FedEx, which is headquartered in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, is a humongous company. The fact that employees are driven around its campuses in shuttles and there is yet a substantial amount of walking involved in getting to and from the varied work sites attests to this. Needless to say, the considerable amount of walking in composite or steel-toed shoes that FedEx employees are distributed and required to wear takes a toll on employees’ feet, particularly when the noted shoes are new or when they are not broken into, and considering especially that FedEx employees must stand throughout the duration of their shifts. It is among the reasons, I’m certain, that FedEx’s turnover rate exceeds 90% (despite the company’s great benefits), which creates mega challenges for FedEx’s HR personnel, I'm certain. Mail and courier delivery is an essential service, however, and those who deliver should work smart and efficient with the least possible hardship. Changes to the FedEx campus would enable this, while improving processes and decreasing likelihood of employee injury and damage to freight and company costs for replacing damaged items and nursing injured employees.
Re-Designing the Matrix and other Elements of the FedEx
Campus
Delivery of Freight Directly to Planes (and Freight Trucks) via Conveyor Belts
Freight should and can be sent directly to proper airplanes and freight trucks via conveyor belts. Loading and driving cans and other freight containers to and from planes is not only excessively laborious, it is a flawed and unnecessary system. Yep, FedEx could do away with all of their cans and all of the tugs that move them. They should preserve a few cargo vehicles, however, in the probably unlikely event that a conveyor belt extending to a plane completely malfunctions and could not be immediately restored.
FedEx employees would no longer be required to work in cold and inclement weather—Not even FedEx's quality winter apparel (insulated coats and snowsuits, hoodies, etc.) are enough to shield employees from extreme cold; and, because tugs are uncovered, tug drivers are drenched when it rains, and in their company-issued rain coats. Drenched in rain in frigid temperatures is worse, when none of this need be...
FedEx employees would neither have to lift and carry lofty packages several feet to a can, a repetitive motion that is likely the source of most employee injuries.
How it Would Work
An exit base with multiple outlets for conveyor belts that would be extended to the side door of each airplane would be situated in front of each line-up of FedEx airplanes, with each conveyor bridge/belt curving around to the side door of each plane.
All of the planes that are not aligned in rows or that are randomly situated near FedEx runways would be aligned in rows before their own synonymous sub-sort facility, that is the facility where the specific codes for the subject airplanes would be situated (This would require sorting or separation of freight by specific codes at the customer delivery point and transporting the pre-sorted freight directly to its respective sub-sort facility. A conveyor bridge base with an equal number of conveyor bridges would extend to each plane. This would drastically reduce the workload in the matrix because it would no longer receive freight for codes destined for the other prescribed sort facilities. There would be multiple matrices, each of which would be conservative in size, since the work would be proportionally divided amongst them all. The multiple matrices could be distinguished by number, letter, or direction, i.e. matrix 1, 2, 3, and 4, or A, B, C, and D... , or Matrix West, East, South, and North.
The cans that are loadable onto the planes would be delivered to each respective matrix on a rail beneath the conveyor tables, which would be heightened for this purpose. Once each can reaches its respective destination it would pause and extend from beneath the conveyor table to its loading point. The loadable side of each can would open for loading. Each can would have two horizontal grooves near the edge of each side opposite of its loading side that would extend into it beyond its halfway point. This would enable lifting of the cans for sliding of freight into them and to soften the dropping of freight when this becomes necessary, considering the varying sizes of loaded parcels. Each can would have internal arms that would shift packages to desirable spots; designated employees would too be capable of shifting canned packages with manual devices.The cans would be gradually lowered during the filling process to align with the fill level.The freight would be pushed into cans via smart scanning technology.The cans would automatically close once sensors detect that they have filled to capacity. At this point they would withdraw from the loading point, return to their original positions on the center rail, and lock into place for delivery to their designated airplanes. Once a filled can is moved it would be immediately replaced by an empty can.
