New, Improved (?) Response Thread

[El Morado Diablo]

This is somewhat true. Everyone knows that stand-alones in one part of the service area are meaningless for help 45+ minutes away. However, when there are hundreds of stand-alones there shouldn’t be lates anywhere.

They just show excess capacity and a bad route structure. You can absolutely design efficient routes if you get on-road early that make service and do SA. But some will see that as excess capacity. Did that station really need al those routes or all those rentals when they did 500 SA stops BEFORE 1030? Why are these routes finishing business PO before 1015?

Couldn’t they cut routes with better balancing? Not only are there SA, but resi heavy routes doing 1200 commits before 1030 also. I honestly don’t think there would be much noise if a largish station had <25 lates and SA, but if you’re being asked to run service and avoid SA I’d keep in mind the local goal might be to protect staffing and keep all the rentals so that when they ask for additional resources they have credibility.

I completely agree with you.

The fact is, not all stations are the same. I'm in a small station (< 20 routes, many of them rural). They complain about SINGLE stand alones. There isn't a lot of flexibility when you have so few routes, not to mention being constantly short-handed due to continual turnover (we lost 20% of our couriers last month).

In a perfect world managers would be confident to relay this up the food chain without fear of it being called an excuse. In reality, we are forced to do anything to keep something from showing up on a report whether it makes sense or not. This doesn't make sense to anyone who is actually doing the job. About the only day it's a problem here is Mondays since that's the only day of the week we actually make service. Our freight is so late the rest of the week that stand alones aren't an issue.

 

[floridays]

The fact that the company thinks a couple hundred bucks is a motivating amount of money is embarrassing. The problem is PAY. Now you want me, a 14 year RTD who's 5 steps from where I should be, to go be a recruiter and do the job of a manager. And if i happen to find you a decent employee, you’ll give me $100 haha. I wouldn’t recommend this company to anyone I care about. And I don’t know a single current employee that feels differently. It’s clear the company is just trying to limp its way until the COVID unemployment benefit goes away. They think that’s the end of their hiring troubles. That people will go back to taking low paying jobs. Well that might be true.... if majority of employees that already work here weren’t furious about pay progression. New prospects looking for jobs, skip right over express due to pay. The ones that do take the job are immediately met by 18 year employees still years from top out telling them don’t bother. It’s not going away with the end of COVID. Look at the UPS model... if you pay employees well, you can pay new employees less. Because there is something to look forward to. It’s clear that compensation is a game to express. We’ve just had the most profitable years in company history, and they’re playing the game.

A lot of what you said makes a lot of sense to me.



I don't know the answer, this is an open question for anyone that reads this

Has the company touted the Forbes top 5 or 10 or whatever best companies to work for spiel this year?

Just a question.

 

[floridays]

Have you ever waited for your “turn” at a bulk site after going through a security check (at&t/Verizon/etc)?

No.

 

[Aquaman]

A lot of what you said makes a lot of sense to me.



I don't know the answer, this is an open question for anyone that reads this

Has the company touted the Forbes top 5 or 10 or whatever best companies to work for spiel this year?

Just a question.

Forbes has no idea what they’re talking about when rating places to work. Forbes doesn’t work for FedEx. This company is a dumpster fire right now. And yet they’re still making insane profit. The other day a senior manager posted on the employee Facebook page, genuinely asking what they can do to improve morale, other than pay. Because he has no control over that.. This is a common problem among FedEx management. They seem to have no idea what they’re asking, or who they’re asking it to. The nerve to ask a 10-20 year employee, who’s $6-$8 below what they should be making, what they can do other than pay. It’s just insanity. Management is for the most part clueless when it comes to understanding how disrespected employees feel. Other than pay there is literally nothing that can be done. Nothing. No amount of pizza, or appreciation signs will do anything. Consistently topping out employees is the only option anymore. And if a senior has no voice regarding pay, we’ll then there’s nothing he can do. His intentions were good. But it’s just another example of management having no idea who they manage.

