Record number of applications for festive jobs at Royal Mail
Royal Mail has received a staggering 110,000 applications from job seekers hoping for temporary work during the festive season. The UK postal service has been seeking 18,000 seasonal workers to support its 130,000 permanent staff in coping with the 2bn letters and packages expected to be mailed during late November, December and early January.
But, it has received six applications for every role offered, almost double the number of applications received last year.
Most of the temporary positions have now been filled, Royal Mail said yesterday, although the company is still recruiting for positions in some areas of southern England.
Royal Mail’s managing director of operations and modernisation, Mark Higson, said: “We’re delighted at the response from people keen to help us sort the Christmas mailbag of 2bn items. More recruits are required in Bristol, Peterborough, Portsmouth and Northampton.”
Arrangements for processing parcels during the Christmas period are being beefed up at Royal Mail with a reorganisation of processes to set up a dedicated parcel network.
Last week a new dedicated parcel hub opened in Swansea, which is currently handling 90,000 items during each 24-hour period, and is expected to see daily volumes reaching 100,000. The hub is taking on 250 seasonal workers.
Consultation
Meanwhile, UK postal regulator Ofcom is reviewing the extent to which Royal Mail must deliver to every single home in the country under its universal service obligation.
A consultation has been launched on extending the current exemptions through to the end of 2013, which allow Royal Mail to refuse delivery to particular homes or premises if it there are “exceptional” difficulties in reaching them.
However, the regulator is not proposing any major changes to the current policy, other than updating references to regulations and organisations in accordance with the summer’s postal reform legislation, the Postal Services Act 2011.
Current exemptions to the universal service are based on health and safety for Royal Mail workers, difficulty of access or customer requested alternative delivery.
The new policy would run through to December 2013. Consultation responses are due December 16.
