Chapter 3 Our Workforce
Violence Prevention and Crisis Management
The Workplace Environment Advisory Committee is composed of representatives of Postal Service Human Resources, unions, and management associations. Working closely with the Postal Inspection Service and EAP/Workplace Environment Improvement (WEI), this committee uses a standard protocol to identify and address undesirable behavior that results from individual or systemic problems. The EAP/WEI help field offices by ensuring that local threat assessment and crisis management teams are in place and training is provided. These teams respond to potential threats and crises to help bring about a swift resolution and ensure the utmost employee safety.
In August, the threat assessment team process was revised to include self-audit tools designed to ensure compliance with postal policies and procedures.
National Workplace Harassment Prevention
The Postal Service is committed to providing a safe, productive, and inclusive workplace; it will not tolerate harassment of any type and holds managers responsible for preventing it. Awareness is key to ensuring a workplace free of unlawful and inappropriate conduct. This year the Postal Service continued to provide Workplace Harassment Fact Finding training to new fact finders. 160 new fact finders completed the first step in the certification process. In addition, 61 experienced fact finders were provided training to ensure compliance with the new procedure on reporting and investigating harassment complaints.
Employee Communications and Outreach
Voice of the Employee
Every quarter, one-fourth of career employees receive the Postal Service’s Voice of the Employee (VOE) survey at their work location. Participation is voluntary and employees are given time on the clock to complete the survey. The surveys are then sealed in postage-paid envelopes and mailed to the contractor for data analysis and quarterly reporting. No one from the Postal Service sees or is provided individual responses. Six of the questions are used as key indicators of workplace factors that can impact employee performance and business outcomes. Survey results help identify organizational issues and establish improvement strategies. For 2008, the national employee response rate was 61 percent. The national index score was 63.7 percent favorable, up slightly from 63.5 percent. Beginning with fiscal year 2009, the survey was redesigned and now contains specific questions to assess employee engagement and affinity with the Postal Service. Employee engagement fosters genuine commitment to the success of the individual and the organization.
Employee Communications
Keeping employees informed about postal business developments is essential. This year employee communications continued to focus on raising awareness of the impacts of the Postal Act of 2006 and the many changes taking place in the market for mailing and shipping services.
The goal of employee communications is a well-informed workforce, fully engaged in meeting the needs of postal customers and helping the business grow. A comprehensive campaign explained new product features, pricing, and customer convenience options. Employee communications also included regular updates on important strategic programs — such as Intelligent Mail® and the Flats Sequencing System — and timely updates about the effects of the economy on mail volume and revenue.
Employee communications vehicles include print and online newsletters, on-demand videos, digital signage, daily service talks, quick reference cards, and new intranet applications that allow employees to easily obtain and share information. The Postal Service will continue to use traditional communications media while introducing new tools to improve outreach and effectiveness, and improve the ability of employees to provide input and feedback.
Community Involvement
Postal Service employees are committed to being good neighbors in the communities they serve, as shown by their efforts to help those in need.
Have You Seen Me Program
Since 1985, the Postal Service has worked in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Valassis, formerly ADVO, to reunite families with missing children through America’s Looking For Its Missing Children program — recognized as one of the nation’s most effective public service initiatives.