Do you derive a sense of purpose from UPS?

Bizzob232

2nd generation UPSer
I guess I am relatively new by this forums standards, 7 years 2 pt, 5 ft driver. I'm a second generation driver my dad has over 20 years in at my building and is nearly his retirement. I love listening to him and all the other older guys (I'm 25) talk about how great things used to be. Fact is we make so much money I really don't expect the best of everything. I do my job with the values and sense of pride my dad did and people notice, it sucks hearing how rude some drivers ups or other are. I derive my sense of purpose as ups is one of the more important things in my life, it truly is what you make it. You moan and complain and chances are you hate everyday. I on the other hand love seeing my customers everyday, hearing about their kids and basically becoming family to people. Come to st michaels MD, everyone knows me by name and would (and have) do anything to help me out at any time. If in general your purpose in life is to have a career, money to take care of your family, and be content then yes, ups has given my life purpose and I unlike most of my coworkers take pride in what I do.... Maybe that's the difference between us newbies and you old timers, most of us kids don't know what pride is.
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
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.

It is a manager's job to buffer the pressure that the division manager throws at him/her... AND it is the division manager's job to shield his managers from his boss. SO - The direct responsibility falls on the manager if your center is dysfunctional. Don't blame corporate - don't blame the region - your manager is there to make your unit functional. My guess is that if you think that it is someone else's fault other than the manager, than the manager has led you to believe that. To me, that is the sign of a weak manager and is the reason your center is dysfunctional.
 

TUT

Well-Known Member
The best part of a driver has to be the satisfaction you give the recipients. You are in a position to feel that many times every day. There are more jobs that don't have that avenue, stuck in a building with the same people all day every day. Your pride and feel of worthiness should come from your recipients and delivery. It's a pretty huge plus imo. If you get something from the job-end, that is a bonus, more a sign of the times.
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
It is a manager's job to buffer the pressure that the division manager throws at him/her... AND it is the division manager's job to shield his managers from his boss. SO - The direct responsibility falls on the manager if your center is dysfunctional. Don't blame corporate - don't blame the region - your manager is there to make your unit functional. My guess is that if you think that it is someone elses fault other than the manager, than the manager has led you to believe that. To me, that is the sign of a weak manager and is the reason your center is dysfunctional.

Agree one-hundred percent but you'll never get Sober to understand that.
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
Agree one-hundred percent but you'll never get Sober to understand that.

There are some things you have to experience. I know one particular notorious center that went through a string of managers before the right one came along. He was able to gain their trust and shield them from above. Everything in that center made a 180º turn. Hopefully sober will get to experience some real leadership before he retires.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
There are some things you have to experience. I know one particular notorious center that went through a string of managers before the right one came along. He was able to gain their trust and shield them from above. Everything in that center made a 180º turn. Hopefully sober will get to experience some real leadership before he retires.

Said manager was then promptly promoted to a higher/easier position and the cycle started all over.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
I guess I am relatively new by this forums standards, 7 years 2 pt, 5 ft driver. I'm a second generation driver my dad has over 20 years in at my building and is nearly his retirement. I love listening to him and all the other older guys (I'm 25) talk about how great things used to be. Fact is we make so much money I really don't expect the best of everything. I do my job with the values and sense of pride my dad did and people notice, it sucks hearing how rude some drivers ups or other are. I derive my sense of purpose as ups is one of the more important things in my life, it truly is what you make it. You moan and complain and chances are you hate everyday. I on the other hand love seeing my customers everyday, hearing about their kids and basically becoming family to people. Come to st michaels MD, everyone knows me by name and would (and have) do anything to help me out at any time. If in general your purpose in life is to have a career, money to take care of your family, and be content then yes, ups has given my life purpose and I unlike most of my coworkers take pride in what I do.... Maybe that's the difference between us newbies and you old timers, most of us kids don't know what pride is.
I think I know you. Maybe not I think who I am thinking of is a little older, maybe not. Anyway your dad, whether its the one I know or not, is a great man. He is the one who keeps us hanging out. he got berated for a small accident, it saddened me. Its called an accident and we all will/can have them. No one got hurt and ups does carry insurance, coz guess what? People have accidents. Otherwise no matter how we follow safety, it can happen. The day I heard that PCM I was disgruntled anyway. After I heard that lack of respect to a seasoned driver, I totally dissassociated myself.
You feel much better about things then.
Hang in there, Ups needs people they cannot beat down.
 

Bubblehead

My Senior Picture
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.

