LTB 620/18 – Royal Mail Group (RMG) Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Team Re-Organisation Announcement

No. 620/2018

6 November 2018

Our Ref: C1/18

 

Royal Mail Group (RMG) Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Team Re-Organisation Announcement

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The Health Safety and Environment Department was notified yesterday by Dr. Shaun Davis Royal Mail Group Global Director of Safety, Health, Wellbeing and Sustainability of his decision to announce a re-organisation of the RMG SHE Team.

Dr. Davis said that as an organisation he and RMG are continually reviewing ways of working and how well they serve Royal Mail Group’s internal and external customers, and the impact this has on the RMG SHE team.

In April 2018, the previous re-organisation of the RMG SHE team aligned the team according to the functional set up in Post and Parcels, with Parcelforce and International being supported alongside it. However it has been decided that this is no longer fit for purpose and is leading to duplication of support and increased travel across the Field team.

Dr. Davis added that a smarter, more efficient way of working is required, reducing duplication of coverage and the need for travel, which is better for the business and better for the workforce.

In addition, the RMG SHE Team under Dr. Davis has recently taken the Royal Mail Property and Facilities Solutions Risk, Compliance and Assurance team into the SHE Team function from RM Group Compliance, resulting in the RMG SHE Team being able to exploit the synergies between the combined teams to provide combined Safety, Health and Environment expertise on behalf of the entire Royal Mail Group (RMG).

A review of the activities undertaken by the Royal Mail Group Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Team has been undertaken and in summary the revised structure will have:

  • UK Parcels, International and Letters (UKPIL) Field operations, headed by Andy Pearson, leading a team of SHE business partners and SHE advisors which will work in a more structured and geographical way with four new SHE cross-functional Regions to support the whole business.
  • A new RM Group Head of Safety, Health and Environment Centre of Excellence, with the head appointment to be made, providing expert guidance and advice to the business in technical areas such as property and facilities management, road safety and environment and sustainability.
  • A Standards and Reporting team, with head appointment to be made, that will own the SHE Management System, risk profiling, data, reporting, engagement and continuous improvement.
  • A Group Head of Health and Wellbeing, with the head appointment to be made.
  • There is a proposed net reduction of 13 SHE Advisor roles (Unite/CMA Grades) in the Field team and a proposed change in the structure of the SHE Business Partners roles in order to better support the business.
  • There is a proposed reduction of a number of specific roles in the wider team, mostly as a result of maximising on the synergies of the previous RM Property and Facilities Solutions (RMPFS) Risk Compliance and Assurance team and the wider SHE team.
  • There is a small flow through of some specialist roles.
  • There is no proposal to reduce roles or posts at CWU grades level.

This will result in:-

  • A smaller central team focused on setting standards, policy and guidance across all of Royal Mail Group, bringing into the Group SHE Team the critical work of supporting Property and Facilities Solutions.
  • A field team proactively targeting and prioritising their time on the units that most require support.
  • Team realigned by geography, reducing the geographic burden and travel on individuals in the SHE team as at present.

Dr. Davis stated that he is determined to keep talent and skills within the organisation through the resourcing process to fill the roles. All affected managers will have the opportunity of a preference exercise during November, in order to give managers the maximum opportunity to consider their options. The SHE team members will be fully briefed on the new SHE structure and model to understand what it means for them.

Dr. Davis has once again expressed his thanks and appreciation of the work undertaken by CWU Area and Workplace Health and Safety Representatives which he sees as an important component of the Royal Mail Group Health, Safety and Welfare community going forward into the new structure.

The Health, Safety and Environment Department’s response to the new structure has been to express our concern at the reduction in SHE Advisor posts which is the third reduction since 2012. However we understand the reasons behind it, which is linked to a Board level decision on cost savings following the recent trading update profit warning. We will however continue to work closely with Dr. Davis and the RMG SHE Team within the new structure, in our joint efforts to improve safety and health and to drive down accidents and occupational ill health, both physical and mental.

Yours sincerely

 

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety and Environment Officer

 18LTB620 Royal Mail Group (RMG) Safety Health & Environment (SHE) Team Re-Organisation Announcement