“The secret of success is found in your daily routine,” Connie Tibane, administrator in UP’s Department of Postal Services, on her career, why she values UP, and how she looks after her well-being.

Connie Tibane, administrator in the Department of Postal Services, tells Tukkievaria more about her career, and shares advice on improving well-being while focusing on the departmental goal.

When did you join UP?

I joined UP in 1990, which means I have worked for the University for over 30 years, moving from one level of responsibility to another. I started as a driver, transporting local and international visitors from OR Tambo International Airport to various venues. It sounds easy, but practically speaking, it was a mountain to climb because OR Tambo International Airport serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel. It is Africa's busiest airport, so traffic congestion was always a challenge.   

What attracted you to UP?

When Vista University merged with UP, I was among the staff members employed during the merger process. Based on my interaction with students and staff, I can attest that UP creates an intellectually stimulating, culturally vibrant, pleasant and safe environment where students and staff flourish.

What does your day-to-day role entail?

In nutshell, my responsibilities include sorting incoming mail and packages for delivery; weighing all packages and letters; and recording the information accurately and precisely. I am always interacting with customers, receiving post, dealing with queries and providing information about deliveries.

What would you like improved in your department and why?

We need to have a system that ensures that every piece of post has full contact details, such the name of the department or office number. This will enable us to work more effectively. You will never change your life until you change something you do daily – the secret of success is found in your daily routine.

What do you enjoy most about your job and why?

It is not what you have, who you are or where you are that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about that can frustrate you. My job makes me happy because I have a sense of purpose, I feel valued and engaged, I work in a collaborative environment and I have flexibility. The workplace culture is positive and there is the availability of wellness programmes (EWP), which also help. Lastly, I like being hands-on and focusing on the speedy delivery of mails to avoid backlogs.  

What is your least favourite part of the job?

Sometimes our job is demanding and there can be immense pressure. However, any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. But I am vigilant about making sure that my job doesn’t cause me stress, which could become chronic and harmful to both my physical and emotional health.

What do you do in your free time?

I like to read magazines; I’ve benefitted vastly from continuous reading, which helps with mental stimulation, stress reduction, knowledge creation, vocabulary expansion, memory improvement, analytical thinking skills, and improves focus and concentration.

What are your personal likes and dislikes?

I always try to maintain attention to detail. However, we are human and do not live in a perfect world, so there is always room for improvement. I don’t like being late for work because I might fall behind on a planned project and be seen as unprofessional. Over time, lack of effort and attention will impact our entire team, and colleagues may not want to work with me.