Royal Mail Courier Winter 2021

The reinvention of Royal Mail is inflight

Update | Inspire | Celebrate

DESTINATION: GLASGOW

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courier@linney.com

All-electric fleet hits the COP26 beat

WINTER 21/22 The Big Interview

Operation Thumper

What drives Crime-busting Parcelforce boss crew crack £3m Aaron Barnes? stamp scam

Our future

Reinventing an icon for 2022 …and beyond

WIN! A Christmas deli hamper worth £350

Carly the calm.

She lets stress pass her by. She’s always smiling and loves to be out and about on long walks. She has also just saved money on her car and home insurance with us.

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WINTER 21/22 COVER Postwoman Adele Roe of G51 Delivery Office, in Govan, photographed at Glasgow’s SEC during COP26 in October 2021.

GET IN TOUCH Share your feedback and stories.

CALL 0800 183 0569 EMAIL courier@linney.com WRITE Courier, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW TEAM Paul Smith – Editor at Royal Mail Damon Parkin – Editor at Linney Create PRINTING PCP, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, Shropshire TF7 4QQ MAILING MAMS, 4 Middleton Grove, Leeds LS11 5BX DISTRIBUTION To notify HR of a change of address, employees should email HRSC.Personal.Data@royalmail.com or write to The HR Service Centre, Pond Street, Sheffield S98 6HR Pensioners should write to: Pensions Services Centre, PO Box 5863, HRSC, Pond Street, Sheffield S98 6AB ADVERTISING To advertise in the next edition of Courier, email royalmailadvertising@linney.com for details of availability, suitability and rates. Courier is delivered to c.145,000 homes four times a year.

Some photographs in this edition were taken before the business implemented the standard to wear face coverings indoors.

We’re making progress – but there’s more to do Team, I am writing this the day after our half year results presentation. I am sure you will have seen many articles in the press. But the day was not about me, or the Executive Board, it was a positive reaction because of the work that you have done. As an example of our progress, 1,700-plus revisions completed in less than six months – versus our previous best of 132 in 12 months – is an amazing achievement. Thank you.

We know that there are things we could have done better, and we will share these with you soon. We plan to do revisions on a regular basis, so it is important we keep improving how we do them.

In delivery, we have learnt that some walks were several hours longer than others and that is not right, it is not fair.

We need to be fair. Parcel automation has taken a major step forward – from around 30 per cent at the start of the year to 40 per cent – which has been done by changing how we work, rather than buying new equipment, although we are also doing that. A big thank you to the team in our operations who made this improvement happen.

Our new parcel hubs are on time – the North West Hub will open in spring 2022 and the Midlands Hub in summer 2023. We continue to roll out more electric vehicles in our final mile, and it looks like the smaller vehicles we are testing are going down very well with the team. We have the lowest emissions per parcel delivered in the market, because of our feet on the street model, and will not be giving up this competitive advantage to anyone else.

You now have new PDAs – Parcelforce and RM Relay, yours are on their way in the New Year – and soon will have new uniforms as well. So, we are heavily investing in the reinvention of Royal Mail for the next generations.

Sunday deliveries have been a great success for us, and that is with only 45 of our 100,000 customers using the service. We are determined to let every household and every retailer – whether small, medium, or larger – participate in the e-commerce revolution every day of the week. This is our version of ‘levelling up’. We have always provided great service to everyone in society, that is not going to change. We don’t cherry pick where we go.

But there is one thing we do need to improve: our Quality of Service.

We need to equalise our performance between all delivery offices. Did you know that 25 of our delivery offices – or less than two per cent – are 25 per cent of our clearance gaps? So, a small proportion of our offices are impacting our overall quality performance. We put in place a Delivery Performance team to help offices that need some support, but they cannot be everywhere. It is important we all work together to be brilliant for our customers every day.

When asked about our quality I always say: “Our team have excelled as key workers, they are terrific people, I am sure they will rise to the challenge again.”

And I am sure you will. We are changing, it is working.

Merry Christmas.

SIMON THOMPSON CEO Royal Mail

Workplace.com

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THIS ISSUE

AT A GLANCE

Welcome

AARON ON THE ROAD We catch up with Parcelforce managing director Aaron Barnes in Rotherham as he meets frontline colleagues during his UK-wide tour.

18 NOW AND NEXT

T

Discover the new services launched during Peak and explore the story behind our latest financial results.

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T I NA

I O N : G L AS G O

DES

love to hear your own Royal Mail tales!

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W

Hi, everyone. As we enter our manic month, it’s worth reflecting on another eventful Royal Mail year. We’ve launched new PDAs and uniforms, electric fleets and Scan-in, Scan-out. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

Here at Carlisle Mail Centre, where I’ve taken on a Covid-19 collection manager role, we’ve watched our small unit become a 24/7 operation. It puts into perspective how much the public depends on us, especially up here in the rural countryside.

The new delivery of Later Acceptance Times on a Sunday to every corner of Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway has been a real team effort.

Throughout this edition, my fellow Courier Editorial Panellists share their own 2021 stories. I’ve enjoyed being part of the Courier team. Being one of the younger members of our workforce, it’s a great opportunity for me to voice the opinions of the next generation of posties and managers. I’m excited to see what the next 12 months holds for this great changing and adapting company.

Share your own news and views by heading to the Courier page on Workplace or emailing courier@linney.com – we’d

DESTINATION: GLASGOW The atmosphere’s electric in Scotland’s Second City as we meet the fleet at the G51 delivery office, and visit an award-winning Parcelforce depot.

ROBYN KRIESE Courier Editorial Panel member

COU

RIER W

21 INTER 20

-2 2

#SIGNEDUPFORCHRISTMAS Encourage three of your colleagues to join Workplace and you’ll receive a £5 Greggs or Costa voucher. When they’ve registered, just tag them in the Workplace SignedUp group to claim your voucher. For a step-by-step sign-up guide, visit myroyalmail.com/workplace

10 STAMPING OUT CRIME How the Royal Mail Security team battled international criminals to expose a multi-million pound counterfeit stamp operation.

36 SOMETHING FOR YOU Win a jam-packed luxury festive hamper worth £350.

40 WHY I’M HERE Postman Daniel Brookes’ Cystic Hygroma makes breathing and eating a daily battle. But his Royal Mail role is giving him a purpose in life.

WIN!

26 CALL TO ACTION We find out how Plymouth’s Customer Experience team restore calm with frustrated callers and go the extra mile to safeguard trust on the doorstep.

USING QR CODES Use your smart device’s camera to scan codes throughout this edition of Courier for more features and interviews.

COURIER CATCH-UP Browse previous issues at myroyalmail.com/ courier or by scanning the QR code.

This edition will appear online around three weeks after it’s been delivered.

E N TA L HE A LT H AWA R E NE S S ME N TA L HE A LT H AWA R E NE S S ME N TA L HE A LT H AWA R E NE S S 1 ME N TA L HE A LT H AWA R

THE POLICE HADN’T ARRIVED BY THE TIME THE SUSPECT LEFT THE LOCK-UP. SO I DETAINED HIM MYSELF.

Mental health awareness While the festive season brings joy to many of us, December can be tough for colleagues living with mental ill-health. Courier Editorial Panellist David Lindsay and two of his Parcelforce colleagues share why they chose to improve their knowledge of mental health and how they’re better equipped to support others using the skills they’ve learned.

David Lindsay I completed mental health training to better support others. It doesn’t make you a trained counsellor, we’re people to whom colleagues can ask questions or raise mental health concerns. We’ll always act with care, compassion and discretion. Wherever possible, we’ll signpost that person to the support area or organisation we feel can help.

Jill Land After losing my cousin to suicide in 2020, the opportunity to be more aware of mental health wasn’t something I could let pass me by. I believe you just need to be willing to listen to anyone in the utmost confidence. The chance to offer even the slightest glimmer of hope to anyone in their darkest hour isn’t just a role – it’s a privilege.

Jenny Hinds Becoming more confident and competent around the mental health subject has given me a fantastic opportunity to learn how we can guide friends, family and colleagues to help that could lead to positive change. Just being able to share information via a newsletter, email or poster – and even just listening – could be the first step to someone reaching out.

FIND OUT MORE Workplace Search for and join the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ group for articles and updates.

Feeling First Class The free, confidential 24/7 support service with trained professionals who can help with work-related or personal issues. Visit rmgfirstclasssupport.co.uk (sign up using RMGyourpaynumber) or call 0345 266 5060.

Guided Conversations Talk to your manager about this voluntary tool to help identify and address work-related stress.

Workplace.com

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WINTER 21/22

THE BIG PICTURE

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Winter 21/22

WOLLATON HALL, NOTTINGHAM Glaisdale Parkway Delivery Office postman Lee ‘Jack’ Hawkins’ round includes this spectacular Elizabethan country house. Built in the 1580s, Wollaton Hall is set in a 500-acre park with free-roaming deer and diverse woodland habitats. At Christmas, it’s transformed into an enchanting winter wonderland of light and music. In 2011, Wollaton Hall featured as Wayne Manor in Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises. And it’s five miles from the Nottinghamshire village of Gotham, which gave its name to the fictitious city from the DC Comics’ superhero stories. Batman and his Justice League allies star on new action-packed Royal Mail stamps. Turn to page 36 for your chance to win a set.

Workplace.com

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GOOD TO KNOW

ROUND-UP EmbRace change Royal Mail’s new cultural diversity network, EmbRace, is on a mission to create a positive and uplifting work environment, where everyone feels at ease, is treated fairly and can access opportunities to realise their full potential.

EmbRace replaces the BAME Network and is part of Royal Mail’s commitment to put race equality at the heart of our operation. Around 13 per cent of our people are from an ethnic minority background. Be part of the conversation and head to the EmbRace group on Workplace.

