Archived Flow Team accountability

[livi0073]

How are ways that you manage your flow tms?

Do you use RWT to give goal times for specific areas and hold the team to that? I find that we can usually push the entire truck in the allotted payroll, so long as the unload goes well (and if I'm not back there the entire time, I shouldn't expect the unload to be done close to an hour. We average 2200-2400 pc trucks and on good days we can unload in 1:15. If I'm not back there driving the team, it has been close to 1:50-2:00 before the unload is done (even when two days before, we did a smaller truck in less time!)

I'm just hoping to find better ways to get my poor performers to shape up or ship out. At our store, the minimum they are getting paid for flow is waaaaay more than I made when I first started working 12 years ago and I feel like I worked harder than some of these guys when I was 15.

 

[Spitfire]

You got it. Give out goal times at the beginning of the night (obtained via RWT), follow up, and coach appropriately if they're not meeting expectations.

My store doesn't do this and our flow process is awful. If you're not setting goal times (and following up when they're not met) then flow is complete anarchy. TMs can work at whatever leisurely pace they want, because without goal times, who's to say anything?

 

[tgtguy]

Also keep in mind that no two trucks are alike. Repacks usually will break you or make you ( time wise). Our flow team lead ( although an ass...he is getting better) is all about the truck push process....he walks the floor constantly unless he is on lunch...until the truck is pushed . He lets the flow team know they have such and such time to push an area..and will even allow a lil extra time if something odd comes up. I don't agree with all his methods...but since he took over and started his "walks" our trucks get pushed the same day....not rolling over to the next like before. Then as the truck is nearing being pushed he will break off people to help backstock or if there are extra hours do special projects

 

[SFSFun]

Our old flow TL put a ton of emphasis on the hour unload (less for <2000 piece trailers), and working a box per minute (including pushing to all locs, putting away trash and backstock). He also frequently told us that he would not ask us to do anything that he couldn't and proved it anytime he was asked to or if things were running behind.

He also worked alongside us at every step, from throwing the truck to taking a slot on the unload line to pulling pallets, and working aisles with the wave.

When the team started going through periods of not coming clean, he would have to become a hardass for a few weeks until things smoothed out. TMs bowled out market and HBA and then he would count the boxes in each aisle and give out goal times based on a box per minute. You would get coached if you failed to complete the aisle on time or if he caught you not pushing everything fully. TMs sorting repacks had a blanket goal to be done by 8am (we're a 6am process), but that was not always possible depending on the trailer size and unload time.

Your team will give you a lot of credit if you work alongside them and give 110% effort. Show them an excellent work ethic and they will hopefully improve...If not, then go the hardass route until things improve or the problem TMs quit.