MySainsburys Login (Sainsburys Employee Access)
MySainsburys is the self-service system that Sainsbury’s provides to its employees across stores, distribution centres, and offices. Through it, colleagues can check payslips, view their work rota, manage shift changes, track hours, and access HR services. It runs through Microsoft’s login system and is accessible at oursainsburys.co.uk.
Whether you’ve just joined Sainsbury’s or you’ve been with the company for years, this guide walks you through everything — from logging in for the first time to downloading your payslip and sorting out common login issues.
A note from the team: This guide is based on hands-on experience using MySainsburys as Sainsbury’s colleagues. We’ve gone through the login process, checked pay statements, dealt with locked accounts, and navigated the Colleague Hub app ourselves. Every tip and workaround shared here comes from actually using the system — not from copying official documentation. Where things have changed or updated, we revise this guide to keep it current.
Disclaimer: This website is independently run and is not affiliated with Sainsbury’s or any of its official platforms. We provide helpful guidance and redirect users to official Sainsbury’s resources.
How to Log In to MySainsburys
To access your account, you’ll need the work email and credentials that your HR or IT team provided when you joined. Here’s how the login works:
Step 1: Go to the Official Portal
Open your browser and visit oursainsburys.co.uk. You’ll be taken to a Microsoft sign-in page — this is normal, as Sainsbury’s uses Microsoft for employee authentication.
What we noticed: The first time we opened the portal, the Microsoft login page felt unexpected — it doesn’t look like a Sainsbury’s page at all. There’s no Sainsbury’s branding on it. Don’t worry, this is completely legitimate. Sainsbury’s uses Microsoft Azure Active Directory for authentication behind the scenes. If the URL shows “login.microsoftonline.com,” you’re in the right place.
Step 2: Enter Your Work Email
Type in the email address your HR team gave you (it usually follows the format firstname.lastname@sainsburys.co.uk). Click Next.
Step 3: Complete Verification
You’ll receive a verification code on your registered email or phone. Enter the code to confirm your identity. This two-factor authentication step is required every time you log in.
Heads up: The verification code sometimes takes a minute or two to arrive, especially if you’re using your work email. Don’t keep clicking “resend” immediately — we’ve found that waiting about 60–90 seconds before resending avoids getting multiple codes at once, which can cause confusion about which one is the active code.
Step 4: Set a Strong Password
When you first log in, your default password is your National Insurance Number (provided by IT). Change this immediately to something strong and unique. Don’t reuse passwords from other accounts.
Step 5: Alternative Sign-In Options
If you don’t have your email handy, the portal also supports:
- Biometric login (fingerprint or face recognition)
- PIN or security key
- GitHub sign-in
These options appear on the login screen and offer a quicker way to access your account on trusted devices.
Tip: If you run into any trouble during login, your store manager or IT department should be your first port of call.
How to View and Download Your Payslip
Once you’re logged in, accessing your payslip takes just a few clicks:
- From your dashboard, look for the MyHR section (usually in the top-right area).
- Click on Payslips or Pay Statement.
- You may be asked to enter your colleague number for verification.
- Select the month and year you want to view.
- You can then view, download as PDF, or print your payslip directly.
Your payslip shows a full breakdown — basic pay, overtime, bonuses, tax deductions, National Insurance contributions, and pension contributions. The net pay figure at the bottom is your take-home amount after all deductions.
Can’t access your payslip online? Contact your HR manager directly. They can email you a PDF copy or arrange for you to collect a printed version. Always store payslips in a secure location — they contain sensitive financial information.
From our experience: The pay section can be a bit confusing the first time. When you click into MyHR, the link isn’t always immediately visible — you sometimes need to scroll down or look under a “Pay & Rewards” submenu rather than just “Payslips.” Also, if you’ve recently started, your first statement might not appear for 4–6 weeks. This is normal — it depends on where you fall in the pay cycle. We’ve also noticed that downloading as PDF works more reliably on desktop than on mobile, where the download button occasionally doesn’t respond.
Common Login Problems and How to Fix Them
Here are the issues that Sainsbury’s employees run into most often, along with practical fixes:
Your Account Is Locked
This usually happens after several incorrect password attempts or a long period of inactivity. You can’t unlock it yourself — speak to your store manager or HR team, and they’ll get IT to sort it out.
