Yello!
OUR COLLEAGUE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021
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YEARS... We’ve come a long way together since becoming DHL Parcel UK: See the highlights on P11
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01/12/2021 16:10
We’ve moved As One with pace and direction. Neal Sunners Chief Information Officer
It’s been an eventful 2021. We’ve pushed forward with digital transformation, launched new products, invested in Salesforce and grown our use of Office 365, moving our network to BT, refreshing printers and most of our laptops and PCs. We’ve moved As One with pace and direction and can be pleased with those achievements.
I can’t believe it’s Christmas already…
…and although we’re bringing another exciting and challenging year to a close, our transformational journey continues. Looking back at the highlights, as a team we should feel proud of how far we’ve come from a people and performance perspective. I’ve seen a real step change in culture and a growing pride for the DHL brand and what this can bring.
Thomas Martin Vice President Sales
We have such a great team in DHL Parcel UK… Sarah Maddox Vice President – HR
…and this year has shown how well everyone has worked together, despite the pandemic and other challenges. In HR we have been busy engaging and communicating with you as well as helping embed our four attributes of As One, Passion, Can Do and Right First Time. We hope you enjoyed the food-related gifts you received this year – look out for your final one for this year, coming soon!
You have been absolute stars, pulling together.
This year has been challenging and rewarding and all about you and your amazing dedication to supporting each other and our customers. You have been absolute stars, pulling together As One through tough times to deliver quality and service with a Can Do attitude and Passion to get things Right First Time. There has been a huge change in the culture and branding of the business and the focus is now very much on investment in many areas – employees, infrastructure and technology.
Charlotte Bunney Vice President Customer Experience
Our teams have coped so well with all the challenges. Scott Laird Vice President – Operations
This year has felt like a constant Peak and our teams have coped so well, managing sustained high volumes safely. We relocated Tunbridge Wells and Swindon and opened at Hounslow, our electric vehicles are making us more sustainable and we’re over halfway through the end-of-year Peak. Thank you all for your commitment, support and hard work.
Thank you for your commitment and effort.
This year has ended on a high, with UK Mail returning to profit after some difficult changes made last year – a great reward for the hard work in 2020. We have maintained service performance above 98.5%, that’s six unbroken years of high service levels as of November 2021. Thank you to everyone at UK Mail for your commitment and effort.
Jon Wilkins Director of DSA Mail
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas. Peter Krohn Chief Financial Officer
We can all be proud of the development of DHL Parcel UK. Finance and Administration has again improved its EOS result with 95% employee engagement, as well as progressing in digitalisation. The Finance and Administration team and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to continuing our development in 2022.
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01/12/2021 16:29
Contents
Welcome H
i everyone As I write this column we have just come through the Black Friday weekend. Our sites, hubs and departments have all worked hard together As One to deliver a high service level to our customers. In this edition of Yello! it’s great to see all our attributes reflected in the articles. There are employees going the extra mile with a Can Do attitude to help others in our superhero section and other colleagues have been raising money for charity with real Passion. And as for getting it Right First Time – well, our Employee Opinion Survey scores have shown an increase in every question on the survey. It just remains for me to thank you for all your hard work through what’s been another challenging year and I hope you find the time to relax over the festive period, ready to do it all again in 2022.
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04 Feel part of it
10 Parcel Perks
Why we love our training.
An easy way to save hundreds of pounds for your family.
05 Hitting the heights
Two heroes who climbed above and beyond to save a life and an anxious customer’s blushes.
06 Look after yourself
We’re quick to treat a sprained wrist on site… but what about our mental health?
08 Site Focus
Spotlight on… the Tunbridge Wells team (including Mark Dowsing, left).
09 A lorry lorry fun
Behind the scenes at our TikTok marketing shoot to attract new drivers.
Peter Fuller, CEO
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Our Employee of the Year reveals how all nine finalists deserved the award.
15 Your opinions count An at-a-glance look at what you told us in the recent Employee Opinion Survey.
17 Charity stars
Your best charity piccies show why you’re such a big-hearted bunch.
20 Win…
An Apple TV HD for all the family to enjoy.
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QR codes
Payroll Lottery winners
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12 Winners one and all
Don’t forget! Whenever you see a QR code, scan it with your smartphone camera app to view additional content or videos here and online.
Please recycle this magazine responsibly
The Payroll Lottery is just £2 a month to enter, with half of your contribution going to the monthly winner and the other half to charity.
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Congratulations to our Payroll Lottery winners: September: Pawandeep Kalsi, Application Support Analyst, IT – £575 October: Anna Roman, Mail Sorter, Runcorn Sort Centre – £583
To be in with a chance to win, email Payroll_ecsuk@dhl.com with your name, location and payroll number.
or scan here
November: Stephen Bustard, Warehouse Operative, Docklands – £587
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01/12/2021 18:27
“The CES foundation is a positive and inspirational course. It was great to meet colleagues from other areas of the business, join in different activities and spend leisure time with them during breaks and in the evening.” Andy Cotton, Operations Manager - Stafford
“It showed me just how passionate our company and our employees are, and when we come together for events and work as a team, excellence is delivered.”
“It was a really good mix of information and fun and I felt the activities really helped to drive home the topics.” Matt Cox, Graphic Designer - Ryton
Leigh Day, Senior Key Accounts Manager Ryton
Don’t miss out on CES!