 

[It will be fine]

Forbes has no idea what they’re talking about when rating places to work. Forbes doesn’t work for FedEx. This company is a dumpster fire right now. And yet they’re still making insane profit. The other day a senior manager posted on the employee Facebook page, genuinely asking what they can do to improve morale, other than pay. Because he has no control over that.. This is a common problem among FedEx management. They seem to have no idea what they’re asking, or who they’re asking it to. The nerve to ask a 10-20 year employee, who’s $6-$8 below what they should be making, what they can do other than pay. It’s just insanity. Management is for the most part clueless when it comes to understanding how disrespected employees feel. Other than pay there is literally nothing that can be done. Nothing. No amount of pizza, or appreciation will do anything. Consistently topping out employees is the only option anymore. And if a senior has no voice regarding pay, we’ll then there’s nothing he can do. His intentions were good. But it’s just another example of management having no idea who they manage.

Pay alone has very little to do with workplace culture. It’s best to terminate the workers that constantly complain about things. They are a cancer that spreads through the workgroup.

 

[floridays]

Forbes has no idea what they’re talking about when rating places to work. Forbes doesn’t work for FedEx. This company is a dumpster fire right now. And yet they’re still making insane profit. The other day a senior manager posted on the employee Facebook page, genuinely asking what they can do to improve morale, other than pay. Because he has no control over that.. This is a common problem among FedEx management. They seem to have no idea what they’re asking, or who they’re asking it to. The nerve to ask a 10-20 year employee, who’s $6-$8 below what they should be making, what they can do other than pay. It’s just insanity. Management is for the most part clueless when it comes to understanding how disrespected employees feel. Other than pay there is literally nothing that can be done. Nothing. No amount of pizza, or appreciation signs will do anything. Consistently topping out employees is the only option anymore. And if a senior has no voice regarding pay, we’ll then there’s nothing he can do. His intentions were good. But it’s just another example of management having no idea who they manage.

I hear you. I hope you don't think I was arguing with you.
Don't go to work for respect from the bosses, it is always feigned respect anyway.
Your worth is shown on your paycheck, nothing more nothing less.
I've made an attempt or two in the past to herd the cats here. Not many takers.

The senior does have a voice if he chooses to sing. He just has to move it up a level.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Pay alone has very little to do with workplace culture. It’s best to terminate the workers that constantly complain about things. They are a cancer that spreads through the workgroup.

Well you'd have to fire 90% of the employees at FedEx. Good luck with that.

 

[floridays]

Pay alone has very little to do with workplace culture. It’s best to terminate the workers that constantly complain about things. They are a cancer that spreads through the workgroup.

Pay has everything to do with why a person shows up, do you actually think they like you your packages or your work "culture?"

Get over yourself.

 

[It will be fine]

Well you'd have to fire 90% of the employees at FedEx. Good luck with that.

They let it go too long. The cancer is in the lymph nodes now. RIP.

 

[Aquaman]

They let it go too long. The cancer is in the lymph nodes now. RIP.

The most blatant red flag for a new hire to leave is when a 20 year employee is pissed. A mad 4 year employee, well that’s possibly just a bitter bitch. A mad 22 year employee... thats odd. Someone with that amount of seniority should be happy with their paycheck. Should have a good schedule. Should be able to get good vacation. All the marketing and promoting of what a great place Express is, can’t even come close to matching the influence a 20+ year angry not topped out employee has. And there is an army of them.

 

[Maui]

Forbes has no idea what they’re talking about when rating places to work. Forbes doesn’t work for FedEx. This company is a dumpster fire right now. And yet they’re still making insane profit. The other day a senior manager posted on the employee Facebook page, genuinely asking what they can do to improve morale, other than pay. Because he has no control over that.. This is a common problem among FedEx management. They seem to have no idea what they’re asking, or who they’re asking it to. The nerve to ask a 10-20 year employee, who’s $6-$8 below what they should be making, what they can do other than pay. It’s just insanity. Management is for the most part clueless when it comes to understanding how disrespected employees feel. Other than pay there is literally nothing that can be done. Nothing. No amount of pizza, or appreciation signs will do anything. Consistently topping out employees is the only option anymore. And if a senior has no voice regarding pay, we’ll then there’s nothing he can do. His intentions were good. But it’s just another example of management having no idea who they manage.

