Newish PT supervisor, looking for advice

[brownlightning]

Hello everyone, I've been a local sort PT supervisor dealing with outbound loads for going on 11 months. I'm looking for information on how to better myself in dealing with my people, such as resolving arguments, and avoiding them by saying things tactfully. I'm often blunt, and come off as a jerk at time without realizing it, but have been working on that with much success since peak season.

I'm striving to be the best supervisor I can possibly be, I do have much to learn as I feel I'm very young to be in this position. Could someone point me in the right direction regarding suitable information? I also want to increase efficiency in regards on OTN every night, regardless of staffing and volume. I move people around all night, which helps, but at times people wont work for me, and will lay down for the rest of the night if I don't get them help in the trailer at the right moment.

One avenue I'm currently going down is looking into online management courses, my goal is to take one or two classes this summer, then go back to school full time in the fall when I wont be working two jobs. If anyone could suggest an online school with the classes that would best fit my situation, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[burrheadd]

Oh brother

Not again

 

[brownlightning]

I'm a bit confused, but is this a common topic on here?

 

[brownlightning]

Didn't expect to garner the same animosity on here that I do in the workplace. Was just looking for information, from a different perspective. I don't blame you, if I was a driver or package handler I know that I would feel the same way towards management.

 

[MarvelousMunata]

I'm a bit confused, but is this a common topic on here?

Take care of your people and they will take care of you.

 

[turq]

Get all your people together. Tell them everybody wants to get the job done.... as easily and as quickly as possible. Everybody wants to get the hell out of there ASAP ."ASK" them what is the best way to achieve that. Listen to what they have to say. They know more than you on how to make things run smooth.

Be open to their suggestions. Also Be prepared for the smart ass, because there is always at least one. good luck

In other words state what the goal is... and turn it from a them against you situation, to one that you are all working on together. You can do it, be patient.

 

[brownlightning]

Take care of your people and they will take care of you.

You're absolutely right, but my issues been this; if we're running a very light crew, which usually happens a few days a week, it's impossible to get someone help for more than 5 or 10 minutes at most, without sacrificing percent smalls. That has bigger implications than more volume than normal going down the belt for 10-20 minutes or so, due to the factor if smalls finishes later than it should, the trailers wont leave on time.

 

[brownlightning]

Get all your people together. Tell them everybody wants to get the job done.... as easily and as quickly as possible. Everybody wants to get the hell out of there ASAP ."ASK" them what is the best way to achieve that. Listen to what they have to say. They know more than you on how to make things run smooth.

Be open to their suggestions. Also Be prepared for the smart ass, because there is always at least one. good luck

There are quite a few workers that have been there for longer than I have been alive, the main issue with them is they'll do anything to get a few more minutes of time, such as turning belts off if the primary supervisor leaves the sort isle, and sorting the wrong packages to belts so they'll have to re sort them. Just small inane actions, which by my estimations prolong the shift by a good 15-20 or more minutes a night. Towards the end of the sort, the higher senority package handlers will slow down loading, which results in the belt backing up, and the 2 or 3 small sorters slow down, preventing them from bagging out smalls. Used to have issues with the sorters hiding packages in nooks and crannys, and setting air packages aside until after the plane leaves. The last issue I mentioned does not happen as often anymore now that we have been watching them more closely. They know much more about the operation than I do, but they choose to make it as difficult as possible for me and the other two supervisors as possible, just for those extra few minutes.

 

[MarvelousMunata]

You're absolutely right, but my issues been this; if we're running a very light crew, which usually happens a few days a week, it's impossible to get someone help for more than 5 or 10 minutes at most, without sacrificing percent smalls. That has bigger implications than more volume than normal going down the belt for 10-20 minutes or so, due to the factor if smalls finishes later than it should, the trailers wont leave on time.

So why not call people in earlier or ask other people to run doubles?
Theres always an option....

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Didn't expect to garner the same animosity on here that I do in the workplace. Was just looking for information, from a different perspective. I don't blame you, if I was a driver or package handler I know that I would feel the same way towards management.

Nobody likes pt sups. If you understand that, it will help you understand why people respond to you the way they do. But it is admirable that you want to do a better job. Learn more about leadership, and less about management. People need leadership, resources need management.

 

[turq]

I seriously doubt they are doing it for a "few more minutes of time". They are doing it because they think they are getting back at you for being a young supervisor. Somehow someway get them invested in it. Make it their "idea" on how things should work. Instead of telling people what to do, ask them how should we go about getting this done. It might take a little while depending on how disgruntled they are. Admiting than you are a young and they know how to make things run smooth will probably help as well.

ps.....I don't really mean you are a

 

[brownlightning]

So why not call people in earlier or ask other people to run doubles?
Theres always an option....

We do at times in the volume is higher than normal, such as extra NDA or a few more loads than is normally scheduled. In my opinion having 3 or 4 people coming in a half hour early doesn't provide much of an advantage, if one at all. The FT sup does the start times, and he raises it from time to time, for example if the sort started at 5:00 or 5:30, we would still close around 930-10pm. It's at 6:00 right now, possibly going up to 6:15, but that may cause an issue with the air trailer leaving so it's up in the air right now.