“Great intro to our structure, functions and culture.” Will Dixon, Senior Data Architect - Ryton
(Here’s why)
“It was full of information about DHL, its strategy and goals and I got to meet people face to face.” Tayba Bukhari, Assistant Credit Manager - Slough
We have already held 14 Certified eCommerce Specialist (CES) Foundation Programmes since the end of August, with more than 250 of you attending so far. The mandatory courses will halt for Peak but return in January 2022 and run until the end of October, with 66 programmes planned. But hurry, there are only 18 places per programme – so get booked in quick.
“It was fantastic to spend time and discuss business matters with people from different departments across the business.”
“I can’t wait for my other colleagues in the Glasgow site to attend to hear their reactions to a great course.” Isabel Dunn, Administrator - Glasgow
Joe Cooper, Sales Executive - Leeds
“It was inspirational. From the moment we arrived to the moment we left there was no rank, we were networking and working together AS ONE! I came away feeling fired up to take it all back to my role.” Danielle Easton, Regional Sortation Manager 04 Yello! Yello_11_p4-5-Trainers-FirstAid-v12 SUB.indd 4
01/12/2021 14:16
Meet our DHL
S E O R E H
Our frontline stars just keep on delivering Quick-thinking Jonny’s a lifesaver New recruit Jonny Hill stayed cool, calm and collected to come to the rescue of a colleague in distress. The former van driver’s mate, who switched to a job at our Carlisle site just two months ago, had popped to the bathroom when a sixth sense told him something wasn’t quite right. He heard a series of bumps and bangs from behind one of the cubicles followed by a distressed groaning, so he acted fast. Without hesitating, he ran back into the warehouse to seek out qualified first aiders before returning to the scene to see what he could do. By the time they arrived, Jonny had scaled the toilet cubicle to find a colleague had collapsed and was slumped by the door after suffering an epileptic fit.
“I jumped down and pushed the door back open so that when the first aiders arrived, they could assess him and put him in the recovery position,” he said. “It all happened so quickly that I didn’t really have time to think too much about what I was doing. It just came instinctively, to be honest.” Meanwhile, other colleagues had called paramedics while Jonny and the first aiders comforted their poorly colleague.
Calm under pressure
Site Manager Simon Reay says: “The way Jonny responded was amazing. He was so cool and calm under pressure and they were just two of the qualities we saw in him when we offered him a full-time job.” Jonny is no stranger to heroics… he featured in a previous edition of Yello! when he refused to deliver a scooter to a child’s house days before Christmas without first checking the youngster was not around. Simon adds: “I have no doubt the injuries caused during the seizure would have been much worse but for Jonny’s quick thinking and calm action. “It was actually quite ironic because Jonny had signed up for a November first aid course just a few days before the incident.” The colleague, who is thought to have suffered an adverse reaction to his medication and the heat, did not suffer any serious injuries and is now fine after receiving hospital treatment. Simon nominated Jonny for an Exceptionals award and adds: “He is a fantastic addition to my team and his actions underlined precisely the type of people we look for.”
Cheers to Scott! When Van Driver Scott Devonport arrived with a wine delivery for one of his elderly customers, he soon realised there was a problem. The grandmother had been gardening in front of her house when a gust of wind slammed the back gate shut, locking her out. So she was relieved to see Scott pull up outside her home on his route from our Medway site with her wine delivery. “She was really upset because she couldn’t get into her back garden and didn’t know what to do. I checked her details and verified she was the homeowner and then set about helping her,” says Scott. But without a ladder to scale the 12 ft barrier, he had to be ingenious and with the lady growing increasingly anxious, he parked his van alongside the wall of the house in Dover: “I climbed onto the van roof, jumped down into the garden and let her in. She was so relieved she wanted to give me a tip but seeing her so happy was reward enough. “I hope it’s something someone would do for my mum or gran, so I said raise a glass to me instead.”
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01/12/2021 14:17
First aid for the
mind
Meet the man taking the stigma out of mental health
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f someone in the warehouse sees a colleague with blood pouring from their hand, there’ll be a crowd of people gathered round offering help within seconds. But if that same person is struggling with anxiety, stress or depression and says nothing, the chances are they’ll be left to soldier on in silence.
in confidence POSITIVE NEGATIVE
STRESS
SIGNS
WHOLE
SELF
motivate
LISTEN
TALK
Mark Madges, our Regional Trainer - South with a degree in Psychology and Sociology, is determined to change all that with a series of First Aid for Mental Health courses. “We take first aid very seriously. If someone gets physically hurt on site it’s a big issue, and we need to treat mental health the same way,” he says. That’s why Mark is so delighted DHL Parcel UK is growing the number of Mental Health First Aiders around the business. “With Covid and the way teams have risen to the challenges it’s brought – so brilliantly – it’s never been more important that we look after the whole person,” he adds. “If you break your leg, we can mend it but if you’re struggling with mental health it’s all about encouraging people to start conversations. It might be as simple as asking someone who’s been a bit quiet for a few days if everything’s okay.”
