Gap Time Harassment

[MrFedEx]

I hear that there is a push nationwide to investigate so-called "gap times". Gee, if it took me 5 minutes yesterday to get to my next stop and today it took 10 because they were working on the road, I should be called on the carpet and have my numbers analyzed by the "experts", right? Moe, Curly, and Larry would be better at the job in most cases.

The ironic thing about the big performance push is that it's turning more and more employees against the Borg each and every day. The more you piss them off, the more likely it is that they'll sign a union card and rebel against the system. That's a "two-fer" in my book.

I purposely throw-in a large "gap" a couple of times a week just to see if they can even detect it... which they usually can't. If they are going to continuously evaluate performance, demand a review under policy guidelines that allow an employee to request one at any time. Simply overwhelm them with requests and watch the fur fly.

God, what a cluster this company has become. Please help your managers screw it up even further by utilizing policy to your advantage. Be smarter than they are, which isn't very difficult.

 

[Myort]

I heard that some jackass came up with a figure that the company is losing $10 million per month in "gap" time. This is nothing but greed by a few people looking to spend that $10 million on a few of them.

 

[Cactus]

I heard that some jackass came up with a figure that the company is losing $10 million per month in "gap" time. This is nothing but greed by a few people looking to spend that $10 million on a few of them.

When you run a business such as this one, there comes a cost of running it.

Employees needing to use the restroom, stopped for road construction, waiting for dispatch instructions etc. are all costs involved and eat up a courier's time greatly.

This is just harassment plain and simple.

Someone needs to call CBS's "60 Minutes" program. A broadcast of this story will guarantee a healthy viewing audience. This would put a nice little
wrench in the FedEx PR machine and I'm also sure that Smith would be unavailable for comment.

 

[MrFedEx]

I heard that some jackass came up with a figure that the company is losing $10 million per month in "gap" time. This is nothing but greed by a few people looking to spend that $10 million on a few of them.

I don't doubt it. Too bad some of these cubicle-bound engineers don't get to spend a couple of days out delivering packages.

 

[bbsam]

When you run a business such as this one, there comes a cost of running it.

Employees needing to use the restroom, stopped for road construction, waiting for dispatch instructions etc. are all costs involved and eat up a courier's time greatly.

This is just harassment plain and simple.

Someone needs to call CBS's "60 Minutes" program. A broadcast of this story will guarantee a healthy viewing audience. This would put a nice little
wrench in the FedEx PR machine and I'm also sure that Smith would be unavailable for comment.

How 'bout "The Ed Show"?

 

[Cactus]

How 'bout "The Ed Show"?

"Mister Ed" or "Ed Sullivian?"

 

[FedEx2000]

There's a right way and a wrong way to approach it. If there is a 20 minute gap between two stops that are a block or two apart, it's hardly harassment to ask the courier about it. If it's explainable, no problem. I don't even question gaps that are under 10 minutes (for now), unless they are right across the street or in the same bldg. If the courier is at/over 100% for the day, I don't even worry about them unless something really jumps out. There are a lot of very small things, such as coding your time card properly, that would keep many people off the list of those to question. Bottom line is that it can basically be considered "stealing time" from the company....ask the UPSers about that. If you are doing what you are supposed to be, it shouldn't even be an issue.

My whole goal is to get the people that constantly under-perform up to their goals, and to stop them from dumping on the ones that go out and kill it everyday. If they don't, 30 days and they are in PIP, potentially 3-4 months down the road they are looking for new employment if they don't hit the goals that they have already demonstrated that they can do. It's all about holding the people accountable that are dogging it, the ones that do it right should be happy about that since it's been a big complaint forever. I'm sure there are mgrs that are questioning gaps/people that are doing it right, and while that may be a bit overzealous, it's not harassment unless they are really overdoing it.