The filled cans would be delivered to the side door of each plane into which the cans are traditionally lifted. At this point the cans would clamp onto a rail that would move them to their respective slots on their designated planes. The package hand...lers would no more have to lift and carry packages to cans, nor would designated employees be required to push plane cans into place.This system would additionally enable discontinuance of tugs. This too would mean that employees would no more be exposed to the elements—inclement or extreme cold or hot temperatures—because all FedEx processes would be indoors in a properly heated and air-conditioned environment.
Smart Scanners and/or Smart (Sorting) Conveyor Belts
Smart scanners and/or smart (sorting) conveyor belts that push packages with barcodes that are bound for like destinations down the same conveyor belts to the appropriate FedEx airplane would be the core of streamlining FedEx handling processes. A smart (sorting) FedEx conveyor belt would be similar to the one in the following video.
Delivery of Freight Directly to Planes (and Freight Trucks) via Conveyor Belts
Freight should and can be sent directly to proper airplanes and freight trucks via conveyor belts. Loading and driving cans and other freight containers to and from planes is not only excessively laborious, it is a flawed and unnecessary system. Yep, FedEx could do away with all of their cans and all of the tugs that move them. They should preserve a few cargo vehicles, however, in the probably unlikely event that a conveyor belt extending to a plane completely malfunctions and could not be immediately restored.
FedEx employees would no longer be required to work in cold and inclement weather—Not even FedEx's quality winter apparel (insulated coats and snowsuits, hoodies, etc.) are enough to shield employees from extreme cold; and, because tugs are uncovered, tug drivers are drenched when it rains, and in their company-issued rain coats. Drenched in rain in frigid temperatures is worse, when none of this need be...
FedEx employees would neither have to lift and carry lofty packages several feet to a can, a repetitive motion that is likely the source of most employee injuries.
How it Would Work
An exit base with multiple outlets for conveyor belts that would be extended to the side door of each airplane would be situated in front of each line-up of FedEx airplanes, with each conveyor bridge/belt curving around to the side door of each plane.
All of the planes that are not aligned in rows or that are randomly situated near FedEx runways would be aligned in rows before their own synonymous sub-sort facility, that is the facility where the specific codes for the subject airplanes would be situated (This would require sorting or separation of freight by specific codes at the customer delivery point and transporting the pre-sorted freight directly to its respective sub-sort facility. A conveyor bridge base with an equal number of conveyor bridges would extend to each plane. This would drastically reduce the workload in the matrix because it would no longer receive freight for codes destined for the other prescribed sort facilities. There would be multiple matrices, each of which would be conservative in size, since the work would be proportionally divided amongst them all. The multiple matrices could be distinguished by number, letter, or direction, i.e. matrix 1, 2, 3, and 4, or A, B, C, and D... , or Matrix West, East, South, and North.
The cans that are loadable onto the planes would be delivered to each respective matrix on a rail beneath the conveyor tables, which would be heightened for this purpose. Once each can reaches its respective destination it would pause and extend from beneath the conveyor table to its loading point. The loadable side of each can would open for loading. Each can would have two horizontal grooves near the edge of each side opposite of its loading side that would extend into it beyond its halfway point. This would enable lifting of the cans for sliding of freight into them and to soften the dropping of freight when this becomes necessary, considering the varying sizes of loaded parcels. Each can would have internal arms that would shift packages to desirable spots; designated employees would too be capable of shifting canned packages with manual devices.The cans would be gradually lowered during the filling process to align with the fill level.The freight would be pushed into cans via smart scanning technology.The cans would automatically close once sensors detect that they have filled to capacity. At this point they would withdraw from the loading point, return to their original positions on the center rail, and lock into place for delivery to their designated airplanes. Once a filled can is moved it would be immediately replaced by an empty can.
The filled cans would be delivered to the side door of each plane into which the cans are traditionally lifted. At this point the cans would clamp onto a rail that would move them to their respective slots on their designated planes. The package hand...lers would no more have to lift and carry packages to cans, nor would designated employees be required to push plane cans into place.This system would additionally enable discontinuance of tugs. This too would mean that employees would no more be exposed to the elements—inclement or extreme cold or hot temperatures—because all FedEx processes would be indoors in a properly heated and air-conditioned environment.
