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British Postal Museum and Archive: The Royal Mail Archive

Post Office: Staff Welfare


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0813 POST 62 Series

Held at: British Postal Museum and Archive: The Royal Mail Archive

Title: Post Office: Staff Welfare

Date(s): 1855-2003

Level of description: Series

Extent: 216 files, 29 volumes

Name of creator(s):

No further information available

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Post Office Welfare Service was formally established in 1947 to provide help and support to employees and pensioners. It was originally introduced to assist employees in managing their problems, with professional welfare officers on hand in all major towns throughout the United Kingdom to offer advice and guidance. The Welfare Service was to provide confidential counselling and advice and practical help on matters such as bereavement, financial distress, accommodation issues, family and relationship problems, and alcohol and drug abuse.

From 1972 the Post Office has also had an Occupational Health Service to deal with employee health issues. Led by the Chief Medical Officer, each Postal Region was given its own Regional Medical Officer and a team of doctors and nurses providing services to all levels of staff. Its focus was to be on the prevention of health issues rather than the treatment of them. The Occupational Health Service was initially established for the Post Office and British Telecom. However, following the establishment of British Telecom as a separate corporation, the Post Office set up a new service in 1981.

In 1988 the Occupational Health Service merged with Employee Support to form the Post Office's Employee Health Service. The aim of this service was to provide for the physical, social and psychological well-being of employees. The Employee Health Service currently provides advice on sickness absence and employee health management, medico-legal issues, first aid, and social well-being. It also undertakes employment assessments, health screenings, health consultancy and health and well-being education.

There are also councils, societies and associations for postal workers set up to focus on staff welfare. These include the Post Office Recreation Council, Post Office Relief Fund, Benenden Healthcare Society, P&T Leisure Centres, and the Rowland Hill Benevolent Fund.

Recreational activities have also been an important part of staff welfare and many local sports and social clubs have been formed by employees throughout the postal service. They include sports such as golf, bowling, football, cricket and rowing and hobbies such as drama, photography and art. Some examples of these clubs are The Mount Pleasant Sports and Social Club, the London Postal Service Horticultural Associaton, the Eastern Postal Sports and Social Club, and the Post Office Art Club.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

This series contains records on all aspects of The Post Office's welfare policy and its implementation. It mainly consists of reports and reviews, minutes and annual reports, correspondence, policies, leaflets and guides, and newsletters. These relate to matters such as Health and Safety in the workplace, refreshment facilities, general health and well being of employees, work related issues such as equal opportunites and harassment, Post Office benevolent societies, staff awards and recreational clubs.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Chronologically within each sub-series.

Conditions governing access:

Public Record

Conditions governing reproduction:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Finding aids:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Entry checked by Barbara Ball

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Entry checked June 2011


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Leaflets | Publications | Communications media | Information sciences
Personnel | People by occupation | People
Postal services | Communication industry
Social welfare

Personal names

Corporate names
Post Office

Places