New walk every other day

[Canyouclosethegate]

I'm a PTer and since joining in February my work schedule varies every week, sometimes every day.

I suppose I'm considered a floater and do the walks where the normal duty holder is on leave or day off, anything like that. This results in every other day I'm going in to do a full walk (mail, untracked, tracked, specials, box collection etc) in an area where I don't know.

Most of the time I can finish within my five hours (but I don't take a break) but sometimes I'll go over an hour or two. I generally don't mind, and enjoy the small overtime amounts since it can add up, but I don't want to make a habit of it and sometimes I feel guilty for bringing it back. I told my manager that if I keep needing to go over my time then I'll try my best to complete it but I can't guarantee I'll get it all done and will just bring whatever I have left. I'm usually met with a "oh you'll be fine, you'll get that done".

Nobody really says much to me since I told them I have other things to do after my work hours and will work to my time, but I also know that the next day there'll be somebody else on the walk who then needs to take out that day's mail as well as the mail I haven't been able to complete.

Any ideas on how to best raise this? It happens maybe twice a week where I need to go over my time and I get a different walk every other day.

PS: The difference in how long it takes me to do a walk is based on how short/easy the walk is compared to others. It's baffling how some walks can literally take you two hours with a leisurely stroll while another can see you knocking on flats every two minutes because there's no fob or letter box on the outside and can take you a good four hours with a quick walk. Yeah I write no access on them but the point still stands.

Thanks all.

[ihatedogs]

Firstly, you're doing yourself no favours by not taking your break. Secondly, what's left in for the next day is the DOM's problem to solve, so don't worry about that.
It's easy for me to say but just make it clear that you're fine with overtime some of the time but you don't intend to go over your time everyday.
Also, not taking your break is giving your DOM a false idea of how much you can do. (Although he probably knows this, but is trying to pull the wool over your eyes.)

[Pumpernickel]

Don't worry about taking stuff back (or not taking it out at all) if you can't finish it, just make your manager aware before you go (as you seem to be doing). Everyone has been in that position at some point. Any day you don't want overtime, make it known!

The important thing here is that you don't forget what it's like to be in the position you're now in, so you'll understand when others bring stuff back that you end up having some input in dealing with (as we all, again, are in the position of doing at some point. It shouldn't particularly cause any problem: just deal with what you can as you can).

Take your break. If you're on walks you aren't familiar with, they will take you longer than if you were familiar, but you are getting to learn them right now and will get better at it.

[Canyouclosethegate]

Firstly, you're doing yourself no favours by not taking your break. Secondly, what's left in for the next day is the DOM's problem to solve, so don't worry about that.
It's easy for me to say but just make it clear that you're fine with overtime some of the time but you don't intend to go over your time everyday.
Also, not taking your break is giving your DOM a false idea of how much you can do. (Although he probably knows this, but is trying to pull the wool over your eyes.)

Thanks mate. I'll think about taking a break although I don't really yearn for one, but I guess that just starts a pattern of employees willing to work without a break so think of the bigger picture I guess.

Yes, we both know the second part (DOM and me) but nothing has been said from either sides.

[Murdoch]

Personally, I'd insist on being trained on a round before taking it out.

DOMs will only take advantage of the people that let them, and that tends to mean new starts, you'll notice that pretty fast within Royal Mail.

Unfortunately, the difficulty is, when you're new it's hard to gauge how much you can push back against the Dom's BS...

[qwerty2]

mail and parcels are getting left in every day on diff duties
people are taking their time and working to their time because everyone has go back if you finish early and take more mail out
lazy gits - ive heard full timers are sitting in vans for over an hour all together - like do a loop then sit in van for 15 mins do the next bag and so on...

[grchpo]

mail and parcels are getting left in every day on diff duties
people are taking their time and working to their time because everyone has go back if you finish early and take more mail out
lazy gits - ive heard full timers are sitting in vans for over an hour all together - like do a loop then sit in van for 15 mins do the next bag and so on...

What's that got to do with the question.
FYI I'm a full timer & I don't sit around for an hour, wish I had time, don't judge everyone by your standards

[Canyouclosethegate]

Personally, I'd insist on being trained on a round before taking it out.

DOMs will only take advantage of the people that let them, and that tends to mean new starts, you'll notice that pretty fast within Royal Mail.

Unfortunately, the difficulty is, when you're new it's hard to gauge how much you can push back against the Dom's BS...

Is it impractical to ask for full training before going on a full duty since usually I am only on them for a day or two at a time and it seems futile getting the training just to be moved around a couple of days later. Not to mention nobody other than the DOMs having time to train me.

[Murdoch]

Is it impractical to ask for full training before going on a full duty since usually I am only on them for a day or two at a time and it seems futile getting the training just to be moved around a couple of days later. Not to mention nobody other than the DOMs having time to train me.

It's funny how this company has lowered the standards to the point it's now "impractical" to be taught a round, and being sent out blind is now par for the course.

How large is your DO? It sounds shambolic.

[Canyouclosethegate]

Is it impractical to ask for full training before going on a full duty since usually I am only on them for a day or two at a time and it seems futile getting the training just to be moved around a couple of days later. Not to mention nobody other than the DOMs having time to train me.

It's funny how this company has lowered the standards to the point it's now "impractical" to be taught a round, and being sent out blind is now par for the course.

How large is your DO? It sounds shambolic.

It's big.

I don't think it's a case of lower standards since I can always ask for help and have never been discouraged from doing so. I just wonder if it's worth it considering it's oftentimes I am placed on a different walk and before I know it, I have done most of them at least once before. I just prefer to get on with it, just wanted to know what other people's experiences were.