Duty of care
Mark’s first training session at the new Hounslow site covered everything from signs and symptoms to look out for as well as potential triggers and how to offer support. “As a business approaching Peak we pride ourselves on working at 200 mph to meet demand, but we also have a duty of care to support all staff if they are going through tough times,” says Mark. “Positive stress when we get the job done As One is great, but negative stress is not. Good management is about recognising which is which and being able to step in if someone looks like they’re struggling.” Mark believes the two day Managers’ course and a shorter one-day course for colleagues resuming next year will better equip teams to spot any tell-tale signs that all is not well. The aim is for everyone who graduates from the course to be a recognised first point of contact for anyone who needs to talk about mental health issues in confidence.
Far left Mark Madges and left It’s always good to take time out to talk 06 Yello! Yello_11_p6-7-MentalHealth-v12 SUB.indd 6
01/12/2021 14:18
Open questions DEPRESSION
Catch up A quick chat in the corridor can be enough to help
Mark says: “Delegates will learn how to ask open questions, how to listen and be non judgemental. They won’t be experts but will know what next steps need to be or can be taken… just like a physical first aider would.” Mark says the huge cultural change towards breaking down taboos has helped promote his course, and he’s determined not to lose momentum: “We have heroes in our business who know their teams in the good times so I’d love them to be our eyes and ears and join the course to help their people if they experience bad times. “Once that happens and it becomes known that mental health is something we can talk about freely, those difficult first conversations will be easier.” “To be the best we can be as a business we have to think about the long game and support staff and their development and I’m glad we are doing that now.”
Starting conversations Site Administrator Sarah Lewry (right) admits she’s struggled with anxiety and depression in the past, and says it’s put her in a better place to help others. “I know from experience that sometimes it can be something as simple as someone asking if you’re okay that lifts you out of it,” says our Hounslow colleague. That’s why she jumped at the opportunity, along with seven others, to sign up to one of Mark’s First Aid for Mental Health courses. “It was brilliant. It shared some of the signs that we need to look out for as well as advising on what next steps to take, but at the end of the day it’s all about starting conversations,” she adds. “Peak is a very stressful time and because we work in a predominantly male environment there’s this ‘just crack on’ mentality, but that’s not always healthy or helpful.” Hounslow’s new chill-out area – a concept being rolled out at some of our newer sites – has also had a positive effect on all shifts.
WARM
CHAT
listen
care
STRESS
“Eight of us did the course, and are qualified to help anyone if they’re struggling. Mark and I would love to see qualified Mental Health First Aiders at every site within the next year.” Sarah Lewry – Site Administrator, Hounslow
Above Main picture, left to right – Natalia Szerlot, Elvis Pereira, Mark Madges, Priscilla David, Sarah Lewry. Top circle inset – Stephen Potter. Bottom circle inset – Iryna Vitalish and Eshea Louis Contact Learning and Development on learning.admin_ecsuk@dhl.com to find out more about this and other courses, or see the calendar of courses on the company intranet
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“I joined DHL 17 years ago when we were in Hawkhurst and we’ve gone from strength to strength since then because we’re consistently very good at what we do. The old site in Tunbridge Wells was fine when we moved in but as volumes rose it became a logistical nightmare. We asked for a bigger site to keep growing so this is proof that if you perform you get the rewards. Things like the canteen and rest areas are little things but they show that we are valued and that means a lot.” Chris Adams, Night Manager
ALL NEW Spacious work areas, lovely toilets, a pool table and our welcoming DHL mascot on reception
Tunbridge Wells
The journey to “bigger, better, busier” just got a lot easier
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ust nine miles separate our old and new sites serving homes and businesses across Kent and Sussex… but in reality they’re a world apart. After outgrowing our old home in Tunbridge Wells, we made the journey to Paddock Wood to a site three times the size. Now, the team of 40 are settling in nicely to their new 55,000 sq ft home. “We had a few little issues in the first week but since then everyone has really taken to the new site and we have the space to operate more smoothly,” says Site Manager Sam Blake. It’s been a story of growth for the Kent team over the past two decades. This is the second time they’ve had to move. Before Tunbridge Wells, they were operating out of a warehouse in the village of Hawkhurst, but as Night Manager Chris Adams (left) says: “We’ve continuously improved because consistency is key and we always perform consistently well.” The new site is large enough for all the drivers who look after 55 routes from Eastbourne to Dungeness to park their vans inside. Sam, who oversaw the move, says: “That’s made a huge difference because there are no parking problems and the drivers aren’t getting soaked or jostling for space. There are breakout areas and lots of offices, so Operations and the support teams can work As One. Oh, and the loos are incredible.” New equipment brought in for the new site will mean the success story will continue into the future. “It’s great because it means we can be even more efficient than we were before – which our customers love. If they’re happy, we’re happy because it means we’ll keeping growing.”
“The facilities here are amazing and they will definitely make the job easier. There’s so much space and more toilets than you could wish for. There’s no chance of getting caught short here. I’ve been with DHL for 20 years and was at both previous sites. A measure of success would be that we have to move again from here in 10 years because the increased work means we have to. It would be great to be even bigger, better and busier.” Mark Dowsing, Warehouse Supervisor (Days)
“It’s great because it means we can be even more efficient than we were before – which our customers love. If they’re happy, we’re happy because it means we’ll keeping growing.”
