What job have you left Royal Mail for?

[ronaldinho0097]

I have been at the company 10 months now. In September I will be leaving for Uni. The job has inspired me to gain an education in order to not have to work in a job like this for life.

It's a decent job but I think we all know what the future holds. The markings are already on the wall. The management don't give a s**t. 5 D2Ds to be done next week. Houses being added on to an already tough duty of 700 houses, expected to be finished on time. New starts and reserves exploited. Union nowhere to be seen. What a load of bollox.

[POSTPERSON50]

I have been at the company 10 months now. In September I will be leaving for Uni. The job has inspired me to gain an education in order to not have to work in a job like this for life.

It's a decent job but I think we all know what the future holds. The markings are already on the wall. The management don't give a s**t. 5 D2Ds to be done next week. Houses being added on to an already tough duty of 700 houses, expected to be finished on time. New starts and reserves exploited. Union nowhere to be seen. What a load of bollox.

Amen. Good luck moving forward

[priority102]

impossible to enforce proper uniform at our place got people who wear all sorts managers tried enough times but gives up in end. joggers footy tops jumpers all sorts some days

Probably nothing is being said because those who choose to spend £££'s of their hard earned money on their own clobber for work are actually saving the company thousands of pounds in unissued uniform, that can be saved and issued to those who do wear uniform!

[wazer]

I have been at the company 10 months now. In September I will be leaving for Uni. The job has inspired me to gain an education in order to not have to work in a job like this for life.

It's a decent job but I think we all know what the future holds. The markings are already on the wall. The management don't give a s**t. 5 D2Ds to be done next week. Houses being added on to an already tough duty of 700 houses, expected to be finished on time. New starts and reserves exploited. Union nowhere to be seen. What a load of bollox.

Amen. Good luck moving forward

Don't blame u.Only been there 8yrs ,big mistake.CWU who

[Jahpostie]

I left last year - admin job. Monday to Friday 9-5. Better salary, benefits, more holidays. Job is stress free. I did office work before I joined RM. Can't believe how brutal the job was and how much I put up with for part time buttons.

[DDDJAM36]

Recently worked for just 2 years at Royal Mail and that was enough for me , now work in a warehouse for a large supermarket , it's non-stop, noisey indoor work , but it still beats working for the shambolic company that RM have become.

[Dorset Plodder]

Good to hear everyone's found something out there in the Big Bad World, Good Luck to you.

I've got not intention of looking around, too close to Death ... sorry Retirement. I've had several lives before RM. I couldn't work indoors no way (I've spent nearly 40 years working in the fresh air) when I did work in one of those metal industrial units with no windows (all day not just prepping) I went down with Depression. What sort of assholes design these working conditions?

Now I just take the view that the shitty part of the job is only 2 -3 hours in the morning and then I'm out the door. The outdoor element can be a hard days work but I've done worse. Great Job ... Crap Company. Good Luck to those still seeking something else.

[woody38]

I left last year after 25 years and by a country mile it has been the best decision I have made. Only after I left did I realise just how much the job drags you down, the constant pressure to do more in the same or less time, PDA actuals and trimble monitoring your every move, the daily politics, back stabbing and bitching over the most pettiest of things (due to the pressure of the job), pressure to cut corners, constantly tired, aching, vans full of crap inside and dirty...etc.

I now work for a family company where it is Mon-Fri, sociable hours, and where everyone is a name not a number and for the first time in 25 years I feel valued and a part of the company's success.

No way would I go back now whatever the circumstances.

Like many others, I was institutionalised working for RM, you think there is no other life outside, but as many other EX long serving posties are saying on here - there is!

The move to RM becoming a private company in 2013 didn't feel like much of an issue back then, not much changed for a while but almost a decade on the contrast has now become obvious.

Think of the uniforms 20 25 years ago from your time there. Community officers, Clarks shoes with flat soles, pleated trousers, ties, still the odd peaked cap was seen. Almost like a police uniform. Now we've got combat trousers and rugged performance footwear. The workload is far greater, even though letters are being gradually phased out. It's a parcel business with increasing pressures put upon everybody involved. Major changes every year.

We saw it coming in 2013, a lot of staff have now had enough.

God the new uniform is awful.

Makes us look like a cross between a PE teacher and the bloke from Dynorod.

I'm not wearing it yet thank god, going to look after my blue shirts for as long as I possibly can.

I like it if like me u don’t like trousers there is leggings which for me are better, so I thing it is a big improvement on what we have now

[2214MN]

Have a job offer for LGV driver apprenticeship with a supermarket later this year, so will be leaving RM after 11 years.

You do start to feel institutionalised and I worry is it the right decision but I’ve got another 35+ years of working, need to think long term and look after my body.

