"Reasonable Request"

[Dorset Plodder]

Just what is a "Reasonable Request"? and at what stage does it become "Unreasonable"?

One definition: "as much as is appropriate, or fair ; moderate".

I feel we really need a definition of this phrase. It's used too freely by DOMs to cover up bad management & planning. They can basically ask any OPG to jump through hoops claiming it's a "Reasonable Request", often leaving the postie confused as to at what point he can say, "No! I don't consider that a Reasonable Request"

Thoughts on a postcard please.

[yubin282]

Several years ago I was almost suspended for refusing to do a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Asking me to swap form my own duty onto a duty that wasn't prepped and had 2 packet bags to sort. I was pretty much ready to leave the office on my own duty.

Amazingly the office "rep" and area "rep" both agreed that it was a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Unfortunately for them I'm stubborn and didn't give in.

When the dust was settled, just to rub salt into the wounds the office "rep" came and patted my on the back for "standing my ground".

TOTAL COWARDICE.

[Dayman!]

Several years ago I was almost suspended for refusing to do a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Asking me to swap form my own duty onto a duty that wasn't prepped and had 2 packet bags to sort. I was pretty much ready to leave the office on my own duty.

Amazingly the office "rep" and area "rep" both agreed that it was a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Unfortunately for them I'm stubborn and didn't give in.

When the dust was settled, just to rub salt into the wounds the office "rep" came and patted my on the back for "standing my ground".

TOTAL COWARDICE.

That does sound fairly reasonable tbh. At the end of the day, RM pay for your time. If they want you to spend extra time prepping a different duty and delivering what you can within your hours, thats not unreasonable at all.

[Celtic warrior]

Reasonable request is basically any Royal Mail function that you are trained on that you can do, in accordance with the SSOW, within your paid hours.
The management have the right to decide priority of work needing done as they have to answer for the failures not us.

[bogues2009]

RM can ask you for whatever they think you are capable of doing after being trained within your contracted hours. Also I recommend people who feel bad about those constant requests to calmly approach the manager and explain how you feel and that it starts to impact your mental well-being as you usually do constantly changing tasks which the others don’t. Even if you work the same hours as others you use more energy as constantly adjusting to different walks/tasks you are less familiar with. So, they can always ask but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t impact you mentally and also potentially feeling exhausted.

[yubin282]

Several years ago I was almost suspended for refusing to do a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Asking me to swap form my own duty onto a duty that wasn't prepped and had 2 packet bags to sort. I was pretty much ready to leave the office on my own duty.

Amazingly the office "rep" and area "rep" both agreed that it was a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Unfortunately for them I'm stubborn and didn't give in.

When the dust was settled, just to rub salt into the wounds the office "rep" came and patted my on the back for "standing my ground".

TOTAL COWARDICE.

That does sound fairly reasonable tbh. At the end of the day, RM pay for your time. If they want you to spend extra time prepping a different duty and delivering what you can within your hours, thats not unreasonable at all.

It's not fairly reasonable.

I had my own duty, why should I swap?

It was a "less desirable" duty that 99% of the office can't/won't do.

There's 72 people in my office.... why should I swap?

Strangely the amount of time we spent "discussing" it the managers office.........I had to leave my lapsing.

[Cucumber]

A reasonable request doesn't seem as reasonable when it's made to the same people all the time...

[Dayman!]

Several years ago I was almost suspended for refusing to do a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Asking me to swap form my own duty onto a duty that wasn't prepped and had 2 packet bags to sort. I was pretty much ready to leave the office on my own duty.

Amazingly the office "rep" and area "rep" both agreed that it was a "REASONABLE REQUEST".

Unfortunately for them I'm stubborn and didn't give in.

When the dust was settled, just to rub salt into the wounds the office "rep" came and patted my on the back for "standing my ground".

TOTAL COWARDICE.

That does sound fairly reasonable tbh. At the end of the day, RM pay for your time. If they want you to spend extra time prepping a different duty and delivering what you can within your hours, thats not unreasonable at all.

It's not fairly reasonable.

I had my own duty, why should I swap?

It was a "less desirable" duty that 99% of the office can't/won't do.

There's 72 people in my office.... why should I swap?

Strangely the amount of time we spent "discussing" it the managers office.........I had to leave my lapsing.

It most certainly is reasonable. You sell your time to RM, providing what they ask you to do during those hours is within your trained skill set (delivery) then it is perfectly acceptable to expect you to carry it out. Desirability has nothing to do with it unfortunately.

The reason you should swap rather than anyone else is because you were asked to by someone who is paid to make that call. As highlighted above if you find that you are always on the receiving end of these requests then you can discuss with your manager how this is causing you stress.

At the end of the day it sounds like you were lucky you don't have a manager who decided to go further with your feet stamping toys out of the pram moment.

[Tman]

But someone who responded with "but I had my own duty" probably wouldn't get the gist of what you're saying anyway....

[Frankie15]

I see and hear on a daily basis people moaning about being asked to do this or that. People don't seem to grasp that is what employment is. Being asked by their manager to do certain or different tasks!! It's ok for some to move to different duties (even though they own one!), but God forbid if they themselves are asked. It's always a case of "Why me?" or "Why not him?" or "What's he doing?". It's a "WON'T DO" thing more times than enough than a "CAN'T DO". Why can't people realise that regardless of what they are asked to do, however they don't want to do it! There's a start and finish time!!! That never changes!!!!!!! Just do what you can to your time.

[SpacePhoenix]

We've all got a line on our 318s that reads something like "or as directed"

[eastie]

just bring half the walk back and say only working to my finishing time

[HTPostman]

I see and hear on a daily basis people moaning about being asked to do this or that. People don't seem to grasp that is what employment is. Being asked by their manager to do certain or different tasks!! It's ok for some to move to different duties (even though they own one!), but God forbid if they themselves are asked. It's always a case of "Why me?" or "Why not him?" or "What's he doing?". It's a "WON'T DO" thing more times than enough than a "CAN'T DO". Why can't people realise that regardless of what they are asked to do, however they don't want to do it! There's a start and finish time!!! That never changes!!!!!!! Just do what you can to your time.

Exactly. There’s about 4 types of people in my office:

1. Those who don’t want any fuss and just agree to be moved. Unsurprisingly they get moved the most.

2. Those who stamp their feet, argue and complain but eventually move but In return say they’ll only move if they can have something in return eg next Saturday off.

3. Those who walk out citing stress/sick and are then off for a number of weeks. I’m not going to branch everyone together here as some genuinely do get pushed over the edge.

4. The worst type - they manage to convince the boss not to move them but to move person A to round B, and the guy on round C goes on round A etc. This 4th person then offers to do the tracked on the vacant round, getting a cushy few hours OT in in the process.

It’s such a bizarre carry on tbh. In my previous jobs I haven’t been asked to sweep the yard or clean the work vans or move my desk to the next office, I’ve been told to do so and if I refused I’d be dismissed.

[fatmike]

There are people in our office that I have never seen being moved, ever. Always the same few being picked on. Why not have a rota and make sure everyone gets moved equally?

[clashcityrocker]

There are people in our office that I have never seen being moved, ever. Always the same few being picked on. Why not have a rota and make sure everyone gets moved equally?

Why doesn't each office elect a representative who could ensure everyone was treated fairly in the workplace.
We could call him/her the onion man/woman.