Site Manager, Sam Blake
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01/12/2021 14:21
Left Driver Richard Friday from Ryton ready to record his piece to camera on the benefits of working for DHL
Right Milton Keynes Bulk Driver Valentin Andres gets ready for his first take
Above Steve Macini from Ryton Hub relaxes before his big moment on camera
Constantin Afrem, also from Milton Keynes, enjoys his moment of fame!
It’s a wrap!
The social media driver campaign that’s coming to a mobile near you Lights, camera, action! A film crew landed at our Ryton Hub as part of an exciting new nationwide campaign to raise the profile of a career as a DHL HGV driver. The video team captured the views of five of our drivers for the recruitment drive, which has been running externally across radio, billboards and social media as well as on our internal channels. It was a fun packed filming session with drivers getting in the spirit by joining in with a spot of Carpool Karaoke.
working for us who is looking for a change of direction or someone outside seeking a new challenge with a vibrant business like ours.” The end product Some of the singing might of short films and not have been up to Neil soundbites will be Diamond’s standard, but shared on Facebook the quartet eventually and Twitter, as served up a decent well as being part rendition of Sweet of targeted radio Caroline for the crew. campaigns and The campaign is http://brws.it/drivers outdoor campaigns. being managed by our Daisy adds: “The new Recruitment Business campaign will show that Partner, Daisy Smith. we’re a fun place to work with good “The aim is simple and comes people in a good environment and against the backdrop of driver work life balance and also with the shortages across the whole country,” rewards to match.” says Daisy: “It’s aimed at someone
Vibrant business
Scan to find out more at:
‘I wouldn’t swap it for the world’ Driver Kevin Walsh loves the flexibility of being a DHL Driver. It means he can drop his children off at school and then head on to our Runcorn site ready for a 9am-7pm shift. The dad of two would have no hesitation in recommending the role to anyone: “It’s brilliant and means I can work hard and then go home to see my children. “Anyone who works for DHL knows we like to have fun as the film shoot showed. We’re also passionate about getting it Right First Time, so that always makes you feel good too.” Kevin, whose rendition of Britney Spears’ Hit Me Baby, One More Time wowed the film crew, has been with the company for 12 years and wouldn’t swap it for the world. He jokes: “During I had athe lot of friends How toCovid enter who had no work, but DHL gave me the payroll lottery: opportunity to keep working and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon. “I wouldn’t swap my job for the world.”
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Perk life!
New benefits platform can help you save money, stay fit and be aware
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one-stop shop for everything, from looking after your mental health and wellbeing to saving money on your favourite items, is all set to launch early in the New Year. The ‘Parcel Perks’ platform is the easy to follow place for specifically selected employee benefits as well as a wide range of information, offers and support. So instead of searching through dusty paperwork, all the DHL Parcel UK policies and procedures will be available in one place. The site will have constantly changing ‘money off ’ offers on food and clothes, white goods and even the family holiday… so it’s time to get saving. Engagement and Reward Adviser Dawn Deeley says: “This has been around eight months in the making because we wanted to be sure the platform has everything colleagues need.
“As well as some great deals, there are also areas with tips on maintaining your health and wellbeing and, for the first time, access to our new Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).” The EAP will include resources on where to find info on personal, financial or work-related problems that may impact your job, health, mental or emotional wellbeing. This is all made available through free and confidential assessments, short-term counselling, referrals or followup services. Parcel Perks is all about providing you with information helpful to you, so if you have any ideas drop Dawn a line at dawn.deeley@dhl.com
Here’s how
Parcel Perks will be available on your desktop and via an app. Look out for details early in the New Year on how you can access your new benefits platform.
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01/12/2021 14:25
Five years of DHL Parcel UK... Look how far we’ve come
We’ve come a long way together. Our CEO Peter Fuller talks us through the timeline 2019
2016 ACQUISITION
For two years after acquisition, we slowly established ourselves in the new DHL organisation as part of the Parcel Europe set-up and it was hectic. Margins were tight and we reduced our profit forecast, before several key management changes prompted a fresh look at the way we were operating.
Peter says: “The boom in business fuelled by our teams’ hard work has allowed us to progress plans for expansion, which could mean associated depot sites that would double available capacity.”
RESTRUCTURE
We simplified by closing our loss-making same-day parcel and packets operations to focus on service excellence. We restructured our HQ departments, stabilised and transformed our IT, and paved the way for our Mail transformation.
“The culture has changed enormously… colleagues have really started to take on board the DHL values.” Natalie Cumberlidge, Head of Customer Service
20202021 GLOBAL PANDEMIC
“We’re better organised, more streamlined and happier with increased rewards and recognition.” Paul Jeffcock, Site Manager, Leeds
The restructuring was underway and we were on target to exceed our profit forecast for the year. Then Covid hit, parcel revenue grew and with increasing Mail profitability climb we were able to grow profits to €20m. We’ll end 2021 making well over €20m, with 60 electric vehicles across the country and customer driven digitalisation underway.
“We now invest in our systems and colleagues, and are a business that acts rather than reacts.” Jane Andrews, Purchase to Pay Manager - Slough
2023
2022 PREPARE FOR GROWTH
We will continue market growth in B2C and start to grow our share. We’ll open more sort capacity. We’ll consider introducing Sunday deliveries in the autumn and, as a 7 day a week provider, we’ll open up new markets.
