FORTUNE Magazine recently took a peek into how UPS - affectionately known as Big Brown - is dealing with new training challenges presented by Gen Y.
Usually known for its stern corporate conservatism and "human engineering" principles, UPS has been watching its newer employees flunk out of training and straying from strict training regimes.
Some rules from their "340 methods" training manual...
A UPS driver should take precisely 15.5 seconds to execute a 12-step package selection process from their truck.
A UPS driver should place one hand on the handrail, one foot on the truck step and another foot on the ground when exiting the vehicle. This process must be precisely followed every time the driver exits the vehicle.
A UPS driver should always select a gas station on the right side of the road, in order to minimize idling time and avoid the risk of making a left turn.
A UPS driver should hold their keys on their ring finger to be able to quickly turn the ignition with the thumb and index fingers.
All of it is learned during long lectures. Good luck legislating these strict procedures to Gen Y.
The inevitable discord started to show in 2003, when the oldest Gen Yers were in their mid-20s. UPS senior staffers began to notice a serious decline in some major performance indicators, among them drivers' time to proficiency. Before, trainees had needed an average of 30 days to become proficient drivers; the younger group was taking 90 to 180 days.
Perhaps more disturbing, the number of new drivers quitting the post after 30 to 45 days on the job spiked. That was cause for serious alarm. Gen Yers make up over 60% of the company's part-time loader workforce, from which it draws the majority of new driver hires. And in the next five years, to keep the more than 100,000 driving jobs that currently exist filled, the company will need to train up to 25,000 new drivers.
Most companies would throw out the procedures manual to deal with this problem.
Not at Big Brown. The "340 methods" remained in place.
A comprehensive rewrite of the training program was done instead...
- UPS reworked the lecture format to address Gen Y's penchant for asking "Why?" Each step is carefully explained with charts and trial and error exercises.
- Expectations for the job have been better matched with the reality.
- Employees now get to try out all their "engineered" routines prior to their first day on the field.
- Employees are subjected to new and more interactive exercises like the "slip and fall" test which shows them how to position their bodies when encountering falling hazards.
- Memorizing processes is discouraged. Understanding is emphasized.
Read how UPS has maintained its unique conservative culture, while adapting its training to a more modern workforce...
Read how UPS has maintained its unique conservative culture, while adapting its training to a more modern workforce...
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