MRM.COM : Flexible working and how it can be done : Aylesbury Vale

Post by **POSTMAN** » 30 Sep 2019, 15:51

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Today, Aylesbury Vale delivery office manager, Bernard Zend, who is chair of the Home Counties North diversity and inclusion network, talks about the importance of being creative around flexible working in the workplace.

‘When I came to Aylesbury Vale there were a lot of women seeking flexible working arrangements due to childcare commitments,’ he said. ‘We sat down with each member of staff and discussed what it was they required and why.

‘At first, I was a bit hesitant about rearranging people’s schedules due to any possible disruption to the office, but after looking at people’s individual circumstances, I realised how vital it is that colleagues are supported in the right way to allow them to balance their home and work lives as working mums and carers.

‘After thinking it over, I realised that with just a little effort, we could still achieve all the business needs while supporting colleagues who needed to work flexibly. Together with my CWU rep, we created a new working pattern that supported our working mums without disrupting our service to customers.

‘Some examples of the types of flexible working arrangements we were able to realise include the below:

Postwoman 1 - comes in for two hours and then takes her child to school. She then comes back and does her delivery three days a week, rotating with postwoman 3

Postwoman 2 - comes in late and works later so she can help her child get to school. Her husband picks up their child to support the flexible working arrangement

Postwoman 3 - comes in for two hours and then takes her child to school. She then comes back and does her delivery three days a week, rotating with postwoman 1

Postman 1 - looks after his mother on Saturdays

Part-time postwoman on a 27-hour contract - requested to have her duty moved to a Saturday due to childcare commitments. Her duty has been combined with postman 1
Postman 2 - moved to three days a week for flexible working

Postwoman 4 - works three days part-time to help her sick mother. She shares her duty with postman 2.

Postwoman 5 - supported with regular Wednesdays off to allow her to complete a dog grooming course to start her own business, and with a regular day off on Tuesday to book her dog grooming sessions.

‘I’m really proud of the fact that with a little effort and teamwork, we can help colleagues with flexible working arrangements. The fact that we work for a business, which supports us in striving for the right values and ideals, definitely helps.’

Balancing act

Many of our people balance parental and caring responsibilities with their career. Our Parents & Carers steering group (https://www.myroyalmail.com/Parents%26Carers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) aims to help colleagues with caring responsibilities balance these duties with their day-to-day working life. They can help direct you to where you can obtain support with formal flexible working requests and approvals as well as advice on the types of flexible working available.

To contact the group, please email: Parents.and.Carers@Royalmail.com. Similarly, if you would like to join the group or you have any positive stories about how you as a parent or carer have been supported by the business, please get in touch!

ted_e_bear · Post by **ted_e_bear** » 30 Sep 2019, 16:07

Meanwhile back in the real world at RM.
Manager..sorry no we can't accommodate anything due to operational needs etc etc etc !

chickenwittle · Post by **chickenwittle** » 30 Sep 2019, 16:25

ted_e_bear wrote:Meanwhile back in the real world at RM.
Manager..sorry no we can't accommodate anything due to operational needs etc etc etc !

Exactly , another pipe dream fit for the courier

oypostie · Post by **oypostie** » 30 Sep 2019, 17:14

meanwhile postwoman 6 has to do all the lapsing and cut offs because none of them can extend

Acca Dacca · Post by **Acca Dacca** » 30 Sep 2019, 17:18

Park n Loop and working in pairs has taken away most chances of any flexibility

worktotime · Post by **worktotime** » 30 Sep 2019, 17:39

1 - 2 - 3 , and your back in the room , oh I mean the real world.

redneck · Post by **redneck** » 30 Sep 2019, 17:43

This used to be called 'Job Share'. And yes, the flexibility always is one way and so cannot be relied upon by the worker in the end. They get dropped in it big time, disrupting what they thought was a helpful pattern of work. Why on earth was the union rep involved in this fantasy? Stick to the correct times of work, as you are contracted in the first place, that is the only thing guaranteed in this shower of a company.

par4mrl · Post by **par4mrl** » 30 Sep 2019, 18:16

Postwoman 3 goes sick along with postman 2 then the s**t hits the fan !!!

Post by **rambo1** » 30 Sep 2019, 18:21

oypostie wrote:meanwhile postwoman 6 has to do all the lapsing and cut offs because none of them can extend

Does postwoman 6 complete this work in her hrs, if so fair enough or does she more likely get ghost overtime for doing it.....what point are you trying to make?

Post by **rambo1** » 30 Sep 2019, 18:24

Nice of the management to give one of them a regular day off (Wednesday, busiest day) in order to train to set up their own business and probably leave royal mail. Great idea.

Marshamp11 · Post by **Marshamp11** » 30 Sep 2019, 18:48

What do you mean you only want to work your contracted hours and not stay out until silly o clock. How dare you.

Pidleypoo · Post by **Pidleypoo** » 30 Sep 2019, 19:55

Is this a joke ?

Route1 · Post by **Route1** » 30 Sep 2019, 21:22

Its not difficult to do.

All management need to do is ask what can be done to make the job better suited to their circumstances out of work. Obviously there is no guarantee everyone can be accommodated.

If the hours are fixed around personal lifes, i'm sure moral would be better and a happier workforce (except the ones who got fecked or left out).

But will this happen where i work? No chance. Why? Heres an example.
One time the Delivery Support went on holiday but didnt have the schedule shifts rota done for the weeks she was away. Management attempted but managed to put people on 2 shifts at the same time, on a shift on their day off etc.
Had one postie trying it on by telling the bosses he only does Schedy 4 and can do it three times that week. Yes he can do three shifts cos we were short of bodies that week but no-one gets the same schedy twice in the same week unless he wants to do the crap one.
I looked at the shifts and took less than 10 minutes to fix it so everyone got their fair share.

Changing work patterns is harder but not impossible.

Regarding having the busy day as your regular day off to train to set up their own business. It might not seen logical but it should be encouraged for people to develop themselves. This person might have left RM to do the training. There also no certainty this person will leave RM.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 30 Sep 2019, 22:27

Gonna stick my neck out here, it's obviously real........ish so any reps wanting to help their members should get their screws to contact Mr Zend and the Parents & Carers steering group......just sayin'.

ted_e_bear · Post by **ted_e_bear** » 01 Oct 2019, 07:15

POSTMAN wrote:Gonna stick my neck out here, it's obviously real........ish so any reps wanting to help their members should get their screws to contact Mr Zend and the Parents & Carers steering group......just sayin'.

Yeah I actually think it's probably real as well but the reason it doesn't happen elsewhere is the same as everything else that doesn't happen as it should, lazy management at DO level that have been allowed to fester for years.