I have handed in my resignation - here is why

[Munchboii]

During School I did not really know what I wanted to do. However I always saw the Post Office/Royal Mail as a good career prospect with secure employment and high job satisfaction.

I joined this company aged 20 years old on a temporary contract to cover long term sickness. I was thrilled at this opportunity and I loved every second of every day at work. The people were so helpful and we just used to laugh and make jokes while on the sort. And then I'd be over the moon out on delivery in the sun rocking my shorts.

However all good things must come to an end and the postie who I was covering on long term sickness came back. No hard feelings but I was gutted I must admit to lose my position. Thankfully however I was offered another temporary contract at the Sorting office 20 miles away which I readily accepted.

This was a great experience and I gained the opportunity to become an airside driver and attempted many duties including airport, rural, walk, dropbags, accelerated business mail and late collections.

After around 1.5 years service i became very experienced in postal matters from all the duties and roles I carried out. I was regularly working 60 hours a week on overtime which was very good for my bank balance.

18 months ago, I moved back to my first DO due to a retirement, a position which I still hold today. However I am still temporary on a temporary contract.

My local DO has been undergoing a disastrous mail revision which is at least 16 months behind schedule due to covid 19 and other factors. Upper Mails management have been ruthless and quite frankly heartless by deciding to not make positions permanent until the revision is finished.

I am not the only one - there are about 5 of us on temporary contracts covering for people who retired nearly 18 months ago.

My mood in the last 3 months has been terrible and the Manager has noticed who called me in to say my attitude isn't good. Well you wonder why...

I poured my heart and soul into the job with the hopes that my hard work would pay off eventually. I suppose this is a test of how long is a man prepared to work to 100% effort before his morale begins to slip? I worked over my time, I ran around on rurals, I worked very unsocial hours and said yes to every overtime request. I worked mothering Sunday for 3 years on the trot delivering flowers. All with the hopes of a job.

Well I believe i have the answer to how long a man can chase a carrot on a stick.. the answer is 2.5 years.

I have had enough. How I have been treated is starting to actually make me depressed and if I carry on any longer I will be forced to go sick. I just can't take it any more. The fact I have not been made permanent position means I cannot move on with my personal life or move out of my parents home. The manager insists that I am a hard working postman who carries out his duties with enthusiasm and professionalism. I physically and mentally cannot do anymore to keep myself motivated or happy to work with this company.

As a result of all of this I decided to hand in my notice and I will leave the job at the end of my notice period. I do not blame my direct line manager because I know his hands were tied from above.

I hope this company and my local HR department will see my departure as a warning sign that they need to treat employees better. Otherwise they will lose quality employees.

I am a young, fit and determined young man in his early 20s who was fully willing to carry out a 40+ year career in this job. However I have realised my worth and that I can do better elsewhere. In a company which will actually reward my loyalty correctly. I feel unrewarded and underappreciated in this job.

I will greatly miss the people more than anything. I wish things could have been different however I am so demoralised due to treatment by management that I felt I had no choice but to resign.

Sometimes I bang my head off the wall and wish I was born another 30 years earlier to start this job in the 1990s. The good old days as the oldies in my office like to say... it is sad when you have to think like this to justify working at Royal Mail!!!

I feel like the job is dying a death and wish everyone the best for the future...

[hans solo]

2.5 years
when i started it took 8 years before being made ft

[Tinoblade]

I hope this company and my local HR department will see my departure as a warning sign that they need to treat employees better. Otherwise they will lose quality employees.

I feel for you mate, I really do. I felt very much the same about Royal mail as a whole and gave everything I had for the first few years.
Unfortuntaley grafting super hard will only put you on the radar of managers who want you to do overtime. That's it!
As harsh as it is (and I don't really know why I'm saying it) HR won't give a toss. It's part of working for a big company. You're simply a number. For anyone else looking in who's having smiliar thoughts, don't do the job for anyone else or to make anyone else happy, do what YOU need to do for you and you alone. Want overtime? Then do it, but don't expect it to buy you a contract or anything. Don't want overtime. Then don't do it. Don't stress, that's for the gaffers.
I feel this job is as easy or stressful as you allow it be


I'm sorry you left a job you have enjoyed, and hope you find something more suited to you. Keep working hard and maybe you will find and emolyer willing to reward hardwork. My advice go for a smaller employer as big companies will bleed everything from you and give nothing

[Frankie15]

To paraphrase an old saying... "Don't let the b******s get you down!!" As much as how the uncertainty got you down, to resign seems that you threw the towel in. Ok you might not have been made permanent but as 2 and a half years have passed and with the knowledge you've gained doing different roles and duties within the job, I would say your job is very much safe. Ok you don't have it in writing but as I've said on another board, there's no way on earth will Royal Mail be letting anyone go with the revisions just around the corner. The job is going to be mayhem within the next few months. People will also leave so you'd be even more needed I'd say. Either way as I know how much the job/management and even horrible colleagues can very much batter morale on a personal level, I would just like to wish you all the best for the future. Who knows, maybe your DOM will realise that a good worker is about to leave and might see sense and get that permanent contract sorted for you.