Peter says: “The drive to be Employer of Choice has been a constant since 2016. Even through difficult restructuring, EOS scores grew. We were awarded Top Employer status this year – a reward for the progress, but we still have more to do.”
Peter says: “Our plans for expansion, which we abandoned in 2018, are back on track with a Business Case Analysis for our second Hub and associated sites that will double capacity.”
GROWTH
It will be all about selling quality business to fill our new capacity, which (pending approval) should be online in the final quarter of 2022. This will double parcel handling capability and mean our site network will develop and grow to match.
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“We’re all
” ! S R E N WIN T
he first thing Bulk Driver Dave Hartshorn did when he was announced as winner was to shake the hand of every other finalist. “Although I picked up the award, they are all winners in their own way,” says the 59 year old father of two grown up daughters who has been with DHL since 2013. Dave was stunned to collect the accolade for “just doing my job, getting on with people and doing those little things around the site to make life easier”. Medway based Dave’s Can Do attitude and Passion for his job were two of the key reasons why the panel of judges just gave him the nod ahead of the compelling shortlist from around the UK.
“The main thing is I like to be busy and like to keep the site neat and tidy, because you never know who could walk in,” he says. “Besides, I don’t like to be idling around if I can be doing something.” Dave admits the awards ceremony was a “bit of an eye-opener when I walked in” with some of DHL’s senior executives present alongside the nominees. He adds: “That’s not really my scene to be honest but they were absolutely brilliant and so down to earth. It felt like we were all part of the same team. There were no barriers between us and them at all.” So what, Yello! had to ask, is the secret to Dave’s success? “Treat people as you’d like to be treated yourself and look after the little things – they always mean a lot,” he says.
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01/12/2021 14:27
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12 reasons why Dave Hartshorn is our Employee of the Year Peter Whittaker, our Medway Site Manager, gives the lowdown on how ‘lovable bear’ Dave edged out the nine other finalists.
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L oyalty – he’s been with the business since 2013, giving eight years of loyal service as a Day HGV Bulk Driver.
Contribution to the site’s success in such a turbulent year, his sterling work ethic and commitment to the cause. I nspirational character – this man can converse and relate to everyone with a smile, a hello and a joyful attitude to his work, which he so clearly appreciates and loves.
ROLL OF HONOUR 1 Rebecca Rowley 2 Martin Burn 3 Shaun Bate 4 Sara Dias 5 Jon Peill 6 Claire Webster
7 Dave Hartshorn 8 David Johnston 9 Yves Muhire 10 Sian Allen
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amaraderie – I’ve seen employees and drivers all seek him C out to hang around with as he inspires us all to embrace the work, no matter how hard or difficult it gets.
B ig bear – he’s a big warm bear of a man who makes it his mission to ensure he says hello and ‘alright’ to everyone every day, always taking time to listen to them, no matter what the subject.
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Tucking in – he loves his food and I watch the Evening Cleaner who doesn’t tend to stop and chat to people on site bringing him in different homemade cakes each week. She looks just as pleased to make them for him as he is to receive them.
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G ame for a laugh – Dave makes fun of himself and doesn’t mind a joke and that makes him accepted by the youngsters, who in turn respect him and would do anything for him.
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Unstoppable – he just doesn’t stop. He just loves his work and takes pride in what the site should look like.
Great talker – he communicates daily to customers to find out their needs and requirements and assists them at their warehouses to get the goods packed and ready for his truck. All my large customers request Dave to be their Driver.
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Great in a crisis – during the Kent lorry blockade Dave feared two of our customers’ freight would fail, so he hailed down the police who had cordoned off the area and convinced them (with a wink and a ‘cheers Bruv’) to let him through.
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Litter picker – even after work he collects the rubbish, breaks up our broken pallets for the containers, jumps on the sortation to help the PM shift with volumes, does forklift duties when needed and is a Yard Marshall for the site due to health and safety with mixing of vans.
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E xtra special – this award is not just about how good Dave is at his job. It’s about the person… and he’s a special person.
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We’re Cracking Covid ‘It’s part of the job… but critical,’ says Lauren
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customer providing crucial healthcare services has been playing a key role in the fight against Covid… with a little help from one of our teams. As demand for testing kits soared and stretched them to the limit, everyone at the Greenford site rose to the challenge to get the critical cargo out. It had been a logistical challenge for Sales Executive Rochelle Bennett, anxious that one of the West London site’s largest accounts might not be fulfilled. But the South East revenue winner, who achieved more than 700% above her sales target in the last quarter, needn’t have worried. The site’s new Manager, Lauren Russell, and her Operations team weren’t about to shirk this challenge to help kick Covid into touch. “Lauren went above and beyond, going into the site on her days off, Sundays and Bank Holidays to ensure the
collection was made,” says Rochelle. “Her Operations team did a great job, managing 1,000 collections a day and ensuring freight was moved on in time. Despite the extra workload, the account has been managed brilliantly.”
