues have been with us for more than five years and many more have more than 10, 20 and even 35 years of service. We have some of the lowest labour turnover rates in the hospitality sector.

“In addition, we pay a premium above the National Living Wage as a minimum and pay the same rate to all colleagues, regardless of age or length of service. All colleagues are eligible for an annual bonus and every single colleague receives a Christmas hamper alongside a unique package of benefits which includes the opportunity for enhanced pay over the festive period, discounted breaks, day passes and health and wellbeing programmes. We are a Disability Confident Employer and have a DEandI Network as well as offering specific training programmes aimed at increasing diversity and awareness of diverse perspectives.”

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