Do you derive a sense of purpose from UPS?

[Catatonic]

As United Parcel Service transitioned to the UPS of today, many felt they had been betrayed.
I propose that hey betrayed themselves by trying to get their purpose in life from their job at UPS.
It's why they call it a job ... we do it for money.
Only a lucky few get to earn money doing things that brings a sense of purpose in their life.
A job is a means to make money, not a way to have meaning or purpose in your life.
The key to getting value out of life is find something you are passionate about and derive a purpose in life from that experience.

It would be interesting to see how others feel about this and if you would identify yourself as
1) Old-timer UPSer - Been with UPS 20 years plus - was sold the old UPS where you worked for life
2) Tweener UPSer - Been with UPS 10 - 20 years - was sold the old UPS but it began to change in your first years of employment
3) New UPSer - less than 10 years with UPS - only knows the new UPS where you are "encouraged" to work at UPS for a few years and then move on

 

[ajblakejr]

As United Parcel Service transitioned to the UPS of today, many felt they had been betrayed.
I propose that hey betrayed themselves by trying to get their purpose in life from their job at UPS.
It's why they call it a job ... we do it for money.
Only a lucky few get to earn money doing things that brings a sense of purpose in their life.
A job is a means to make money, not a way to have meaning or purpose in your life.
The key to getting value out of life is find something you are passionate about and derive a purpose in life from that experience.

It would be interesting to see how others feel about this and if you would identify yourself as
1) Old-timer UPSer - Been with UPS 20 years plus - was sold the old UPS where you worked for life
2) Tweener UPSer - Been with UPS 10 - 20 years - was sold the old UPS but it began to change in your first years of employment
3) New UPSer - less than 10 years with UPS - only knows the new UPS where you are "encouraged" to work at UPS for a few years and then move on

Very good question.

This will require thought before I toss in an answer.

 

[Indecisi0n]

Like you said it's a job. I go in, work, then leave.

 

[rocket man]

INTRESTING post over three hundred thousand employees , Three hundred thousand reasons

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Each and everyone one of us employed by UPS has one purpose the moment we start.......satisfy UPS metrics.

 

[cachsux]

I am old school, 26+ years, and feel no sense of purpose anymore. I barely care that I'm one of the better ones at what I do. The old UPS built on service to a customer and pride in its people is gone and I no longer have the " Faith "

 

[Jones]

I've always been here for the money so that hasn't changed, but it used to be a better place to work. The stress level in my center is unreal and you see it in every person, from the center manager who's getting ready to retire on down to the most junior reg temp driver. I was talking with a couple other drivers about "the old days" when if you had a lousy day or even a bad week when volume was high and staffing was short, all you had to do was suck it up and get through it and things would be better tomorrow. Now every day pretty much sucks and the only light at the end of the tunnel is retirement.

Edit- Forgot to add, I'm an "oldtimer"

 

[Indecisi0n]

I've always been here for the money so that hasn't changed, but it used to be a better place to work. The stress level in my center is unreal and you see it in every person, from the center manager who's getting ready to retire on down to the most junior reg temp driver. I was talking with a couple other drivers about "the old days" when if you had a lousy day or even a bad week when volume was high and staffing was short, all you had to do was suck it up and get through it and things would be better tomorrow. Now every day pretty much sucks and the only light at the end of the tunnel is retirement.

In the short amount of time I been with UPS I can agree. They use to give me work and I did take pride in being about to get all my work done. I hated when I first started and had to get help all the time. I no longer wanted to have be "that guy" that always needed help. I learned a lot over time and was able to get my route done by 6:00PM (super early at my center) but it didn't take me long to realize that the faster I worked the more work I got. Either my stops per car went up or I was sent to help others. Now I just go at a steady pace and could careless what happens. Doesn't matter if I have late NDA, missed business or if i have to be pulled at the end of the night because they over dispatched me (happened just last week). Those problems are the companys problems not mine.

 

[EzTarget]