This is all anybody needs at UPS.
If we could all channel this mindset collectively, we could make this a great place to work once again.
 

Bubblehead

My Senior Picture
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.

Very philosophical and kind of what I was thinking.
I tend to try and find purpose in everything I do, even when the only purpose I can find is to get finished.
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
It is a manager's job to buffer the pressure that the division manager throws at him/her... AND it is the division manager's job to shield his managers from his boss. SO - The direct responsibility falls on the manager if your center is dysfunctional. Don't blame corporate - don't blame the region - your manager is there to make your unit functional. My guess is that if you think that it is someone else's fault other than the manager, than the manager has led you to believe that. To me, that is the sign of a weak manager and is the reason your center is dysfunctional.

I want to agree but I know that today's managers are scared to act. Because nowadays a manager (division or center) or any sup for that matter, is destined for a demotion or termination if they try to fix anything. Sad. So sad.
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
I'm a tweener 10-20yr, like so many others.

There is no sense of "Purpose" other than to move packages.

I work at UPS, to allow me to live life outside of UPS to the fullest. However, I will say that working at UPS has helped provide a self-discipline that rolls over into outside life. I find myself taking on tasks right away, instead of procrastinating, and also working harder in the things I do. That is valuable!
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
I want to agree but I know that today's managers are scared to act. Because nowadays a manager (division or center) or any sup for that matter, is destined for a demotion or termination if they try to fix anything. Sad. So sad.

I agree with that statement. I will take it to the next step and say that if you do in fact run scared, you will be demoted or terminated at some point in the future. The two go hand in hand. If you do survive, you are constantly second guessing yourself and all of your decisions are based solely on what you think your boss wants you to do.
 

brownmonster

Man of Great Wisdom
I agree with that statement. I will take it to the next step and say that if you do in fact run scared, you will be demoted or terminated at some point in the future. The two go hand in hand. If you do survive, you are constantly second guessing yourself and all of your decisions are based solely on what you think your boss wants you to do.

Eliminate 12 levels of bosses. We deliver boxes. It's not that complicated.
 

Norma

Active Member
oldtimer. I still actually care about my job. This year beginning on Valentines Day they decided that loading 700 residential stops on the preload with almost no missloads wasn't good enough anymore. They started loading a "phantom" 5th truck to my route. For anyone who doesn't know what a phantom truck is, it's when you load your trucks and at the end of the shift they take 40 stops off of each truck to create another route. Since my trucks are neatly loaded, sups can easily go in and take out they stuff they need.

How does this make me feel? These azzwipes have no understanding of how much I absolutely hate them and will throw them all under the bus at the first opportunity I get. If I get 1 paycheck even 1 minute under, if I encounter a "real" OHSA auditor, etc, etc. I heard 10 years ago building productivity goes down when I'm on vacation. Still not good enough for this set of clowns.
 

ajblakejr

Age quod agis
Hoax, again, excellent question.

This question stimulated thought and many responses from long time BC members with few posts on BC.

I welcome the question which pulls long time BC members into the discussion and new BC members.

Welcome EzTarget (August 2008), OscarTheGrouch (March 2008), srvhero (June 2008), Norma (2010) and newbie's upser1018, brownbaglady and Bizzob232.

Perhaps this is the question to gain true insight in the UPSer mind rather than the Employee Opinion Survey.
 

Norma

Active Member
Employee Opinion Survey is a joke. Once some PT sup actually entered all the info for me including how long I've been there. "we know who you are, now answer honestly" Total joke.
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
Employee Opinion Survey is a joke. Once some PT sup actually entered all the info for me including how long I've been there. "we know who you are, now answer honestly" Total joke.
In 2010 while bid and working Preload, I was never offered to take the employee survey and denied. However, the "new employees" whom had worked less than one month, were sitting on the PC taking it.
 

stepitup

Well-Known Member
I am an old timer, I will celebrate 25 years (all driving) in the spring of 2013. I expected this to be a job and only a job. I went in knowing I was self motivated and though I followed their methods, I worked towards goals that would satisfy me. It was important for me to demonstrate that a female could handle the responsibilities and rigors of being a UPS driver. It was important for me to earn the respect of my fellow drivers and it was important to me to not cry crocodile tears when challenges pushed me two steps back. What I received in return was more than I ever dreamed. A kinship with my co-workers that I never expected, but more importantly a relationship with my customers that have made me feel like family. I still treat my employment as a "job" but my reasons for showing up go beyond what UPS expects.
 
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