Commitment
She insists the strong bond between Sales and Operations is a direct result of the inbuilt commitment to As One, Can Do, Passion and Right First Time at the site. “Whether sending out stationery or following up collection requests, everyone worked together as a team and the end result was the public got the Covid tests through. So we might even have saved someone’s life,” adds Rochelle. Weekends were a pinch point, with as many as 3,000 collections of the PCR kits needing to be made to keep the fight against the virus on the front foot. “It made me appreciate how dependent
we are on each other. I can’t do my job without the site teams and they need me to get the volume in,” adds Rochelle. Despite her heroics Lauren, who only took the reins at Greenford a few months ago, was keen to pay tribute to Operations Clerk Adrian Jones, Day Operations Supervisor Jason Jones and their teams. She says: “It’s part of the job, but it has brought home to us the fact that what we do is critical.”
Left Rochelle with her award and above Adrian and Jason point the way forward
What a difference… … a few weeks make! Last time Yello! dropped in on our new Hounslow site, it was pretty much an empty shell of a building. But around three weeks, a lot of hard work and the dedication of a brand new team later, the West London operation is looking good. Site manager Harry Monk says: “It’s taken a real team effort and an incredible Can Do attitude to get to this stage, but I think everyone agrees that the new environment and space is definitely worth it.”
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Employee Opinion Survey 2021 Your thoughts will help us shape the way we do things in the future Every Voice Counts! Your Line Managers are looking at your feedback and will let you know what we plan to do to make the scores even better next year
77%
77%
75%
Employee engagement Up 4% (DPDHL 91%)
Leadership Up 3% (DPDHL 89%)
Team Up 3% (DPDHL 89%)
71%
68%
80%
77%
68%
81%
Common DNA Employer of Choice Up 7%
Common DNA Provider of Choice Up 9%
Common DNA Investor of Choice Up 5%
Future & Strategy Up 7%
Digitalisation Up 10%
Values Up 3%
The top three comments you agreed with ... EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT?
“I am passionate about contributing to the success of my company.”
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
“Where I work, we are accountable for our actions and decisions.”
VALUES
“My company promotes diversity and an
“This year’s Employee Opinion Survey top-line results have been excellent across the board with a 91% response rate. Overall, DHL Parcel UK has increased scores in all KPIs compared to 2020. This is an incredible achievement, something of which you and your team should be very proud. The top four increases are: • Digitalisation – up by 10% • Provider of Choice – up by 9% • Future & Strategy/Employer of Choice – both up by 7%. We are definitely heading in the right direction but the Executive Board is now thinking – where do we go next? After all, EOS is all about continuous improvement. Managers are sharing the results of your department/site and once Peak is over the business of action planning begins. The focus for 2022 action plans will be First Choice, Customer Feedback and Colleague Care. Watch out for a newsletter early in the New Year with more details.” Sarah Maddox, Vice President – HR
inclusive environment where employees feel accepted regardless of gender, race, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic protected in law.”
… and the bottom three most of you didn’t PROVIDER OF CHOICE
“Where I work, we regularly use customer feedback to improve our services and processes.”
DIGITALISATION
“I have the support needed to take advantage of digitalisation.”
PROVIDER OF CHOICE
“Where I work, we constantly apply First Choice tools to drive continuous improvement and quality.”
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“I will be coming up with and implementing new and creative ways of attracting talent” Recruitment Business Partner Daisy Smith on her ‘fab’ new job, cooking flops and secret Ed Sheeran obsession
Tell us a little about your new role, the challenges you’ve been given and what you want to achieve. I’ve been brought in initially to support the recruitment of drivers and warehouse – it’s a huge role given the labour and driver shortage in the UK at the moment, which is affecting almost everybody in one way or another. I am part of the HR team and will be working with Site Managers, supporting them in providing suitable candidates for consideration as well as forward planning for future recruitment needs and coming up with and implementing new and creative ways of attracting talent. I am really excited to be a part of DHL Parcel UK and look forward to supporting the business with all recruitment needs.
Where did you work before? I’ve worked in recruitment for almost 10 years, six of them in Dubai before relocating back to the ‘sunny’ UK in 2020. I have recruited across many direct sectors, from office support to interior design and architecture, but love working in fast-paced industries that really challenge me.
How do you relax? I go to the gym at least four times a week and enjoy lifting weights and going to the occasional spin class but this is countered by my passion for eating out! I love going to nice restaurants and eating great food, although when I try to recreate it at home, it never quite seems to go to plan!
Words or phrases you most overuse? “Fab!” I hear myself say it at least 20 times a day!
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Moving to Dubai alone when I was 24. I moved as I was offered an amazing job opportunity and moved to a country I’d never visited and didn’t know a soul there! It was a steep learning curve but turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done – I only planned on staying a year and stayed for six.
What do you most value in your colleagues? Collaboration. We are all working to the same goal and working together
we will get there quicker. Also, a sense of humour! I thrive in working with ambitious and motivated individuals – positivity breeds positivity.
What CD, book and luxury item would you take to a desert island? Anything by Ed Sheeran – who doesn’t love him? I love any books by Dolly Alderton and I would take my sunglasses, so I could relax – enjoy the sun, music and read while trapped!
Favourite holiday destination? Thailand. I have been lucky enough to travel to Thailand twice and I also went to a fitness camp for four months out there alone – amazing experience! I love the food, the culture, weather and people – everything about it.