 

[MrFedEx]

There's a right way and a wrong way to approach it. If there is a 20 minute gap between two stops that are a block or two apart, it's hardly harassment to ask the courier about it. If it's explainable, no problem. I don't even question gaps that are under 10 minutes (for now), unless they are right across the street or in the same bldg. If the courier is at/over 100% for the day, I don't even worry about them unless something really jumps out. There are a lot of very small things, such as coding your time card properly, that would keep many people off the list of those to question. Bottom line is that it can basically be considered "stealing time" from the company....ask the UPSers about that. If you are doing what you are supposed to be, it shouldn't even be an issue.

My whole goal is to get the people that constantly under-perform up to their goals, and to stop them from dumping on the ones that go out and kill it everyday. If they don't, 30 days and they are in PIP, potentially 3-4 months down the road they are looking for new employment if they don't hit the goals that they have already demonstrated that they can do. It's all about holding the people accountable that are dogging it, the ones that do it right should be happy about that since it's been a big complaint forever. I'm sure there are mgrs that are questioning gaps/people that are doing it right, and while that may be a bit overzealous, it's not harassment unless they are really overdoing it.

The problem is that they are going overboard with it. The timing could not be worse from the perspective of the overall level of morale.

 

[Cactus]

My whole goal is to get the people that constantly under-perform up to their goals, and to stop them from dumping on the ones that go out and kill it everyday. If they don't, 30 days and they are in PIP, potentially 3-4 months down the road they are looking for new employment if they don't hit the goals that they have already demonstrated that they can do.

And most likely so will their managers.

 

[MrFedEx]

And most likely so will their managers.

No pressure, no stress. Pretty soon, there won't be anyone left to deliver the pkgs after they finish their "efficiency" program. What an effing joke.

 

[FedEx2000]

And most likely so will their managers.

Possibly, if they don't get at least 80% of their workgroup hitting a goal that they have already demonstrated they can do. So, take your max P1, do it right, and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

 

[vantexan]

There's a right way and a wrong way to approach it. If there is a 20 minute gap between two stops that are a block or two apart, it's hardly harassment to ask the courier about it. If it's explainable, no problem. I don't even question gaps that are under 10 minutes (for now), unless they are right across the street or in the same bldg. If the courier is at/over 100% for the day, I don't even worry about them unless something really jumps out. There are a lot of very small things, such as coding your time card properly, that would keep many people off the list of those to question. Bottom line is that it can basically be considered "stealing time" from the company....ask the UPSers about that. If you are doing what you are supposed to be, it shouldn't even be an issue.

My whole goal is to get the people that constantly under-perform up to their goals, and to stop them from dumping on the ones that go out and kill it everyday. If they don't, 30 days and they are in PIP, potentially 3-4 months down the road they are looking for new employment if they don't hit the goals that they have already demonstrated that they can do. It's all about holding the people accountable that are dogging it, the ones that do it right should be happy about that since it's been a big complaint forever. I'm sure there are mgrs that are questioning gaps/people that are doing it right, and while that may be a bit overzealous, it's not harassment unless they are really overdoing it.

But then there are the mgrs who have courier buddies that they let have the run of the place while coming down hard on the rest of the couriers. I've seen that several times.

 

[FedEx2000]

But then there are the mgrs who have courier buddies that they let have the run of the place while coming down hard on the rest of the couriers. I've seen that several times.

I'm sure there are, and it isn't right, but that is something almost everyone deals with in their job.....most bosses/mgrs have favorites. It's human nature, you get along with some better than others. I have employees that I like better than others, simply b/c they do it right and I don't have to follow up with them on a constant basis, but it doesn't mean that I favor them or let them slide. If they screw up, I treat it the same way I would with anyone else. I do everything I can to be as consistent as possible with everyone and not play favorites....but I'm sure there will still be those that may perceive something I do as favoritism.

 

[vantexan]

I'm sure there are, and it isn't right, but that is something almost everyone deals with in their job.....most bosses/mgrs have favorites. It's human nature, you get along with some better than others. I have employees that I like better than others, simply b/c they do it right and I don't have to follow up with them on a constant basis, but it doesn't mean that I favor them or let them slide. If they screw up, I treat it the same way I would with anyone else. I do everything I can to be as consistent as possible with everyone and not play favorites....but I'm sure there will still be those that may perceive something I do as favoritism.