Smart scanners and/or smart (sorting) conveyor belts that push packages with barcodes that are bound for like destinations down the same conveyor belts to the appropriate FedEx airplane would be the core of streamlining FedEx handling processes. A smart (sorting) FedEx conveyor belt would be similar to the one in the following video.
Perhaps in the near future FedEx and similar companies will utilize perfected/automatic plane and truck package loaders and/or stackers that are similar to the one in this video:
The areas of the matrix that are traditionally opened to allow for the driving of tugs would be permanently closed because there would be no need for tugs, since the cans that are loaded into the planes would be delivered directly to them via conveyor belts.
The Prescribed and/or a Similar System is indeed Practical
Perhaps certain elements of the system that I have prescribed for streamlining FedEx processes will be implemented; perhaps someone will come up with a better system. In any event, FedEx and similar companies should work to perfect the manner of technology that I've hear prescribed. I'm certain that this is practical.
A Few More Lavatories Please...
FedEx provides plenty of liquids to its employees to prevent dehydration during the routinely rigorous work days and nights; accordingly, lavatories should be readily available for these workers to utilize when they need to. They should not have to wait significant lengths of time to relieve themselves and/or walk significant distances to use the restroom, which is precisely what many FedEx employees must do... Every employee should have a restroom within a reasonable distance of their work area. This requires installation of additional traditional and/or portable toilets and stalls where essential. An ideal location for an additional restroom is near the East Exception Slide. This would enable employees who work in this and/or the downstairs West Non-con area and who enter the Hub Café via the nearby entrance a ready opportunity to utilize the lavatory and/or wash their hands... prior to purchasing and eating their meals.
Getting Employees to Work
Until and after FedEx and other companies have created a significantly robotic workforce, all employees will require sufficient means of getting to and from work. Rapid transit proliferation and employee ride sharing programs are ideal means for many employees and employment candidates to get to and from work.
A Federal Express Rapid Transit Stop
First and foremost, Memphis would need to acquire a rapid transit system, or incorporate a said system into MATA. A Federal Express rapid transit stop should be incorporated into the main screening area of the Fed Ex Express campus to facilitate employees' commute to and from work. Many employees walk a significant distance to Fed Ex. This trek is in the dark for those employees who work overnight, and in the cold for those who work during the cold or winter seasons...
Extending the Hours of Public Transportation to and From FedEx, etc.
MATA should work with FedEx and other synonymous companies to extend public transportation hours and/or to implement earlier start times for buses and rapid transit (futuristically) for the purpose of accommodating employees lacking transportation otherwise.
Employees who rely on public transportation should not be required to wait an hour or several hours for buses and/or trains to start running, and, again, no FedEx or other employees should be forced to walk significant distances, especially not in the dark, to avoid an hour or several hour wait until the city buses are up and running again.
Around-the-clock businesses could incur a conservative increase in their business taxes that would fund the synonymous buses and trains extending their service hours and/or running around-the-clock for the purpose of facilitating the employment of third shift employees.
An Internal Rapid Transit System
FedEx could additionally incorporate an internal rapid transit system into its campus that would deliver employees to their specific work areas. This would alleviate if not eliminate need for campus shuttles and elevators beyond the main screening area and deliver a more pleasant work experience for FedEx employees via provision of ready relief to the aching legs and feet of those who have completed their work shifts. The stated internal rapid transit system could extend to the employee parking lot and deliver employees to and from the main screening area (which could eliminate need for or be a compliment to parking lot shuttles).
Extending Rapid Transit Services to Other Cities Where FedEx Employees Reside
Rapid transit services could additionally be extended to other cities where FedEx currently sends charter buses to retrieve employees. MATA could incorporate split lines into the prescribed FedEx transit station via which trains would run to and from transit centers that would be built in specified locations in those cities or FedEx could build upon its suggested internal rapid transit system to extend transportation services to those cities...