[twoloops]

With the current situation covid & metal health I would have 2/3 month on the sick before quitting, RM will not be bothered if you stay or go, you are just a number mate.

[Munchboii]

2.5 years
when i started it took 8 years before being made ft

I think you miss the point, 8 years to be on a permanent contract?

I am currently on a temporary contract which they extend every 3 months. I was living my entire life in 3 month blocks. I can't do that any longer to bad for my health.

[fb1969]

Really feel for you Munchboil, I have been there myself and come as close as possible to resigning. When I started there was an agreement between RM and the CWU about being made permanent after 2 years on temporary contracts - are you in the CWU and/or have you spoken to them about it?

Mental and physical exhaustion are both serious issues within RM and the company simply do not care. As has been mentioned by twoloops, if possible get yourself off sick and stay off sick - full pay for as long as possible and sod the company. If you find you still cannot face it (and I wouldn't blame you) then you could still chuck it in eventually.

Fully respect you and your decision, the ridiculous situation that RM put you and others in just shows how they are not bothered about you. The fact that they have received awards for mental health awareness is pretty much beyond parody - it seems to me at times that wrecking someone's mental health is company policy.

Good luck for the future if you do leave.

[solar_plexus]

After working for the company for 2 years continuously, you're effectively a 'permanent' employee. You have the same statutory rights as a permanent employee and the company will need a good reason not to renew your contract. Also, this:

The limit on renewing a fixed-term contract

"Any employee on fixed-term contracts for 4 or more years will automatically become a permanent employee, unless the employer can show there is a good business reason not to do so.

"However, an employer and unions (or a staff association) may make a collective agreement that removes the automatic right to become a permanent employee in these circumstances."

From: Fixed-term employment contracts
https://www.gov.uk/fixed-term-contracts ... m-contract

[blacov]

After working for the company for 2 years continuously, you're effectively a 'permanent' employee. You have the same statutory rights as a permanent employee and the company will need a good reason not to renew your contract. Also, this:

The limit on renewing a fixed-term contract

"Any employee on fixed-term contracts for 4 or more years will automatically become a permanent employee, unless the employer can show there is a good business reason not to do so.

"However, an employer and unions (or a staff association) may make a collective agreement that removes the automatic right to become a permanent employee in these circumstances."

From: Fixed-term employment contracts
https://www.gov.uk/fixed-term-contracts ... m-contract

I think he needed proof of permanent position for both peace of mind and maybe wanted to take to a bank or something. This sort of contract although we know RM will not lay people off as DOs are understaffed nationwide and with this unprecedented workloads we need all these flexible, knowledgeable, willing to put in the hours people. It baffles me that RM has such a large percentage of part time contracts and temporary. Both working permanent full time hours for years often.

[blacov]

After working for the company for 2 years continuously, you're effectively a 'permanent' employee. You have the same statutory rights as a permanent employee and the company will need a good reason not to renew your contract. Also, this:

The limit on renewing a fixed-term contract

"Any employee on fixed-term contracts for 4 or more years will automatically become a permanent employee, unless the employer can show there is a good business reason not to do so.

"However, an employer and unions (or a staff association) may make a collective agreement that removes the automatic right to become a permanent employee in these circumstances."

From: Fixed-term employment contracts
https://www.gov.uk/fixed-term-contracts ... m-contract

I think he needed proof of permanent position for both peace of mind and maybe he wanted to take it to a bank or something. This sort of contract although we know RM will not lay people off as DOs are understaffed nationwide and with this unprecedented workloads we need all these flexible, knowledgeable, willing to put in the hours people. When you apply for mortgage or even a personal loan it won't be enough. It baffles me that RM has such a large percentage of part time contracts and temporary. Both working permanent full time hours for years often.

[hawkeye622]

The company is a s**t show. They love having ppl on small or temporary contracts as they know, for the most part, they'll be the ppl to stay on and do extra hours, all in the hope of being made permanent/getting a bigger contract.

You sound like you're far too good for the company to be honest. The sad thing is they will always have someone else to do all those extra hours that you once did. We're all just numbers no matter who we work for, even though some think they're precious to the company.

Good luck whatever you do, pal

[yellowbelly]

2.5 years
when i started it took 8 years before being made ft

I think you miss the point, 8 years to be on a permanent contract?

I am currently on a temporary contract which they extend every 3 months. I was living my entire life in 3 month blocks. I can't do that any longer to bad for my health.

Did you get any backup from CWU to become permanent?

[NWpostie]

You're a number act accordingly, look after number one, no one else will.

[panzer4]

I wish you well for the future I found out after nearly forty years service this firm don’t give a toss about you as others on here have said your just a number good luck to you

[bishopoflove]

Good luck, unfortunately RM has become a crap employer they use people on temp contacts badly, they use them with the promise of a permanent contract as a carrot to get you to do loads of O/T, that's probably why there's no young people coming into the business, you've only got to look around its full of oldies like me.