I think it’s a sincere question. Seniors do have no say regarding pay, but might want to do everything within their control to make things better.
Allow more people off? Make sure you’re off early to get to you child’s event? Especially in “prime” weeks. Availability of OT or not? Information that’s missing? The culture in a station is the employees and Senior.

Most managers know pay is an issue and all they can do is say something. Despite other replies here that may or may not mean anything and most here would have no idea if a manager or senior is talking about it with the MD or VP. I know many are communicating the need. Even some VPs say they want faster top out than 10 years instead of never or the steps

Hard as it is to believe pay isn’t usually the #1 reason people list for liking or disliking their job. It’s important, but the overall work environment matters more to more people. So that Senior is looking for honest feedback that is actionable.

There’s some value to hearing some suggest that literally nothing else matters and the only way to make things better is pay. It would also help if there are suggestions that CAN be implemented by local management.

BTW I agree pay is a problem and needs improvement. I think RTD should maybe start at Step 5 or 7 to be competitive. $20 is terrible for class A and we need to be above that even for regular couriers.

 

[Maui]

I completely agree with you.

The fact is, not all stations are the same. I'm in a small station (< 20 routes, many of them rural). They complain about SINGLE stand alones. There isn't a lot of flexibility when you have so few routes, not to mention being constantly short-handed due to continual turnover (we lost 20% of our couriers last month).

In a perfect world managers would be confident to relay this up the food chain without fear of it being called an excuse. In reality, we are forced to do anything to keep something from showing up on a report whether it makes sense or not. This doesn't make sense to anyone who is actually doing the job. About the only day it's a problem here is Mondays since that's the only day of the week we actually make service. Our freight is so late the rest of the week that stand alones aren't an issue.

I agree with you too. Monday should expect slightly higher SA anyway. Each MD is different and as long as SA aren’t crazy most just want to make service. The other piece is if people are in on OT and running lots of SA.

Some MD are more approachable than others too.

 

[Fred's Myth]

Pay alone has very little to do with workplace culture. It’s best to terminate the workers that constantly complain about things. They are a cancer that spreads through the workgroup.

Says the narcissist.

 

[Stat41]

This is somewhat true. Everyone knows that stand-alones in one part of the service area are meaningless for help 45+ minutes away. However, when there are hundreds of stand-alones there shouldn’t be lates anywhere.

They just show excess capacity and a bad route structure. You can absolutely design efficient routes if you get on-road early that make service and do SA. But some will see that as excess capacity. Did that station really need al those routes or all those rentals when they did 500 SA stops BEFORE 1030? Why are these routes finishing business PO before 1015?

Couldn’t they cut routes with better balancing? Not only are there SA, but resi heavy routes doing 1200 commits before 1030 also. I honestly don’t think there would be much noise if a largish station had <25 lates and SA, but if you’re being asked to run service and avoid SA I’d keep in mind the local goal might be to protect staffing and keep all the rentals so that when they ask for additional resources they have credibility.

I understand your points and they make perfectly good sense. But the no stand-alone reality is this.

1. Productivity falls. (Good employees comply)
2. Service failures remain the same. (Bad employees do not comply)
3, Net effect; The company discourages good employees by not holding the bad ones accountable and yet there are still stand-alones and service failures.
Theres a really, really, simple fix for this.

 

[Aquaman]

I think it’s a sincere question. Seniors do have no say regarding pay, but might want to do everything within their control to make things better.
Allow more people off? Make sure you’re off early to get to you child’s event? Especially in “prime” weeks. Availability of OT or not? Information that’s missing? The culture in a station is the employees and Senior.