FLU FIGHTERS

NEW YEAR’S PDA

IN FOR A PENNY

Visit digitalflu.co.uk and use company code RMG83672 to book your free flu vaccination before 31 December.

New PDAs will land with Parcelforce and Royal Mail Relay teams in January after completion of the roll-out across our core network.

An 1840 Penny Black is expected to fetch around £6m at auction in December – making it the world’s most expensive stamp.

Mapping out a new career journey Royal Mail people can now hit the road to rewarding roles with the UK’s largest fleet.

Our new Driver Academy, launched in partnership with CWU, features training routes to support colleagues eager to embark on MGV and LGV driving careers, as well as current drivers keen to maintain on-road excellence.

The Academy’s driver apprenticeship scheme will also recruit young candidates for a 13-month training programme.

“We’re keen to support colleagues interested in exploring driver career opportunities,” said chief people officer Zareena Brown. “So, if the open road sounds appealing, we can help you navigate it.”

FIND OUT MORE The Driver Academy application portal is now open. Talk to your manager about the modules available or how to apply and find out more on Workplace.

JOIN THE GROUP Scan the QR code to get involved with the EmBrace Workplace group.

Redirection discount Royal Mail has boosted support for millions of lower-income households by offering significant discounts on our Redirection service.

All customers on Universal Credit now pay the equivalent of just £5 a month for a six or 12-month redirection – equivalent to less than 20p a day. For customers of nonworking age, Royal Mail is also offering the concession to those receiving Pension Credit.

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A SCOTTISH FIRST Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP joined the celebrations at Glasgow’s G51 Delivery Office as the team welcomed its new allelectric fleet on the eve of COP26 – the crucial climate change conference held yards away for two weeks in November.

The Govan office is the first Royal Mail team in Scotland to move to fully electric collection and delivery vehicles.

Scan the QR code to view Nicola Sturgeon’s message to Royal Mail people on Workplace.

And turn to page 32 to meet the G51 team.

GOOD TO KNOW

ROUND-UP

STAMP DESIGN COMPETITION

Youngsters draw inspiration from pandemic heroes

People power

Young artists from across the UK have been celebrating our nation’s pandemic heroes – breaking a Guinness World Record along the way.

More than 606,000 children aged between four and 14 picked up paintbrushes, pencils and pens to create artwork for stamp designs honouring NHS workers, posties and others on the coronavirus frontline.

Now, 120 regional finalists have been chosen to go forward to the next stage of the competition – with a chance to have their design featured among eight new stamps to be issued in spring 2022. The finalists, chosen by current and retired art teachers, will receive a £100 gift voucher and £100 for their school.

This nationwide artistic tribute to key workers involved almost 7,500 schools and has secured the record for the world’s largest stamp design competition.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who’s backing the campaign, said: “Congratulations to all those who have made it to the next round and thank you to the teams at Royal Mail for managing this record number of entries.”

Frontline colleagues can now opt out of paper payslips and go digital with the Royal Mail People App. The new, purely optional feature has been launched in direct response to feedback from users who prefer to view their pay details online rather than in physical form. It’s also now easier to log onto Workplace using the People App. A new Workplace tile displaying your username and initial password has been added to the app, which can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.

FIND OUT MORE Scan the QR code to view the 120 finalists’ stamp designs.

Find Royal Mail News on Workplace and stay up to date Workplace.com

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THE BIG STORY

OPERATION THUMPER

DELIVERING JUSTICE How the Royal Mail Security team uncovered one of the biggest counterfeit postage stamp operations in history, putting a gang of hardened criminals behind bars.

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Operation Thumper

YEARS A complex, long-running investigation

£3.1

MILLION

280 HOURS

Stamp haul’s face value

CCTV footage captured and examined

3 COUNTRIES

Organised crime groups operating out of China, Italy and the UK

£60,000

Street value of drugs seized

5.5 MILLION

Counterfeit postage stamps

24 YEARS Combined jail terms for five criminals

POST BUSTERS Key investigators (l-r) Lisa Allen, Jeff Garner and Ian Smith.

Postage stamps may only be tiny pieces of perforated paper. But they’re among Royal Mail’s most valuable assets.

That’s why these iconic items are often forged by criminals hoping to make millions by exploiting our brand.

Because of this, surveillance of suspicious stamp sellers is part of the day job for some members of the Royal Mail Security team – a group of experienced professionals, many with backgrounds in combating organised crime.

CRIMINALS VIEW COUNTERFEIT STAMPS AS A COMMODITY, LIKE DRUGS. “Our main purpose is to protect the safety and security of Royal Mail, our people, our premises, our products and processes,” says head of security Paul Bean.

“We do this by preventing malpractice with robust processes and knowledge of our business. Sometimes, that means investigating criminal activity and bringing offenders to justice.”

Royal Mail Group has the power to privately investigate criminal activity, such as fraud and theft.

“We have the expertise and resources to take criminal cases to court, with the power to prosecute on behalf of Royal Mail Group,” explains fraud investigations manager Ian Smith, who, alongside Paul, has decades of experience in law enforcement.

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THE BIG STORY

OPERATION THUMPER On the case

A criminal past

Track and trace

This ability to investigate and prosecute was used to its full potential when the Security team uncovered one of the biggest counterfeit stamp crimes in British history. The case, codenamed Operation Thumper, was wrapped up in August 2021 with a judge jailing five international criminals for a total of 24 years.

It began in February 2017, when Ian and the team spotted suspicious activity on an online marketplace, known to be frequented by stamp fraudsters. The lead was picked up by a dedicated team, including field security manager Jeff Garner and fraud investigations manager Lisa Allen.

“We identified a group of sellers offering what appeared to be bulk supplies of cut-price stamps,” says Lisa. “We purchased a small number of stamps and tested their validity – proving that, although produced to a high quality, they were indeed fake.”

Did you know that Royal Mail has one of the oldest private investigations units in the world?

The investigation and prosecution of crime in Royal Mail Group can be traced back as far as 1683, when King Charles II appointed Richard Swift as solicitor to the General Post Office with responsibility for “the detection and carrying out of all prosecutions against persons for robbing the mails and other fraudulent practices”.

Since then, many notable cases have been investigated

by Royal Mail in collaboration with the police – including the great train robbery of 1963, when £2.6 million was stolen from a Royal Mail train heading from Glasgow to London.

The team’s next challenge was to trace the origin of the stamps. After hours of investigations, the goods were found to have been imported into the UK by international sources in Italy and China with links to known organised crime groups.

“Now we knew where they’d been produced and how they arrived in the UK, we needed to prove that they were being stored and sold on here,” says field security manager Jeff Garner, who worked closely with Lisa on the case.

“This involved uncovering and understanding complex communication trails and viewing over 280 hours of CCTV footage.”

Once in the UK, the counterfeit stamps were traced to a storage facility in London. Covert surveillance allowed the team to identify several potential suspects, and evidence was gathered over a period of several months.

CRACKING CRIME Fraud investigations manager Lisa Allen and Head of security Paul Bean.

The lock-up lockdown “We carried out intensive surveillance to develop a deeper understanding of the way these organised criminal gangs operate,” explains Ian Smith.

JEFF’S ACTIONS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THIS SUSPECT TO JUSTICE. “Finally, by the end of 2019, we’d gathered enough evidence to arrest our suspects. Lisa, myself and the team briefed the Metropolitan Police, who prepared to carry out five simultaneous raids on the storage lock-up and the suspects’ properties.”

On the day, Jeff Garner was on hand to assist the police outside the storage unit – and played a key role in detaining one of the suspects.

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Winter 21/22

“Unfortunately, the police hadn’t arrived by the time the suspect left the lock-up,” he recounts. “So I got out of my car and detained him myself – it proved to be rather a long two minutes’ wait!”

Jeff’s quick thinking allowed the suspect to be apprehended on site and proved his link to the storage unit in question.

This evidence was key when the case was brought to court. “Jeff’s actions were instrumental in closing the case and bringing this suspect to justice,” says Paul.

“This was a real team effort,” he adds. “We worked closely with colleagues from Group Legal, Commercial and Revenue Protection.

We also collaborated with international law enforcement bodies, as well as the UK Border Agency.”

BODY OF EVIDENCE Suspicious activity recorded on CCTV, recovered as part of Operation Thumper.

OPERATION JINGLE

Bringing the case to justice Royal Mail Security worked with the Crime and Dispute Resolution team to conclude private prosecutions against five men for having custody or control of false instruments and laundering several million pounds.

Our investigation recovered over 5.5 million counterfeit postage stamps with a face value of more than £3.1 million.

A consignment of controlled drugs (skunk cannabis), worth over £60,000, was also recovered as part of the investigation. Five men, aged between 35 and 62, were jailed for a total of 24 years and four months.

“These criminals view counterfeit stamps as a commodity, like drugs,” explains Ian Smith.

“Removing these people from the streets is a small step in making our society a safer place – and we’re glad to have played our part.”

The investigation was commended by

His Honour Judge Goymer, who noted “the thoroughness of the investigation in this case, which has brought those responsible to justice”.

Investigation costs are being paid from court funds, and the Crime and Dispute Resolution team is in the process of recovering hidden assets from other parties who benefitted from defrauding Royal Mail.

“The problems of counterfeit stamps and fraud don’t end with this investigation,” says Paul. “But I’m proud of the work we’ve done to bring these individuals to justice.”

Preventing and disrupting harm to our business, people and customers is a year-round job for the Security team – but Peak’s a particularly challenging phase.

Operation Jingle is a security initiative that supports our business during the busy Peak period. It involves identifying risk and providing reinforcement and support where needed, helping us all feel safer and able to carry out our jobs in the best possible way.

