Unrest grows over treatment of Royal Mail IT workers

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/ne ... al-4677531" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An IT department shake-up that has caused workers to suffer months of job insecurity is souring relations between managers and staff, and threatening to undermine the group’s modernisation plans.

Royal Mail’s prolonged attempt to reorganise its IT department is sapping morale and casting a pall over its modernisation programme, according to affected employees.

To support the group’s £1.2bn change agenda unveiled last year, chief information officer Robin Dargue launched a staff review with the aim of reducing the then 300-strong permanent IT workforce by half.

As part of that review, IT staff were asked to undergo one-day assessments, which were to be used to identify staff who could be moved to new roles. Meanwhile, workers union Unite secured an agreement with the group that no compulsory redundancies would take place.

Following the assessments, some employees found positions internally, others were offered jobs that they felt were unsuitable and decided to leave, while about 20 staff have been left “in limbo” on full pay.

The staff in question were told by the group that they had to do “voluntary” work for three days a week and use the remaining two days to look for a job.

“We feel that the process could have been handled differently, by, for example, redeploying staff to value-adding activities such as improving customer relationships, instead of just getting them to apply for jobs,” said Brian Scott, assistant national secretary at Unite.

According to an internal source, who asked to remain anonymous, the idea was that the activities would enhance their chances of securing future employment.

“But when we asked what would happen at the end of the three months, which was the end of April, we were told that no decision had been made and that it would be reviewed before the period ends,” the source said.

The group then told the employees to stop the voluntary work from the end of April and revert to full-time job searching.

But without any firm plan for their future, many of the staff are becoming anxious about their prospects. “The longer we stay out of work, the harder it will be for us to find another position,” said one of the employees affected by the reorganisation.

“A lot of our skills are specific to Royal Mail and do not easily translate into another working environment and we don’t have formal qualifications because we barely received any training,” said the worker.

“The fact that our skills could be used in the business doesn’t matter they just wanted us to leave. They have been successful by getting rid of a lot of employees with many years of service and taking on new people under a completely different package,” said one ex-employee.

Around the time of the review, a large recruitment drive sought to bring in people with skills that Royal Mail said it did not have, in such areas as business partnering, service delivery and policy, methods and governance.

Royal Mail confirmed it hired more than 80 people last year as a result of the programme.

But the drawn-out reorganisation is sapping morale, according to one former IT employee, who chose to leave after turning down an offer of an alternative post.

“From speaking to my ex-colleagues, I know IT management at Royal Mail is perceived very poorly and that the whole department is now suffering. They are not the trusted advisers they were once seen as,” said the former worker.

With the staff in limbo now able to compete for IT jobs, the other staff in the department are being put in awkward positions, one Royal Mail worker told Computing.

“It is difficult for the internal people, who are essentially going up against ex-colleagues. This is grinding morale down further as people don’t want to see their friends out of work it is a vicious circle,” said the source.

Royal Mail declined to comment on the points raised by our sources, but a spokesman said: “There is a variety of things that we do to help people whose roles no longer exist in seeking opportunities internally and externally. What we can say is that there isn’t anyone on a six-figure salary sitting around doing nothing.”

Unite said it will ensure the arrangement with regards to surplus stays in place. “If the process takes longer than expected, Royal Mail will have to work with that,” said Scott.

[Tman]

“A lot of our skills are specific to Royal Mail and do not easily translate into another working environment and we don’t have formal qualifications because we barely received any training,” said the worker.

Never a truer word. All those ex-posties, drivers and clerical staff who transferred to the IT department now finding that their experience and "training" wasn't up to much. I guess there's only so many times those IT help-line people can say "Control Alt Delete" and still fool themselves they actually know anything about IT.
RM square pegs in round holes again...

“The fact that our skills could be used in the business doesn’t matter they just wanted us to leave. They have been successful by getting rid of a lot of employees with many years of service and taking on new people under a completely different package,” said one ex-employee.

There's an ex-employee who still believes that anyone can do any job then.............

[DGP1]

What we can say is that there isn’t anyone on a six-figure salary sitting around doing nothing.

[dvbuk55]

Like any modern IT department it's the use of a computer with a programme pretty much like Windows Help and the ability to speak and read, for example:

Problemee: Hi my RMGTT Gun has gone down

IT: OK - lets try a quick boot

Problemee: I've tried that

IT: Well we need to follow procedure - which literally translated means - the screens telling me that's what we should do

Problemee: I'm pretty sure it's the battery

IT: Can you unplug the cradle take out the phone lead wait 30 seconds because that's what the screen is telling me to do.

Problemee: Tilts chair back, relaxes, makes agreeable noises whilst affirming any requests until such time as the "Well it seems to be the battery" comes over the phone line and an agreed swap out has been negotiated.

[k979aaa]

If anyone can royalmail can put the SH into IT. :cfo

[norbert]

If anyone can royalmail can put the SH into IT. :cfo

there has been horror stories on here re " Revitalized Non Operational Departments " and " culture changes " , some people in charge of them make some DUM's & AM's look like the Archangel Gabriel & :lfo & :cfo & their stooges look like tree hugging , bleeding hearts handwringing Wooly Liberals . A very vicious & very nasty corporate culture

Can't all be square pegs in round holes doing the Microsoft three finger shuffle

There's been plenty of six figures payoffs for people to do nothing , Elmar Toime for personalty clashes with :lfo , which surprised me as I didn't think he had one in the first place . All the managers on " gardening leave " for "lack of loyalty" , the civil service types that were responsible for Horizon , Consignia , buying parcel companies for £1 million and selling them back for £10 , etc , etc :mfo

[k979aaa]