[nuklearpuppy]

Great thread. I’ve been thinking long and hard of leaving RM. 23 years service and the ailments I feel in my knees and left shoulder are telling me to finally move on. It’s a shame as RM used to be a good job I felt was one for life. I’m fed up the office politics and the certain brown nosed employees who are never out the managers office striking deals. The turnover of staff in the last two years is horrendous and I barely recognise anybody now. The workplace coaches train up the new part time staff on there easy duties only for them to be put on a far more difficult run weeks later and in turn leave. I’ve been looking at many available jobs and am about to take the plunge . I know that any job I move to will never be as physically demanding as RM and I will look back no doubt wishing I had done it far far sooner.

[Funpunk61]

I’ve now actually applied for an entry level office job. It’s less pay but I’d be working from home and it’s for a reputable company with good promotion prospects. Might regret it but would regret it if I didn’t try. Seems a shame to leave after spending 20 years here but it feels like now or never. Good luck to anyone who’s thinking of leaving and good luck to all those who are staying

[Bigjj]

I’ve now actually applied for an entry level office job. It’s less pay but I’d be working from home and it’s for a reputable company with good promotion prospects. Might regret it but would regret it if I didn’t try. Seems a shame to leave after spending 20 years here but it feels like now or never. Good luck to anyone who’s thinking of leaving and good luck to all those who are staying

Left last year to do something similar myself after quite a few years working as a postie, used to really enjoy the job but it was just getting worse and Covid escalated that for me, I just felt I had to get out. Sometimes I'm not totally sure I am in the right role for me but I definitely don't regret leaving RM. No weekend work, holiday when I want them and don't feel pressured too much at all in the new role. I get paid less than before but I am doing a qualification and gaining experience as I go and enjoying the learning side for sure.

All I can say is if you're thinking it's time to leave then it's probably time to start doing something about it. No disrespect to any older guys still doing the job but I started struggling with the wear and tear on my body in the job in my 30s and was worried I'd be there in my 50s with my body falling to pieces knowing nothing else so made the change. You can't guarantee you'll enjoy what you change to doing but your body will feel better for it and you can always change again if it doesn't work out If it's an inspiration to any one then there's a couple of people who are attending college with me that are 50+ so don't let age put you off a change. Good luck

[priority102]

I’ve now actually applied for an entry level office job. It’s less pay but I’d be working from home and it’s for a reputable company with good promotion prospects. Might regret it but would regret it if I didn’t try. Seems a shame to leave after spending 20 years here but it feels like now or never. Good luck to anyone who’s thinking of leaving and good luck to all those who are staying

Left last year to do something similar myself after quite a few years working as a postie, used to really enjoy the job but it was just getting worse and Covid escalated that for me, I just felt I had to get out. Sometimes I'm not totally sure I am in the right role for me but I definitely don't regret leaving RM. No weekend work, holiday when I want them and don't feel pressured too much at all in the new role. I get paid less than before but I am doing a qualification and gaining experience as I go and enjoying the learning side for sure.

All I can say is if you're thinking it's time to leave then it's probably time to start doing something about it. No disrespect to any older guys still doing the job but I started struggling with the wear and tear on my body in the job in my 30s and was worried I'd be there in my 50s with my body falling to pieces knowing nothing else so made the change. You can't guarantee you'll enjoy what you change to doing but your body will feel better for it and you can always change again if it doesn't work out If it's an inspiration to any one then there's a couple of people who are attending college with me that are 50+ so don't let age put you off a change. Good luck

Fortune favours the brave!

[Munchboii]

I’ve now actually applied for an entry level office job. It’s less pay but I’d be working from home and it’s for a reputable company with good promotion prospects. Might regret it but would regret it if I didn’t try. Seems a shame to leave after spending 20 years here but it feels like now or never. Good luck to anyone who’s thinking of leaving and good luck to all those who are staying

Good luck on your new venture. Nobody will blame you, you have made the best possible decision and you will look back to this moment and realised you made the right choice.

Just think for a minute where this job will be in 10 years time. If we compare letter volumes 10 years to now, it must be a 50% drop. Add another 10 years… will there even be a job then? Maybe, but with more parcels and longer delivery.

I left full time last year to attend University, I am now finishing up the 1st year (HNC) and although nothings lined up for me yet, I am still in a better spot for a future job hopefully than if I stayed at royal mail.

Best of luck to you.

[Canyouclosethegate]

I done a year before going on the buses, primarily because I had my license paid for and it was full time.

Some similarities to RM (believe it or not) but overall better. Lots of complaints from other colleagues so not everything is rosy, could be better but I got the worst part out the way since I joined before Christmas.

It's really not too bad, except there are shift patterns. Sometimes you'll finish at 1230 but you'll have started at 0430 or earlier. Sometimes you get a really short duty and start at 1400 but finish at 2030. But swings and roundabouts.

8 months in now, hoping to go into IT and doing some certifications to get me there but right now I'm good. However RM itself was never awful, it was the managers and the absurd expectations with the constant rule bending and lying that went on which caused me to leave.