Does British Council pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, British Council employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at British Council. This rating has improved by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at British Council?

62% of British Council employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated British Council 3.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.7 for culture and values and 3.2 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at British Council?

English Teacher (162) , English Language Assistant (100) , Teacher (100) , Exam Invigilator (93) , Project Manager (67) , Invigilator (64) , Teaching Assistant (55) , Manager (45) , ESL Teacher (38) , Customer Service Representative (30) , Teacher of English (26) , Language Assistant (25) , IELTS Invigilator (24) , Administrative Assistant (23) , Consultant (23)

What are the pros of working at British Council according to real employee reviews?

"Meaningful and some great colleagues" ((in 178 reviews)); "Good work life balance and focus on employee well being" ((in 120 reviews)); "Great people to work with and for." ((in 115 reviews)); "Great working environment and friendly" ((in 69 reviews)); "It's just a shame that the good culture was destroyed by bad organisational management." ((in 66 reviews))

What are the cons of working at British Council according to real employee reviews?

"Salaries are low and you have to work from the office most of the time." ((in 212 reviews)); "Low pay and insanely bureaucratic" ((in 117 reviews)); "But yes Management is Poor and Biased !" ((in 103 reviews)); "Changing leadership and poor strategy" ((in 34 reviews)); "This permeates across different offices and countries too as the managers have very often mixed a lot in past roles." ((in 30 reviews))

What are employees saying about British Council layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about British Council layoffs and their outlook for job security at British Council in 2026.

British Council reviews

3.7

62% would recommend to a friend

(2,315 total reviews)

Ciarán Devane

57% approve of CEO

43% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

British Council has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 2,315 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The British Council employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Gemeinnützige Organisationen & NGOs industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

4.0

Jul 1, 2015

a GREAT organistion

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

* there is great scope for professional development * people and their ideas are valued * you get to work with market leaders and passionate people

Cons

no real cons worth mentioning

2.0

Jun 26, 2015

Lack of direction

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Salary ok, international environment, no much pressure at work in comparison with other companies, good reputation of the brand, opportunities to travel for some workers.

Cons

Work in silos, senior management, often UK-appointed staff, benefit of better conditions and tend to be self-focused and hypocritical with local appointed staff. Wannabe profit-making company by selling expensive courses and exams with a charity dress and a quasi-governmental soul (that is being slow and formal). More job opportunities in low-cost countries and job-cuts in others. Chaotic job structure that varies country by country, inefficiencies on one hand opposite to budget cuts on the other. There is a general sense of lack of direction, lack of a competitive product portfolio, mission too vague, its legal status does not allow to embrace innovation quickly.

5.0

Jun 26, 2015

Fantastic Workplace

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great career development opportunities, values in the workplace are not for show!

Cons

Very competitive to get roles

Viewing 2200 - 2202 of 2,315 Reviews

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Jobs at British Council

Customer Experience Manager

E+ Eurodesk Digital Engagement Manager

Proposition Development Coordinator

Edinburgh, Schottland

British Council

British Council reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

a GREAT organistion

Lack of direction

Fantastic Workplace

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Jobs at British Council