Applied in Oct. '84 cause I needed a job. Hired as a Xmas driver then re-hired 1/85. For awhile thought of quitting due to the route I had (all walk up apts., about 150 plus 20-30 buisness stops would make an 8hr day). But then able to bid on a nice residential/retail route that payed good bonus (remember bonus?) and decided life was good. The retail customers almost always seemed happy to see the brown truck roll up behind thier stores and it gave me a sense of accomplishment to empty out that truck, even if it did take 9 hrs and it payed 10 to 11 (which made for a nice paycheck). A couple of those customers wrote letters to HQ saying how satisfied they were with my service. The union payed my family's med bills, if there was a problem one phone call to the benefits office took care of it. Got a chance for feeders in '88, then covered for 7 years before the chance for a run came up, took that and got to like working nights. It was during that time in feeders that I saw the change in mgmt's attitude. Even after the '97 strike, the older managers and sups were ok then as the older ones retired (if memory serves, alot of them quit also) the newer managment seemed to lack that "we do this together, management is here to help". It was more "you are paid alot of money so we expect you to work real hard non-stop with no excuses for lack of performance". Over time it was obvious that life (imo) for drivers (especially in delivery) got alot harder and it sure looked like no one enjoyed thier jobs any more, which is sad.
I had to retire a few years ago due to a medical condition that UPS had nothing to do with and cannot work (for anyone doing anything) ever again. If I could go back I would in a hearbeat (in order to get my 30 and the full retirement). Loved the job (and most of the hourlys I worked with) but would avoid management like the plague, the negative attitude was overwhelming and depressing. And no, don't feel betrayed just saddened that the company has changed for the worse.
So, during my 20+ years at Big Brown my purpose in life was to raise my family (#1) and enjoy life both on and off the clock, which used to be easy even on the clock.

 

[curiousbrain]

As United Parcel Service transitioned to the UPS of today, many felt they had been betrayed.
I propose that hey betrayed themselves by trying to get their purpose in life from their job at UPS.
It's why they call it a job ... we do it for money.
Only a lucky few get to earn money doing things that brings a sense of purpose in their life.
A job is a means to make money, not a way to have meaning or purpose in your life.
The key to getting value out of life is find something you are passionate about and derive a purpose in life from that experience.

It would be interesting to see how others feel about this and if you would identify yourself as
1) Old-timer UPSer - Been with UPS 20 years plus - was sold the old UPS where you worked for life
2) Tweener UPSer - Been with UPS 10 - 20 years - was sold the old UPS but it began to change in your first years of employment
3) New UPSer - less than 10 years with UPS - only knows the new UPS where you are "encouraged" to work at UPS for a few years and then move on

New UPS'er.

I don't derive a sense of purpose from UPS, so much as I derive a sense of purpose from having a job, in general. To put a finer point on it, I look around and see (and remember) how directionless people who don't have a job are, and as such I throw myself into my job (be it UPS, mowing lawns, or whatever) with everything I can muster.

Not to get too philosophical, but what is "purpose"? In my opinion, it's just an elevation of priority of one "thing" over the rest of the "things" that constitute an individuals life - in the context of the previous sentence, I value having a job (and by association, doing well at it) above the rest of the things that constitute my life at this point and time.

I don't feel any guilt about seeing things this way because, more or less, this is how the world sees me: as a prioritization of value. Maybe I am more valuable than others, maybe I am not - that is what dictates my place in the world. There is no difference, then, when I make a personal prioritization about the things which I value.

 

[toonertoo]

Old timer. 28 in june 2012. 8 yrs pt and 20 driver. It used to be a big part of my life, but I did and still try to have one outside of it. It has been great , as far as money, although I should be financially set and feel somewhere along the way I put retirement saving off, as I felt I could live and do it forever. I often wonder how I would have handled all the things that came up in life, had I not been making the money I was. I often stop and think How would I have handled this making even less than half of what I make. so it has been a good thing in that respect. Because of the excellent benefits, my children benefited. Got braces, where some kids didnt, etc.
For me it was a great diversion. When things were bad, sick parents etc, it kept me focused on something else a good part of the day. And people still OOH, and Ahh, and think how awesome it is to be a UPS driver, people depend so much on us.
But for me it has lost its luster, because it used to be if you had a bad day, and you finished, that was good enough. Now if you have a bad day you get treated badly, and no one apppreciates that you worked like a dog just to get done. The measurement of time being what it is although most of us will say is incorrect, is the gauge by whether we will be treated as human or pond scum.
On Friday I am ecstatic, on Sunday I cry. It shouldnt be that way and really doesnt need to be. But I feel a little better than I used to because I dont care what anyone says to me anymore. If I know in my heart that I did the best I could, thats all I need.
And thanks to various laws, they can not fire you for being older. And that is all they have against me, yes I grew older while working here.

 

[kingOFchester]

No. I do not feel a sense of purpose.

Many times a day I feel like a shmuck do to the following.

1) Do to add cuts, Showing up at a business at 4pm when they were use to their driver coming at the same time everyday and able to turn the shipment around.
2) Standing in front of a customer with a box that has several foot prints all over them.
3) Standing in front of a customer with a box that is crushed and looks like Stevie Wonder re-taped it.
4) Pulling up to a business in the AM, rolling up the bulk head door and having to dig through a mountain of bulk for their packages.
5) Trying to explain to a customer that the reason they are getting their air at 11am is because UPS gave me 25 air stops spread over three routes.
6) Standing in front of a customer with 3 shades of tathered browns.
7) Having to tell the customer "No, it is not raining out. That is my bodily fluids pouring out of my pores. Our trucks don't have a fan to help our body displace the heat".

