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Advice for new starter

Forum for info, hints and tips about working for us through Royal Mail not Angard.This is an open forum.
yellowbelly
Posts: 2646
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by yellowbelly »

I can relate to all the comments on here. Essentially a lot of us come on the site to have a good old
moan after a crappy day at the office or because we don't want to watch Love Island, but you don't see
many 'Had a good day today' because that's not the nature of the beast if you know what I mean. There will
be thousands of posties out there who go home having had a neutral/reasonable/good day.

With regards to being moved about/doing different duties - there are two sides to this coin. Yes it can be very annoying
when you get a text early in the morning saying 'You're on duty x not z today can you come in 30 mins early?'
when you've psyched yourself up for a certain duty. However, there will be posties who've been on the
same duty and it's not changed for 10/15/20 years and that's what they know. I'd get very bored doing that
and like doing different duties with a change of scene.

The one thing that did really bug me as a reserve was the constant changing of day off ie it wasn't rotating.
If the job you applied for stated 'rotating day off' do your best to make sure the manager complies with that,
otherwise it's a nightmare to plan stuff like dentist appointments, booking the car in for it's MOT etc.

mjd24
Posts: 1000
Joined: 11 May 2008, 18:48

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by mjd24 »

Scottspa76 wrote:
27 Jun 2022, 19:50
I'm currently at screwfix and I'm so bored there and the pay is rubbish so was full of high hopes
I worked with a 51 year old woman today, she joined in November last year and absolutely LoVeS the job! Many people still do (most of the time).

I think you should give it a go.
TopperGas
Posts: 1458
Joined: 13 Feb 2021, 22:46
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by TopperGas »

yellowbelly wrote:
01 Jul 2022, 18:10
I can relate to all the comments on here. Essentially a lot of us come on the site to have a good old
moan after a crappy day at the office or because we don't want to watch Love Island, but you don't see
many 'Had a good day today' because that's not the nature of the beast if you know what I mean. There will
be thousands of posties out there who go home having had a neutral/reasonable/good day.

With regards to being moved about/doing different duties - there are two sides to this coin. Yes it can be very annoying
when you get a text early in the morning saying 'You're on duty x not z today can you come in 30 mins early?'
when you've psyched yourself up for a certain duty. However, there will be posties who've been on the
same duty and it's not changed for 10/15/20 years and that's what they know. I'd get very bored doing that
and like doing different duties with a change of scene.

The one thing that did really bug me as a reserve was the constant changing of day off ie it wasn't rotating.
If the job you applied for stated 'rotating day off' do your best to make sure the manager complies with that,
otherwise it's a nightmare to plan stuff like dentist appointments, booking the car in for it's MOT etc.
I don't even bother asking what route I'll be covering as it changes so often! The Wallington week rota is far better than the week day rota as it can't really be changed.
TopperGas
Posts: 1458
Joined: 13 Feb 2021, 22:46
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by TopperGas »

Scottspa76 wrote:
27 Jun 2022, 10:02
:wave I've received a permanent 30hr job offer from RM as a postie. Always wanted to be one since I was a kid (I'm 45 now). A few things are worrying me though and thought this was the best place to ask. I've read reviews from employees and previous employees and they all seem to complain about management being bad. Are they really that bad? Do they pressurise you to do more all the time? Do new starters get treated like dogs bodies being sent here there and everywhere? How are you supposed to learn the job properly if you're constantly getting sent to a different village? I'm leaving a permanent job of 5 years so it's a risk for me but I really want to be a postie but it seems its a changes alot since its been privatised, maybe not for the good?
I've been a postie for nearly 2 years having previously spent my whole career doing office work including management and I enjoy the job. Perhaps I've been lucky but the management have treated me well, as did the management at the larger DO I originally started as an agency worker.

Most new starters at my DO seem to stay, one left quickly but he was fairly useless anyway.

Changing routes can be a pain but you just have to accept that's part of the job, plus you get some easy rounds which you wouldn't get with a regular round.

