Management

[Taff]

How do the management relations work in RM as a public company I've only worked in private but thinking of going for operations in RM.
i.e. are relations with operations managers decent or are they generally lumped in with general management ( I generally distinguish between
different layers when I've worked in the private sector even though the senior management didn't have a clue).

Also do they get to join the union/sympathise etc as I would be looking to oppose privatisation.

[pickaname]

You WANT to join royal mail?

Most people want to leave.

[piranha]

We are mostly postmen on here not managers! I think they do have their own union though that didnt have the guts to join in the strikes last time...

[TrueBlueTerrier]

BE GENTLE GUYS AND GALS:


Operational Management - From the shop floor perspective we perceive the current style of Management as top down and by diktat rather as they promote it - by "listening to and engaging staff".

Local management at Operational Level is more like a supervisors role as they don't "appear" to have any scope to make day to day or long term decisions they seem to be used as "body watchers" to keep an eye on the posties, or there to tick the boxes on any HR related matters such as absences and discipline cases.

I have to be honest graduate managers are not looked on favourably by posties as this is one job that is hard to pin down by spread sheets, think tanks and computer programs. For instance when a postie insists that he cannot complete a duty on time, the Graduates always seem to fall back on the "well the computer says you can" argument. This is one job where the ability to walk the walk (do the posties job) is still very important IMHO opinion but one that is sadly overlooked by senior management.

In delivery offices the DOMs are the ones that make the day to day decisions such as collapsing walks, sackings, whether or not to delay mail for operational reasons. They also control the interaction between the CWU and the business/service.

The DOMs at least from my experience do not get to decide whether or not a national or local agreement is implemented or not based on local conditions they seem just to carry out the instructions of those above them.


Union - No we are different Unions the Managers is CMA/Unite - Communications Managers Association and are part of Unite. They always cross our picket lines and whether through choice or contractual obligations Line Managers (Acting and Substansive) from all over the UK are brought into local offices that are on strike to do the strikers work.

The CMA do not appear to be fighting privatisation and in fact I am not completely sure of their take on it but I don't think they supported the CWUs recent campaigns.

Sorry if this post is a little depressing for you but good luck if you do decide to go ahead and become an Operational Manager, and if you do progress please get them to stop saying/briefing "Our People" frankly is demeaning, insulting and frankly patronising.

[DGP1]

My opinion would be to not join Royal Mail at the moment, you won't make any decisions, the only thing you'll be taught is how to follow orders without question so it'll be better to look elsewhere (at least for the time being).

[Taff]

Well the training programme looks pretty good and the qualifications are well recognised.. I don't think any graduate managers are particularly well respected in any profession but I can normally spot a good egg from a bad one when I've been working under one. I've a few mates that work in different areas with RM and I get different pictures from them.

People go for operations management from the shop floor which is why I asked if anyone had done this

[tiredwalker]

Well the training programme looks pretty good and the qualifications are well recognised.. I don't think any graduate managers are particularly well respected in any profession but I can normally spot a good egg from a bad one when I've been working under one. I've a few mates that work in different areas with RM and I get different pictures from them.

People go for operations management from the shop floor which is why I asked if anyone had done this

If you join you will find that very few managers of any sort are respected in RM, due to the culture of harassment at present throughout the business. But don't let us put you off!

[shadow]

Well the training programme looks pretty good and the qualifications are well recognised.. I don't think any graduate managers are particularly well respected in any profession but I can normally spot a good egg from a bad one when I've been working under one. I've a few mates that work in different areas with RM and I get different pictures from them.

People go for operations management from the shop floor which is why I asked if anyone had done this

Management are good at making things look good on paper, including figures.

[london sub]

Being in charge of the shop floor is probably more demanding than it was 10 years ago. I've seen the proof, my DOM has so many grey hairlines showing . I would find a mangement role else where...not in the RM.

[norbert]

Being in charge of the shop floor is probably more demanding than it was 10 years ago. I've seen the proof, my DOM has so many grey hairlines showing . I would find a mangement role else where...not in the RM.

the best one was a " colourful " 90's David Brent style " motivational manager " being off with depression as the tablets were not working OR got his on line poker bill . You shouldn't really laugh or mock the afflicted
- but only with RM ! - He came to see his dwarf line manager looking if he was going line dancing , maybe caring RM & ATOS had suggested taking that up as part of his rehab plan

Seriously there will probably be a lot more due to " pressure " with managing by dicktat / decree - one slight problem , it's the UK , not North Korea .

[axeman]

If you think you can cut it then go for it you will be despised by your mates and end up bitter & twisted as most of the managers within royal fail are but if you can cope with it im sure the remuneration is worth it Don't forget you will not be your own 'man' but be subserviant to a culture based on threats and intimidation of the staff and be expected to obey everything........ or your neck will be on the line wether or not you agree with it and know it is wrong

As for graduate managers well the jury out on that one but i my experiences with this breed is there is no finer degree than the university of life and experience is the only way in fact if you put someone without this sort of experience in charge your heading for trouble :lfo

[Night Tonic]

And some just stay at the bottom, and talk a lot.

[norbert]

If you think you can cut it then go for it you will be despised by your mates and end up bitter & twisted as most of the managers within royal fail are but if you can cope with it im sure the remuneration is worth it Don't forget you will not be your own 'man' but be subserviant to a culture based on threats and intimidation of the staff and be expected to obey everything........ or your neck will be on the line wether or not you agree with it and know it is wrong

As for graduate managers well the jury out on that one but i my experiences with this breed is there is no finer degree than the university of life and experience is the only way in fact if you put someone without this sort of experience in charge your heading for trouble :lfo

we'd this problem prior to privatization , people were moved sideways as there was " a loss of confidence in supervisorial abilities " , bit like " gardening leave " or " special projects " with RM . The decree was " people had to be committed or there was no place for them " , a lot of them should have been going by some of the loopy hare brained ideas , to Rampton , Broadmoor etc .

There was also a fervency about some of them , the sort of people looking for the novel that makes sense , they could be so way out that they'd meet the most militant wolfie style reps and activists round the back .

A General Manager said discipline is to make sure people don't do it again not for petty vendettas and neurotic obsessions about reds under the bed like the new breed . :lfo :cfo :mfo

[NWpostie]

I like it at the bottom, no responsibilities no targets, no getting shafted from both ends, one end is enough, you couldn't drag me over the line, no way would I be a Lino, I would turn into one of them and be a shadow of my former self.

I do enough Bossing in the Military which I actually prefer as there is no avarice and everybody is pretty much straight up.

[norbert]

I like it at the bottom, no responsibilities no targets, no getting shafted from both ends, one end is enough, you couldn't drag me over the line, no way would I be a Lino, I would turn into one of them and be a shadow of my former self.

I do enough Bossing in the Military which I actually prefer as there is no avarice and everybody is pretty much straight up.

RM can be a like a zoo and has more than it's fair share of ar**holes and idiots that are totally beyond redemption . However there's a lot of people that have ran things - shop managers , NCO's in the services etc that would be more than capable of taking charge but wouldn't touch RM management with a barge pole .

The ex service people as they've been used to a better chain of command would be able to say what is wrong and how and why .