Colour-blind
Black History Month is a great opportunity to raise awareness of and celebrate the achievements and contributions of our black colleagues, the wider BAME community and BAME allies.
Today, operations manager – South Coast, Crispin Bacchus, shares the journey of his career so far with Royal Mail.
‘I joined Royal Mail in January 2013 as an external candidate from TNT UK,’ he said. ‘I began my journey as a delivery office manager in Salisbury before being promoted to the position of delivery sector manager 10 months later.
‘After continuing in this role within the South Coast delivery area for two years, I was then asked to operate in London as head of delivery performance & transformation, before returning to the South Coast as a senior operations manager.
‘I was supported throughout my progression by HR director David Vaughan and the then regional operations director, Tony Fox. Each month, Tony and I would meet to discuss my performance, guide me through my career path, and discuss any issues that had arisen across my journey as an external recruit.
‘I’ve found the main benefit of working in such a multi-cultured company like Royal Mail is that people do not see colour. Instead, they see people as people and for who they are, regardless of their race or ethnical background.
‘This has given me the confidence to coach a number of BAME representatives throughout Royal Mail, helping them progress their careers. From line managers to delivery office managers. I have coached colleagues in interview techniques through to assessment boards, and it has been a real joy watching their discovery and personal growth.’
Supporting BAME colleagues
Making our business a place where black, Asian and minority ethnic colleagues can achieve their potential remains a priority. Career progression is a key focus as we work towards improving the representation of colleagues from BAME backgrounds across all levels of the business.
If you are thinking about holding a BAME cultural event in your unit, and need some help please reach out to the BAME steering group, or volunteer to help out with their activities, email bame@royalmail.com.
