Management and Admin Job cuts

[Catatonic]

... but the cynical part of me ...

And don't stop. I always liked your company.

 

[SignificantOwner]

If you look at what I posted, I also raised concern if our management are up to this task.

I also agree about the musical chairs, but....

The musical chairs today are people trying not to be one of the 1800 left without a seat. In theory, the 1800 left when the music stops are the poorest performers.

Will that really happen? I don't know.

However, I do know Myron Grey personally. He is an outstanding individual and has my absolute trust. If Myron is in charge of this, I am glad to follow.

I am going to do my best to support Myron in this and give him a chance to do what he has promised. That is to run US operations on a P&L and Service basis. That's what we have all asked for.

P-Man

Any potential impact to you P-Man?

 

[40 and out]

Comparing UPS drivers to burger flippers at McDonalds. If there is a list of most idiotic posts on Brown Cafe this is definitely on it. Congratulations !

 

[Catatonic]

Comparing UPS drivers to burger flippers at McDonalds. If there is a list of most idiotic posts on Brown Cafe this is definitely on it. Congratulations !

You haven't read many posts then!

Agree with your point though.

 

[upssalesguy]

Comparing UPS drivers to burger flippers at McDonalds. If there is a list of most idiotic posts on Brown Cafe this is definitely on it. Congratulations !

aww did that one hit home? i was wondering if it would generate any posts.

well, they are the one "doing the job", right? it's a metaphor.

i guess sales would be the cashier and the center manger would be the GM of the store. customers love going to mcdonalds because those burgers are always cooked so well!

sales and the manager are SOL without those burger flippers!

 

[SignificantOwner]

Fat chance because all us TEAMSTERS are dishonest and lazy in upper managements eyes.

I don't think all upper management people think this way, but many do - I've heard the comments with my own ears. Don't take it personal though, many also think lower management people are stupid and lazy. Somewhere along the way we lost the ability to have meaningful problem solving conversations. Discussions of problems have degraded to two minute personal attacks with the the end result being something (and maybe a lie) designed to keep someone out of hot water on a conference call.

My hope is that this changes when a bunch of armchair quarterbacks and second guessers are let go or reassigned. I may very well be impacted (or let go) with this change, but I'd rather be let go than continue on with the way things are now. If I end up sticking around I'm looking forward to less micro management, less armchair quarterback second guessing, and more true problem solving with my division manager & for my work group.

 

[outamyway]

They are welcome to try.

When has that ever stopped?



Also they should have been cutting sups and managers here a year ago. They were cutting routes, laying off combos and air drivers, cutting preload hours and personnel, but all the sups were still there.

 

[goinparcel]

Some Sups fight the good fight some want what a Union employee has...job protection...no protection...never should have given up my route to be a sup!!!!!

 

[billrancan]

There are a lot of drivers that make UPS money and there are a lot of drivers whose main focus is to make money only for them and their families. It would be a great company if we could marry those two together. 20% of Union people are in it only for themselves. When you think about loosing 20 cents on the dollar that adds up. I know that I wouldn't want to run a business under those conditions! I've had drivers tell me that they intentionaly slow down so that they won't get more work!!! Now isn't that what our economy is based on? Look at what happend to the Auto Workers. Oh excuse me that was all managements fault. When things are going well it's the employees whose hard work got that company to where it is. Once that same company is doing poorly, it's management!!

 

[Dustyroads]

There are a lot of drivers that make UPS money and there are a lot of drivers whose main focus is to make money only for them and their families. It would be a great company if we could marry those two together. 20% of Union people are in it only for themselves. When you think about loosing 20 cents on the dollar that adds up. I know that I wouldn't want to run a business under those conditions! I've had drivers tell me that they intentionaly slow down so that they won't get more work!!! Now isn't that what our economy is based on? Look at what happend to the Auto Workers. Oh excuse me that was all managements fault. When things are going well it's the employees whose hard work got that company to where it is. Once that same company is doing poorly, it's management!!

I work at a different pace if I have 8 hours of work than if I have 12 hours of work on my truck. It's simply a matter of pacing oneself. If one were running a foot race, and the race is a mile long, one would run faster than if the race were 26 miles long. I simply cannot maintain a breakneck pace for 12 hours anymore. I prefer to work at a safe, reasonable pace every day. I manage to run within a couple hundreths over or under every day. I try to do things to save the company money every day. That doesn't necessarily mean I need to run, speed or take unsafe shortcuts.