“Our aim is always to be engaging and supportive, never threatening or overbearing,” says Steve Johnson (pictured), a member of the Security Performance Delivery team. “We want to show that the team’s here to help make the business a safer, more enjoyable place to work – and not just at Christmas.”

Help to crack crime: the Security Portal Spotted suspicious activity, or something that doesn’t seem quite right? From security issues to dog attacks and drug interceptions, the Security Portal is the new and simple way to report observations and suspicions. Scan the QR code to visit the portal.

THE BIG INTERVIEW

AARON BARNES

OF NATURE New Parcelforce boss Aaron Barnes on his plans for a successful, sustainable future.

Courier Editorial Panel member, and Parcelforce customer experience delivery manager, David Lindsay caught up with managing director Aaron Barnes during his whirlwind tour of UK sites.

David had canvassed Parcelforce colleagues for key topics to cover – ranging from the troublesome roll-out of REX and building a greener business, to recruiting and retaining the industry’s best drivers… and his favourite sandwich.

ROADMAP

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TO THE FUTURE

So, who is Aaron Barnes?

TOUR DE FORCE Aaron’s been visiting Parcelforce teams across the UK.

Aaron Barnes knows there will be bumps in the road on Parcelforce’s journey to becoming a billion-pound business. He’s been on his own voyage of discovery since his arrival four months ago, meeting drivers, managers and sales teams in processing centres, workshops and offices across the UK. Ahead of his Courier chat at the Rotherham Parcelforce depot, he’s encouraged to hear that six local drivers from one of our competitor carriers have left their jobs to join our business – attracted by our terms, conditions and brand.

We need to demonstrate that we’re a responsible employer with colleagues who feel recognised and rewarded.

He also knows that it’s two-way traffic, with a recent wave of drivers leaving Parcelforce. And Aaron’s clear about the key factor in their decision to depart.

Aaron recounts the number of drivers approaching him on the cusp of leaving the business. “It was all down to REX.” The rigid deployment of this route optimisation software resulted in drivers being forced to follow a delivery route displayed on their PDA, rather than rely on their experience and local knowledge.

“It didn’t allow for human intervention,” adds Aaron. “So, drivers were unable to influence their routes. Some of them have been with us for 30 years and this was affecting morale and having an impact on bonus targets. I joined a driver on delivery and, in four hours, we were forced to make four separate visits to a shopping centre.”

Aaron joined Royal Mail Relay as a shift manager in 2006 after graduating with a degree in Psychology from the University of Liverpool. He became Relay’s commercial manager before moving into the same role within Royal Mail’s regional distribution centres.

After a spell heading up Royal Mail’s continuous improvement team, he took on shift manager and operations manager roles at Birmingham Mail Centre and in Delivery before overseeing transformation as head of delivery performance at Bristol.

He returned to Birmingham as head of operations before joining North West Midlands Mail Centre in Wolverhampton as plant manager for three years. Aaron was then appointed service delivery leader for Thames Valley, which included Oxford, Swindon and Reading, before the area doubled in size to incorporate Greater London.

Within a year, Aaron would answer a call from Achim Dünnwald offering him the role of Parcelforce managing director.

Warwickshire-based Aaron is a father of two boys, aged 10 and 13, and is married to the ‘childhood sweetheart’ he met as a 14-year-old. He’s the captain of his local rugby union team and believes there are similarities between the playing field and the workplace.

“Both demand respect, accountability and teamwork,” he says. “And when you turn up for a Monday morning meeting with black eyes and broken bones, it’s important to explain that they’re rugby injuries!”

DEPOT DIALOGUE Aaron meets colleagues in Parcelforce’s Newcastle operation.

Building on the work already undertaken by the operational team, alongside the CWU and Unite CMA, Aaron took the opportunity to put the power back in their hands.

“Our drivers can now plot a more rational route by simply drawing a line. They can choose to follow or adjust the REX routing. Technology should make life easier by supporting them, not make their jobs harder by telling them what they must do.”

Since the changes, the feedback has been positive and Aaron continues to keep in touch with some of the drivers he’s met. Encounters like those are helping shape his plans for the future. Aaron and his senior leadership team embarked on an autumn engagement programme, visiting every Parcelforce site. Now they’re on the road again to share a strategy focused on three core areas: the customer; the team; and the future.

“Parcelforce is a brilliant business – the potential jewel in Royal Mail’s crown,” he says.

“Already, I can see a team that wants to deliver great performance.”

The customer Aaron was on leave when Royal Mail Group’s chief operating officer Achim Dünnwald called to offer him the role as Parcelforce managing director. The mission was clear: make the team feel great again and work with them to build a billion-pound business.

So, where’s that revenue growth going to come from? Retaining the trust of our customers – and, in some cases, restoring that trust – is a key driver.

“When they’re paying a premium price, they expect a premium service,” says Aaron. “Our rivals have been closing the gap when it comes to customer care.

“We should also be exploring new markets and services. We don’t deliver electronic 16

Winter 21/22

goods or perishables. If we’re confident in our brand, why wouldn’t we?”

Aaron and his leadership team are reviewing Parcelforce’s products, prices and quality of customer service, addressing capacity gaps and assessing its potential to become a 24/7 operation.

“Sunday deliveries are a £35 million opportunity for us. It can often feel like we’re operating at full tilt, especially at Peak. But we’re not. We’re just working to a rigid routine where 95 per cent of our drivers hit the road at the same time.

We need waves of processing and deliveries throughout the day. There’s scope to grow our business and expand our premises – building upwards and outwards in the North West Processing Centre, for instance.”

The team Limiting the reliance on owner-drivers and offering the industry’s best terms and conditions can enhance Parcelforce’s credentials as the express courier industry’s employer and delivery partner of choice.

“We need to demonstrate that we’re a responsible employer with colleagues who feel recognised and rewarded,” says Aaron. “That’s about nurturing an environment of continuous improvement where our people are equipped with the tools to flourish through training programmes and mentoring. That includes supporting our managers who, along with the rest of our people, have been feeling the pressure over these challenging couple of years.

“Our employment model will help us keep ahead of competitors who depend on owner-drivers.

Family: Wife Steph and sons Oscar and Isaac TV boxset of choice: The Sopranos Favourite sandwich: Ploughman’s Most used phone app: Workplace!

Sporting life: Rugby union player and captain; gym member; exercise bike rider (a lockdown purchase!); fan of Wasps RFC; Aston Villa supporter

THE BIG INTERVIEW

AARON BARNES We must respect and value the heritage and culture of Parcelforce. Our commitment to a majority-employed workforce is what makes us special. That can translate into pride in our brand and the service we deliver.”

Aaron is determined to listen and respond to frustrations and feedback. On a visit to one depot, he was taken aside by a colleague who insisted he inspected the parcels in his van. They’d been loaded by the night shift, but weren’t in a particular order, which meant hunting around for the right items at each delivery location.

“We arranged for him to spend time with the night shift to appreciate its processes and challenges,” recalls Aaron. “He also joined the depot’s working group to get his voice heard.

We’re now trialling his suggestion of postcode sections in vans, he’s applied to be a deputy manager and he’s inducting new drivers.”

MY 2021

In many ways, the Parcelforce customer experience team had its best-ever year – and that’s down to our dedicated, hardworking people.

We enjoyed great Trust Survey results – with an 88 per cent overall Trust score – and delivered a new Oracle email solution. We moved onto a single call plan and telephone number, making it quicker for customer calls to be answered; created a national telephony team in Dearne; and moved to a new phone system with updated call recording and dashboards. The launch of post-call customer surveys means we’ll have direct feedback following conversations with our advisers.

And we’ve supported a CWU and Royal Mail joint initiative to introduce the shorter working week for all our fulltime colleagues.

EDITORIAL PANELLIST

David Lindsay Parcelforce customer experience delivery manager

Technology should make life easier by supporting drivers, not make their jobs harder by telling them what they must do.

The future Once they’ve shared their strategy story with all teams across the UK, Aaron and other senior leaders will be visiting each business unit every three months to keep in touch with progress. Because for the Parcelforce plan to succeed, everyone needs to buy into it, own it and drive it.

“Collectively, we need to keep winning customer confidence,” says Aaron.

“That will help build a compelling case for investment to keep pace with our competitors and with customers who are demanding a quicker, greener delivery partner.

“Fifteen years ago, tracking was a ‘nice-to-have’ option. Now it’s a must-have.

That’s where we’re heading with sustainability. We’ll need to demonstrate our environmental credentials. That’s a big challenge. But our customers are telling us that they want to work with green parcel carriers.

“To win in the express market, we need to be a sustainability leader. Our competitors are making progress in this area. We need to pursue them, match them and then out-pace them in the green arena.

“I want to make our rivals panic.”

Parcelforce on Workplace Aaron is a champion of Workplace, the powerful communication tool keeping Parcelforce colleagues connected and getting their voices heard.

“The Parcelforce area of Workplace is the best platform for our people to ask questions and collaborate with colleagues throughout the business without their voice being lost in other Royal Mail Group activity,” he says.

SCAN TO WATCH Aaron and his team held a Workplace Live event to discuss Parcelforce performance and answer your questions. Watch it here.

Workplace.com

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FIT FOR THE FUTURE

REINVENTING AN ICON

Innovations putting our future in good hands As we reinvent Royal Mail for new generations, we need to deliver enhanced products and innovative services. Discover what’s new and meet the teams delivering change to secure a successful future.

Royal Mail’s dedicated to delivering growth, innovation and continuous improvement in our increasingly competitive industry – because to stay ahead, we need to keep improving.

Listening and responding to what our customers want is part and parcel of our plans to energise this iconic Great British institution.

