USPS Office of Inspector General

If you are a regular visitor to our blog or any part of our website, you are probably familiar with our mission: to ensure efficiency, accountability, and integrity in the U.S. Postal Service. Our work also helps to maintain confidence in the postal system and to improve the Postal Service’s bottom line.

We achieve the mission by performing independent audits and investigations and conducting in-depth research and analysis on postal issues to identify opportunities for revenue growth and increased operational efficiencies.

It’s the week before Thanksgiving, when attention turns to travel, favorite family recipes, overeating, and, of course, package delivery.

That’s right. Cyber Monday is right around the corner and predictions put this year’s spend at roughly $3.8 billion in sales. And with an expected jump in online sales of 18-21 percent over the entire holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service is preparing for a 10 percent increase in the number of packages it will deliver (to 850 million) between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

On Veterans Day, we reflect on the service that more than 21 million men and women have given to our country. About 1.3 million of them served during multiple wars, dating as far back as World War II.

Many veterans now work in a wide range of fields, from manufacturing and retail to transportation and the entertainment industry, as laborers, managers, and executives, according to U.S. Census data. The largest contingent of veterans, about 14 percent, works in public service or administration, which isn’t really surprising given its close relationship to military service.

This year, it almost feels like the unofficial motto of the U.S. Postal Service should be changed to “neither hurricanes, floods, nor wildfires stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

You hear a lot about employee engagement these days. Seems every organization will tell you it’s important, including the U.S. Postal Service.

But what exactly is employee engagement? Is it just a fancy name for morale? Partially it’s about morale. But engagement also encompasses professionalism, dedication, and pride in the mission. The idea is to have employees who are committed and motivated to do their best work.