The Post Office has collaborated with the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters and Voice of the Postmaster to create a centralised wellbeing platform with resources for postmasters, responding to the unique challenges and pressures they face in today’s retail landscape.
This comes as postmasters face ”significant adversity due to the growing threat of retail crime”. The surge in shoplifting and violent incidents has only intensified the demand for comprehensive support. With 5.6 million incidents of shoplifting reported in the past year and over 76,000 violent incidents against retail workers, postmasters have been operating under immense strain.
At the heart of this initiative is the newly introduced centralised repository on the Branch Hub app - a single point of access to a wide range of resources. These are organised into three key areas: I Need Help Right Now, which provides immediate support for postmasters in crisis, offering quick access to emergency services, mental health first aiders, area and business support managers, and organisations like Samaritans.
Ndxt, More Support and Guidance provides practical resources, including security advice, social media abuse help, guidance documents, and links to external organisations such as Citizens Advice and Mind.
Finally, Access Community Support give opportunities for postmasters to connect with peers through WhatsApp and Facebook groups, as well as in-person meetings organised by the Post Office.
Mark Eldridge, Postmaster Experience director said: “The wellbeing of postmasters is a top priority. This initiative ensures that anyone who needs help can find it quickly and easily. It’s about creating a culture of care and resilience in the face of the challenges our Postmasters face every day. If the initiative means helping just one Postmaster, then we have done our job successfully.”
Tony Fleming, postmaster at Thorne Post Office, added: “I know first-hand the challenges of running a high street retail business and Post Office. We recently had an armed robbery in our branch which was incredibly difficult for the person faced with this violent threat, as well as the wider team.
“It’s a traumatic experience to go through as part of your day job and having the immediate support of the Wellbeing resource was invaluable - it really was wellbeing personified and gave me and everyone in the branch the support to get back to doing what we do best, serving our fantastic community in Thorne.”
The Post Office says it remains committed to evolving this network in line with postmaster feedback, ensuring it continues to address emerging challenges.
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