FedEx Freight Trains
It would be fitting for the FedEx Freight company to deliver via freight trains, which are environmental-friendly and 4 times more fuel efficient than freight trucks. Freight trains utilize nine times less energy and emit 60% to 75% less GHG emissions. They can carry more freight than freight trucks over extensive distances for less cost (FedEx freight trucks are ideal for delivering perishable items like food and other sensitive items over short distances, however). FedEx Freight trains would be painted FedEx colors and exhibit the FedEx logo. Should FedEx implement the prescribed, they should pioneer my other idea of creating freight trains that would not interfere with traditional vehicular traffic...
A FedEx Ridesharing Program and App
FedEx could additionally implement its own ridesharing program and app via which FedEx employees could join or create car pools to and from FedEx campuses and share or decrease their costs of commuting to and from work.
Best Practices for Now
Installation of Industrial Plastic Strip Curtains
Industrial plastic strip curtains should be installed at every point where tugs and cans enter and exit the matrix and other work areas on the FedEx campus, noting that the curtains needn't be installed at internal entrances and exits. These curtains are drive-through and help to regulate temperatures and save energy costs. They must be routinely and properly cleaned to maintain visibility, however. For added security, cameras/big screen monitors juxtapose lights for use during night shifts could be placed above the subject entrances and exits to further magnify persons and/or objects to others on each side of the noted curtains. Additionally, arrows could be drawn on the floor or ground near the curtains reminding drivers to drive on the proper side of entrances and exits, and "No Pedestrian" signs and those advising drivers to proceed slowly and cautiously through the noted curtains should be mounted.
Tugs that utilize gasoline could additionally be replaced by electric tugs or those that would primarily utilize electricity and that would utilize gasoline only if they are not charged. Tug drivers/managers would be required to make certain that the tugs are plugged for charging at the close of each shift, however. This would help to address the issue of fumes from the tugs.
All tugs should be enclosed and, preferably, have heat and air to protect employees from extreme cold in winter and other cold days and from extreme heat in summer and other hot days, and from precipitation at any time, for any periods when drivers must drive outside. Exhaust filters could be placed on gasoline-fueled tugs and/or those that are hybrid and use gasoline when needed and/or fume extractors could be installed in enclosed areas where tugs and other vehicles are used. Employees could additionally be required to wear protective masks. Airplanes and freight truck engines are shut off during loading.
Enclosing All Opened Sort Facilities
External sort facilities or those where employees are essentially sorting freight outside would be enclosed within space that would be ample enough to allow for the transport of tugs and cans. These particular enclosures would additionally have central heat and air, extended vestibules through which tugs would transport cans, and industrial plastic strip curtains for added protection. The openings to these particular facilities would be situated away from employee work areas to shield workers from extreme cold in winter and other cold months and from extreme heat in the summer and other hot months.
An Air and Heating Vent Should Be Placed Above Each Employee or Work Area
Though air and heating vents are sporadically situated throughout FedEx warehouses, it brings little relief to employees primarily because these areas are so vast. There are varied areas throughout the warehouse where I work where the air is routinely comfortable or cool in the summer and warm in winter, though no employees work in or near those particular spots.
Where air and heating vents are placed near employees they are not equally distributed, or they are located above employees on one side of the conveyor belts. The air and heating vents should be equally distributed among employees. This could mean placing sizable air and heating vents above the center of each conveyor table or placing smaller personal vents above each employee or work area on both sides of the conveyor tables...
The stated could be incorporated into the existent facilities and any and all forthcoming or new facilities should incorporate the prescribed from the beginning. To further protect employees from external temperatures, none of the conveyor tables should be readily situated near an entrance and/or exit.
For immediate relief or until the prescribed changes have been implemented, employees who are not readily situated near air and heating units/fans should be given portable heaters and air conditioning units/fans.