We’re rolling out new product features and service innovations designed to enhance our Christmas performance and take us into a New Year packed with potential. They include capturing photos on delivery, the national roll-out of a new Parcel Collect option where we bring the label to a customer’s doorstep, and ever narrower Estimated Delivery Windows. Here, we explore the innovations and discover what they mean for our customers and colleagues.

PRE-PRINTED LABELS

Delivering greater doorstep delight Customers can now order labels when they book our Parcel Collect service.

Kenny Gallacher’s been delivering to customers in Newton Mearns, on the outskirts of Glasgow, for 42 years. Much about his role has changed since the late 1970s, but he’s never experienced anything like the current pace of progress. He welcomes the smart systems and innovative services driving customer convenience.

“I enjoy the challenge of change and I love new technology,” he says. “This year’s roll-out of the new PDAs has been great – especially with the improved battery – and services such as Parcel Collect are making a difference to residents on my rural round.”

Kenny and his Newton Mearns Delivery Office colleagues joined teams in Bath, Cheltenham and Doncaster taking part in the trial of a new Parcel Collect option that’s been launched nationwide.

Posties picking up items at the doorstep can now bring

posting labels pre-printed in the delivery office Click & Drop™ portal.

“My route takes me on a 50-mile round trip to farms and other rural locations without a convenient parcel drop-off point,” says Kenny. “And if my customers do make it into town, they’re faced with queues, particularly at this time of the year.”

One of his customers uses the Parcel Collect pre-printed label service up to twice a week. And Kenny believes that, with more publicity about the upgrade, it will prove popular with those who value the convenience it delivers, especially those who don’t have printers at home.

“Customers enjoy the flexibility of ordering multiple items in different sizes, knowing they don’t need to leave their doorsteps to return them.”

A KEN-DO ATTITUDE Postie Kenny Gallacher took part in the trial delivering labels to Parcel Collect customers.

CAPTURING PHOTOS ON DELIVERY

Keeping customers in the picture Enhanced functionality on our new PDAs means we’re able to give sending customers photographic proof of delivery.

We’ve rolled out a new feature on our Tracked products which enables posties to capture a photo of the delivery which can then be shared with customers.

We’ve launched a beta version of the service with online fashion retailer boohoo® Group – and its associated brands – and are already looking at options to extend the feature to more sending customers. It’s something Parcelforce Worldwide colleagues have been doing since the summer and brings us in line with many competitors who provide this service as standard.

MY 2021

Well, 2021 came and went in a flash!

A whirlwind of lockdowns, testing, vaccinations and, at work, my first experience of a revision. And in April, I said farewell to my fun-loving float partner, Stephanie Lockhart, as she relocated from Liverpool to Derbyshire.

For my family, like many others, 2021 has been heavily punctuated with camping trips; it’s been the year that we really upped our outdoors game! Faced with no prospect of a foreign holiday, we invested in the mother of all air tents.

It’s big. Really big. We’ve hit Cornwall, Wales and the Peak District among others. Now we’re preparing for one final hurrah: Snowdonia. Yes, it’s going to be cold... and probably wet. Just like work at this time of year then!

EDITORIAL PANELLIST

Laura Cornish Mossley Hill postwoman Laura Cornish

SHOOTING STAR Neil Abbott captures a doorstep photo.

Giving proof an item has been delivered to the right place will help us cut Denial of Receipt complaints and reduce the cost of customer care for our sending customers.

For boohoo Group, it’s a welcome addition that strengthens our relationship with them.

“We’re delighted that Royal Mail has started offering photo capture on delivery,” says boohoo Group supply chain director David James.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Royal Mail and partner with you because of the trust we have in the brand, its postmen and postwomen and its extensive reach into

every UK postal address. This new delivery service will serve to strengthen and further support us in offering an excellent, trusted and reliable service to our customers.”

If you’re delivering a parcel, the PDA may prompt you to take a photo in an open doorway as proof of delivery if the customer is home. If you see a ‘P’ on screen after scanning, that means you need to take a photo of an item.

Most customer labels will also include wording to say that a photo is required, although this won’t always be the case – especially when a customer first starts using the service. For an item that fits through the letterbox, take a picture of the package going through, then use your posting peg to deliver it.

Beeston postman Neil Abbott says: “It enables both the customer and Royal Mail to have visual proof that the item has been delivered to the right place, which will reduce Denial of Receipt complaints and provide peace of mind.”

SCAN TO WATCH RMtv joined Neil Abbott as he captured photos on delivery.

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FIT FOR THE FUTURE

REINVENTING AN ICON ESTIMATED DELIVERY WINDOWS

HALF YEAR FINANCIAL RESULTS

for 2021/22

6.4%

Working towards a more accurate service Narrower Estimated Delivery Windows will make life easier for busy customers.

increase in revenues compared to the first six months last year

ON 12 JANUARY 2022... shareholders will receive an interim dividend of...

... along with a special dividend of around...

PER SHARE

PER SHARE

6.7p 20p

£235 MILLION

adjusted operating profit

MY 2021

It’s been a funny year. Productive in many ways: we have new PDAs, which are a million times better than the old ones; our shares have rocketed (which is always nice); and we’re expecting new uniforms.

It’s not been all sunshine and rainbows though, has it? I think this year’s been even tougher than the last. We’re in the midst of a drastic change. Royal Mail has no choice but to adapt and respond to the growing competition, or risk falling behind.

Unfortunately we, the workers, have been plonked into this precarious period of trial and error hoping something good will come of all this change. It will, I’m sure.

But it doesn’t make the waiting any less worrying. Will our loads lighten? Will our walks lengthen? Will the cheery office banter endure? Let’s find out.

EDITORIAL PANELLIST

Chris Robbins Courier Editorial Panel member and Bradford postman

Alison Witts’ busy life involves juggling a hybrid home and office work routine with the school run and twice-daily dog walks.

The accountant, from Alfreton in Derbyshire, values the difference the launch of narrower Estimated Delivery Windows will make to her daily schedule.

“A four-hour delivery window has an impact on the whole day,” says Alison. “Shorter slots will make it easier to plan meetings, walks, school pick-ups and other activities.”

PDA Outdoor Actuals helps us predict the time our postmen and postwomen reach each property on their rounds.

Walking the same route in the same way each time allows us to tell customers when to expect their delivery.

Now, we’re working towards tightening our Estimated Delivery Windows – to 30 minutes for around 15 per cent of customers, an hour for 35 per cent and to a two-hour window for the rest of our deliveries.

“We’ll be delivering greater levels of convenience which, in turn, enhances the customer experience and builds trust,” says Royal Mail’s chief data and analytics officer Mark Briers.

“It’s also about improving how we communicate with our customers – and our own people. Although our posties don’t need to do anything different, as we work to improve digital interactions between postie and recipient, our team will always go the extra mile – to the best of their ability – to deliver against expectations.”

It’s a service improvement valued by customers like Alison.

“I know there are options such as Safeplace and Delivery to Neighbour,” adds Alison. “But there’s peace of mind from having an item delivered straight into your hands. And popping out becomes less of a gamble.”

Building on the positive responses from senders and receivers to date, we’re further innovating to increase both value and convenience for our customers.

#7DAYSERVICE

Sundays for all UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATION Have your say on our ambition to deliver a seven-day parcel service to secure a sustainable Universal Service Obligation for the future.

We want to deliver parcels everywhere, every day. The success of our Sunday deliveries service, which we launched earlier this year for some of our largest retailers, demonstrates where we can grow.

“Now we want to accelerate,” says CEO Simon Thompson. “I know you’re very proud to be the USO provider – so am I.” We want your views on expanding our Sunday parcel deliveries, and how we can keep the Universal Service relevant and sustainable given all the changes we’re seeing.

Participate in the conversation by sharing your views in the 7-day service Workplace group.

Scan the QR code to go straight to it – and use #7dayservice.

“The fact we’re growing is giving us the oxygen we need to win,” adds Simon. “That means every household in the UK and every business – small, medium or large – can participate in the e-commerce revolution.

“We love letters at Royal Mail and believe there’s an important role for them as part of the UK’s social fabric. But letter volumes are down more than 60 per cent since their peak in 2004/05. It’s time to start defining what a sustainable USO is for the future.”

We’re running a short survey where you can give your feedback anonymously. Use this QR code to have your say.

What you’re saying Anthony Reed Delivery office manager, Bristol South East Monday to Friday letters, Saturday and Sunday premium and Tracked parcels has to be the way forward.

Sylvester Ofosu-Appiah OPG, Leeds Mail Centre The reinvention of Royal Mail is welcome. Developing skills of the operatives will go a long way to generating every colleague’s interest.

Chris Kelly Account director I work in sales and a seven-day network has been utilised by other carriers to smooth out volumes across the week – especially Monday collections.

George Finlayson Postman, Lairg Delivery Office More often than not the Highlands and Islands are excluded from these extra services. It would be great if we could finally be able to use and promote a Sunday service up here.

We’re making progress in six key areas: Quality Ranked number one for net promoter scores by customers – although it’s a close race. But we know we need to do better on getting our Quality of Service back where we need it to be.

CWU Agreement Delivering more than 1,700 revisions – a massive effort – as well as things like Scan In, Scan Out, a new productivity measure and a big focus on culture and better ways of working.

Trust agenda Recent pulse survey scores of 70, compared to 59 earlier this year. And participation is up too – you’re talking more, so we can listen and act more.

Automation We hit 40 per cent of parcels automated last month, so are well on our way to hitting at least 50 per cent this year, on our journey to 90 per cent automation.

DILO (Day in the Life Of) Rolled out to all 1,200 delivery offices, and 1.1 million saved hours can now be used for managers to spend with their teams and customers, rather than doing administration.

