MassWineGuy
Well-Known Member
At my station just appeared notices for something they’re calling On-Deck managers. It’s a 13 week training program for temporary management jobs. Are others seeing this? What’s the purpose?
Temporary Ops Manager Program
- Thread starter MassWineGuy
- Start date
DiadesSuk
Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with giving people the opportunity to move up in a company. Some people excel at being managers and some dont. Seems like a good opoortunity to get some training and help with the future resume for life after Fedex.
MassWineGuy
Well-Known Member
I’m not suggesting it’s a bad thing. But why have a temporary manager program instead of the regular AIM program?
DiadesSuk
Well-Known Member
Weeds out the poor performing manager wanna'be's. I see it all the time. They build the pool and fill it. When the need arises to bring those people up, they looks for the best performing ones. Its a long used corp strategy.
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
Wow. They’re really getting desperate. I wonder how one is paid during those 13 weeks? Seems like a good way to get management training without any kind of commitment.
Star B
White Lightening
AIM required a commitment?
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
I have no idea. I’m sure it involved a lot of pressure though since they spent so much time training you.
Stat41
Well-Known Member
It appears that Fedex is desperate for managers and they are having a hard time filling those positions. So, a good way to recruit would be to just lure some folks in with a look-see and hopefully they will stick with it after devoting over 3 months of their lives to it. And Fedex knows some select young people can be very useful if they stroke their ego enough. Geez, I cant believe how cynical I have become.
Bringitback
Active Member
Bringitback
Active Member
Silly phones, anyways. AIM is on the individuals dime and time.
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
Oh. I didn’t know that. I’ve never tried to be a manager.
Fred's Myth
Nonhyphenated American
Unpaid “volunteer” work that managers didn’t want to do.
Fred's Myth
Nonhyphenated American
Great way to lose your route!
SmithBarney
Well-Known Member
Yes they are... we have been down 3-4 managers for over 2 years, just lost another one last month. we have AIM participants but they really don't want to move up.
Maui
Well-Known Member
The ability to hire and retain managers varies depending on location, but overall it can be difficult to get good managers. I'll share what this is and my opinions whatever that's worth.
OnDeck is essentially a manager in training program. It is a pay grade below regular manager and does NOT have direct reports. This allows them to focus on required manager training and to learn about the job. After 13 weeks most are prepared to take a job within the market - by definition within 50 miles of the hired location. There's another 13 weeks to find a position.
Most new managers don't know much about the job. AiM is in addition to regular work duties and for several things hourly employees can not have access so can't have the experience - accident investigations, discipline, limits for time cards, other confidential information, and some sites/reports require a manager title for whatever reason. This program allows OnDeck to get all that access and use the initial period to get familiar with these things and learn without the same pressure that normally accompanies becoming a new manager.
Most new mangers struggle at first to get a handle on the job and responsibilities as well as being away for training quite a bit. This program attempts to solve that by creating a pipeline of trained managers available in markets and/or those with high management turnover.
I'm not knowledgable enough to know what % move onto regular manager gigs, but I think it is VERY high. Generally, they are better prepared on Day 1 than most AiM candidates.
The Ops mgr job can have high turnover. It's often thankless and can be discouraging when you work long hours due to the workload, your own poor time management, being mandated, or because other managers are out or you're covering for whatever reason. Add in that topped out employees working a similar number of hours would make more than you and some ask why not go back to driving and leave the responsibility.
New managers can be good quickly, but most aren't. They simply don't know enough and aren't yet proficient on tasks. Knowing where everything is and the correct policies takes time and effort to learn. This program attempts to shorten that with standardized training/onboarding and to lessen the overwhelming feeling that can come with getting everything thrown to you at once plus having 30-50 employees that might need something from you whether or not you know how to help.
Honestly this is helpful, but the best way to recruit and retain managers is to pay better and hire more of them to reduce workgroup size. Then acknowledge that they have personal lives and families that need them and figure out a way to make up for the times that have to work more/weekends/whatever and compensate them some way rather than expecting 24/7 availability because managers aren't paid enough for that and it is NOT what they "sign up for".
OnDeck is essentially a manager in training program. It is a pay grade below regular manager and does NOT have direct reports. This allows them to focus on required manager training and to learn about the job. After 13 weeks most are prepared to take a job within the market - by definition within 50 miles of the hired location. There's another 13 weeks to find a position.
Most new managers don't know much about the job. AiM is in addition to regular work duties and for several things hourly employees can not have access so can't have the experience - accident investigations, discipline, limits for time cards, other confidential information, and some sites/reports require a manager title for whatever reason. This program allows OnDeck to get all that access and use the initial period to get familiar with these things and learn without the same pressure that normally accompanies becoming a new manager.
Most new mangers struggle at first to get a handle on the job and responsibilities as well as being away for training quite a bit. This program attempts to solve that by creating a pipeline of trained managers available in markets and/or those with high management turnover.
I'm not knowledgable enough to know what % move onto regular manager gigs, but I think it is VERY high. Generally, they are better prepared on Day 1 than most AiM candidates.
The Ops mgr job can have high turnover. It's often thankless and can be discouraging when you work long hours due to the workload, your own poor time management, being mandated, or because other managers are out or you're covering for whatever reason. Add in that topped out employees working a similar number of hours would make more than you and some ask why not go back to driving and leave the responsibility.
New managers can be good quickly, but most aren't. They simply don't know enough and aren't yet proficient on tasks. Knowing where everything is and the correct policies takes time and effort to learn. This program attempts to shorten that with standardized training/onboarding and to lessen the overwhelming feeling that can come with getting everything thrown to you at once plus having 30-50 employees that might need something from you whether or not you know how to help.
Honestly this is helpful, but the best way to recruit and retain managers is to pay better and hire more of them to reduce workgroup size. Then acknowledge that they have personal lives and families that need them and figure out a way to make up for the times that have to work more/weekends/whatever and compensate them some way rather than expecting 24/7 availability because managers aren't paid enough for that and it is NOT what they "sign up for".
they're going to have to deal with
59 Dano
I just want to make friends!
When they waltz into the program thinking that all they have to do is staff the operation as best they can, launch all the routes, go home at noon or so, and get everything delivered, they're in for a shock. Maui is right in that it gives candidates a more practical approach to training.
The funniest part about these discussions is that they bounce from one extreme to the other. Either managers don't do anything and go home early or they're just overwhelmed and worked like dogs, whichever cliche fits the narrative at the moment.
MassWineGuy
Well-Known Member
I know that at least some of our four managers work like dogs.
Stat41
Well-Known Member
Some managers don't do anything and go home early, and its one of the reasons other managers are overwhelmed and work like dogs. I see one extreme and the other on a daily basis at my station. As with couriers, Fedex seems to reward bad behavior and punish good behavior, even in the lower management ranks. The bad ones get it easy, and the good ones have to pick up the slack. It is really disappointing to us couriers to see this happening. If Fedex cant solve the inequities in the management ranks, we know we don't have a chance. So, if I at one time say that some managers don't do anything, and in a different context, say some managers work like dogs, I would be saying the truth. And you would judge me as "fitting a narrative at the moment?" Instead of hop-skipping through months of posts in different contexts, and judging all in one swoop, perhaps it would be best for you to address each issue on its own.
SmithBarney
Well-Known Member
My dogs just sit around in the house all day and crap in the yard...occasionally barking at a passing car. Is this what you mean?