Heaters for Especially Downstairs and Outdoor Workers
Downstairs workers and those who work outdoors and are readily exposed to extreme cold during winter should be provided either portable heaters or commercial heating units should be installed above and/or beneath each conveyor belt and provide warmth to each worker. Again, FedEx-provided winter gear does NOT sufficiently warm downstairs and outdoor workers.
Fans and/or Portable Air Conditioners for Employees Not Readily Situated Near ACs/Fans
Employees who are not readily situated near air conditioning units/vents and/or fans during hot spans should be provided portable air conditioners and/or fans.
The portable heaters and air conditioning units/fans could be left in the areas where they would be placed or they could be returned to a specified storage area by a manager or other designee who would check them out and in after each shift.
FedEx Battery Heated and Cooling Uniforms
FedEx and similar companies should additionally offer battery powered heating and cooling uniforms to employees, even if employees would be partially or wholly charged for them, hopefully via incremental payments that would be deducted from each purchasing employee's pay until costs have been fully paid.
There are various companies that market reasonably priced battery powered temperature-regulated clothing. FedEx and similar companies would need only locate such a vendor that would customize their uniforms to include heating and cooling devices.
Solidifying of Matrix Ceilings and Floors...
On any random occasion, freight can be and is periodically ejected from conveyor belts during twists and turns; when this occurs, employees and others on lower level floors are at risk of being hit by the falling freight because a vast percentage of what should be a solidified floor/ceiling is a net-like material that is torn in various spots, and it has been purposely torn in many instances to free trapped packages...
Solidifying of matrix ceilings and floors would enable walking over these particular areas to retrieve any ejected packages that would no more be capable of falling to lower level floors. Heightening the sidewalls of conveyor belts would help to prevent freight ejection, though the solidifying of matrix ceilings/roofs would offer definitive protection. Solidifying of the matrix ceilings and floors would additionally improve the circulation of air and heat within the facility...
Provision of Warm Beverages/Soups to Employees in Winter
FedEx has periodically provided warm beverages like hot cocoa to employees, which does help provide warmth on cold work days and nights. Warm beverages, in addition to water, should be routinely available to employees during winter or cold months (Beverages like Gatorade, in addition to water, should be routinely available to all employees during hot months).
FedEx could additionally provide warm soup (i.e. vegetable, chicken noodle soup, etc.) to employees via portable soup dispensers. Employees would utilize the foam or other cups that are utilized for acquiring water/beverages to acquire their soup. Lids should be provided for the cups for employees to cover their soup and beverages (for those who do not have their own personal cups or containers) while they are working. Warm soup could additionally be added to the FedEx cafeteria...
Adding a Starbucks or a Saxbys to the FedEx Cafeteria
FedEx could additionally add a Starbucks or a Saxbys or a similar coffee company to its cafeteria where employees could purchase warm beverages during cold months. They could otherwise, in addition to or in lieu of adding a Starbucks or Saxbys to the cafeteria, add a coffee/warm beverage dispenser near the other beverage dispensers in the cafeteria for employees to purchase coffee/warm beverages...
Traditional safe lifting techniques should be revisited, particularly where routinely lifting multiple lofty packages is concerned. Team lifting every heavy package is not always practical in a high volume freight work environment where everyone has their own work to do. Routinely lifting with leg muscles or knees, other than in a manner that I'll here prescribe, can cause serious injury and/or exacerbate existent injuries...
Until the prescribed changes are implemented, if they ever are, there are varied techniques that I've discovered for easily and safely moving and lifting heavy packages. These include package walking, rolling, tilt and push-up methods, and knee lifting, etc...
Package Walking
Walking a package involves alternately moving each side of a package forward in alignment with one's foot steps. This technique allows for moving heavy packages that would ordinarily be very difficult to move.
Package Sliding and Rolling...
Package sliding is literally sliding a package and package rolling is literally rolling... a package to a can after removal from a conveyor belt (package rolling is, of course, only applicable to non-fragile packages).
