Royal Mail asks most successful managers to help improve its worst performing delivery offices

By Alex Lawson, Financial Mail On Sunday

Published: | Updated:

Royal Mail has asked its most successful managers to help improve its worst performing delivery offices. 

Chief executive Simon Thompson has told investors he hopes to narrow the vast gap between the best and worst performing of its 1,200 delivery offices. 

The 500-year-old firm rates each office on measures including productivity and quality of service.

Room for improvement: The 500-year-old firm rates each office on measures including productivity and quality of service

Room for improvement: The 500-year-old firm rates each office on measures including productivity and quality of service

Thompson said he has asked employees in 'places where we have great, very trusted relationships' to spend time in 'less great' offices to make changes. 

It is part of a wider plan by the former Apple executive to 'build trust' within the organisation, where he is trying to stamp out longstanding bullying problems. 

Speaking at Royal Mail's AGM, he said: 'All of our operations need to make an equal contribution...I understand that none of our operations are exactly the same and as human beings, we can all do things better than each other. 

'But the difference in performance between our best and worst operations is just too wide.' The company has been trialling new working methods to cut admin for managers to free up time to spend with their teams. After a trial in Sale, Manchester, the system will be rolled out by the end of October. 

The company is battling the impact of the 'pingdemic' and has warned customers in 14 areas to expect delays as a result. 

Chairman Keith Williams also said the firm plans to appoint someone from an ethnic minority as a board director 'in the next month or so' to improve its diversity. 

Royal Mail to put best bosses in worst sites

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