Password Not Working
If your password isn’t being accepted, use the “Can’t access your account?” link on the sign-in page to reset it. After resetting, make sure to log out of all devices and log back in fresh.
Stuck in a Login Loop
If the site keeps sending you back to the sign-in screen, try this:
- Sign out completely from all sessions
- If using the Colleague Hub app, uninstall it
- Restart your phone or computer
- Reinstall the app and try again
What actually worked for us: The login loop issue drove us mad for a while. Clearing cookies alone didn’t fix it. What finally worked was opening an incognito/private browsing window first, logging in there, and then going back to the normal browser. It seems like old session tokens get stuck in the browser cache and keep conflicting with new login attempts. Once we logged in successfully via incognito, the normal browser started working again after clearing cookies.
Page Won’t Load
This could be a temporary server issue on Sainsbury’s end. Wait a few minutes and try again. Ask a colleague if they’re having the same problem — if the site is down for everyone, there’s nothing to do but wait.
Browser Problems
Sometimes the issue is on your end. Make sure you’re using a modern browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari), turn off any ad-blockers or private browsing mode, clear your cache and cookies, and check that your device’s date and time are set correctly.
If none of these steps help, contact the Sainsbury’s Colleague Support Centre for direct assistance.
A pattern we’ve seen: Most login issues happen on Monday mornings and right after pay day — when thousands of colleagues are all trying to access the portal at the same time. If the site is sluggish or throwing errors during these peak times, it’s usually a server load issue, not a problem with your account. Try again after an hour or two and it typically clears up.
How to Reset a Forgotten Password
Forgetting your password happens to everyone. Here’s how to get back in:
- Go to oursainsburys.co.uk and click “Can’t access your account?”
- Select Work account as your account type.
- Enter your work email address and complete the CAPTCHA.
- A verification code will be sent to your registered email or phone.
- Enter the code and create a new password that meets the security requirements.
Once you’ve reset your password, save it somewhere secure — a password manager is ideal. If you get stuck at any point during this process, your HR or IT team can walk you through it.
Something worth knowing: When creating your new password, the portal requires a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters — but it doesn’t always tell you clearly when your password doesn’t meet the requirements. We’ve had cases where the reset seemed to go through, but the new password didn’t actually save because it didn’t meet the minimum length (usually 8–12 characters). If your new password isn’t working right after a reset, try making it longer and more complex.
Registering as a New Employee
You don’t create your MySainsburys account yourself — it’s set up for you by HR or IT when you join the company. The process works like this:
- During onboarding, you’ll provide your National Insurance Number and other personal details.
- HR uses this information to create your employee profile on the system.
- You’ll receive your login credentials (usually a work email and temporary password).
- Once you have these, you can log in to the portal and start using it.
A few things to keep in mind as a new starter: confirm the email address you’ve been given is correct, change your default password on your first login, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if anything is unclear.
What new starters often miss: When we first joined, nobody mentioned that the work email HR gives you might not arrive on day one. In some stores, it takes 2–3 days after your start date before IT sets up your account. If you’ve been working for a few days and still don’t have your credentials, chase it up with your manager — it’s likely just a delay in the system, not a mistake. Also, write down your colleague number from your contract or first payslip — you’ll need it more often than you’d expect, especially for accessing payslips and verifying your identity.
Keeping Your Account Safe
A few simple habits will keep your account secure:
- Use a unique password for MySainsburys and store it in a password manager.
- Don’t share verification codes with anyone — Sainsbury’s will never ask you for them.
- Always sign in from the official site or a saved bookmark. Be wary of links sent via email or text.
- Log out when you’re done, especially on shared or public computers.
- Avoid public Wi-Fi when accessing the portal. Use mobile data or a trusted network instead.
About Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury, starting with a single shop on Drury Lane in London. Today, the parent company J Sainsbury plc is the second-largest supermarket chain in the UK, holding roughly 16% of the grocery market. The group also includes Argos and Sainsbury’s Bank.
The MySainsburys portal serves as the central hub where employees manage their work life — from checking pay and rotas to accessing HR policies and company updates. It’s designed to reduce paperwork and give colleagues direct control over their employment information.
Sainsbury’s Employee Benefits
Working at Sainsbury’s comes with a solid range of benefits beyond your basic pay. Here’s what’s available:
Discounts and Everyday Perks
Colleagues receive a Discount Card offering 10% off in store and online year-round. This increases to 15% during seasonal periods like Christmas and Easter, and colleagues get 25% off in Argos. After six months of employment, a second person can also use the card.