Tilt and Push-up Methods
The best way to manually place heavy packages into cans is via a push-up method. This involves pushing a package into a can rather than wholly lifting and placing it there. The top half of the package is tilted over the top of the floor or bottom of the can and pushed into the can via lifting the package from its bottom.
It is practical to safely lift even extremely heavy packages via extensive tilting, or pulling a package as closely away from a can as possible and tilting and pushing it into the can. If a package is too short and too heavy to lift by traditional means, turning and tilting it on a corner could heighten it enough to push it up into its can; if not, it is simply imperative to ask for help.
Knee Lifting
Knee lifting involves partially lifting a package to the knees and using one's knees to push the package into its can.
Package Mounting
Package mounting is rolling and/or lifting a heavy package onto another to slide or place it into its appropriate can.
Utilization of Hydraulic Table Carts
Hydraulic table carts should be utilized by individual employees to manually remove significantly heavy packages from conveyor belts and transport them to cans. They should additionally be utilized when necessary to further move freight within an airplane or freight truck.
Filling Before Pulling Cans and Timely Pulling and Replacing Filled Cans
Unless there are compelling reasons for pulling cans that have not been filled to capacity (i.e. a certain number of packages must be loaded onto a plane prior to a scheduled flight), cans should be filled to capacity before pulling them. This would increase employee productivity in that hand...lers who fill the cans could work with less interruption or without having to wait for pulled cans to be replaced, and it would improve employee safety in that it would decrease tug traffic and synonymous risks. Filled cans should be timely pulled and replaced to prevent freight from piling up on the floors and to prevent overexertion of employees.
Addressing Employees' Feet/Leg and General Health
Rest Chairs For Package Hand...lers
Rest chairs should be provided for package hand...lers to sit during interval periods of package flow, considering especially that many particularly part-time employees are not provided breaks. Of course, a majority of the time the package handlers would be on their feet and should not miss a package that they should retrieve from the conveyor belts. There are varied intervals or spacing between some packages that allows employees brief and sufficient time to rest their feet and legs. During these periods employees often sit in their cans, which, of course, is impractical once the cans are full. They otherwise sit on heightened boxes, which, of course, is not ideal because of the possibility of damaging the freight and because holding boxes to sit on could cause delay in delivery. The noted rest chairs, which would be heightened stools or, perhaps, FedEx Express folding chairs that employees would personally purchase from the FedEx company store, would be placed near the conveyor tables to enable employees to readily stand and catch their freight. This very simple provision could drastically improve FedEx's turnover rate and employees' feet and leg health and their productivity ultimately because of improvements in their leg and feet health. It would further decrease incidences of damaged freight.
Protecting FedEx Elevators
Protection of FedEx elevators is a vital element of protecting employees' feet and leg health. FedEx has had many problems with their elevators due to employees overcrowding them. A solution would be placement of cameras in all of their elevators that would be connected to a central monitoring station and having a remote elevator monitor or monitors who would sit at a desk and monitor them and speak via intercom to employees violating the maximum capacity policy. They would specifically ask the last employee(s) to enter the elevators in transgression of the policy to remove themselves from the elevators and wait for them to return after the current load of workers have exited. Elevator monitors should be capable of zooming in on and saving video recordings/photographs of any employees who refuse to exit the elevators in compliance with the maximum capacity policy, and they would forward the stated photographs to security in the screening area for printing and posting. When employees who have violated FedEx's maximum capacity elevator policy come through the screening area, they would be stopped and addressed by security there. On first account they would be issued a written warning. Afterwards, other punitive actions could be taken. The issue of protecting FedEx's elevators is very important due to the laborious nature of work there that profoundly impacts employees' leg and feet health.
Benches for FedEx Shuttle Stops
FedEx workers should get as much feet rest as possible prior to and after their shifts. Accordingly, sheltered and unsheltered* shuttle stops should have benches for employees to sit while waiting for shuttles.
*Unsheltered shuttle stops should additionally have markers indicating to employees precisely where each is located. This would save time because it would encourage employees to walk to their nearest official stop in lieu of shuttle drivers retrieving employees wherever they happen to park.