If anyone can royalmail can put the SH into IT. :cfo

there has been horror stories on here re " Revitalized Non Operational Departments " and " culture changes " , some people in charge of them make some DUM's & AM's look like the Archangel Gabriel & :lfo & :cfo & their stooges look like tree hugging , bleeding hearts handwringing Wooly Liberals . A very vicious & very nasty corporate culture

Can't all be square pegs in round holes doing the Microsoft three finger shuffle

There's been plenty of six figures payoffs for people to do nothing , Elmar Toime for personalty clashes with :lfo , which surprised me as I didn't think he had one in the first place . All the managers on " gardening leave " for "lack of loyalty" , the civil service types that were responsible for Horizon , Consignia , buying parcel companies for £1 million and selling them back for £10 , etc , etc :mfo

Well said norbert and it is us all that have too pick up the pieces and take the hit too our pension's and job's so they can FU*K UP AGAIN AND AGAIN!. :lfo & :cfo & :mfo

[mailsort6]

“A lot of our skills are specific to Royal Mail and do not easily translate into another working environment and we don’t have formal qualifications because we barely received any training,” said the worker".

The truth is coming out now, this is what us posties have being saying for decades. Just how did these people get jobs with no formal qualifications or skills, this is one big joke.

[baldrick]

What we can say is that there isn’t anyone on a six-figure salary sitting around doing nothing.

It is true though, he has a seven figure salary. :cfo :cfo :cfo

[andy2007]

Like any modern IT department it's the use of a computer with a programme pretty much like Windows Help and the ability to speak and read, for example:

Problemee: Hi my RMGTT Gun has gone down

IT: OK - lets try a quick boot

Problemee: I've tried that

IT: Well we need to follow procedure - which literally translated means - the screens telling me that's what we should do

Problemee: I'm pretty sure it's the battery

IT: Can you unplug the cradle take out the phone lead wait 30 seconds because that's what the screen is telling me to do.

Problemee: Tilts chair back, relaxes, makes agreeable noises whilst affirming any requests until such time as the "Well it seems to be the battery" comes over the phone line and an agreed swap out has been negotiated.

What do you expect, from a company that is more concerned about their balance sheet, than having the right resources in the right place.

I can still remember, when you had to be highly qualified to provide Tech Support. But now, it's virtually impossible to find anyone knowledgeable, in these roles.

[norbert]

If anyone can royalmail can put the SH into IT. :cfo

there has been horror stories on here re " Revitalized Non Operational Departments " and " culture changes " , some people in charge of them make some DUM's & AM's look like the Archangel Gabriel & :lfo & :cfo & their stooges look like tree hugging , bleeding hearts handwringing Wooly Liberals . A very vicious & very nasty corporate culture

Can't all be square pegs in round holes doing the Microsoft three finger shuffle

There's been plenty of six figures payoffs for people to do nothing , Elmar Toime for personalty clashes with :lfo , which surprised me as I didn't think he had one in the first place . All the managers on " gardening leave " for "lack of loyalty" , the civil service types that were responsible for Horizon , Consignia , buying parcel companies for £1 million and selling them back for £10 , etc , etc :mfo

Well said norbert and it is us all that have too pick up the pieces and take the hit too our pension's and job's so they can FU*K UP AGAIN AND AGAIN!. :lfo & :cfo & :mfo

For all the CWU's obvious faults , re Non Operational IT ; this is how RM's senior management wanted it to be like in Delivery , Processing + Distribution 2007 & still do now . However they are just hired hitmen for a failed 80's EEC Thatcherite neo - liberal agenda , but naturally they will be looking for a exit strategy .

As you've something that's neither one thing or the other , you get the worst of the private sector and the worst of the old RM , badly handled & managed .

[ronnie6]

“A lot of our skills are specific to Royal Mail and do not easily translate into another working environment and we don’t have formal qualifications because we barely received any training,” said the worker".

The truth is coming out now, this is what us posties have being saying for decades. Just how did these people get jobs with no formal qualifications or skills, this is one big joke.

They probably got their job the same way you did, by applying for it. Oh, and thanks for the support, we'll bear it in mind when transformation hits !

[ronnie6]

“A lot of our skills are specific to Royal Mail and do not easily translate into another working environment and we don’t have formal qualifications because we barely received any training,” said the worker.

"Never a truer word. All those ex-posties, drivers and clerical staff who transferred to the IT department now finding that their experience and "training" wasn't up to much. I guess there's only so many times those IT help-line people can say "Control Alt Delete" and still fool themselves they actually know anything about IT.
RM square pegs in round holes again...

Interesting point but wrong department. Technical support is CSC, an external company.

[ronnie6]

Bit surprised by some of the vitriol being displayed by respondents on this issue, especially denigrating the work that some of YOUR colleagues have done over the years in the Technology department. I'm sure they will be suitably sympathetic when your turn comes and you are replaced by other 'more competent' workers (albeit probably part time).

[ronnie6]

“A lot of our skills are specific to Royal Mail and do not easily translate into another working environment and we don’t have formal qualifications because we barely received any training,” said the worker.

Never a truer word. All those ex-posties, drivers and clerical staff who transferred to the IT department now finding that their experience and "training" wasn't up to much. I guess there's only so many times those IT help-line people can say "Control Alt Delete" and still fool themselves they actually know anything about IT.
RM square pegs in round holes again...

“The fact that our skills could be used in the business doesn’t matter they just wanted us to leave. They have been successful by getting rid of a lot of employees with many years of service and taking on new people under a completely different package,” said one ex-employee.

There's an ex-employee who still believes that anyone can do any job then.............

Well they could have delivered mail, how hard can that be? Oh, yes of course, they did over the christmas pressure period.