ADVICE FOR NEW POSTIES

DaisyDoodles · Post by **DaisyDoodles** » 29 May 2018, 18:49

Any advice on how I can speed up? Day 5 of being a Postie and the first time I was out on doing all five loops by my myself.

It seems I slowed my full time buddy down massively as they're used to finishing two hours early. Apparently I made them over an hour late. Not sure how as my hours are 8.40 to 13.40 on a Tuesday and we left the DO at 8.40 and were back at 13.55 and I thought I did OK considering.

I seem to have trouble holding the bundles of mail whilst sorting through and zapping anything that looks like a QR code or a bar code. Add that to trying to remember where every house is, steps and hills, leaflets and 739s and you can see why I'm not as fast as they are. I just felt a bit demoralised today especially when they left after getting back without so much as a 'see you tomorrow'.

Any tips will be appreciated...I'm not going to let this beat me.

Cwtchy bear · Post by **Cwtchy bear** » 29 May 2018, 21:15

Hmm that's a bit out of order but some posties are like that but most aren't. I think your last line is important and shows you have good mentality. Don't let it get to you, know that you will get quicker the more you do it. I think most of us sonetimes struggle trying to juggle large bundles, packets and the pda. I find it easiest just to dump it down on the doorstep and then scan packets. Every postie knows new starters are gonna be slow, hopefully others will offer more support if you go out with them. If you have any doubts or questions soeak to the workplace coach as that's why they get extra money

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 29 May 2018, 23:19

We all need to slow down a bit now otherwise there will be consequences.

Interested-seeker · Post by **Interested-seeker** » 30 May 2018, 09:47

DaisyDoodles wrote:Any advice on how I can speed up? Day 5 of being a Postie and the first time I was out on doing all five loops by my myself.

It seems I slowed my full time buddy down massively as they're used to finishing two hours early. Apparently I made them over an hour late. Not sure how as my hours are 8.40 to 13.40 on a Tuesday and we left the DO at 8.40 and were back at 13.55 and I thought I did OK considering.

I seem to have trouble holding the bundles of mail whilst sorting through and zapping anything that looks like a QR code or a bar code. Add that to trying to remember where every house is, steps and hills, leaflets and 739s and you can see why I'm not as fast as they are. I just felt a bit demoralised today especially when they left after getting back without so much as a 'see you tomorrow'.

Any tips will be appreciated...I'm not going to let this beat me.

Sorry to hear that you have an unsupportive colleague. To me it sounds like you are doing fine, especially for a new starter! I managed to get a PDA holster that attaches to my belt, that makes things easier for me as hate juggling everything.

Some posties may do the following to be quicker (I am not advising this):

- Doorstepping parcels
- Walking across gardens
- Running
- Not taking breaks
- Only filling out certain sections of a P379.
- Not picking up rubber bands that they have dropped.

If your coworker does this and also has good knowledge of the round, then that is why you can't compete!

DaisyDoodles · Post by **DaisyDoodles** » 30 May 2018, 18:33

Aah... That's why I'm loads slower then. I'm not taking shortcuts across gardens or doorstepping packets and parcels... I'm even writing out 739s in full.

I'm going try to get myself one of those PDA holsters and also a pen on a lanyard!

Ah well... I'm bound to get quicker with experience. Thanks for your advice everyone.

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 30 May 2018, 20:17

DaisyDoodles wrote:Any advice on how I can speed up? Day 5 of being a Postie and the first time I was out on doing all five loops by my myself.

It seems I slowed my full time buddy down massively as they're used to finishing two hours early. Apparently I made them over an hour late. Not sure how as my hours are 8.40 to 13.40 on a Tuesday and we left the DO at 8.40 and were back at 13.55 and I thought I did OK considering.

I seem to have trouble holding the bundles of mail whilst sorting through and zapping anything that looks like a QR code or a bar code. Add that to trying to remember where every house is, steps and hills, leaflets and 739s and you can see why I'm not as fast as they are. I just felt a bit demoralised today especially when they left after getting back without so much as a 'see you tomorrow'.

Any tips will be appreciated...I'm not going to let this beat me.

Daisy - if the 5 loops you did by yourself was your full 'share' of the duty you didn't make them an hour 'late' - you were 15 mins over your allotted time
- after 5 days I would have been happy with that. It will feel like you're all fingers and thumbs at the moment - you'll get into a routine on your delivery
pretty soon. If they're two hours early regularly I would suggest there's possibly something amiss with either the way they're
delivering or the size of the round. I know of a quick postie but he's one who gets a lot of complaints (mostly to the reserve/cover posties who have to cover his round!!!).

DaisyDoodles · Post by **DaisyDoodles** » 30 May 2018, 22:02

Some days I just can't win! My Wednesday hours are 9.30am to 2.30pm... Rocked up at 08.10am and got told off for being 10 minutes late! Pointed out what my hours are and got told "well...We've just had a bank holiday and the hours are different then". Would have helped to have been told... 5 minutes later I'm being asked to work my day off!