Shuttle Drop-off and Retrieval of Employees Near their Specific Work Areas.
For health and safety reasons, FedEx employees should be dropped off and picked up as close as possible to their work areas. Their walking from the hub administration area poses the same risks that are posed when walking to and from work areas outside of the bridge at the second shuttle stop.
Employees are readily exposed to often a vast number of roaming tugs that could hit and injure them. Employees with injuries or who are tired and/or aching from working a shift are forced to take the extensive trek through the bridge extending from the second shuttle stop, though, trust me, they do not feel like it.
Courtesy Work Spot Shuttles
Courtesy work spot shuttles, or smaller shuttles that are capable of carrying multiple employees, should be commissioned to carry employees in need of the service to and from their work spots to larger shuttles or to the main screening area to further alleviate excessive wear and tear on employees' legs and feet.
Formalizing and Sheltering the Employee Drop-off and Retrieval Area Near Visitors' Parking
FedEx's employee drop-off and retrieval area should be formalized or equipped with seating and courtesy phones—considering that non-managerial FedEx employees are not permitted to carry cell phones into the work areas and many do not utilize or are not familiar with the process for utilizing FedEx cell phone lockers, and no one I've asked knows anything about it at all. Though there are courtesy phones and seats near the screening area, they are too far from the employee retrieval area. Employees could not readily make or receive calls from their Uber, taxi, or other rides. The FedEx security officer in the visitor/employee drop-off and retrieval area does not typically allow employees to make or receive calls via the phone in their guard shack, though they should. FedEx's employee drop-off and retrieval area should too be indoor and/or sheltered to shield employees from cold and inclement weather while waiting to be picked up.
Residential Pick-up and Drop-off of Qualified FedEx Employees via FedEx Shuttles
FedEx should extend their shuttle services to pick up/drop off employees who reside within a certain distance of their facilities. Employees lacking transportation should not be forced to walk what would be a considerable distance on foot, particularly not in the dark and/or during inclement weather.
FedEx Apartments
Another way to secure coverage and particularly employees with transportation challenges is for FedEx to incorporate employee apartments onto its campuses. FedEx could offer the apartments for discounted rates and deduct rental costs from employees' pay. The noted apartments could be furnished and/or unfurnished and rentable by lease or by the day or month. The children of FedEx employees residing in FedEx apartments would be bussed to local schools, and/or FedEx could optionally create its own schools or childcare programs for its tenant and other synonymous employees.
FedEx Employee Weight Management Programs and other Health Initiatives
...Unnecessary laborious practices at any company should not exist for the exclusive purpose of providing exercise to employees. There are more intelligible methods of improving employee health, like implementing company weight management programs, i.e. campus gyms, healthy cooking classes, and/or creating and distributing a company newsletter with employees' paychecks at least once monthly that would discuss the importance of good health and methods of accomplishing it...
Stopping Abusive Bullying
Bullying is a major issue at FedEx Express, and because of the very laborious nature of work at the company, bullies can cause serious harm to targeted employees, especially when targeted employees are serially harassed and flooded with heavy packages.
I have personally been dealing with a bully at work, an older lady, amusingly, who harasses me and other employees. Examples of her bizarre behavior include putting freight in my cans that belong elsewhere and becoming overtly hostile when I appropriately demonstrate to her where the freight should be routed or if I move the freight to the locality it should be routed to. On several occasions, I discovered that she had typed codes on subject packages backwards, which could mean that she is possibly dislexic or simply being a smart aleck. For example, she once placed a package in one of my cans that was coded FAR when the code she'd typed in the computer was FRA, which is my code.
She has additionally snatched freight that I was holding for co-workers and thrown it on the floor near their cans and has instructed me not to touch her freight while it's coming down the conveyor belt, though the only way to determine who the freight should go to is by turning it to view the labels if they are not readily viewable...