 

[randomUPSISer]

There are a lot of drivers that make UPS money and there are a lot of drivers whose main focus is to make money only for them and their families. It would be a great company if we could marry those two together. 20% of Union people are in it only for themselves. When you think about loosing 20 cents on the dollar that adds up. I know that I wouldn't want to run a business under those conditions! I've had drivers tell me that they intentionaly slow down so that they won't get more work!!! Now isn't that what our economy is based on? Look at what happend to the Auto Workers. Oh excuse me that was all managements fault. When things are going well it's the employees whose hard work got that company to where it is. Once that same company is doing poorly, it's management!!

The job of management is to align the "rewards" to get people to act how you desire them to.

If you have employees acting badly, it reflects directly on you as a manager. All managers "get" the employees they deserve. Good managers have highly motivated team player type employees. Bad managers have unmotivated, spiteful employees who savage the company. (slow down anyone?)

Now, based on the attitudes of your co-workers, how would you rate your manager? Again, managers "get" the employees they deserve.

Similarly, your manager is an employee of his manager. The same concept applies. Your managers manager has a manager; same concept. Essentially if there is one crappy manager really high up it can hurt the entire organization under neath it.

So... are high up UPS management "good" or "bad" managers? They are getting the employees they deserve

 

[brownraider]

I wish things wouldn't change. I work in a small center and have been a driver for about three years. After I went driving I was driving steady for two years last year my center started cutting routes and laying off drivers. I was thankfull that I was able to work a split shift and get my 40 hrs a week, even if I was taking a pay cut. UPS makes tough choices so we can be sucsessfull not only has a company but as a community. I like my sups and I don't want to see anybody lose thier jobs

 

[northroad]

This is going to be a painful change, but IF done right a very positive one.

District and Regions are much bigger than today with less management. District Managers will be held to a P&L statement AND service. (At least that's what Myron says. (By the way, Myron is a very good and smart man and responsible for this now).

This has the potential to do two things....

First, less micro management becasue there is just no time.

Second, make decisions that are P&L based instead of metric based. I've said before that metrics are good, but only if they don't get in the way of what the true goal is.

These changes may truly focus the district on the right behaviors.

So, the caveat is whether we really have good enough management who can think this way. This means that they would need to work under broad guidelines (like the policy book says) and make local decisions on what is right.

We have a lot of management that only know how to work under strict rules...

As I said in a different thread, this change is much, much different than things we have done before. The focus on cost should NEVER go away, but it has to be the right focus. This change may enable that.

P-Man

so myron is the one who stuck it to the lower partners of this once great company

 

[ImWiredIn]

Of the 1800 mgmt / admin job cuts, many are being offered EBO. However, from what we are hearing not all that many will take the EBO unless they are in the 54+ age group.

In the article it says that this represents less than 3% of mgmt nationwide. My question is what criteria will they be looking at to make these cuts. All of the admin, PT & FT sups in our bldg are terrified of losing their jobs. We are not in a district office, but no one seems to know what criteria they will be using. Is an admin, PT sup or FT sup safe if they have been with the company for more than 10+, 20+ years and still have a relevant job? THose that have been through cuts like this before, what criteria do you feel they will be using for the reductions? Will the district office employees impacted likely be allowed to go to other centers to take jobs? Just trying to figure out the odds with 3 kids at home and being the primary breadwinner!!! Thanks.

 

[island1fox]

so myron is the one who stuck it to the lower partners of this once great company

Northroad,
I can assure you while Myron is now in charge of the twenty profit centers --the plan was developed over the last ten years working with consultants,observing other structures at different companies and "piloting" by eliminating a few Districts and Regions over the years.
Myron is not to blame !!

 

[tieguy]

Fat chance because all us TEAMSTERS are dishonest and lazy in upper managements eyes.

I find that type of comment is usually made by union goons to drive a wedge between management and union.

 

[tieguy]

I would like to think that you are right; but the cynical part of me tends to think that UPS management will always find the time to micromanage.

This we agree on. The whole concept of profit centers indicates we try to micromanage even more blood out of the rock.

 

[island1fox]

This is going to be a painful change, but IF done right a very positive one.

District and Regions are much bigger than today with less management. District Managers will be held to a P&L statement AND service. (At least that's what Myron says. (By the way, Myron is a very good and smart man and responsible for this now).

This has the potential to do two things....

First, less micro management becasue there is just no time.

Second, make decisions that are P&L based instead of metric based. I've said before that metrics are good, but only if they don't get in the way of what the true goal is.

These changes may truly focus the district on the right behaviors.