Reducing our non-staff costs On track to deliver what we set out.

These updates were shared on Workplace first. Scan the QR code to watch Simon Thompson’s video update – published for colleagues first.

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THERE’S PLENTY HAPPENING ACROSS OUR BUSINESS – AND BEYOND. PULL OUT AND PIN UP THIS

JAN

DEC

Share your stories, photos and films in the Courier Workplace group 8 9

International Anti-Corruption Day

10 Human Rights Day West Side Story released

Christmas Jumper Day

11

12 National Workplace Day of Remembrance 13

14 15

16 Jane Austen Day 17

18 19

20

21 National Robin Day Winter Solstice (shortest day)

LAST RECOMMENDED POSTING DATES

International

8 December Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Far and Middle East

10 December Cyprus, Malta and Sweden 11 December Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia), Turkey

13 December Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Poland and USA

16 December Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland

1

3

Take-back Monday

4

World Braille Day

22 23

5

4, 11, 18, December

Domestic

24 Christmas Eve

17 December Bulk Mail Economy

6

25 Christmas Day

18 December 2nd Class, 2nd Class Signed For, Royal Mail 48

Until 2 January Mail Rail Christmas Ride.

The subterranean ride enjoys a Christmas makeover.

26 Boxing Day

Until 2 January

28 Boxing Day Bank Holiday

Letters to Santa Display. Official cards from Father Christmas delivered to children by Royal Mail between 1963 and 2010.

29

Visit postalmuseum.co.uk for more details.

27 Christmas Bank Holiday

30 31 New Year’s Eve

21 December 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, Royal Mail 24, Royal Mail Tracked 48 22 December Royal Mail Tracked 24 23 December Special Delivery Guaranteed

11 Dec

1-31 Veganu ary

2

CHRISTMAS AT THE POSTAL MUSEUM Festive Family Fun Days. Take part in arts and crafts sessions and follow the Christmas Family Trail.

New Year’s Day

7

7-9 FA Cup Third Round weekend

1-31 Dry y a J nuar

8 9 10

11 International Human Trafficking Awareness Day Poetry at Work Day 12

13 13-20 National Obesity Awareness Week 14 Scream released 15 16 World Religion Day

WINTER 2021

FEB

HANDY THREE-MONTH PLANNER AND LET US KNOW HOW YOUR TEAM’S GETTING INVOLVED An ode to the postman of the past.

This was a chap of a different class.

Smartly wearing a hat and a tie, Shiny shoes, so dignified.

So respected throughout the land.

A local postie, fine and grand.

1

1-28 LGBT+ History Month

2

Groundhog Day

3

An ode to the postman of the past.

This was a chap of a different class.

He knew each customer by their name.

A trusted chap with great acclaim, Who also sang in the local band.

A local postie, fine and grand.

4

World Cancer Day

5

2022 Six Nations Rugby begins

6

HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

POETRY AT WORK DAY

7

7-13 National Apprenticeship Week

An extract from Stevenage CWU rep Esther Robertson’s poem Ode to the Postman of the Past in celebration of Poetry at Work Day on 11 January.

17 Blue Monday

Samaritans Brew Monday 18 Winnie the Pooh Day

International Epilepsy Day 15 16

9

17 Random Acts of Kindness Day

11 International Day of Women and Girls in Science

18

12

20 World Day of Social Justice

13 Super Bowl LVI, California

21 Fairtrade Fortnight

1 Feb 20 2 21 Jan 2 2023

20

14 Valentine’s Day

8

10

17-23 Cervical Cancer Awareness Week

19

4-20 Winter Olymp ics, Beijing

19

22 23

1-28 Nation al Heart Month

24

21

25 Belfast film released

22

26

23

27 EFL Cup Final, Wembley

24 International Day of Education

28

25 Burns’ Night

26 a Australi y a D

LONG-SERVICE LANDMARKS

26 27 Holocaust Memorial Day 28 International Data Protection Day 29 30 30 Jan-6 Feb National Storytelling Week 31

CHINESE NEW YEAR The Year of the Tiger runs from 1 February 2022 to 21 January 2023.

According to Chinese tradition, individuals born under this sign are likely to be brave, unpredictable, charming and well-liked – but sometimes impetuous. Royal Mail’s Lunar New Year Generic Sheets celebrating the Year of the Tiger are issued on 8 December.

Congratulations to Royal Mail people across the UK marking their 40th and 50th anniversaries with our business. Visit myroyalmail.com/longservice or scan the QR code for a roll of honour celebrating the dedication of our long-serving colleagues.

See how much you can save this season at My Bundle+

’Tis the season to make savings With hundreds of retailers, we can help you find great gifts for less this season. So, search for the perfect present today and make someone (and your wallet) even happier this year.

Log into your My Bundle+ account this December, make your purchase using the great discounts on offer and you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of 20 £50 credits added to your My Bundle+ account. These can be used at over 100 retailers on the Reward Marketplace.

Access My Bundle+ via mybundleplus.myroyalmail.com or the People App. You can also find us on Workplace under the group ‘My Bundle+’

Savings that work as hard as you do!

You put the hours in to earn money. So, shouldn’t your money work just as hard to give you something back?

Post Office Insurance Society savings plans are: ✔ simple ✔ affordable ✔ deductible straight from your pay ✔ and could help to put a few extra pounds in your pocket.

Capital at risk.

Log into MyBundle+ > click My Benefits > click Savings Plans POIS is not part of the Post Office or Royal Mail plc. POIS is a trading name of The Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society Limited which is an Incorporated Friendly Society (Registration No. 511F) and is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Registration No. 110029)

OUR CUSTOMERS

MOONPIG

Rising to the occasions

Moonpig shipping director Tony Bannister reveals our role in delivering doorstep delight and shares tales from his life as a young London postman.

When you hand over a pink Moonpig package, your customer knows it’s from someone who’s thinking of – or thanking – them. So, it’s an exciting moment.

Moonpig’s mission is to become the ultimate gifting companion. We’re joy generators; we don’t deliver bad news. And Royal Mail can play a role with your friendly faces on every street each day.

Having ‘walked the walk’ as a postman in Muswell Hill, I remember my route with fondness, delivering in the rain and the snow and often being greeted by a mug of coffee on a doorstep. I had a relationship with my customers – they knew and trusted me.

So, my personal history means I have affection for your business. But Moonpig doesn’t choose Royal Mail as its delivery partner based on my sentimental attachment – it’s for commercial reasons and the quality of service.

Having worked in delivery offices, distribution centres and Central Postal Control during my two decades with Royal Mail, I know how your network works. So, I’ll challenge you or make recommendations when I think there’s scope for improvement.

You’ve always been open with Moonpig if there’s been an issue, allowing us to keep our customers in the picture. However, the sharp rise in parcel volumes during the pandemic really stretched you, with socially distancing and isolating postmen and postwomen leading to delays in deliveries.

But now you’re turning parcel growth into an opportunity with new services, such as Sunday deliveries. We were one

of your first Sunday customers, and the first to deliver cards on Father’s Day. This was really positively received as we all know that special occasions don’t just fall on weekdays and that recipients enjoy receiving gifts on the day itself. We’re continuing to use this Sunday service for parcels, which will add real value during Moonpig’s busiest periods, such as Mothering Sunday and Valentine’s Day. You helped us deliver an average of 180,000 cards and 20,000 gifts a day last December, peaking at over 250,000 cards

and 30,000 gifts. Moonpig’s cards and parcels will already be flying through your network for delivery well ahead of the Christmas festivities.

You have the UK’s largest delivery network, with feet on every street and your fleet on every road. That’s the beauty of your business. Every Moonpig customer in every postcode – from Truro to Belfast to Inverness – deserves the same level of service. Royal Mail delivers that.

Visit moonpig.com

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TRUST ON THE DOORSTEP

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TEAM

A WELCOME CHRISTMAS PRESENCE Meet our Plymouth Customer Experience team.

When it comes to solving problems, this caring crew takes it personally – transforming negative perceptions through positive action.

When we’re handling 1.7 billion parcels a year, it’s inevitable that we’ll drop the ball from time to time – especially at Peak.

Our Customer Experience (CE) team in Plymouth plays a crucial, yet often unheralded role in winning back the hearts and minds of customers when trust on the doorstep is in danger of being lost. And during our busiest time of the year, they’re on hand to help prevent missing mail becoming a nightmare before Christmas

26

Winter 21/22

for our customers – and our business.

“We all know that things aren’t always perfect,” says customer service manager Olly Greenwood. “Our role is to restore faith with our customers when this happens.

We’re a support network – the first line of response when things aren’t right – and we face unique challenges every day. Customers often contact us with a negative perception, but our philosophy is to offer help and support – and win them round.”

We’re the first line of response when things aren’t right.

FIRST CONTACT Plymouth advisor Louise Lopez and team leader Alec Dybov.

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A FRIENDLY VOICE Vicky Crook and the team are often called on to deal sensitively with frustrated customers.

A lot of days are spent firefighting potentially damaging situations here in Plymouth – and at our other customer contact centres across the UK where each team member takes between 40-60 calls a day. Our advisors work to call targets and are highly regulated by Ofcom, being required to log every customer complaint.

This is on top of dealing with often angry and frustrated customers. So, it takes a special skill to restore calm.

Team leader Alec Dybov says: “We’re proud of the way we strike a balance between meeting average call times and treating all our customers as individuals.

We have a wonderful team here. We care about Royal Mail and want to help put things right for our customers.”

Thank you so much, Debbie, for saving the day when my son’s Christmas present was delivered to the wrong address and I didn’t have one of your red cards. Your detective work meant that I was able to find it in time for the big day.

