Royal Mail has launched a leadership program, named the “Diamonds Programme”, to equip managers with the skills needed to meet changing customer demands.
Around 70 employees were selected to join the leadership program’s first session at Royal Mail’s training academy in Daventry, Northamptonshire, in the UK. The program will include a development assessment that helps managers understand their strengths as well as areas in need of development. Alongside this, there will be a feedback and coaching session from a trained facilitator to help tailor a plan that will support their career development. The program’s coaching sessions will aim to build candidates’ capability in key areas for the business. Finally, the participants will have access to mentoring schemes with a more experienced leader to assist in navigating their onward career journey.
The program is aimed at developing a diverse set of leaders from across the business with a focus on nurturing their emotional intelligence, confidence and operational capabilities. The move is designed to ensure Royal Mail has access to a talented pool of leaders as the company transforms into a more parcels-focused business.
According to Royal Mail, successful candidates will embody the company’s values while being able to navigate and influence a fast-changing business with confidence. They will receive targeted development assessments, career guidance and tailored support, to help them grow as leaders and deliver a program of change as they progress to more senior roles in the business.
The management program forms part of the company’s training academy, which was officially opened in June 2022 and is based at Royal Mail’s Midlands hub. When operational in 2023, the Midlands Super Hub is expected to process more than one million parcels a day. Employees can also access the academy virtually, digitally and ‘on the job’. It is supported by five new satellite learning centers in Edinburgh, Warrington, Bristol, Gatwick and Oxford. In 2021-22, Royal Mail invested £6m (US$7m) in training – equating to approximately 23,000 training days – compared to 19,000 training days the previous year.
Zareena Brown, chief people officer at Royal Mail, said, “Through our academy, we are investing in our people to create the next generation of leaders at Royal Mail. Our new leadership program has been specially designed to ensure our managers have the right skills to support Royal Mail’s ongoing reinvention and generate sustainable growth across the business. I am pleased to welcome the first cohort of managers onto the program.”