“As Swiss Post employees, it’s our job to help people.” This is how Carlo Ibrahim describes the company’s role in the current situation. He works at the Frauenfeld parcel center and, alongside his colleagues, is ensuring that people can stay at home and shop online.

Here in Frauenfeld, as in the other parcel centers all over Switzerland, ordered goods are now piling up, waiting for Carlo and his colleagues to sort them as quickly as possible and hand them over for delivery.

The challenges involved in this process are truly enormous: “It’s just like Christmas,” explains Khaled Metawie, another employee at Frauenfeld. In addition, some colleagues are absent due to illness, and distancing requirements are making processes slower.

In order to comply with the Federal Council’s regulations, only one person is permitted to handle each bulky goods consignment, and vehicles must be loaded by one person only. “Sometimes we have to remind each other to keep our distance,” Carlo explains, adding that adherence to the FOPH’s hygiene regulations has generally been a success. “I don’t worry too much about getting infected. That could happen anywhere,” Khaled adds.

To ensure that Swiss Post can still cope with the parcel volumes, it has reduced the maximum size of bulky goods, and employees are working on Saturdays as an additional measure. At Frauenfeld, staff are working at full speed: in the main hall, in the control center and in the crane outside. Trucks are coming and going.

“We are all aware of the situation and are fully motivated,” says Titus Bütler, Head of the Frauenfeld parcel center. “This is our contribution to ensuring that Switzerland keeps on running.”

Pictures: Urs Graber