 

[BestMgrEver]

There are quite a few workers that have been there for longer than I have been alive, the main issue with them is they'll do anything to get a few more minutes of time, such as turning belts off if the primary supervisor leaves the sort isle, and sorting the wrong packages to belts so they'll have to re sort them. Just small inane actions, which by my estimations prolong the shift by a good 15-20 or more minutes a night. Towards the end of the sort, the higher senority package handlers will slow down loading, which results in the belt backing up, and the 2 or 3 small sorters slow down, preventing them from bagging out smalls. Used to have issues with the sorters hiding packages in nooks and crannys, and setting air packages aside until after the plane leaves. The last issue I mentioned does not happen as often anymore now that we have been watching them more closely. They know much more about the operation than I do, but they choose to make it as difficult as possible for me and the other two supervisors as possible, just for those extra few minutes.

Ahh the beauty of being a PT sup.. I sometimes miss it. Union employees are the enemy and should be treated as such. You're only as powerful as your fulltime supervisor. You're only as powerful as your knowledge about the union about their rights. If you're looking into a career into management, obtain a union book and read it. Either that or find a coworker who knows it inside and out so you can know your dos and don't. If you're trying to deal with a veteran and have full knowledge about the union contract, it's easy to get them to comply. For example you mentioned how some guys turn off the sort belts for extra time. I can see that. Counter that with "I am instructing you to not turn off the belt unless a safety concern is present." If you find no safety concern when they turn off the belt the next time, you can get them with sabotaging the operation. Know who the union reps in your area are and use them. 1 minute late, write them up. ANC write them up. It's so many things you can do to make your operation better that don't involve having to take 'classes' or whatever when you can simply educate yourself on the contract and get them where it hurts.

 

[brownlightning]

Nobody likes pt sups. If you understand that, it will help you understand why people respond to you the way they do. But it is admirable that you want to do a better job. Learn more about leadership, and less about management. People need leadership, resources need management.

I learned that the day I started the job, and I'm alright with that. If everyone likes me, a supervisor that is aiming to get everyone out early as possible in order to maximize PPH, I'm doing something wrong. I do want to take care of people and not push them too hard, but at times it's unavoidable.

 

[1989]

Does ups still send you to their classes? People and labor was the big one.

 

[turq]

Ahh the beauty of being a PT sup.. I sometimes miss it. Union employees are the enemy and should be treated as such. You're only as powerful as your fulltime supervisor. You're only as powerful as your knowledge about the union about their rights. If you're looking into a career into management, obtain a union book and read it. Either that or find a coworker who knows it inside and out so you can know your dos and don't. If you're trying to deal with a veteran and have full knowledge about the union contract, it's easy to get them to comply. For example you mentioned how some guys turn off the sort belts for extra time. I can see that. Counter that with "I am instructing you to not turn off the belt unless a safety concern is present." If you find no safety concern when they turn off the belt the next time, you can get them with sabotaging the operation. Know who the union reps in your area are and use them. 1 minute late, write them up. ANC write them up. It's so many things you can do to make your operation better that don't involve having to take 'classes' or whatever when you can simply educate yourself on the contract and get them where it hurts.

i hope this is a joke because it's about lame as it gets. "i am instructing to to not shut off the belt" Ok let everything go right on by.... packages falling off the belt......I was concerned about egress safety issues.

Dude you would have a stack of grievances so far up your ass in the first week at my building it's not even funny.

 

[BestMgrEver]

i hope this is a joke because it's about lame as it gets. "i am instructing to to not shut off the belt" Ok let everything go right on by.... packages falling off the belt......I was concerned about egress safety issues.

Dude you would have a stack of grievances so far up your ass in the first week at my building it's not even funny.

I once fired a guy because he turned off the belt twice. It's a easy termination. You clearly missed the fact I said when their is no 'safety concern present, it's sabotage'. Go file your false grievance and watch it get rejected.

 

[Yolo]

Get out now.

 

[Rack em]

I once fired a guy because he turned off the belt twice. It's a easy termination. You clearly missed the fact I said when their is no 'safety concern present, it's sabotage'. Go file your false grievance and watch it get rejected.

Supervisors can't fire anyone so get off your high horse. Everyone here knows even if the company did fire an employee for turning the belt off, the termination wouldn't stick. The employee would be back with full back pay. And if I was that employee the center would be getting a lot of visits from OSHA

 

[turq]

I once fired a guy because he turned off the belt twice. It's a easy termination. You clearly missed the fact I said when their is no 'safety concern present, it's sabotage'. Go file your false grievance and watch it get rejected.

You're full of it. You never did no such thing. haha

Know who the union reps in your area are and use them. 1 minute late, write them up. ANC write them up

They are called shop stewards...and I'm laughing at how stupid you are.