Just going into week 6...

cookiewise · Post by **cookiewise** » 16 Sep 2018, 21:35

So I thought I'd say Hi.
Weeks one and two brought me to tears.
Induction day seemed like a different job at a different organisation than the one I was faced with the next day.
Worked through the leg pain and exhaustion and no blisters so far!
Disparity between HR and floor. No joined up comms. Oppressive environment.
Training nil. Coaching nil. Support nil. Uniform nil. Struggling to get my speed up. Regularly highlighted in "motivational" chats by inexperienced boss with poor people skills.
From reading other posts, and in the words of Tom Jones, this is not unusual.
No idea if I will last this out.

Post by **fb1969** » 17 Sep 2018, 07:48

Hi cookiewise

Sorry to read your experience of your first six weeks at RM. Reading on here there are some offices that seem pretty decent, but after six years in myself I see a lot of what you describe on a daily basis. All the time your mental and physical health can keep going, then keep going. It is almost a case of getting used to it and carrying on, but if it starts to really get to you make sure you do what you feel is best for you.

Wish I could be more positive but RM is very poor employer on many levels. If you've heard of The Alarm, that is the Absolute Reality.

FirstPost · Post by **FirstPost** » 17 Sep 2018, 17:05

what are the 2 hardest aspects you have found so far?

cookiewise · Post by **cookiewise** » 17 Sep 2018, 18:42

FirstPost wrote:what are the 2 hardest aspects you have found so far?

Just 2?!
Perhaps the pounding concrete walk that is coupled with heavy carrying and lots of bending to reach the low down letterboxes and a manager who succeeded in making me feel entirely useless.
I was particularly troubled by his benchmark of success = the absence of complaints and wondered if that was an official RM cultural measure?
My mail bag is so old the buckles have disappeared and it is knotted and therefore cannot be adjusted. Fine for a taller person, but I have bruising on my leg where it bounces off me as I walk...

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 17 Sep 2018, 19:33

You should either be using a High Capacity Trolley (If on a single duty) or a lightweight trolley if on a van share pairing.
You shouldn't be carrying heavy bags.

Even if you have areas where the trolley is inappropriate, blocks of flats/steep terrain, then the bag shouldn't be heavy.
Ask for a new pouch.

cookiewise · Post by **cookiewise** » 17 Sep 2018, 21:42

clashcityrocker wrote:You should either be using a High Capacity Trolley (If on a single duty) or a lightweight trolley if on a van share pairing.
You shouldn't be carrying heavy bags.

Even if you have areas where the trolley is inappropriate, blocks of flats/steep terrain, then the bag shouldn't be heavy.
Ask for a new pouch.

That's interesting! I do use a high capacity trolley, but park it and put parcels and letters into the bag to complete delivery loops otherwise it would take even longer pushing the trolley round the houses. That's what I was shown to do in the first week. Is there a better way?

I will ask for a new bag but given what I know about the DO so far it's unlikely it will be provided. We ran out of elastic bands, and the pens they provide leak - if that gives you an idea of the chaos in my DO.

Post by **fb1969** » 18 Sep 2018, 06:47

That isn't chaos in your DO, it is fairly standard in every DO. We have run out of bands, we have run out of 739s and we regularly run out of paper towels in the loo - you name it, we've run out of it. A few weeks ago they were handing out pens, branded to tell us to cancel unfranked stamps - that is the ONLY time I have ever been provided with a pen while at RM. I buy a bag of 30 in Poundland and hope that at least half of them work.

You ask about a "benchmark of success" - RM do not employ managers that are any good with people. You work on the basis that if you are doing ok, nothing will be said. You will only get feedback on how you are doing if you make a mistake.