But I'm not talking about employees who are liked because they work hard and make the mgr look good. I'm talking about employees who clearly think the rules don't apply to them, that have a mgr buddy who covers for them. Stations who only have one mgr and have a hands off senior mgr are vulnerable to this. One place I worked had a courier who never took a split, got around 44-45 hrs a week. And yet when I covered him on vacation I routinely took splits, sometimes 3 hr splits. Mgr suggested sarcastically that if I was so good I should take out more freight when I ran his rt. And I didn't even bring it up. Another at that station would drive 20 or so minutes to his house, take 30 min lunch, then drive back. At end of rt he'd drive back to his house, take another 30 min break, then drive in to station. Usually got off 1830 to 1915. Swings covering him would get off 1630 to 1730. Mgr would make jokes about it. They hung out with mgr. And yet mgr was always looking for little things to get into other couriers' faces about. Favoritism came up big on SFA, but when he asked us to give reason for it, no one dared speak up. I've seen other situations, not as extreme, but clearly the mgr was playing favorites. And yes, these mgrs usually lose their job in the long run because playing favorites is just a part of bigger overall problems. But I've seen enough to know that FedEx doesn't do as good a job as they could policing their own mgmt ranks.

 

[once a jumpseater]

Hey, Mr. FedEx, Maybe you should go work for another courier service. You are obviously not happy at FedEx. Find a better place to work. The people who do
their job and don't try to steal time from the company, don't mind this new program.
They are actually happy that the slackers are finally having to step up to the plate
and do some work.

 

[MrFedEx]

Hey, Mr. FedEx, Maybe you should go work for another courier service. You are obviously not happy at FedEx. Find a better place to work. The people who do
their job and don't try to steal time from the company, don't mind this new program.
They are actually happy that the slackers are finally having to step up to the plate
and do some work.

I can tell you haven't been at FedEx too long. You will eventually figure it out if you have enough smarts. Maybe not.

 

[MrFedEx]

Hey, Mr. FedEx, Maybe you should go work for another courier service. You are obviously not happy at FedEx. Find a better place to work. The people who do
their job and don't try to steal time from the company, don't mind this new program.
They are actually happy that the slackers are finally having to step up to the plate
and do some work.

I want to work for another "airline". You just admitted FedEx is a "courier service", which would make Fred very angry. Next time, try using more of your vast intelligence when you post.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Hey, Mr. FedEx, Maybe you should go work for another courier service. You are obviously not happy at FedEx. Find a better place to work. The people who do
their job and don't try to steal time from the company, don't mind this new program. They are actually happy that the slackers are finally having to step up to the plate and do some work.

Jump, you will have to excuse MFE as he has a severe case of UPS-envy. I have several friends on the Purple side and while all say that things have changed over the past 10-20 years none of them describe these changes in the tone that MFE does. They are realistic when asked about the production push but do concede that an increase in production should be paired with an increase in wages.

MFE, the grass is not any greener on the Brown side. Yes, our wage, benefit and pension package exceed that of FedEx, but our production expectations also exceed yours.

You should be careful what you ask for.

 

[LTFedExer]

Jump, you will have to excuse MFE as he has a severe case of UPS-envy. I have several friends on the Purple side and while all say that things have changed over the past 10-20 years none of them describe these changes in the tone that MFE does. They are realistic when asked about the production push but do concede that an increase in production should be paired with an increase in wages.

MFE, the grass is not any greener on the Brown side. Yes, our wage, benefit and pension package exceed that of FedEx, but our production expectations also exceed yours.

You should be careful what you ask for.

Well said Upstate. Some things MFE mentions might be true, but not as bad as he says. I talk with the UPS driver on my route. I may get paid less, but I don't do as much work either.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Helllllllo.... this isn't so much about PAY? What about reduced benefits, what about the PPA abortion, what about the ground scam; etc etc there's so much more than just pay....

That is a sick and twisted spin. If the payrate remained the same and FedEx couriers had similar benefits and retirement plans (among other things), I'm pretty sure MrFedEx would concede that as a reasonably fair deal. It's NOT all about what you make per hour.