You will be aware that changes to our Attendance Standards and Procedure form part of the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Agreement 2023 which was passed in a ballot of CWU members this week. The new standards take effect from 1 August 2023 along with additional changes to the Attendance Procedure. We want to ensure that all these changes are clearly understood before they are implemented next month.
The Agreement also includes changes to sick pay and Leaving the Business through Ill Health from 1 August. Further information on these changes will be communicated soon.
What is changing?
The changes being made will help Royal Mail reduce the cost of sickness absence. They will also reduce the impact that sickness has on quality of service and the impact on those colleagues required to cover absence. Royal Mail continues to provide some of the most favourable sickness absence support in the industry.
There are three key changes that come into effect from 1 August for all employees (including managers, excluding PFSL):
Attendance Standards – The new standards will be three absences or 12 days absence over a 12-month period. The same standards will apply at each stage of the process – Attendance Review 1, Attendance Review 2 and Consideration of Dismissal.
Welcome Back Meetings – These meetings will continue to be an important part of the Attendance Procedure but will now also be used by managers to decide whether an absence will be ‘counted’ towards the new Attendance Standards.
Attendance Review Notifications – If the number of ‘countable’ absences means that you do not meet the Attendance Standards, you will receive an Attendance Review Notification.
Why are we changing our approach?
Whilst of course we want to continue to support our people if they are unable to work because they are ill or have genuine health issues, our absence levels are three times higher than the national average. This costs us around £250m a year and is not affordable.
It also has a direct impact on our customers. To deliver the products our customers want with the quality they expect at the right price, we need more people to attend work more regularly.
Two thirds of colleagues take fewer than one absence a year and it is important to note that these changes will have little to no impact on these colleagues. However, 25% of colleagues take multiple, short absences. The aim of these changes is to improve attendance amongst this group and reduce the burden on those employees with a great attendance record who cover for them.
FURTHER RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
This is an important change, and in addition to the communications you will see over the coming weeks, we will also be providing guidance and support to managers in the form of:
Webinars (via Teams) - to explain the changes in more detail. Invites will be sent out shortly so please make time to attend
Updated attendance training - this includes classroom-based and virtual learning workshops for 1st and 2nd line managers - available from August
Updated Attendance Procedure - available on the People App from 1 August
Attendance Guide for Managers - available on PSP and People Case Manager (PCM) from 1 August
Team members
Look out for further information that will be shared regarding these changes via WTLLs, FAQs and Workplace updates.
A factsheet is available which explains in more detail about each of the changes. A printable version of the factsheet is available below It can also be accessed on the Royal Mail People App via the ‘Useful Links’ tile on the app homepage.
Encouraging our people to attend work regularly and supporting them to return to work as soon as they can is important for our people but also for our customers and the success of the business.
Help@hand is a service which provides colleagues and their immediate family with fast, direct access to free health and wellbeing support. Help@hand includes a 24/7 online GP, physiotherapy, mental health consultations and the Employee Assistance Programme, through one easy-to-use app. For more details about Help@hand and other support available for colleagues, please visit the Wellbeing Hub. https://view.pagetiger.com/rmhealthhub/51
Thank you for your support with this important change.
Zareena Brown
Chief People Officer
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I Wrote-During Covid-Which is still relevant now
It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox, so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low-life C***S they have always been. My BFF Clash The daily grind of having to argue your case with an intellectual pigmy of a line manager is physically and emotionally draining.
A science levels three times higher than national average! Wtf how many other professions walk for 4-5 hours,& walk between 7-10 miles on average. Wtf do you expect. Zareena try doing it yourself every day,& see how your body copes. What an absolute idiot!
I’m still unsure how it works, I was off not long bk for a week but I’m not on a stage but if I’m off again soon will I lose the first few days or is there an amnesty on everything after the 1st of august?
THE CWU VOTED FOR IT,if your a bosses boy you don't have to worry because its still managers discretion ,just remember the CWU voted for this.
The membership voted for it.
All of us collectively.
Most of us are grown up enough to accept that's how collective bargaining works even if it isn't how we voted individually.
THE CWU VOTED FOR IT,if your a bosses boy you don't have to worry because its still managers discretion ,just remember the CWU voted for this.
The membership voted for it.
All of us collectively.
Most of us are grown up enough to accept that's how collective bargaining works even if it isn't how we voted individually.
But the CWU voted for it so lets draw a line under all this moaning on here,lets move on and deal with the carnage that we are left with,i dont want to hear another word.
This is what Your Union talked you into accepting people…Suck it up!!!!
Did you read it? Looks better to me. Now it takes 3 absences to trigger a stage 2 rather than two.
Yes, three absences BUT over a twelve month period rather than six. So instead of coming off a stage within six months you now have it hanging over you for an entire year with only three single day absences required in that time to take you up to the next stage.
Not exactly better is it?
