Royal Mail celebrates its 500th anniversary this year – a milestone only a handful of brands across the world are able to mark. Behavioural shifts mean its role has changed, with its proposition as well as products and services moving to match the times.

The challenge from new media and competitors seem to be motivating its marketing team, who give good scores for how interesting its work is. New challenges often require new capability and Royal Mail invests time and effort in ensuring its marketers are equipped, rating highly for the resources it makes available to staff.

Royal Mail has its own marketing academy, which trains staff on industry developments. It also holds quarterly away sessions where its marketers hear from the likes of Google and Facebook on trends. A bespoke training programme run by the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing on developments in the channel is also offered.

Royal Mail operates in a competitive marketplace where the battle for marketing talent is fierce. It also operates in one where it is at risk of being seen as old-fashioned by job hunters. The brand therefore needs to stand out for more than just the marketing challenge and it appears to be cutting through with existing employees on the benefits it offers.

It scores highly for work-life balance – offering job shares, flexible hours and home working – and benefits such as car allowance, healthcare and life insurance. It is also collaborative in setting personnel strategy, with an employee engagement team.