28

Winter 21/22

Martin’s a marvel Adopting a customer-first attitude comes naturally to Martin Baylis, one of our star advisors.

Since joining the team in January 2018, he’s had more positive customer feedback than any other advisor across our entire network.

“There’s no magic formula,” insists Martin. “I just love helping people and I treat every call with the care and attention it requires. It’s that simple.”

Martin spent almost a decade working in customer service roles in the telecommunications industry. He was nominated as the best customer service agent at EE for five years in a row, so he knows what it takes to deliver firstclass responses.

“We have all the tools for the job to give customers information and take actions to help them. But what they really want is to speak with someone who cares about them.”

Our level best Our 33-strong escalations team is called in to save the day when customers need a higher level of response to their issues.

Collaboration between the escalations crew and delivery colleagues makes all the difference when it comes to dealing with escalated complaints.

These requests require a call back within two hours – which keeps the team on its toes. “Working at speed, we need to know what’s gone wrong and, crucially, what can be done to turn a negative experience into a positive one,” says customer service advisor Maria Grice.

“We have a good relationship with our operational colleagues, resulting in positive outcomes. Our delivery teams are always really responsive and happy to help, which means we can pull out the stops when it matters.”

IT HELPS TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH A CUSTOMER TO FIND A SOLUTION. HIGH FIVE A big part of a CE colleague’s role is transforming a customer’s negative experience into a positive one to restore trust in our brand. Martin Baylis has compiled five top tips for achieving positive results.

Empathy This is the cornerstone of everything we do. It helps to build rapport with a customer to help find a positive resolution.

Listening If a customer calls to complain, you must let them get it off their chest. That’s the respectful thing to do.

Decisive action Customers will be so much more appreciative if action is taken. This is what helps to turn things around.

Be yourself Never be afraid to show your personality.

Customers respond better this way than to scripted and robotic responses.

Treat the last call of the day as if it’s your first It means the quality of every call is consistent for each customer.

TRUST ON THE DOORSTEP

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TEAM CE in stats All kudos to Martin at Customer Services. He went over and above to ensure that I got my presents redelivered in time to travel to family and friends. He was so understanding and reassuring and I will never forget his Christmas kindness to me.

Straight to the top Some of our customers feel compelled to write to one of our board directors when things don’t go right. In Plymouth, 14 specialists deal with such matters. The CEO team is given more freedom to curate responses and gestures of goodwill when brand reputation could be damaged – or just to do something extra special to make our customers feel individual.

CEO Simon Thompson even calls one customer each week to handle a complaint directly.

20,500 Average number of calls handled by our Customer Experience team in the network between April and September 2021

71,200

Average number of calls handled weekly during December 2020

101

Top five customer complaints Denial of receipt A customer says they haven’t received an item when our track and trace system confirms it as delivered.

Re-direction A customer has a re-direction in place, but it isn’t working properly.

Mis-delivery A customer is receiving someone else’s post or someone else is receiving theirs.

P739 ‘Something for you’ or ‘Deliver to Neighbour’ cards A customer hasn’t received a P739 or D2N card when we’ve been unable to deliver their item. Or we’ve left a card when the customer was at home.

Re-delivery failure A customer has arranged for their item to be re-delivered and it failed.

Advisors handling customer calls across Plymouth, Glasgow and Doxford sites

Acts of kindness When an eight-year-old girl sent a letter to the directors at Royal Mail to ask if they could get a message to her deceased cat ‘in heaven’, the CEO team arranged for a framed photograph of her pet to be delivered to cheer her up.

And when the team were told a man was fighting for his life on his 100th birthday, they contacted his local delivery office to speed up the journey of a personalised card from the Queen to mark the milestone.

“Our main goal is to make our customers feel happy and we try to be thoughtful and make a difference,” says advisor Beverley Gibbs. “Royal Mail is a brand the public loves and trusts and our work is about strengthening that.”

I work in IT and spend most days speaking with customer support teams. In the 25+ years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never dealt with anyone as honestly interested in helping as Martin was, even going as far as checking in on the situation the next day when he was supposed to be on holiday.

PERSONAL TOUCH Louise Lopez and her colleagues treat each caller as an individual.

Workplace.com

29

WIN A £250

John Lewis gift card!

Get a quote by 31st December for your chance to win.

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See what you could save Log in mybundleplus.myroyalmail.com Email newcar@zenith.co.uk Call 0330 134 8792 *Figures are based on a 20% tax payer with no additional optional extras (unless otherwise stated) on a 48 month, 5,000 miles per annum selection for a Nissan Leaf 5-Door Hatch N-Connecta 40kW. Insurance has been included for a 40-year-old driver living in postcode PE4 and may vary. Pricing as at 09/11/21 and subject to change. Contact Zenith for more information. Includes all maintenance and servicing, road tax, insurance, breakdown and recovery, tyres, glass and accident management. Offer excludes manufacturer price increases. Images are for illustration purposes only. Terms and conditions apply. Full details about the scheme can be found at mybundleplus.myroyalmail.com. The benefit is available to current, permanent Royal Mail Group employees only, subject to eligibility and availability. John Lewis Voucher terms and conditions apply, please visit zenith.co.uk/prizedraw for more details.

30 Prize Draw: Winter 21/22

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ROWLAND HILL FUND

LIFE AT ROYAL MAIL

In their own write Writers and poets from across Royal Mail have been sharing stories of working life as part of a Rowland Hill Fund Book Week competition.

Postwoman Carol Walthew’s moving poem about an elderly customer, and business manager Kay Rollings’ touching tale about the pandemic’s impact on her workplace were chosen as winning entries by author Laura Owen.

Carol, from Cupar Delivery Office, submitted the poem more than a letter, which was highly commended and earned her £125 worth of books. Laura described Kay’s short story, Changing Times at Pond Street, as “a memorable and evocative piece of writing”. Kay landed books to the value of £500 as the overall winner.

Here we share their tales of life at Royal Mail.

more than a letter

Changing Times at Pond Street

by Carol Walthew

by Kay Rollings

flick flick, my hands sort through the mail, one queen’s head, splosh splosh, my wet shoes on the path, to your door, clink clink, my foot taps milk bottles, two days old, ring ring, my finger presses hard, are you there? knock knock, my cold knuckles go red, three times more, boom boom, my soft heart beats faster, death, I fear, tick tick, my skin starts to shiver, bell tolls four, puff puff, my breath on the window, no one there, tap tap, my body spins around, five, next door, snap snap, my ears sharpen her voice, a broken hip! sigh sigh, my customer and friend, ninety-six, bleep bleep, my visit to the ward, grapes in hand, chat chat, my face mirrors his smile, seven down? buzz buzz, my alarm, a new day, he’s okay.

In 1990, I was invited to Pond Street Mail Centre to see it in action. The building was huge and noisy. I remember the clanking and the shouting and it being like an orchestrated dance, with everyone knowing exactly where to go and what to do without bumping into each other. There was a door directly into the Penny Black pub.

In 2010, my job moved to Pond Street. Four hundred people were working there under the watchful eye of Dermot Toberty. It was a lively office where everyone knew everyone. The canteen staff knew us all by name and would start making my coffee as they saw me walk through the door. It felt like family; we worked hard and laughed a lot too. At Christmas it was like Narnia, the walkways lined with six-foot-tall Christmas trees. The teams competed for the best decorations; an advent calendar on every desk.

In 2021, Pond Street echoes. The canteen is shut, and there are only 10 people on the second floor. There are cardigans left on coat hooks from the start of the pandemic.

There is a ghost on the third floor. I wonder what she thinks about it all.

POND LIFE TALES Writing competition winner Kay at Pond Street.

FIND OUT MORE Learn more about the Fund’s work at rowlandhillfund.org Workplace.com

31

DESTINATION:

GLASGOW

CHARGING THE FU 32

Winter 21/22

We head to Scotland’s first all-electric delivery office and Parcelforce’s award-winning Glasgow depot to discover how they handled COP26 during their busy Peak.

INTO UTURE

When Glasgow welcomed world leaders to last month’s COP26, it was hailed as one of the most significant summits of its kind for our generation.

It was also a fitting location for the biggest climate summit the UK has ever held: Glasgow is Gaelic for ‘Dear green place’. Hosted at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), it was attended by 190 United Nations leaders.

As the global spotlight fell on Scotland’s Second City, the challenge for Glasgow’s Royal Mail and Parcelforce teams was to continue delivering ‘business as usual’.

The closest delivery office to the summit venue is G51, in Govan. It was here, just days before the opening of this historic summit, that Royal Mail enjoyed its own environmental milestone moment as G51 became Scotland’s first-ever allelectric delivery office.

“We have 29 colleagues covering 20 delivery routes, which were all affected in some way by COP26,” said delivery office manager Stuart Aiken. “As with any event of this scale, we need to be prepared for things to change on a daily basis with issues of getting mail on-site or disruptions while out on deliveries.”

SHE’S ELECTRIC Postwoman Adele Roe with two of G51’s new electric fleet outside Glasgow’s SEC.

Workplace.com

33

DESTINATION:

GLASGOW In the run-up to COP26 and throughout the summit, Stuart dialled in to regular operational planning calls and used team huddles in the office to relay important updates to his colleagues. Security was also high on the agenda, with Glasgow Mail Centre screening items to ensure they were safe to go out for delivery.

“We’ve had to work hard to keep across all the changes and be flexible when needed,” added Stuart.

Fleeting changes Like every business, Royal Mail has its own environmental objectives and a responsibility to play its part in tackling the global issue of climate change. And its move to a fully electric fleet was a well-timed conversion. Its 13 delivery and collection diesel vans have all been replaced with electric vehicles.

