First Day at the Office - what a disappointment

[mrhodes2705]

Well that was a disappointment to say the least.

All the documentation told you what you were going to get and what to expect and it was nothing like.

Manager spoke to 3 of us starting today and just said "Enjoy" and allocated us to a postie who was about to go out. No tour of the facility and what's were or anything, Didn't even get shown where the toilets or anything was. No ID badge, no way to clock in and out, no PPE. Ive just walked round with a postie (who wasnt a Workplace Coach). I missed all the sorting into the frames, bundling up the walks / loops, which is terminology I had never heard of, would have been useful to have seen that to help understand how its all done and how it all fits in, but you cant come in earlier than 9, even though the postie was in at 7:30 to sort that out.

So I asked about uniform and was told you get nothing until 4-5 weeks into the job, that's not what you get told by the onboarding team, told to order your new started allocation on day one through the portal, but then you log on there's no option to. Quick email to the uniform team and I get told its changed and speak to your manager. Sadly the managers response filled me with no confidence that I'm even getting a uniform anytime soon. A company as big as Royal Mail should kit you out in the work clothing from day 1.

I cant log onto anything, Robin, People App, Palms etc as said not set up and to see a manager. The response was it well get done in time. All the onboarding info says it should be available from day 2. Not the case.

Asked for ID, not forthcoming was told they would need to take a pic first, I explained that was emailed in 4 weeks ago.

I have no idea what days I'm working or what days I'm off. When ever I ask I seem to just get fobbed off.

Have to say this has been the most disappointing first day having worked in any company in my career. You aren't made to feel welcome and part of any team. The guy I was with was great, helpful, friendly, but being on an old contract could help me with any queries about pay dates, cut offs, overtime etc.

Will just have to see what happens, all i know so far is I'm in tomorrow at 9am, If I felt I could go above the managers head I would but don't want to be that person on day 1. Unfortunately I'm not in a position to go to another job so I will have to see how things play out the rest of the week, day 2 cant actually be any worse than today was.

[Basildon Bond]

It does suck; and it doesn't have to. There have been a good few posts on here where the poster has been disappointed in the first day/week at RM.

I would kind of take a guess and say you're not straight out of school and this is not your first job? Can I ask what made you pick it? What are you looking for? Maybe you could still make it work despite the rough start?

The indoor prep part of the job can be learned later on - I wouldn't suggest rushing to deal with all that just yet. I would push your manager for a hi-vest or jacket so you can be seen in the yard and/or look a bit official out on the street. Honestly though the uniform isn't great - sizing is all off compared to the high street, doesn't stretch, doesn't last, etc. The positive is that at least you're free to wear whatever you like for a bit. I guess many people don't last the week and so they have stopping handing out kit immediately.

Do get your hours and days off nailed down. Get your own login to the PDA sorted ASAP and use the SISO tile on that so you scan in and out. Don't start saying "yes" to extra hours or work thinking you'll make friends with the manager - you should remain guarded for a while otherwise they'll just keep coming to you first.

Different offices can run quite differently to each other in terms of hours, length of loops, and stress so take any replies on here shouting "get out now" loosely. Maybe the job can work for you. If you like the outside part of the job, and can let a lot of dumb decisions wash over you, and you're happy to turn up, walk the loops, and go home, you may quite like it.

Good luck.

[BenacreNick]

Honestly, give yourself two weeks settling in to adjust.

Absorb lots of information and ask lots of questions.

Monday is the best day to work, Wednesday and Thursday are the most difficult because of volume.

It would help if you did the same routes as today, but it's possible you might get moved on to another post-person and different routes.

Soon you will do a basic driving test if you have a licence, so you can drive the van. We have electric, so it's a slightly different driving style.

Generally morale across the work-force is low, but keep saying hi to your colleagues and I'm sure you'll get a better response from them.

Best of luck and let us know what happens tomorrow.