So, the caveat is whether we really have good enough management who can think this way. This means that they would need to work under broad guidelines (like the policy book says) and make local decisions on what is right.

We have a lot of management that only know how to work under strict rules...

As I said in a different thread, this change is much, much different than things we have done before. The focus on cost should NEVER go away, but it has to be the right focus. This change may enable that.

P-Man

P-Man,
As a retired UPSer with real insight into this restructuring--as you probably know --this plan was being looked at over ten years ago when the consultants pointed out to us the "Profit Center" structure the very successful DHL company had in Europe.
I would certainly hope that all UPS people will support and make this drastic change work.
But I believe it would be bad to misslead "frontline" management.
Many years ago when drivers yelled about too much work on the car --the frontline supers ran around taking five to ten stops off --building wild split cars --driving additional expense.
Pas and technology changed all of that --all "dispatch decision" making was taken away and will never come back --especially now.
District managers --many of them very talented --have seen a few Districts consolidated over the years--did not really effect them--sense of security.
With 46 Districts going to 20 --HARSH REALITY will set in.
In Europe under the DHL Profit Center --you made a Profit or you were gone !!
This will put a much different spin on things --with the help of technology everything will be highly micro managed ----REV per PC ---vs Cost per pc.
If you really believe a "surviving" District manager will delegate and leave decisions such as dispatch to the front line --I usually agee with your posts ----but just think about this !!!!!There will be strict rules and much stricter penalties for disobeying them !!!!
As I stated on a different thread --it will take time --but with "high Revenue Volume" --Many of these very large new Districts --will become alot smaller employee wise-- but much more profitable --time will tell --it will be a fairly long process!!The "Kinder" "Gentler" UPS is a thing of the past.
No dead weight Management or hourly --do the job -get RESULTS or be gone !!!

 

[Anonymous 10]

I don't think all upper management people think this way, but many do - I've heard the comments with my own ears. Don't take it personal though, many also think lower management people are stupid and lazy. Somewhere along the way we lost the ability to have meaningful problem solving conversations. Discussions of problems have degraded to two minute personal attacks with the the end result being something (and maybe a lie) designed to keep someone out of hot water on a conference call.

My hope is that this changes when a bunch of armchair quarterbacks and second guessers are let go or reassigned. I may very well be impacted (or let go) with this change, but I'd rather be let go than continue on with the way things are now. If I end up sticking around I'm looking forward to less micro management, less armchair quarterback second guessing, and more true problem solving with my division manager & for my work group.

1+

 

[pretzel_man]

P-Man,
As a retired UPSer with real insight into this restructuring--as you probably know --this plan was being looked at over ten years ago when the consultants pointed out to us the "Profit Center" structure the very successful DHL company had in Europe.
I would certainly hope that all UPS people will support and make this drastic change work.
But I believe it would be bad to misslead "frontline" management.
Many years ago when drivers yelled about too much work on the car --the frontline supers ran around taking five to ten stops off --building wild split cars --driving additional expense.
Pas and technology changed all of that --all "dispatch decision" making was taken away and will never come back --especially now.
District managers --many of them very talented --have seen a few Districts consolidated over the years--did not really effect them--sense of security.
With 46 Districts going to 20 --HARSH REALITY will set in.
In Europe under the DHL Profit Center --you made a Profit or you were gone !!
This will put a much different spin on things --with the help of technology everything will be highly micro managed ----REV per PC ---vs Cost per pc.
If you really believe a "surviving" District manager will delegate and leave decisions such as dispatch to the front line --I usually agee with your posts ----but just think about this !!!!!There will be strict rules and much stricter penalties for disobeying them !!!!
As I stated on a different thread --it will take time --but with "high Revenue Volume" --Many of these very large new Districts --will become alot smaller employee wise-- but much more profitable --time will tell --it will be a fairly long process!!The "Kinder" "Gentler" UPS is a thing of the past.
No dead weight Management or hourly --do the job -get RESULTS or be gone !!!

I posted my opinion of the change and the potential positives. Of course its only an opinion, just like yours and everyone else's. Time will tell.

My opinion is drawn from time I spent working in International. It was quite a while ago, but I was impressed at how much management concerned themselves with P&L. They questioned corporate dogma because they didn't want unnecessary cost. Sometime, the questioning was wrong, but I was struck by how much they truly managed to the bottom line.

We managed to SPORH, they managed to cost. I think that kind of thinking is good.

Regardless, the decision is made. I will do my best to make it successful.

P-Man