Anyhoo... Today we finished at 2pm. Which is fine on my hours but over on my buddy's hours. Turns out our hours don't tally up at all and the upshot of it all is that I'll end up doing permenant overtime to fit in with them which I'm not exactly ecstatic about.

I'm sure it'll all get better with time,at least it better had. So far not really impressed with the lack of communication from Management or the lack of support.

MinTee · Post by **MinTee** » 31 May 2018, 16:45

Got offered bank holiday in lieu as S/A payment. It’s been put on this weeks rota. Does that mean I don’t have a day off and just get my bank holiday as overtime? Seems a bit naughty if that’s the case and I could’ve just had the day off as holiday and get paid almost the same.

I’d ask my managers but they weren’t around when I came back today

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 31 May 2018, 19:33

DaisyDoodles wrote:Some days I just can't win! My Wednesday hours are 9.30am to 2.30pm... Rocked up at 08.10am and got told off for being 10 minutes late! Pointed out what my hours are and got told "well...We've just had a bank holiday and the hours are different then". Would have helped to have been told... 5 minutes later I'm being asked to work my day off!

Anyhoo... Today we finished at 2pm. Which is fine on my hours but over on my buddy's hours. Turns out our hours don't tally up at all and the upshot of it all is that I'll end up doing permenant overtime to fit in with them which I'm not exactly ecstatic about.

I'm sure it'll all get better with time,at least it better had. So far not really impressed with the lack of communication from Management or the lack of support.

Sounds like a complete mess. First of all having a bank holiday in a week does NOT mean that any duty start or end times for the remaining days in that week will change. It may be that some other days in that week will be busier than usual but nothing else changes.
If your start time is 0930 then come in ten minutes early if you like but don't come in 90 minutes before your time. If it is the DOM telling you to come in 90 minutes early ask if you will have your duty time amended and be paid for it. If they say no don't do it.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 31 May 2018, 19:39

MinTee wrote:Got offered bank holiday in lieu as S/A payment. It’s been put on this weeks rota. Does that mean I don’t have a day off and just get my bank holiday as overtime? Seems a bit naughty if that’s the case and I could’ve just had the day off as holiday and get paid almost the same.

I’d ask my managers but they weren’t around when I came back today

If you are due to do an SA on a day which falls on a bank holiday you get paid for it as usual but you don't have to do it.
You get paid for bank holidays if they don't fall on your day off or AL.
If a bank holiday falls on your day off or AL you get a day in lieu to book where there is space on the holiday sheet.

MinTee · Post by **MinTee** » 31 May 2018, 20:56

Celgar wrote:
MinTee wrote:Got offered bank holiday in lieu as S/A payment. It’s been put on this weeks rota. Does that mean I don’t have a day off and just get my bank holiday as overtime? Seems a bit naughty if that’s the case and I could’ve just had the day off as holiday and get paid almost the same.

I’d ask my managers but they weren’t around when I came back today
If you are due to do an SA on a day which falls on a bank holiday you get paid for it as usual but you don't have to do it.
You get paid for bank holidays if they don't fall on your day off or AL.
If a bank holiday falls on your day off or AL you get a day in lieu to book where there is space on the holiday sheet.

Yeah they offered me the day in lieu, or s/a which works out as more money for me. It’s marked as Tuesday on my rota, but it wasn’t explain very well to me and they were gone when I came back. I don’t understand if I’m working that day and my bank holiday is paid as overtime, or I’m not working.

Amethyst1978 · Post by **Amethyst1978** » 17 Jun 2018, 20:08

Just started as a post woman last week and wow what a learning curve! I had my induction on Monday, 3 days training and then I was out on my own on Friday. I’m on a rural route so lots of driving and in and out of the van. I was two hours over my time but I claimed it as overtime. It was just so tricky trying to remember where houses where while driving and checking through the bundles. I missed a few letters as they had fallen out of the bundles and got back to the office to find I had totally forgotten about the last parcel I know I’ll get quicker and improve but I spent some time today recording my walk log as a voice memo on my phone. That way I can just listen as I’m going along rather than having to keep reading the log notes. I really hope I improve on my time this week! So glad this forum exists

trolleypusher · Post by **trolleypusher** » 27 Jul 2018, 20:22

Celgar wrote:We all need to slow down a bit now otherwise there will be consequences.

Spot on.

My feet are on fire · Post by **My feet are on fire** » 28 Jul 2018, 22:04

I've been approached by a business asking if royalmail can deliver their leaflets to all the areas covered by our office. This may be a stupid question but is this one of those leads that would get me a bonus?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 29 Jul 2018, 08:35

My feet are on fire wrote:I've been approached by a business asking if royalmail can deliver their leaflets to all the areas covered by our office. This may be a stupid question but is this one of those leads that would get me a bonus?

Possibly get their details.

But they may also ask you to do it on the QT - Don't its a sackable offence.