Maria's Story Continued 11

I went to work after my daughter went to school and I stayed at the firm for fifteen years. I started of as a print operator then I was promoted to central records clerk then I was promoted to Central Records Supervisor. I went on a course for three days for office supervisory which I enjoyed very much. It gave me an opportunity to really get to know my staff because I made time to talk with them and I got to know them as individuals as well as the staff working for me. I would like to think I was a fair supervisor but if some aspect of the work was not done I would enquire as to why it had not been done as I took pride in my work duties and I worked very hard. I did a good days work and I earned my pay at the end of the month.

I feel in todays climate so many managers forget the art of communicating with their staff I think it is fundamental that they should make the time and effort to talk to their staff and it also shows you are interested in them as individuals and not just work issues. To lose the art of communicating is very sad because this leads to an unhappy and frustrated workforce. When I went for the interview I did not think I would be successful but I was and I was elated. I gained confidence and I went to evening classes at the local college to complete a computer information technology course for a year at the end of the course I had to sit an exam remember I had no qualifications at this time. I sat the course and I passed with a distinction I was over the moon it really meant a lot to me and when I received my certificate I danced around the house I was so so happy. My husband thought I was mad but I explained that this was the first certificate I had ever achieved and I was elated to say the least. I went on to do a two year course in which the firm I worked for payed. It was a National Examination Board in Supervisory and Management and I passed. I went away for a weekend as a requirement part of my two year course and I did abseiling which I had never ever attempted before I was scared I will admit but what a thrill when I did it. I achieved it, also rock climbing another thing I had never attempted before. I was pleased and proud with myself and really enjoyed the weekend. The firm closed down and I was out of work for fourteen months. I was then successful in acquiring a casual post as an Administrative Assistant in the civil service initially for three months but my casual contract kept being extended I ended up staying in the post for eighteen months. In 1994 part of the civil service was privatised and an in-house team won the contract for various services which included security of the building, reprographics, in coming post and out going post, internal post, switchboard and typing services. The in-house team sub contracted the post opening to the Royal Mail so that we did not need to carry on doing it on site. I was asked to go up to the local post office to train their staff on post opening as there were so many different forms etc. I went up to my local post office for a week to train six people who were on the post opening team at the post office on what had to be done. I applied for a job with the in-house team as it was a permanent post I was successful. The office I worked in had a collection for me when I left that particular department and they tell me they collected a lot of money which was unusual and they presented me with a beautiful large denby plate and we had my leaving the department night out on the town a brilliant time we did have and I was overwhelmed. I did not realise I was so popular it brought tears to my eyes overcome with emotion I was when the presentation to me occurred and at the presentation the room was full of people I was emotional to say the least. I enjoyed my time working in the department and I had a good working relationship with most of the staff and related well with the staff and the staff with me which was lovely.

I started with the in-house team on July 4th 1994 then in September of 1994 I applied for a post as supervisor of the support staff this post became vacant because the supervisor had retired on the grounds of ill health and again I was successful this post involved travelling to different offices a couple of times a month although I was based at the town were I lived at this time. A couple of years later a post was advertised for a deputy area manager and I applied for the position and I was successful but I had to move base to a bigger office this was a 56 mile round trip each day. If I was rostered to open the building it meant I was getting up at 04-30am and travelling to be there for 06-30am but I thoroughly enjoyed the position and I was responsible for support staff, switchboard operators and secretarial staff, temporary and part time and full time staff the total number of staff I was responsible for was between 20-25 depending if I had temporary staff in or not. I also travelled to other offices which I enjoyed very much and I carried out checks to make sure our services were being carried out correctly as per the assignment instructions. I also liaised with the staff in the buildings following up any complaints they may have had about the delivery of our services to them. I also spoke to my staff concerned as to the reasons why we had failed a service this was interesting because to be fair you had to have both sides of the story and then weigh up the facts and make your decision accordingly. I also had to travel to management meetings held at Nottingham every month this was a sixty mile round trip for me. Also part of my job involved organising meetings with the post office, usually once a month the reason for this was to cascade any new information and any complaints from staff at the sites to the post office staff. I had to follow up these meetings as they were a two way event also the post office would raise any queries or issues they had with me if I did not have or know the answer I would follow it up and then report back to them it was very interesting to me as it meant I was meeting all levels of different people.