“It’s definitely exciting but there are naturally a few nerves too,” said postman Michael Ogilvie

Joining the charge This G51 launch follows our first-ever all-electric delivery office in Bristol, which went live in May with 23 new electric vans replacing like-for-like diesels. In June, the largest ever roll-out of electric light goods vehicles (LGV) in the country was announced with plans to expand the electric fleet to 3,300 by the end of March 2022.

There will be around 45 all-electric delivery offices across the country, operating new electric vans and micro EVs.

SPARKING PRIDE Michael Ogilvie’s delighted to be part of our first all-electric team in Scotland.

on his first day out in his new vehicle. “It means we’re the flagship team in Scotland, which is great for an office as small as ours.

“We all know that electric vehicles are the future and this demonstrates that Royal Mail is evolving and investing in clean technology.”

On the morning of the electric van rollout, there was a real buzz across G51, with a specially compiled playlist including Eddy Grant’s Electric Avenue and She’s Electric

by Oasis being played through the office sound system.

In addition to the new vans, the office has been kitted out with an additional two micro electric vehicles (MEV) to be used for more local deliveries.

The Paxster is a Norwegian-made, light quadricycle with one cubic metre of space in the back for mail. It has handlebar steering and a 74-mile electric range. This is being used by postman Michael Morrison, who has a motorbike licence.

COU

RIER WINTER

ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE THE FUTURE AND ROYAL MAIL IS EVOLVING AND INVESTING IN CLEAN TECHNOLOGY.

“I jumped at the opportunity,” said Michael.

“It’s always better to be part of the solution than part of the problem. It’s really simple to use; it’s easy to handle and glides smoothly.

“Because it looks quite different to a typical vehicle, we’ve had lots of customers stopping to take videos.”

The other micro EV added to the family is a Ligier, a left-hand drive vehicle from France with double the capacity of the Paxster for parcels and an 88-mile range.

To assist with the transition, the office has been fitted with four double charge posts to allow the fleet to be charged every other day between rounds.

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Winter 21/22

R 20

2 2 21 SUMMIT AND PEAK John Allen and his team had to handle COP26 heading into their busiest time of the year.

Parcelforce at Peak

ELECTRIC AVENUE Michael Morrison loads one of the new electric vehicles.

PARCELFORCE GLASGOW

in numbers...

4,000

75

VEHICLES in the fleet

daily collections on average

151

colleagues in the depot team

MY 2021

Paul Stewart Courier Editorial Panel member and Hampshire postman It’s been a better year than 2020, which wasn’t going to be difficult! I joined the Courier team and settled into a new delivery office. I’m awaiting the new revision, which hopefully means I’m back on a rural round.

Away from work, my son started junior school, my daughter’s joined a new nursery and it’s great to be able to take them on holiday again. I met up with friends to watch the Euros in the summer and celebrated my team, Chelsea, winning a second Champions League.

After long delays, I enjoyed the Olympics and the new James Bond film. And it was brilliant to be able to return to running and complete the London Marathon.

EDITORIAL PANELLIST

“This is probably the biggest change I’ve witnessed in my 28 years with Royal Mail and everyone has been looking forward to it,” said postwoman Adele Roe. “It’s a big investment but, in a few years’ time, it will have paid for itself.”

Just a few miles across the city is Parcelforce’s award-winning Glasgow depot. The team here was named the 2021 Depot of the Year at the annual CEO and COO Awards.

“It’s great to get some recognition. Like other depots across the UK, Covid-19 has brought the team together,” said driver Chris Loudon.

“We were all up against it but everyone here is really focused on our customers.”

Will Gracie only joined the business in August but isn’t surprised that his new colleagues are considered among the best in the UK. “It’s a fantastic working atmosphere and there’s a great variety to the job,” said Will.

“Some days you’ll find the deliveries go flawlessly but on others you end up a bit behind and just need to work your way through as best you can.”

The site delivers 11,000 parcels every day, increasing to somewhere near 18,000 now at the height of Peak. The team has moved part of its operation into an additional Christmas hub site to handle the soaring volumes.

While the festive push is something the team is accustomed to, COP26 served up a different test, with drivers’ routes heavily impacted at the start of November. A daily map was drawn up to identify the driver routes expected to be busier than usual and those with road closures, major roadworks or risks of significant delays and congestion.

Briefings with the drivers working in the most affected areas were used to ensure a robust plan was in place.

Delivery collections manager John Allen, who has been with the business for 33 years, played a lead role in mail continuing to flow during the summit.

“We’ve got a good team here who always want to do their very best,” said John.

“They all care about the job they’re doing and, just like any logistical challenge, good teamwork is important.”

BREAK TIME

SOMETHING FOR YOU

Win!

WIN!

Tuck in to a festive hamper worth £350

DC Comics superheroes and Christmas 2021 stamps

Eat, drink and be merry this Christmas with the ultimate hamper worth almost £350.

This luxury-packed prize includes champagne, chocolate, chutney, cheese, port, a brandy-soaked Christmas pudding and dozens of other festive food and drink items.

For the chance to win, just tell us in fewer than 30 words which story you’ve enjoyed most in this issue of Courier – and why.

Email couriercomp@linney.com using ‘Hamper’ in the subject line. Or post your entry to Courier Competition,

Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Include your name and address – along with your job role and location. Entries must reach us

by Thursday 16 December and may be published in a future edition.

WIN! One of 10 £10 One4all Gift Cards

CROSSWORD 1

2

3

4

6

5

7

8

9

10

11

14

12

13

15

16 17

AUTUMN 2021 ANSWERS: ACROSS 1. Blazer 5. Tiara 6. Epsom 8. Marathon

10. Chase 11. Angel 13. Wriggle 14. Black Friday

DOWN 1. Breadcrumbs 2. Zoom 3. Mash 4. Barnsley

5. Trafalgar 7. Maverick 9. Narwhal 12. Greedy 15. F.C.

Post your entry to Courier Crossword, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW or take a photo and email it to couriercomp@ linney.com by Friday 14 January 2022.

ACROSS 3. Glacial Games arrive in February (8) 6. Crazy to run a vehicle on fossil fuel on Indian Ocean island (10) 8. Leap into garish garment on 11 December (6) 9. Bucks, byte or store (4) 10. DC antagonist rides in on classic motorcycle to stamp her authority (6) 12. Three’s a crowd but this is just right (3) 15. Be in debt to (3) 16. Roar in a Lunar New Year (5) 17. Bruce pulls on cape during dark nights (6) DOWN 1. Signs that Christmas is coming at this South West mail centre (8) 2. Mechanical excavator (6) 4. It may sound seedy, yet it’s nothing but fun on Bert and Ernie’s Street (6) 5. G51 goes all-electric in Scottish city (7) 7. Took leave from 2006 Scorsese crime thriller (8) 11. Hmmmhmm. Powerful connection with the Force, he has (4) 12. Period of time at school, in a manner of speaking (4) 13. Zero males is potentially a prophetic warning (4) 14. Initially withdrew cash (1,1,1)

Name Postcode

Home address 36

Winter 21/22

A modern take on our traditional Christmas stamps and colourful collectibles honouring heroic comic book characters are among new Royal Mail collections. We have 10 sets of stamps from both issues to give away.

Eight beautiful new illustrations celebrating the Nativity story appear on our Christmas 2021 collection. This year, some of our festive stamps will feature barcodes.

Twelve action-packed DC Comics stamps depict Batman, The Joker and other DC Comics heroes and villains in exclusive new illustrations.

For the chance to win both sets, email your name, address and contact number to couriercomp@linney.com using ‘Stamps’ in the subject line. Or post your entry to Courier Competition, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Include your name, address and contact number. Entries must reach us by Friday 14 January 2022.

Discover more stamps, souvenirs and gifts by visiting royalmail.com/shop or scanning the QR code.

CONGRATULATIONS to Sean Brian from Scottish Distribution Centre, the winner of our autumn edition competition – a West End show and a night in a London hotel.

BE A FESTIVE WINNER WITH OUR BIG #12DAYGIVEAWAY Check out the 12 Days of Christmas group between 10-21 December for a daily prize worth at least £300.

Just answer the question posed in the video each day for the chance to win fantastic festive goodies – and use #12daygiveaway in your answer.

From the latest tech and amazing days out, to a generous donation for your favourite charity – there’s a bumper bundle of brilliant prizes.

Scan the QR code for the 12 Days of group and check Christmas in every day for the latest giveaway.

Not on Workplace yet? It’s quick and easy to sign up. Scan the QR code to find out how Terms and conditions apply (see Workplace group for full details).

BREAK TIME

MAILBAG Readers share tales of Royal Mail life and reflect on stories from the autumn edition of Courier.

Life’s a switch Phil Goddard’s story meant so much to me as I left my high-paying job to become a postie too. Phil mentioned quality and simplicity, which I really appreciate.

Hugo Tang Postman, Musselburgh Delivery Office Inspiring stories of people making positive changes in their life. I feel a sense of recognition and solidarity as someone who recently moved from a career in education.

Steve Handley Postman, Wakefield Delivery Office As an ex-mental health nurse, I could relate to this article. Being a driver means I’m not stuck in an office all day and I get to meet interesting people.

Phil Todd Driver, Bristol Mail Centre I also switched career at age 57 after 39 years as a business travel account manager.

Fitter, happier – I agree with Phil!

Carol Munro Postwoman, Shirley Delivery Office, Southampton

A fitting tribute Destination: Barnsley This brought back memories of how my office made it through the pandemic.

With over 30 colleagues absent, we carried on regardless.

Simon Seaby Postman, Ferndown Delivery Office The story about Barnsley Delivery Office was riveting. When the going gets tough, us posties get going. It was a total inspiration, especially heading into Peak.

Sean Brian HGV driver, Scottish Distribution Centre

Number cruncher The facts and figures are really interesting.

