Go back a decade or two, in a time when there was no internet. When there were no emails, sms, chat messengers or even phones at some places, the only reliable source of communication was letters. All we had to do was write a letter, put it in an envelope, put some stamps, and post it at a nearest post box. In few days span, be assured that the letter has reached its intended receiver. However, the letter does not reach the receiver immediately. There is a long process that includes several function beginning from collecting the letters from post boxes till dispatching them to the receiver.
Post office Operations
If we wish to post a mail, we pack the mail, apply stamps of required amount and drop it at nearest mailboxes. The postal services employees gather all letters from these mailboxes and drop them to the local post office. Once all mails are accumulated, they are processed via a machine called as Advanced Facer Canceller System. This machine reads the stamps and the bar codes and sorts the mails as per the location. In some places, in absence of the machine, employees do the sorting work manually. The city pin code is the factor used for segregation of mail. Once the mails are sorted, they are packed together and transported to their respective cities for delivery. The local post office of the recipient's city receives this bundle of mails. The local office sorts these mails again and categorizes them for delivery as per the location. These categorized bundles are carried by the postmen or mailmen who deliver it to different households within that location as per the given addresses. This sounds like a lengthy process but imagine it does not take more than 2-3 days for delivery of parcels. The post office work is so well organized that mails rarely go late or are missing.
Post Office Work Conditions
Post office employees work under high work pressure. They cannot be negligent or complacent towards work as they are responsible for safe delivery of mails. Hence, collection, sorting and delivery of mails needs to be done efficiently. The mailmen or delivery agents have to travel extensively under all weather conditions. Hence, work often leads to fatigue and health problems. Work is monotonous in nature. Hence, repetitive work may add to irritation and mental stress. The brighter aspects of postal services jobs are job stability and decent remuneration.
Post Office Management
The post office is an entity owned by the US Federal Government. However, its functions are not influenced by the government. They are managed by the independent, non-political directors and hence the management is indifferent from the political instability. There are a total of 11 members on the board, selected by the president and confirmed by the US senate. One of the members is selected as the postmaster general who takes the all the decisions for the post office. In spite of being a government owned entity, post office does not run on the tax-payers money. On financial terms, it is an independent organization that acquires its income from stamps and delivery charges.
Post Office Laws and Security
Postal services office is one of the biggest administrative offices in the US that expands all over the country. It is a public serving entity and hence should be protected from misuse. The US Postal Inspection Services enforces nearly 200 laws. These laws ensure security to the mail services, postal agency, its employees and its customers from fraudulent activities. The officer of inspector general, is independent from the postal services management and reports directly to the senate. He is responsible to detect, prevent and report fraud.
Post Office Competition
Post office is facing tough competition these days. Most users believe in paperless transactions and hence prefer to communicate via calls or electronic mails. In case, users wish to delivery packages, they prefer services of private courier companies. Hence, this has led to a downfall in the demand for postal services. It is important for post offices to expand their services and provide advanced means of communication to stay ahead in competition.
Post office work is a good career option for many as it offers a variety of jobs. It offers jobs to those without strong educational qualifications and also to those with exceptional knowledge and expertise. A career in post office will allow you to learn and excel in your field.