Three dinner party guests and why? Princess Diana, a true icon of our lifetime. I’d love to get a true insight into the Royal Family. Karen Brady, a strong businesswoman in a typically man’s world, something I admire so I’d want to know more about her career. Finally, I’d invite James Acaster, my favourite comedian who would definitely bring the laughs!
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y t i r a h C ROUND-UP
GET IN TOUCH
Baking, running or anything else? Send your charity shots to internalcommunications_ecsuk@dhl.com
In the north Colleagues and their families got their pinnies on to raise a mouth-watering £785 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Team mates at our Newcastle site were (l to r) Liesha Stokell, Leanne Charlton, Donna Boots, Helen Reid, Jodi Barker and Nicole Gooch, with some cakes made by Sharon Crisp, wife of one of our drivers, Andrew Crisp.
“Everyone in my Customer Care Team played their part, but we did cheat a little with some help from Sharon. Worth it though ;-)” Donna Boots, Customer Services Manager Newcastle site
...and south Lincoln’s ECG Rep organised a Macmillan Coffee Morning that raised £82.64, with van drivers Sue Cash and Cheryl Carter Smith baking cakes for the occasion. continued...
Baking with a special ingredient… love! The plight of a fragile baby given just three months to live was the spark for a mammoth bake off at our Leeds Sort Centre. Within minutes of being born, little Tymonek was rushed to a specialist hospital when doctors diagnosed congenital bone fragility, an incurable condition that means his bones are as fragile as porcelain. The condition, which requires a lifetime of treatment, means he could break any bone even as he sleeps. Danielle Easton, Regional Sortation Manager, says: “Tymonek’s story and the years of anguish and financial issues his family now faces, touched us. Our Leeds heroes’ bakes will have made a difference.”
You can donate at:
brws.it/tymonek
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Raising money Night… A four-hour food fest with a powerful and lasting message left one of our senior operations managers speechless. Darren Twigger, Senior Operations Manager at Ryton Hub, says: “I have no words to express the level of involvement and engagement we had from all our colleagues during, after and before the fundraising event.” He and his team promoted the event by making colleagues aware of Macmillan and the role we play in society supporting people who suffer from cancer. Numerous colleagues shared their stories and life experiences of dealing with cancer and the support given by Macmillan. The campaign had raised more than £1,000 even before the event.
The green team were (l to r) Barie Sidwell, Steven Manning, Marta Skinderowicz, Deborah Bray, Madalina Stircu, Agnieska Smola, Darren Twigger, Izabela Musialik, Galine Chibwe and Anna Hildebrandt. Darren says: “The level of passion and engagement was remarkable and we sold every single cake we had. We raised a total of £2,051 and were truly touched and humbled at the response and enthusiasm colleagues have shown.”
…and day
Our Ryton Sort Centre stars got their bake on to raise a tasty £500 for Macmillan. The guys hope to get a DHL Foundation Match It contribution after a successful scoffing session that ended with few table top treats remaining. The baking besties in the picture were (front to back) Mail Sorter Agata Masalska, Supervisor Irmina Brzuzy and Sort Centre Manager Monika Snieda – with many more involved on the eating side!
Andy’s handy… on his feet Andy Hall put his best foot forward again and again as he racked up the miles for charity. The Stafford Site Manager (in blue, above) raised more than £800 by completing the Potters ’Arf Marathon through Stoke-on-Trent. Andy joined 1,700 other runners to raise cash for the Alice Charity, which supports financially vulnerable families in the city and nearby Newcastle-under-Lyme. The boss completed the 13.1-mile race in a respectable 1 hour 58 minutes.
“We’re at the heart of our community and Andy leads by example. His run will help families in our area and we’re proud of him. Watch this space – he won’t stop.” Andy Cotton, Operations Manager
Pinny princesses Sharon Costello and Annemarie Shelley went cake crazy to raise nearly £300 for the Stroke Association with a bit of help from bakers and munchers at our Runcorn Sort Centre. Good work, guys.
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Pride in our
people
We just love celebrating our loyal long servers
‘Can’t do enough for a good boss’ Warehouse Operative Martyn Carradine doesn’t hesitate when he’s asked the best part about his job. “It’s the boss. His door is always open, he’s always there to help with any issues and because of that we’d do absolutely anything for him.” Modest Bristol Site Manager Ashley Harrison (in red) says: “He is great to have around and there really is nothing he doesn’t know about how we work.” Martyn, celebrating 20 years with the business, is also a big fan of the laughter culture at DHL: “We work hard and have a
good laugh once we’ve got the job done. “I’m 60 now and I can’t see me wanting to stop any time soon because I like the people and the variation of the work.” Martyn works on both the Parcel and Mail sides of the site, and admits there have been some positive changes in his time with the business. “Certainly health and safety is at a whole different level which is great, and the systems we operate are a lot more streamlined and efficient these days and that makes us a lot more effective,” he says. “In a few words, I love it here.”