Most managers know pay is an issue and all they can do is say something. Despite other replies here that may or may not mean anything and most here would have no idea if a manager or senior is talking about it with the MD or VP. I know many are communicating the need. Even some VPs say they want faster top out than 10 years instead of never or the steps

Hard as it is to believe pay isn’t usually the #1 reason people list for liking or disliking their job. It’s important, but the overall work environment matters more to more people. So that Senior is looking for honest feedback that is actionable.

There’s some value to hearing some suggest that literally nothing else matters and the only way to make things better is pay. It would also help if there are suggestions that CAN be implemented by local management.

BTW I agree pay is a problem and needs improvement. I think RTD should maybe start at Step 5 or 7 to be competitive. $20 is terrible for class A and we need to be above that even for regular couriers.

The people who aren’t upset about pay, are probably happy with the job. Those employees tend to be 30 year, topped out, traditional pension, day route drivers. There are WAY more employees who feel disrespected and lied to. Because we have been. Management has constantly told us “we know it’s a problem, it’s being worked on, something is in the pipeline, change is coming”. And during record years we’re still being told the same. I’d be happier with my senior if he just straight up told me “I’ve tried guys. I keep trying. They won’t listen. I’m sorry”. That honestly might improve morale at this point. Just a little bit of honesty.

 

[59 Dano]

This would be possible if managers didn't manage by reports (as in, not ending up on a report). If you can finish all of your P1's and mix in a few stand alones without a late you should be good. The problem is the guy across town who has a late that shows up on a report. Management starts looking at stand alones and want to know why help wasn't available even though they know you couldn't help.

The problem is people dropping P1 stops (that they could make) to others in their loops or to overflow routes, then working in standalones.
Another problem, which Maui mentioned, is managers allowing (if not creating) a certain amount of failure for the purpose of guaranteeing that resources would be available once they actually need them for real.

 

[59 Dano]

You wouldn't throw the lady under the bus would you?

Sling.

 

[59 Dano]

In a perfect world managers would be confident to relay this up the food chain without fear of it being called an excuse. In reality, we are forced to do anything to keep something from showing up on a report whether it makes sense or not. This doesn't make sense to anyone who is actually doing the job.

The people complaining about reports don't know anything about them, what they show, how they're used, or why they're valuable. Complaining about them is cliche. Most people don't like them because it's their performance documented and they can't answer questions that whoever is looking at the report is asking.

For instance, some of the directors in this region are requiring managers to explain lates on a daily basis. Certain managers get a more thorough examination and are asked followup questions. Jim Director looks at his reports and sees that the P1 service failures were worse than the previous day despite the sort going down 8 minutes earlier and there being an additional overflow courier. Then he looks at another report and sees that standalones were just as bad. Then he calls Joe Manager and asks him why his performance was worse when he had the additional time and manpower he said he needed to make an improvement.

People who have rational explanations for their performance will give them. People who don't will complain about reports.

 

[El Morado Diablo]

The people complaining about reports don't know anything about them, what they show, how they're used, or why they're valuable. Complaining about them is cliche. Most people don't like them because it's their performance documented and they can't answer questions that whoever is looking at the report is asking.

In this case you're talking about my manager, She's afraid of her own shadow when it comes to showing up on a report so we all get to hear about them in the morning meeting.

 

[falcon back]

It's not a policy. CBP is to deliver all P2 with P1 as long as doing so won't jeopardize other P1 packages. If you have to make 2 trips to prevent/reduce P1 service failures, then make 2 trips.

That said, there's a trainer in Collierville who tells couriers to split up P1 and P2 packages all the time with absolutely no exceptions. And you damn well better take anything and everything you hear in that classroom as gospel, no matter how ridiculous it is. The trainer can't be fired, is treading water until retirement, and makes no effort to hide either fact.

TTKU. Courier training hasn't been in Collierville in several years.