Royal Mail
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DismissRoyal Mail is the British postal service. They're known for their bright red pillar post boxes.
royalmail.comBased on responses from 2,147 employees at Royal Mail.
About jobs at Royal Mail
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Royal Mail pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
95% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 170 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The new Living Wage rates were announced on Thursday 22 September 2022.
The rates are now £10.90 per hour, and £11.95 per hour in London.
Employers are expected to implement the rise as soon as possible but by the latest 14 May 2023.
On the 14 May 2023, employers’ Breakroom Rating will be updated to reflect this.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Royal Mail pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
36% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 157 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Bad
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Under 18s get paid less than everyone else
Do Royal Mail pay the same regardless of age?
No, people under the age of 18 get paid less than those above 23.
See what Royal Mail pays different age groupsHow we know this
The average pay of under 18s is less than those who are over 23.Based on data from 281 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and June 2023.
Good
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Most people get paid breaks
Do workers at Royal Mail get paid breaks?
Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
How we know this
74% of people say they get paid breaks.Based on data from 179 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Good
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Most people get sick pay
Do Royal Mail pay sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
76% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 166 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Royal Mail do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
77% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 160 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Bad
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Royal Mail?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 80% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 4% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 5% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 11% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 102 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Okay
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Some people worry about their hours
Do workers at Royal Mail worry about hours?
Some people worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
37% of people report they worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 161 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Royal Mail workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
63% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 153 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Bad
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Royal Mail workers to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
69% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 86 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Okay
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Can be hard to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Royal Mail?
Some people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
54% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 169 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Royal Mail managers change shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
35% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 162 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Royal Mail?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
39% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 162 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Good
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Most students say it’s good
Is a Royal Mail job good for students?
Most students say this is a good place to work if you’re studying.
How we know this
79% of students report this is a good place to work if you’re studying.Based on data from 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2019 and May 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should allow you to fit work around important things in your life, like studying.
Life isn’t just about work. Good jobs make space for you to do well in both.
Okay
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Only some parents say it’s good
Is working at Royal Mail good if you’re a parent or carer?
Only some parents and carer say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
41% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 177 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do people at Royal Mail feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
53% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 165 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do people at Royal Mail get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
45% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 174 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Bad
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Royal Mail?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
70% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 176 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do people at Royal Mail enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
37% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 155 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Bad
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Most people don’t recommend their team
Do people at Royal Mail recommend working with their team?
Not many people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
71% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 186 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Okay
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Only some people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Royal Mail?
Some people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
45% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 179 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Bad
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Most people don’t get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Royal Mail?
Most people aren’t given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 84% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 164 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Bad
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Royal Mail head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
91% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 178 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Bad
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Most people don’t feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Royal Mail is doing?
Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
71% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 167 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and June 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
How Royal Mail ranks
Royal Mail ranks joint 5th to work for out of delivery companies.
Rankings are based on Breakroom Ratings for employers with 30 or more quiz responses, accurate as of 10 June 2023.
Pay ranges at Royal Mail
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£11.00–14.00 per hour
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£10.00–14.12 per hour
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£12.89–20.26 per hour
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£14.37–19.31 per hour
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£12.58–24.24 per hour
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£14.00–16.85 per hour
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£9.70–13.70 per hour
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£8.46–11.17 per hour
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£11.11–15.14 per hour
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£11.00–14.46 per hour
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£10.45–14.72 per hour
Royal Mail job reviews
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Best thing
Some of the people (supportive), some of the work (if you end up in a dept you like)
Worst thing
Some of the people (stuck in their ways), some of the work (if you end up in a dept not suitable for you)
Royal Mail Employee, May 2023
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Best thing
Still a workplace like no other, hours and pay is good
Worst thing
Bullying is out of control, both managers and employees are guilty of it, the mental health struggles that come of this are easily apparent to see
Royal Mail Vehicle technician, February 2023
Jobs by location
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11 job openings
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8 job openings
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9 job openings
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4 job openings
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7 job openings
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21 job openings
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7 job openings
Handy to know
What contracts are people on?
Based on 152 Royal Mail employees
How are people paid?
Based on 188 Royal Mail employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 102 Royal Mail employees