Health and Wellbeing
Sainsbury’s provides a voluntary Healthcare Plan covering dental and vision care. All employees have access to a confidential Employee Assistance Programme for mental health and wellbeing support, available around the clock. Life insurance is also included.
Pay and Recognition
An Annual Bonus scheme rewards performance based on company results. There are also recognition programmes for outstanding work and long-service awards for colleagues who’ve been with the company for many years.
Pension
Sainsbury’s operates a contributory pension scheme — you pay in, and the company matches. Contribution rates increase at higher tiers (4%, 6%, with enhanced options). Senior managers also have access to a Retirement Planning scheme.
Family-Friendly Policies
Maternity leave provides 14 weeks at 90% pay, followed by 25 weeks at statutory pay. Paternity leave is 2 weeks. The company also supports adoption and fertility leave, flexible working arrangements, and job sharing where the role allows.
Holiday
Annual leave starts at 22 days and increases to 27 days with length of service. An extra day is added after 5 years.
Other Perks
The Bike-to-Work scheme lets you save on a new bike through salary sacrifice. Interest-free season ticket loans are available after 12 weeks of employment. Subsidised canteens are available at many locations.
Things We Wish Someone Had Told Us
After using MySainsburys regularly, there are a few things that aren’t documented anywhere but make a real difference:
Bookmark the direct URL, not the homepage. Oursainsburys.co.uk sometimes redirects through multiple pages before reaching the sign-in screen. Bookmarking the direct Microsoft URL (the one that starts with login.microsoftonline.com) saves you a few clicks every time.
Check your payslip on the day it’s published, not the day after. We’ve noticed that payslip PDFs are sometimes unavailable for a few hours the day after publication — possibly due to a system sync. Checking on the actual pay date (usually a Friday) tends to be the most reliable time.
The portal works best on Chrome. We’ve tested it on Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox. Chrome on desktop gave us the fewest issues. Safari on iPhone occasionally has problems with the verification code popup not appearing. If Safari gives you trouble, try Chrome on your phone instead.
Your rota changes don’t always update instantly. If your manager changes your shift, it can take a few hours to reflect on the portal. Don’t panic if your rota looks wrong right after a change — check again later in the day.
Screenshot your payslips. There are occasional maintenance windows where payslips become temporarily inaccessible. If you need your payslip for a mortgage application, rental reference, or any time-sensitive purpose, download or screenshot it as soon as it’s available rather than relying on being able to access it later.
The “Sign out” button isn’t always obvious. On mobile, the sign-out option is hidden inside the account menu (your profile icon), not on the main screen. On desktop, it’s in the top-right corner. Always sign out properly rather than just closing the browser tab — especially on shared devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is covered in the troubleshooting section above — but in short, your manager or the IT team can unlock it for you.
Double-check that your employee number and personal details match what’s on the system. If they don’t, let your manager or HR know so they can update the records.
Online access is typically revoked when your employment ends. For historical statements, contact HR or the payroll team — they can send copies by email or post.
This is usually a session or connectivity issue. The troubleshooting section above covers the full steps, but a quick fix is to try an incognito window first.
Most colleagues use their work email, which typically follows the format: firstname.lastname followed by the last four digits of your clock-in number, @sainsburys.co.uk. Your manager or HR can confirm your exact login details.
Your account contains sensitive information including pay records and banking details. Never share your credentials, and if you suspect unauthorised access, notify HR immediately.
Yes, though some colleagues find the experience smoother on a desktop or laptop. If the mobile app is giving you trouble, try accessing the portal through your phone’s browser instead.
It’s useful for checking your rota and quick updates, but it can occasionally log you out or show errors. Reinstalling the app usually fixes these issues. For anything important like pay statements, a computer tends to be more reliable.
Log in to your Sainsbury’s shopping account, go to your account settings, and add your colleague discount details. Make sure everything matches exactly what’s on your employee record. The discount should then apply automatically at checkout on eligible items.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Portal Name | MySainsburys (OurSainsburys) |
| Service Type | Employee Self-Service Portal |
| Company | J Sainsbury plc |
| Region | United Kingdom |
| Users | Sainsbury’s Colleagues and Staff |
| Official Link | oursainsburys.co.uk |