My peronal Observations

[Sundodger]

Forgive the long post, but it is my first and covers several areas.

I recently joined Royal Mail on part-time contract, after almost a year working with an agency - starting out delivering parcels and then moved on to walks, with the good fortune to rotate around different delivery offices to help where they were overloaded.

Prior to Covid I ran a successful company for 20+ years, employing 20 people, before retiring, so have an idea how companies work at the coal face and at board level. I stepped up to help out during Covid and found I actually enjoyed the work on most days.

I have read much of what Simon Thompson has posted on Workplace and that of the senior managers, plus much of that has been posted on this forum.

The amount of self congratulation at the top along with the overload of corporate speak in my view creates a greater problem in communicating management intentions as it states nothing and means even less. What happens is people switch off and any good points get ignored.

Case in Point, Simon seems to have a much used phrase of 'lets move on'.

Well yes, people would like to move on, but from my perspective, all the changes have been more about providing a lick of paint and papering over the cracks, to give the appearance of change, while not addressing the fundamental problems: Workload and moral, accompanied by management in DO's not being able to manage as they are micromanaged from above (vehicles and recruitment)

When I joined as an agency worker training consisted of watch a video, here is your hi-vis, this is a PDA, this is how you scan, this how you use RON. here is your van. Nothing else. Not told difference between tracked, LAT's etc. Only tracked was a priority, and so the workload as agency worker grew as management dumped as much as they could on you and emphasising tracked must be delivered, knowing you knew no different. Not told about breaks, cut off or anything useful - so 12/13 hour days several days a week were common. As was the turnover of workers.

Simon, I suggest you and senior management need to get to the coal face and do the actual job the OPG's do, not the nice prepared routes for a half day walk cherry picked with no pressure.

It is the OPG's that face the customer, they are the ones facing the wrath day in day from irate people not getting their post, so is it any wonder why OPG's feelings vent themselves but you call negativity, because they have to do it day in day out and it saps moral.

You need to go undercover (like undercover boss television series) spend an entire week, as a new OPG with no knowledge, at a DO that is under pressure, where you are not known, and get to see how it truly is, the chaos first thing, scramble for vans, vans that are barely roadworthy, the training, colleagues tripping over themselves at the frames, the equipment failures, not knowing what day you get off, the pressure put on you as a new guy, to get things done, and the unspoken implications of what may happen if you don't work overtime to deliver it all,

Then come back and tell people to "lets move on". Change is difficult, and from what I have seen no one is against change, only change for change sake that just covers the cracks and creates more chaos

Communicate in clear to your staff, not corporate speak and group huddles, you may be surprised how people would respond if they can see purpose in the direction of travel you want to take.

You could start by providing a booklet to all new recruits to explain the use of a PDA, how you book holiday, what breaks you are entitled to, a glossary of terms used by RM, and how to raise concerns, and not leave to an overstressed manager who palms it off on to another postie, who can't remember everything

[POSTMAN]

Thank you for your 1st post!
Simon 'may' see this, one of his minions 'may' pass it on, unfortunately, you already know his answer... "lets move on". Change is difficult,...

[POSTMAN]

Simon's reply to his posting on Workplace as to what is the plan after pointing out the 27 posts in the "CEO please read this How to fix Royal Mail?" thread is...

same plan as always - own trust at the doorstep & reinvent Royal Mail for the next generations - let’s keep going…..

[Sir Henry]

You could start by providing a booklet to all new recruits to explain the use of a PDA, how you book holiday, what breaks you are entitled to, a glossary of terms used by RM, and how to raise concerns, and not leave to an overstressed manager who palms it off on to another postie, who can't remember everything

But how would management screw more work out of the newbies? Those bonuses don't earn themselves

[Stella102]

good post you are spot on with everything you have said.

[Hyrrokkin]

You need to go undercover (like undercover boss television series) spend an entire week, as a new OPG with no knowledge, at a DO that is under pressure, where you are not known, and get to see how it truly is, the chaos first thing, scramble for vans, vans that are barely roadworthy, the training, colleagues tripping over themselves at the frames, the equipment failures, not knowing what day you get off, the pressure put on you as a new guy, to get things done, and the unspoken implications of what may happen if you don't work overtime to deliver it all,

Nice post some good points made

RM/Simon Thompson/CWU/Terry Pullinger know exactly what is going on - they always have ...they choose to ignore it as

A - They would have to do something about it - see no evil,hear no evil
B - Does not fit in with 'the narritive message corporate speak' they want to spoon feed us
C - Would cost money and time
D - Interfere/stop the long term plans that they have ie destroy RM at the expense of the workforce

[WalkerX]

Good post Sundodger. That`s how I started this time last year, and exactly how it was.

[WASD]

I've said it a few times, and others feel the same, Simon is reading from the book of 'how to be a CEO 101'.

Nice post OP, and i don't doubt your abilities for one second, however Simon's goal is obvious to me, if not you?

Simon knows he will be kicked out in some years time, it's how the CEO game plays. He's buying time, he's earning the investors what he can, and he's keeping up appearances to buy the time. Just look at the new HR director, her opening statement stank of positive discrimination, and that's just to keep the media at bay. She has nothing of use to provide employees.

Rinse, repeat. Simon will be streamlining, rebranding and taking bonuses from another business soon enough, i bet on it.

[sindba]

Yep, good post.

But remember that Simon's priority is to deliver a short term return to shareholders, pocket a barrowfull of cash for himself, and move on to the next plush gig.

He doesn't care about us, our customers, or even Royal Mail itself. Which is why we're in this mess.

[pieoftheday]

Yep, good post.

But remember that Simon's priority is to deliver a short term return to shareholders, pocket a barrowfull of cash for himself, and move on to the next plush gig.

He doesn't care about us, our customers, or even Royal Mail itself. Which is why we're in this mess.

Yup, to be honest all the frustrations and anger we vent on here are probably pointless if think we can change anything
,shame really

[crimson king]

Excellent post.

[midegarelu]

Well thought out and written post.



Unfortunately this is how many think now.

[Wolf91]

Great post. Wholeheartedly agree with pretty much every point. Everyone now who has been in the job sometime has a unanimous opinion of what it has become - yet Simon seems to think we are all wrong, and his spreadsheet is right.
He would get the absolute shock of his life on the ground floor.
Just don’t use the word “team” Simon when you do or it might blow your cover.

[sorefeet17]

Our DOM is always tipped off when any sort of bigwig is on the way for a visit, they have never turned up without him knowing at least a few days before they arrive. Its the only time you see the DOM out of the office doing something coincidentally

[POSTMAN]

You always know when someone important is going to visit, the fire exits magically get unblocked.