Induction and first day

SKerby · Post by **SKerby** » 19 Sep 2019, 17:01

Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?

miles_peters · Post by **miles_peters** » 19 Sep 2019, 17:14

lies.

Ren Hoëk · Post by **Ren Hoëk** » 19 Sep 2019, 17:58

Firstly, welcome to the company!

Give this a read. It should give you a good idea of what to expect.

https://www.cwusouthmidspostal.org/wp-c ... -A4-NN.pdf

Delivery offices are quite "unique" environments. Lots of "banter". If you don't laugh you will cry! You may also find people will make allot of strange noises. Just go with it.

Your manager will almost definitely try to take advantage. Introduce yourself with the local union rep. Join the union.

Rumple · Post by **Rumple** » 19 Sep 2019, 18:26

Join the union and join your colleagues on the picket line.

robbertwhitton · Post by **robbertwhitton** » 19 Sep 2019, 18:30

Ren Hoëk wrote:Firstly, welcome to the company!

Give this a read. It should give you a good idea of what to expect.

https://www.cwusouthmidspostal.org/wp-c ... -A4-NN.pdf

Delivery offices are quite "unique" environments. Lots of "banter". If you don't laugh you will cry! You may also find people will make allot of strange noises. Just go with it.

Your manager will almost definitely try to take advantage. Introduce yourself with the local union rep. Join the union.

Get your boss to adhere to the above,that would be a start,I wish you well my friend,hence the mess we’re in!!

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 19 Sep 2019, 18:33

SKerby wrote:Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?

"heres the frame, good luck"

Mask · Post by **Mask** » 19 Sep 2019, 18:44

Postie45 wrote:
SKerby wrote:Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?
"heres the frame, good luck"

Exactly this. That's how my first day went.

par4mrl · Post by **par4mrl** » 19 Sep 2019, 18:55

SKerby wrote:Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?

Why?

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 19 Sep 2019, 19:11

SKerby wrote:Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?

in all seriousness what you should get is a few weeks training and shown the ropes by an experienced training postie, whether this actually happens is completely office dependent and how it is managed. If you do get a few weeks training its a good gauge of whether your in a decent office or not.

gmf_uk · Post by **gmf_uk** » 22 Sep 2019, 18:49

SKerby wrote:Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?

induction consisted of watching some videos about the PDA, Trimble, Manual Handling , and the usual h&s stuff. Basic uniform ordered. Info regarding your shift pattern and Duty. Then Driving course that lasted 4 hours approx. (indoor watching dvd and outdoor practical)

first day on the job was out with a fellow postie, getting shown the frame, route, and then just shadowing him. learning as we go. then day by day doing a little more my self until I was competent and happy to try completing the duty my self.

Post by **Trail** » 23 Sep 2019, 09:39

Induction for me was basically this

f**k off and deliver a load of letters and packets.

Don't come back until everything is finished.

Take a load of s**t from management from the very get-go.

That's Royal Mail for you.

SKerby · Post by **SKerby** » 23 Sep 2019, 12:13

gmf_uk wrote:
SKerby wrote:Hi all, new here. I made it through the interview process and looking forward to starting at Royal Mail soon. My induction is in couple of weeks, what should I expect to be shown/do on the day?
induction consisted of watching some videos about the PDA, Trimble, Manual Handling , and the usual h&s stuff. Basic uniform ordered. Info regarding your shift pattern and Duty. Then Driving course that lasted 4 hours approx. (indoor watching dvd and outdoor practical)

first day on the job was out with a fellow postie, getting shown the frame, route, and then just shadowing him. learning as we go. then day by day doing a little more my self until I was competent and happy to try completing the duty my self.

Thanks for some info about induction and first few days, slightly less nervous now.

gmf_uk · Post by **gmf_uk** » 23 Sep 2019, 12:56

Thanks for some info about induction and first few days, slightly less nervous now.[/quote]

nothing to be nervous about. for me anyway everyone was helpful and patient.. didn't let me go out my self until I was happy!

Post by **Brandy** » 23 Sep 2019, 17:10

When I started years ago we had 3 days induction then at least 4 or 5 days with a trained postie,you are lucky if you get 1 day now.
Good luck anyway.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 29 Sep 2019, 17:43

It varies how new recruits are treated. In the best case scenario I think there is some standard somewhere that new recruits where possible are left on one walk for the first six months. You will be very lucky if this happens though.
Our latest new recruit has been on the same walk for at least the first three weeks so that is an ideal scenario for you to expect. He is on a four day roughly eight hour shift duty so he is doing the job end to end as in prepping all the mail, redirections & kill-offs, bundling & bagging up then delivering on a shared van duty. He did the driver training shortly after arriving at our DO on one day after finishing delivery.
The likelihood is you will have a part time duty as well but less hours so the expectation is the prep and redirections and kill-offs will be done for you. This may or may not happen. If the prep is done for you it will be relatively plain sailing. If not you will be in for a bumpy ride.
Make sure you ask how much break time you are entitled to and ask when you should be taking it. If you think you will not have time to deliver everything tell the DOM BEFORE you leave the office so they can find someone else to take it. Ask where the LWTs (Light Weight Trolleys) are stored so you can get one and put it in your van. Other posties will likely NOT inform you of their existence and might even dissuade you from using one. They will save you from back injury etc. If you are on a HCT(High Capacity Trolley)walk you will obviously not need an LWT.

You will already know that many men are essentially just larger children and you may hear farmyard or other animal noises in the office etc. It is to be expected and will not be directed at you personally. The job isn't a bad one and I still enjoy it mostly after over twenty years doing it. The bad stuff is all the **** and changes coming from on high and the feeling you are being monitored all the time. If you can put that stuff to the back of your mind and try and avoid doing work for free you'll be okay.