Postperson

Introduction

Postpersons, also known as postmen and post women or postal delivery workers, collect, sort and deliver mail to homes and businesses.

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Work Activities

Postpersons collect, sort, distribute and deliver mail. Their duties include sorting letters and packets ready for delivery and filling mail bags. They then deliver the mail either on foot, by bicycle, bus, car or van. They must also collect customer signatures for registered letters and recorded deliveries.

In the sorting office, some sort the mail by hand to get it into the correct address order for delivery. Others, often more experienced, operate automated equipment to sort mail that has been posted in their district ready to go to other places. They also sort incoming mail to be distributed to local sub-post offices for final sorting and delivery. Postmen and postwomen must also deal with mail that has to be redirected or returned.

Some postmen and postwomen are employed as drivers. Large goods vehicle drivers transport mail over long distances. Local drivers deliver mail in vans from central offices to local offices, collect mail from boxes and may sometimes sort mail. Drivers are usually experienced postal workers.

Parcel work is similar to letter delivery work.

In all cases, it is the postperson's responsibility to get the post from the sorting office to the correct destination.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You should be fit and healthy enough to carry heavy bags or pull a trolley of mail. You must be honest, punctual and reliable. You need to be organised and self reliant as you could be working on your own for long periods of time. A good memory is useful for remembering streets and addresses.

Working in a sorting office requires quick and careful work. You should be good at working as part of a team. You need good people skills when dealing with customers.

A driving licence is useful, and is required for some posts.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Postal workers earn in the range of £220 - £250 a week, rising to £320 - £400.

Postal workers usually work a basic 40-hour week. Sorting office staff must be prepared to work unsocial hours that involve shifts. Delivery staff start early in the morning - from 4:30 am onwards. Some postal workers, including large goods vehicle drivers, work shifts through the night and on Sundays.

There are opportunities for temporary work, for example during the busy Christmas season.

Royal Mail employs postal workers throughout the UK.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Background experience in delivery or driving work can be useful. Practical work, such as warehousing, packing or stores work, is helpful.

For some jobs, a current driving licence is necessary, while for others applicants may have to be willing to ride a bicycle.

• 4% have flexible hours.
• 4% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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