25 years Robert Daynes, Norwich
20 years David Allen, Bournemouth Martyn Carradine, Bristol Jean Thompson, Carlisle Deborah Winters, Slough Mohammed Khan, Docklands Stephen O’Hare, Glasgow Darren Battye, Leeds Susan Lane, Norwich Deborah Winters, Slough Samantha Blake, Tunbridge Wells
15 years Jaroslaw Pytko, Birmingham John Brooke, Birmingham Andrzej Namiotkiewicz, Birmingham Daniel Morris, Bournemouth Chris Lacey, Carlisle Scott Bales, Croydon Paul Barnes, Exeter Ryan Callaghan, IT Andrew Broughton, Leeds Trevor Field, Lincoln Paul Woolley, Manchester Vivenne Cook, Medway
10 years Paul Loveridge, Cardiff Raheel Khan, Croydon Emma Dixon, Milton Keynes Piotr Pawlowski, Eastleigh Ian Ross, IT
Neil the holiday hero Long serving Admin, Operations and HGV Driver Neil Hatton came to the rescue of a panic-stricken customer. The woman was in a flap because she wasn’t in when we tried to deliver from our Medway site, with the clock ticking down on her holiday. “We were in a real panic because my passport had been out for delivery and I’d missed it, so instead I came to the depot,” she says. “Without any fuss, he took the details and in less than 10 minutes was back with the package after recalling
the driver. He dealt with it so calmly, quickly, professionally and with humour and courtesy. He’s a star and I really hope you pass this on.” The woman adds: “If you have an employee recognition scheme, please give him my vote ten times over.” Neil has worked in Admin, Operations and then onto HGV from 1992 to 2009 before returning to the site in 2013 and is the October Employee of the Month. Our picture shows former Army man Neil getting the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal from Prince Charles.
Susan Kearsley, Leeds Julie Upson, Leeds Sintija Altane, Leeds Piotr Mlynski, Leeds Agrita Bormane, Leeds Iveta Karlsone, Leeds Tadeus Wach, Leeds Karl Knight, Leicester Thomas Locke, Leicester Mark Dixon, Loss Prevention Alex Eimerl, Cardiff Franck Mabounda, Medway Dmitrijs Sinica, Preston Christopher Goodeve, Runcorn Justyna Piatkowska, Runcorn Kordian Pieszchalski, Ryton Anna Soja, Ryton Tobias Curnow, Livingston Philip Costello, Teesside
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! n i W An Apple TV HD
The HD box gives you anytime voice control access to thousands of HD movies and TV shows from iTunes or through Apple TV on your HDTV. Includes Apple TV free for three months and an HDMI cable to get you started. For a chance to win an Apple TV HD, find the answer to the question below in this issue of the magazine. Send your answer, with your full name and contact details, to yello_ecsuk@dhl.com or text your answer to 07860 021367.
Closing date: 21 February 2022
Q Name the hit song sung by driver Kevin Walsh in our recruitment video (see p9)
Terms and conditions: Entry to our competition is free. To enter, you must be a DHL Parcel UK colleague. You can only enter the competition once and the first entry per colleague will be accepted. The winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Editor’s decision is final and no cash alternative will be offered. We collect your details, name, contact number and address solely for the purpose of processing and selecting a competition winner. The winner will be contacted and their name will be printed in the next edition. Your data is not shared with any third party and deleted after the competition has finished and the winner confirmed. Entries must be received by 21 February 2022.
Congratulations to Piotr Pawlowski, a Bulk Driver at Chandlers Ford, who won an Echo Show 8 in the last issue’s competition
“Scary” course will help us grow G
raham Rawcliffe drew on every ounce of his Can Do attitude and Passion for the job when he was enrolled in a university course that could make all our lives easier. But the Parcels Revenue Controlling Manager’s first day on the intensive Maastricht University course in the Netherlands left him wondering what he’d let himself in for. To get that far and join the 60 other colleagues from around the world on the DHL sponsored course, Graham (right) had to complete a 10-hour entrance exam, read up on the Advanced Book of Maths for Scientists and learn a new coding language called Python.
Scary stuff
“I got there on the first day and thought, ‘I’m in very deep here’ and it was pretty high-profile scary stuff, but I stuck with it and it’s been one of the best things that I’ve ever done,” says Graham. His new skills will give him the ability to create and use a system that allows for any manual task to be automated and will even enable us to use statistics, figures and other
data to predict what we need and where as we move into the future. The course meant lots of time after hours and at weekends and Graham adds: “It felt like 12 months of learning crammed into one, even though it was actually six months long. It was intensive but the benefits to the business could be incredible.”
VISHAL OPENING UP GAP IN TITLE CHASE Vishal Popat leads the way in the DHL Fantasy League, with more than 100 points separating first and tenth but he won’t need reminding it’s a marathon not a sprint.
Daunting
His new skills such as data modelling, text analytics and data visualisation will mean he can create predictive models that will improve our collection of data and the way we categorise information from our customers. He says: “After the initial shock it was heads down and get on with it. Like any training, the thought is more daunting than the reality but once you’ve done it you are better equipped to do the job even better.” The recommendation for Graham to do the remote course came from Chief Finance Officer Peter Krohn, who hailed the Ryton colleague when he passed the exam: “It was hard work on top of your normal work, so congratulations.”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
VISHAL POPAT DON HOWIE ALEX CARBOTT PAUL STEWART ADAM KIELY ADAN HASSAN DANNY B RICHARD OSBORNE JON PEILL SAM STEVENSON
889 862 842 830 826 813 800 785 780 775
NOTE All photos were taken in line with Government Covid guidelines.
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