If you're still interested then just make sure you're physically capable of doing the job.
rouetter1
Posts: 1
Joined: 30 May 2022, 18:17
Gender: Female

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by rouetter1 »

Hi, I haven't even been at Royal Mail for a year yet and im looking for another job, the senior staff have advised me "get out while you can!"
I am a reserve on 30 hour contract, from my experience the job goes as a the following -

Pro's -
Weekly pay
Some lovely co workers

Cons -
You won't get your own round as a reserve for yeaaaaars which means you don't know your day off for the following week (we find out on a Saturday what our day off is for the following week, potentially 2 days notice if your day off is the following Monday)

Never knowing your start time or finish time on a daily basis

Moved from duty to duty constantly so you can't really learn it property, and generally can be partnered with the person who's duty it is, as a result they are much faster and it can leave you feeling pressured

You will never get holiday days when you want/need them and you'll be made to feel guilty for it, I don't know about other offices but the senior staff put holiday requests in over a year in advance.

Expected to get all work done in time on busy days when you're not brought in early to be given a head start and nothing has been chucked in the fitting for staff to help out.

Whilst you will have been told that its busy at xmas but quietens down after this, that is a lie, when it gets 'quieter' they introduce lapsing, something designed to give you extra work on top of your own (basically makes everyone late back to the office)

You don't get time to have a break, you rush around to get done in time which is exhausting!


Lastly, it will ruin Christmas for you :/
TopperGas
Posts: 1458
Joined: 13 Feb 2021, 22:46
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by TopperGas »

rouetter1 wrote:
03 Jul 2022, 16:35
Hi, I haven't even been at Royal Mail for a year yet and im looking for another job, the senior staff have advised me "get out while you can!"
I am a reserve on 30 hour contract, from my experience the job goes as a the following -

Pro's -
Weekly pay
Some lovely co workers

Cons -
You won't get your own round as a reserve for yeaaaaars which means you don't know your day off for the following week (we find out on a Saturday what our day off is for the following week, potentially 2 days notice if your day off is the following Monday)

Never knowing your start time or finish time on a daily basis

Moved from duty to duty constantly so you can't really learn it property, and generally can be partnered with the person who's duty it is, as a result they are much faster and it can leave you feeling pressured

You will never get holiday days when you want/need them and you'll be made to feel guilty for it, I don't know about other offices but the senior staff put holiday requests in over a year in advance.

Expected to get all work done in time on busy days when you're not brought in early to be given a head start and nothing has been chucked in the fitting for staff to help out.

Whilst you will have been told that its busy at xmas but quietens down after this, that is a lie, when it gets 'quieter' they introduce lapsing, something designed to give you extra work on top of your own (basically makes everyone late back to the office)

You don't get time to have a break, you rush around to get done in time which is exhausting!


Lastly, it will ruin Christmas for you :/
I'm guessing the senior staff who've told you to quit have been there years themselves? I choose to ignore their advice!
Scottspa76
Posts: 14
Joined: 27 Jun 2022, 09:55
Gender: Female

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by Scottspa76 »

So an update. I turned the job down and now totally regret it. I was supposed to start tomorrow and I cant stop thinking about it. I feel like emailing them asking if I can reinstate my job otter
ted_e_bear
Posts: 2184
Joined: 03 Sep 2012, 19:37
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by ted_e_bear »

Scottspa76 wrote:
10 Jul 2022, 22:02
So an update. I turned the job down and now totally regret it. I was supposed to start tomorrow and I cant stop thinking about it. I feel like emailing them asking if I can reinstate my job otter
Give it a go, you never know until you try, I've seen all the crap treatment that newbies can get but not all offices are alike some are run better than others, some have a higher ratio of helpful posties to selfish tossers than others.
Scottspa76
Posts: 14
Joined: 27 Jun 2022, 09:55
Gender: Female

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by Scottspa76 »

ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 07:27
Scottspa76 wrote:
10 Jul 2022, 22:02
So an update. I turned the job down and now totally regret it. I was supposed to start tomorrow and I cant stop thinking about it. I feel like emailing them asking if I can reinstate my job otter
Give it a go, you never know until you try, I've seen all the crap treatment that newbies can get but not all offices are alike some are run better than others, some have a higher ratio of helpful posties to selfish tossers than others.
I emailed hr last night but fully expecting them to say they offered it to someone else now
Scottspa76
Posts: 14
Joined: 27 Jun 2022, 09:55
Gender: Female

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by Scottspa76 »

They're emailing the hiring manager for his decision. I really hope I havnt effed this up or I'll be gutted.
ted_e_bear
Posts: 2184
Joined: 03 Sep 2012, 19:37
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by ted_e_bear »

Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 09:16
They're emailing the hiring manager for his decision. I really hope I havnt effed this up or I'll be gutted.
Fingers crossed you'll be ok, if they've emailed someone to make a decision then that might suggest they haven't offered it to anyone else yet, keep us updated when you hear back.
Scottspa76
Posts: 14
Joined: 27 Jun 2022, 09:55
Gender: Female

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by Scottspa76 »

ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 11:15
Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 09:16
They're emailing the hiring manager for his decision. I really hope I havnt effed this up or I'll be gutted.
Fingers crossed you'll be ok, if they've emailed someone to make a decision then that might suggest they haven't offered it to anyone else yet, keep us updated when you hear back.
The job is still available and they've offered it back to me yay! So I'm starting Monday :)
ted_e_bear
Posts: 2184
Joined: 03 Sep 2012, 19:37
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by ted_e_bear »

Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 14:22
ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 11:15
Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 09:16
They're emailing the hiring manager for his decision. I really hope I havnt effed this up or I'll be gutted.

Fingers crossed you'll be ok, if they've emailed someone to make a decision then that might suggest they haven't offered it to anyone else yet, keep us updated when you hear back.
The job is still available and they've offered it back to me yay! So I'm starting Monday :)
Great news hope it goes well, what hours contract is it btw ? have a good trawl through stuff on here if you haven't already lots of useful info, oh and I'd recommend joining the union you may have noticed that there's currently a bit of an issue.
Scottspa76
Posts: 14
Joined: 27 Jun 2022, 09:55
Gender: Female

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by Scottspa76 »

ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 14:51
Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 14:22
ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 11:15
Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 09:16
They're emailing the hiring manager for his decision. I really hope I havnt effed this up or I'll be gutted.

Fingers crossed you'll be ok, if they've emailed someone to make a decision then that might suggest they haven't offered it to anyone else yet, keep us updated when you hear back.
The job is still available and they've offered it back to me yay! So I'm starting Monday :)
Great news hope it goes well, what hours contract is it btw ? have a good trawl through stuff on here if you haven't already lots of useful info, oh and I'd recommend joining the union you may have noticed that there's currently a bit of an issue.
Yes its with pay isn't it ? I will definitely join the union. Its a 30hr contract
SMS1969
Posts: 523
Joined: 28 Jun 2021, 11:36
Gender: Male

Re: Advice for new starter

Post by SMS1969 »

Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 16:46
ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 14:51
Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 14:22
ted_e_bear wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 11:15
Scottspa76 wrote:
11 Jul 2022, 09:16
They're emailing the hiring manager for his decision. I really hope I havnt effed this up or I'll be gutted.

Fingers crossed you'll be ok, if they've emailed someone to make a decision then that might suggest they haven't offered it to anyone else yet, keep us updated when you hear back.
The job is still available and they've offered it back to me yay! So I'm starting Monday :)


Great news hope it goes well, what hours contract is it btw ? have a good trawl through stuff on here if you haven't already lots of useful info, oh and I'd recommend joining the union you may have noticed that there's currently a bit of an issue.
Yes its with pay isn't it ? I will definitely join the union. Its a 30hr contract
So crack on then and try to enjoy it. You will find it tough to begin with, but it will get better👍
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