 

[hemiboy20]

No desire really....just want the free health benefits and my sad $200 paycheck. UPS has no pitty or respect for its employees all they do is crack the whip and say work harder or do more in less time. Id love to give UPS the big "friend" you but your an idiot to walk away from big brown in this economy. All upsers are hooked by UPS and the bait is the money and benefits.

 

[Jackburton]

Business changes as the environment that it has to compete in changes. If we as employees don't change with it under the direction of upper management we are no longer in sync with the direction upper management has deemed important. These things cause strife for those not willing to conform to the standards laid out.

I have decided to do what management directs me to do no matter what I think may be the "right" way to do my job. I am a rubber cog in the machine, flexible and in sync. I come here for a paycheck and have no loyalties to UPS and expect none in return. The labor contract between UPS and the Teamsters is what needs to be held up on both ends.

UPS is a means to achieve what matters in my life, not my life. If UPS wants to give me more hours to lessen the amount of time I must be here to achive my goals in life, then pile it on. I won't be here a day longer than I have to and won't miss it once I leave.

 

[OscarTheGrouch]

The only thing I currently derive is stress. I'm in my 5th year and despite being a reliable, honest and good natured worker in my department, because I am low on two of the 50 metrics we are measured on - one of which was not even mentioned for the first 1/2 of the year, my job is in jeopardy with the only resolution that has been put to me is to bring said numbers to 100% which is virtually impossible to do honestly.... so yeah, my purpose is a replaceable cog in a giant wheel....

 

[UPS Lifer]

Hoke,
Tried to give you rep points but apparently I must always pick the same people! I have to spread it around!

Great thought provoking question. You already know I am an old timer - retired now 5 years. I would not work anywhere if it did not give me a sense of purpose. You make your own sense of purpose. This was not just a job to me. It was a career. I had my own goals at every position I worked. Most of those goals involved holding on and training others to hold on to the seasoned values of UPS from back in the '70's and early '80's. I ALWAYS felt that my job was to train, coach and counsel others to.... 1) Make the job easier, 2) Show them how to get satisfaction from doing the job, 3) Show not tell fellow employees how to be successful at their job.

I got great satisfaction from every aspect of my dozens and dozens of jobs during my long career with UPS. I always asked myself, what can I do in this position to add value? It was very rare that I was told by a boss what my "sense of purpose" should be.

 

[TUT]

"A job is a means to make money, not a way to have meaning or purpose in your life."

If that is what you want it to be. There is nothing saying a job can't be all that, a means to pay the bills and be meaningful. I say since our goal is to better ourselves as a person, country and species, you do raise the bar as you go. So jobs can be more then just making money and nothing else good.

 

[texan]

Yes I do. I can not share details, but the Most High G_d gave me a talent, and I use it at work daily.

Yes I get frustrated. Yes I have bad days and sometimes weeks.

But I serve people and they are pleased with my service, so what else currently would I want?

 

[srvhero]

No. I do not feel a sense of purpose.

Many times a day I feel like a shmuck do to the following.

1) Do to add cuts, Showing up at a business at 4pm when they were use to their driver coming at the same time everyday and able to turn the shipment around.
2) Standing in front of a customer with a box that has several foot prints all over them.
3) Standing in front of a customer with a box that is crushed and looks like Stevie Wonder re-taped it.
4) Pulling up to a business in the AM, rolling up the bulk head door and having to dig through a mountain of bulk for their packages.
5) Trying to explain to a customer that the reason they are getting their air at 11am is because UPS gave me 25 air stops spread over three routes.
6) Standing in front of a customer with 3 shades of tathered browns.
7) Having to tell the customer "No, it is not raining out. That is my bodily fluids pouring out of my pores. Our trucks don't have a fan to help our body displace the heat".

What he said.............

 

[Bagging for bucks]

I am a Tweener UPSer and like others have lost a sense of purpose. The day was that you had recognition for your work efforts. There was a sense of teamwork and the pat on the back for the effort you made.
Recently a fellow worker retired. After 32 years of service, there was no notice to her years served. No hand shake, plaque, pen, certificate; she showed up, did her job and left just like any other day. To me it was tragic, not just for her but for all of us who are still working with a plan of retiring from here one day.
I have just come to the idea that I am expected to show up each day, perform like a robot since I have been instructed by some Corporate individual on each and every step of my job, don't make suggestions anymore because thinking of innovated work methods are not encouraged. Safe work methods are pounded into us daily, but many unsafe work situations are over looked when it comes to production. Communication is limited to a need to know basis and mostly we don't need to know. It has definitely changed and the attitude reflects it when you hear the comments from others as well.