Superhero Spotlight: Our people pack a punch during peak season

Aakash whizzes through the streets of Berlin’s Neukölln neighborhood on his e-trike – the wind in his hair and a smile on his face. It’s just before Christmas, and the bags in his three-wheeler are overflowing. But he doesn’t mind. Why? Because he knows they’re filled with lovingly wrapped presents and festively colored envelopes.

“Despite the heavy workload, I enjoy my work because I love being out and about making customers happy,” he says to DHL intern Balazs, who has joined Aakash on a cold December morning to learn what it’s like to be a mail carrier. “We have a lot of work to do during the peak season, and things can get tricky if you don’t stay calm.”

Born in India, Aakash is a mail courier based out of our mail center in Neukölln. After two years on the team at Post & Parcel Germany, the 25-year-old is a seasoned pro who handles the end-of-the-year holiday rush with a blend of calm and flexibility.

See for yourself in this behind-the-scenes look:

In December 2024, Post & Parcel Germany sent a new record – twelve million parcels delivered in one day! Every year, the team gears up for peak season – the run-up to Christmas when the volume of parcels dramatically increases. In Germany alone, we bring on some 10,000 additional workers to support our 115,000 couriers and about 39,000 sorting center specialists. We even add some 11,000 extra vehicles to our fleet during the holidays.

The team works tirelessly throughout the peak season, but not thanklessly. Aakash says it’s his customers that motivate him to be at his best every day.

“The smiles on their faces when they receive things on time is what keeps me going,” he says. 

From Berlin’s eclectic neighborhoods, we travel to the bustling streets of New York City to find yet another team of DHL superheroes fearlessly joining forces to tackle the challenges of one of the world’s most fast-paced urban jungles.

Here, we meet Matthew, Abed, and Anthony, who spend their workdays at three very different workplaces but share one very important goal. From the tarmac at DHL Express’ gateway at the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to the station floor at a DHL service center in Manhattan, to the wheel of a DHL delivery van on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, our superheroes skillfully navigate the hectic world that is New York City to ensure every parcel is delivered punctually.

Join our intern Balazs as he meets up with Matthew, Abed, and Anthony for an exhilarating ride among the city’s cargo planes, skyscrapers, and … wait for it … service elevators. See for yourself:

Outside at the JFK Gateway, it’s not just the crisp air that keeps Matthew on his toes. The 34-year-old operations manager says it’s the fast-paced, high-intensity environment that excites and motivates him. His superpower? Motivating others.

Matthew manages what he and his team call the “hot sort” every morning, which means they process the flights and freight that arrive overnight as quickly and efficiently as possible so the goods get out for delivery the same day. He says he thrives on motivating his team, keeping their “eyes on the prize” as they “race to get it done and hit our goal each morning.” It’s exciting, he adds, “because we are constantly tweaking our game plan to ensure success.”

What else motivates him? Opportunity. “I know that at any moment, something can come up and give me a chance to advance myself and my career with a company I can truly say I love working for.”

Back downtown in Manhattan, Abed is indoors at this DHL Express station in Hell’s Kitchen, where the scene is just as hot. The parcels have arrived from JFK and are rolling down a seemingly endless conveyor belt on their way to waiting delivery vans and drivers. The fast-paced environment doesn’t faze him – nor the noise. Early in his DHL career, he was out on that tarmac at JFK, loading urgent, express deliveries on the DHL chopper.

Today, he’s a station services manager who spends each workday loading his team with support and energy. That’s his superpower. “We are all human and have feelings,” he says. “I try to be fair across the board and provide my team with the proper support and guidance.” He thrives on promoting DHL’s culture of getting results without jeopardizing respect.

What else motivates him? A sense of belonging. “Working at DHL gives me the sense of belonging to a big family.”