Managers:
By far this is the worst aspect of UKPS. The three directors are disconnected and choose ignore the concerns of the majority of their staff during the pandemic. Covid 19 measure were not properly enforced, no social distancing was seen and even managers were seen not wearing a face mask when meeting other colleagues. You feel defeated when even your managers who are the "role models" to enforce these guidelines, fail to adhere to them during the height of the pandemic.
Unaware of mental health and reluctant to educate themselves and action policies to improve mental health and well-being of employees.
Certain managers do not approve holidays in time and even approve them few days before your booked holiday. This often becomes an issue when you're booking tickets where prices soar quickly. These managers will even interrogate your intentions to take these holidays which you are entitled too. Often using guilt when you leave work on time and/or exercising your right.
When experienced and/or senior staff leave the company they fail to hire an experienced staff to replace them. Instead their workload is put onto the less experienced staff often the graduates. This further puts them in stress.
This creates a very toxic high pressured environment when the manager is around.
Flexibility:
Many of my colleagues including myself requested to continue to work from home when restrictions were being lifted but was denied. Management failed to provide proper reasoning as to why this was necessary when many of us were unvaccinated.
Even if you have been advised to work from home by healthcare professionals even with the proper medical documentation provided you will still be requested to come in to the office or go on sick leave. Leaving yourself to be under the SSP. This was a shame when the nature of work is a desk job that could be easily done at home and matter of fact has been done for 6 months. Management also noticed performance and growth was unhindered when working from home but still requested us all to come back to the office.
Inclusivity/Diversity:
UKPS will be one of the most diverse companies you'll work for. Where they are diverse in age, ethnicity, nationality and gender. This said there is little to no support given to the minorities. They fail to acknowledge different religions and cater for them. Fail to provide adequate PPE for women sizes. Fail to acknowledge the LGBTQIA+ community, making a lot of those who belong to this community uncomfortable to be themselves at the workplace.
If you are joining UKPS, keep your expectations very low. There is a lot they can do but they will be stagnant to implement change for the sake of being traditional and old fashioned. Go there to gain a rewarding experience make some amazing friends/connections and nothing else.