[fadetogrey63]

Near enough same when I joined last year, and typical of the work place coach, what exactly are they getting paid the extra for,
not a lot it seems. hang on in there, it's manic most days, and even after a year I'm still rushed every day, and it can be overwhelming.. good luck!

[BenacreNick]

What happened on day 2, day 3 MRhodes ?

[ted_e_bear]

What happened on day 2, day 3 MRhodes ?

You're optimistic

[qwerty2]

What happened on day 2, day 3 MRhodes ?

Probably packed in already

[Tman]

Have to say this has been the most disappointing first day having worked in any company in my career.

There's your first error of thinking; it's a job not a career choice.

[mrhodes2705]

Not packed it in yet !!! LOL

Well still no hi-vis provided. Been promised a PDA login each day and still don't have one. Teamed up with a guy who is great and really helpful but he's not a WPC so doesn't have all the answers and is on the old contract so cant answer a lot of question. He gives me the letters each day and he does the parcels so i'm learning how to put a letter through a letter box !!! he not let me loose on his PDA, I can understand why as it may affect his performance scores and tbh he has prepped the duty and scanned all the parcels before i even come in.

I let him see my new entrant induction frame work that the onboarding team gave me, he just laughed and said "none if that will happen", but at least i know where the toilets are now. Not done and Manual handling or any of the legal workplace stuff, i've raised it so its on the managers head if it doesn't happen.

Its a nice rural round, not very busy, so what ever I do next is going to bring me crashing into reality big time.

Im just trying to ignore what goes on in the office and just get on with what needs doing each day, 4 days and still not touched a PDA so im still a long way off doing anything in myself. Not even a mention about driving.

Thanks for you inputs / feedback, its appreciated.

[Woody84]

To be honest with you, the first few days you’ve had sound great…

No pressure, no stress and no unrealistic expectations laid on you? I’d say make the most of it. I understand your eagerness to get stuck in but honestly just enjoy this period of getting paid for the bare minimum expected from you for as long as possible.

You should definitely be given a high viz for when in the yard and I’d suggest finding out who the H&S rep is and get them to pull their finger out.

[ted_e_bear]

Sounds like you're settling in then, good that they've put you with someone nice and steady rather than a runner who'd see you as an inconvenience.

I suspect however though your manager might be fully embracing the RM delivery office management standard of can't be arsed approach, surely could have shown you round and dug out a hiviz at least, also I'm pretty sure the PDA login is a straightforward job that can be produced by the manager on their pc there and then if they can be bothered to do it.

I'd maybe ask whoever you're with today to show you round the PDA, let you deliver some items so you get used to what needs a photo/signature/how to input delivery to safe place or neighbour etc.

Good luck.

[mrhodes2705]

Slowly getting there, got a PDA logon now so I can deliver parcels / tracked but I've not scanned them in in the morning so my partner wants them doing on his PDA so it doesn't look like he hasn't delivered them, I think he likes his performance figures.

Just trying to sort a Robin / Workplace Logon now, another manager led task, so may be another week of constant badgering to get that.

Still clueless on what I'm working in 7 days time, I need to book stuff but cant because I don't know if I'm off, but by the time I get to know all the appointments will have gone. In 30 yrs of working I've never come across such a disorganised way of working.

Oh well, Monday is week 2, I've survived my first week to the surprise of a few of the other workers.

[ted_e_bear]

As far as his performance is concerned It doesn't matter which PDA the items are scanned in on as long as they are subsequently scanned in the outdoor mode, your score only reduces if an item is marked as not delivered - no answer, I suppose he must be covering his back as if an item doesn't get an outdoor scan then the manager will get a notification to that effect the following day.

[BenacreNick]

Shortly MRhodes, your name will appear on the duties board and then your manager will say something like, "oh yeah I've changed it this week your now doing something else instead".

Keep at it for next week, but first enjoy your weekend.

[qwerty2]

Shortly MRhodes, your name will appear on the duties board and then your manager will say something like, "oh yeah I've changed it this week your now doing something else instead".

Keep at it for next week, but first enjoy your weekend.

Just wait till the Xmas rush starts