I was surprised to discover that one in 172 jobs in the UK are provided by Royal Mail.

It sums up how valuable our company is to the UK and its communities.

John Stephenson Distribution driver, Croydon Mail Centre

It was great to read about our new Postal Apprentices – particularly as my son Owen has joined Royal Mail as a driver at Wellington Delivery Office… as I did 33 years ago!

Adie Thompson Night driver, Shrewsbury 38

Winter 21/22

When we lost Mohammed Ayub Patel – known as Andy – to Covid-19, his friends and colleagues at Blackburn Delivery Office wanted to do something in his memory. We raised £600 that his family requested was donated to the Malawi Relief Fund in the hope that it would help save lives and leave a lasting legacy. The donation funded a hand pump for a fresh water well in the village of Chawala Masjid. A plaque was erected in his honour. Andy was a respected, diligent and fun-loving colleague who ran our transport office for many years. I worked alongside him and was lucky to call him a friend.

He’s a much-missed member of our team.

Martin Hunt Blackburn Delivery Office

Welcome to the new generation Chanice, Libby and Joe will be joining a business which will enhance their mental agility, physical wellbeing and problemsolving skills. This story is utterly uplifting. Good luck!

John Howard Postman, Southport

Going below and beyond WHALE MAIL

George Finlayson’s stunning shot of a Scottish winter wonderland will appear on Royal Mail ‘Thank you’ cards this Christmas. George, from Highland’s Garve SPDO, came top of a Workplace poll for his image, taken near Dundonnel. More than 400 Workplace users voted in the Winter Wonders competition.

Frontline lifelines As an Afghanistan veteran, I knew that any letters I sent home were guaranteed to find their way there – as were any that were posted to me.

Now, that’s trust for you.

Colin Appleton Postman, Winsford Delivery Office

The truck stops here For the first time, Royal Mail made an appearance at Truckfest Scotland.

I volunteered alongside my fellow drivers from Wishaw Scottish Distribution Centre, Stuart Coventry, Stuart McCauley and Neil Williamson, to display two trucks which had been prepared especially for the public to view.

Gerry Dawson Wishaw Scottish Distribution Centre

Van fan’s delight I spotted this beautiful van on my rural round and couldn’t resist asking the owner to take my photograph with it.

Sandra Ainscough Postwoman, Newent Delivery Office SHARE YOUR STORY There’s a £20 Amazon gift card for the writer of every letter we publish. Email courier@linney.com or write to us at Courier Letters, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Also share your own news and views on the Courier Workplace page.

Stafford postman and Courier Editorial Panellist Kamil Sterniczuk dives into tales of underwater postal services around the world.

Ever wondered where messages in bottles end up?

Perhaps they’re picked up and delivered by mermaids.

Maybe not. But there are six spots around the world with an underwater mail operation.

In Risør, Norway, a four-metre deep diving bell serves as the only dry underwater Post Office in existence. Customers post mail in a postbox by the pier. Placed in a watertight bag, the items are taken to the underwater Post Office. In this dry environment, they’re stamped, returned to the surface and enter the network.

The underwater Post Office in Vanuatu, in the Pacific Ocean (pictured), is located in three metres of water. Snorkelling tourists post waterproof postcards. A scuba-diving postal worker dives down, empties the mailbox and adds stamps to the postcards before taking them to the surface.

In Susami Bay, Japan, divers buy water-resistant postcards, fill them out with an oil-based marker and take them 10 metres down to a red underwater mailbox. Each year, up to 1,500 pieces of mail are retrieved.

The record depth for an underwater mailbox belongs to Pos Malaysia in Pulau Layang-Layang. At 40 metres, the box is accessible to experienced scuba divers and freedivers. Postal workers who retrieve mail have to be experienced master scuba divers. Mail sent from this spot has a commemorative postmark and stamp.

Another mailbox in Malaysia is attached to a shipwreck 24 metres below the surface off the coast of Mataking Island.

The postbox at Bali’s Jemeluk Beach sits in six metres of water among a collection of underwater art. Local diving clubs sink statues to embellish the seabed and allow coral and other ecosystems to grow and thrive around them.

More than 20,000 postcards have been sent so far from a seabed mailbox shaped like a pygmy seahorse 11.5 metres deep near Green Island, Taiwan. Scuba divers empty the mailbox three times a week during peak season and collect rubbish during each dive. Proceeds from the sale of postcards are used to support the local community.

EDITORIAL PANELLIST

WINTER WONDERS

OUR PEOPLE

WHY I’M HERE

The perfect fit Royal Mail’s the right place to be for a postman overcoming life challenges to thrive in his role.

Everyday life’s a never-ending battle for Doncaster postman Daniel Brookes. But his Royal Mail role provides a purpose, helping him live with a condition he can’t escape.

Life’s always been tough. Born with Cystic Hygroma, which puts a strain on his ability to eat and breathe, Daniel was forced to undergo a major operation at the age of one. It involved having half of his tongue removed, a breathing tube called a tracheostomy placed in his neck and a feeding tube inserted into his stomach.

I PUT ON WEIGHT EASILY BECAUSE OF MY FEEDING TUBE. SO WALKING EVERY DAY IS A HEALTH BONUS. Daniel remains determined to thrive – rather than just survive – and an active working life has always been important.

“With my condition, I could claim benefits and rent,” says the 35-year-old. “But work gives me a motivation in life – something to get out of bed for. When I didn’t have a job a couple of years ago, I used to self-harm. I suffered with depression and even tried to take my own life.”

This commitment to work began aged 16 when he embarked on a career in care. But he was forced to quit during the pandemic as his medical condition made him vulnerable. This brought him to Royal Mail and a postal round at Rossington Delivery Office, on the outskirts of Doncaster.

His daily routine involves a 100-mile round trip from his West Yorkshire home.

40

Winter 21/22

While you’re here You might be able to help.

Daniel’s breathing tubes are not funded by the NHS, cost £800 each and need replacing every two years.

Daniel’s raising money to help keep his life as comfortable as possible. If you’d like to donate, scan the QR code to visit Daniel’s fundraising page.

DELIVERING HOPE Daniel says that his job as a postman gives him a purpose in life.

“The working day starts at around 4.30am. It takes me over an hour to have a bath due to my tube and dressing changes and I set off around 6am for the office.

“To start with, I wanted to quit as I was out of my comfort zone,” recalls Daniel.

“But once I’d chatted to my colleagues, I realised I could do this job forever.

“Because of my feeding tube, I put on weight easily, so walking every day is a bonus for my health. It’s also made me realise that, while I used to look after others in my care work, I now need to take care of myself.”

Positive signs in Plymouth Sarah Tate’s among seven deaf colleagues at Plymouth Mail Centre. She teaches her teammates British Sign Language phrases to help them communicate with each other – and customers.

The most important part of feeling supported in the workplace is communication. The deaf world is very different from the hearing world. We have our own ‘deaf identity’ with a rich culture, language and community. I’m lucky because I know both worlds.

I’ve been working as a late shift OPG in Plymouth for 16 years and I love seeing that my colleagues want to work with deaf people. I really want us to be positive and strong together.

My manager Rob is fantastic and supports me all the time. We have a great camaraderie here and I’ve formed real friendships. During coronavirus, a lot of processes changed, but I didn’t feel stressed at all.

My work partner is Moira. She’s lovely and lets me know what’s going on. Obviously, I can’t hear things like the fire alarm or maybe the manager’s

having a team huddle and I might need important information relayed to me. So, she’ll let me know what’s going on or, if I’m a bit unsure, she’ll clarify things for me.

What’s critical is that managers at all sites realise the deaf community needs access to information. We need some simple things like time to look at each other or to write things down. It’s a very busy working environment and having that access can be challenging. I benefit from something called ‘Access to Work’, which is government funded and allows me to have an interpreter in the workplace to support me. It makes life a lot easier.

I want all people in Royal Mail to be equal and I’d love to be a deaf champion for our business.

I think that I can be a role model. I use British Sign Language and I’m happy to help people.

I’ve been sharing some phrases with my colleagues to help improve communication between deaf and hearing people.

Small words and phrases like ‘work’, ‘help’ and ‘fire alarm’ can make a big difference.

Be a signing star Wish your deaf or hard of hearing colleagues and customers a ‘merry Christmas’ using British Sign Language.

1

2

3

4

Merry 1 Curve your index finger and thumb in front of your mouth.

Now, rock your hand from side-to-side twice.

Christmas Place one hand on top of the other. 3 Then pull your top hand towards you and close it.

4 Now, place it back on top of the other hand, still closed.

2

SHARE YOUR STORY Tell us if you use British Sign Language to wish your customers a ‘merry Christmas’. And get in touch to share your own story about working life before Royal Mail or why our business is the right fit for you. Search Courier on Workplace or email courier@linney.com POSITIVE SIGNS Sarah (left) using British Sign Language to chat with work partner Moira.

Workplace.com

41

THE POSTAL MUSEUM

BACKSTORY

POST OF CHRISTMAS PAST London, November 1983. As the avalanche of seasonal mail reaches its peak, Royal Mail’s Christmas Control Room staff work seven days a week to track the one thousand million cards, letters and parcels the Post Office expects to handle over the festive period. Up-to-the-minute reports from across the country are analysed by Christmas Control Room colleagues at Post Office HQ. Should disaster strike – a snow blizzard, rail accident, flooding – the team can direct mail to other routes and methods of transport, making full use of Royal Mail’s unique air, road and rail network. Photograph courtesy of The Postal Museum. Royal Mail colleagues are entitled to a free ticket to The Postal Museum – including a ride on Mail Rail. For current opening hours, visit postalmuseum.org

42

Winter 21/22

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