I have repeatedly reported her behavior to management in addition to telling her that she should be concerned with her own work and not mine and informing her that I won't allow her to put wrong freight in my cans, which reflects poorly on me. This has not helped, however.
The noted bully appears to have the company's blessing (I have noticed this particular bully frequently communicating with another younger, slender, light-skinned female FedEx employee who wears "Purple Promise" shirts and a wedding ring; she too has routinely harassed me without merited cause since I first set foot through the doors of FedEx). I have noticed that when I stand up to the bullies or openly discuss their harassment, I am subsequently flooded out with freight in a manner that is distinctive from other employees. The other thing that makes it appear that the bullies' behavior is company approved is their delegation of issuing me my pay check, though they are not managers or superiors...
The most brutal form of abuse that I have experienced at FedEx is managers routinely pulling employees who work on either and periodically on both sides of me and asking/expecting me to put up their freight and mine on nights of very high freight volume. On certain occasions, when those who work on either side of me called off work the manager would not provide coverage in those areas at all, while plenty of workers were present... Such acts juxtapose being routinely harassed about one of my ex boyfriends whose middle name is Green and who I have no interest in re-kindling a relationship with makes FedEx the most hostile work environment I've ever experienced or the very worst job I've ever had.
Yearly Eye Examinations/Glass-wearing Requirements for Those Prescribed to Wear Them
In addition to hearing tests, FedEx employees should be required to have routine eye examinations to determine if each is capable of adequately reading freight codes and seeing other objects, persons, etc., with or without prescription or reading glasses (Employees with conditions like dyslexia should be required to have language therapy). Employees who have been prescribed eye glasses should be required to wear them, and managers could optionally have a pair or a few pairs of readers available for employees who would benefit from utilizing them.This would help to prevent confusion and incidences of those with vision issues allowing their freight to bypass them because they have inaccurately reading codes...
Leveled Parking
Incorporating leveled parking near primary entrances would allow most if not all employees to park closely to employee entrances, saving the time that it takes to wait for shuttles, which require significant use of fuel and upkeep.
Re-drawing Margins Near the Memphis FedEx Express Entrance Near the Visitor Parking Area
Parking margins near the Memphis FedEx Express entrance that is near the visitor parking area should be re-drawn to prevent the near-collision of vehicles that are already in the parking lot, or those traveling in the outer lane of parking slots on this side of the parking lot, with incoming traffic from Democrat Road...
Securing Security
FedEx employees should really be required to swipe their employee badges or, more preferably, to scan a finger to get into the employee parking lot. This would make it impossible for any unauthorized persons to enter the FedEx employee parking lot.
FedEx Staff Radio Earplugs/Microphones for Managers
FedEx staff radio earplugs should not only be noise filters, they should be radios that staff could listen to during their shifts to make work more enjoyable. Shift management and employees could additionally utilize said radios to communicate with one another, i.e. to better hear what is being said during shift meetings, and to readily locate any employees wearing the plugs. Shift managers could otherwise utilize microphones to communicate with staff during shift meetings...
Code-Listing Digital Signage
In lieu of or in addition to code print-outs, digital signs listing all codes for specific areas should be mounted above hand...lers' sort areas for the purpose of readily notifying each hand...ler of any changes in code designation. Digital signs are additionally an excellent way to communicate other information to employees...
Online Tutorials for and Before Training Examinations
Online tutorials should be provided and should always precede training examinations. Though FedEx online training examinations are labeled "training," there is actually no formal training. It has been the practice that designated staff provide all of the answers to these examinations. On occasions when those designees do not know all or at least 90% of the answers, they/the testing employee must repeat the failed tests until they luck up and answer the questions correctly, noting that different questions are typically asked during repeat examinations. This is unfair to the testing employee and the designee who is appointed to guide them through the test. In other employment settings where I and others I'm acquainted with have worked formal online training (which includes typed information with audio visuals) always preceded examination. This helps employees to truly learn and retain vital information. Since the system does not inform testing employees of which questions they answered wrong, many if not most are very likely still oblivious of the information that they indubitably should have learned.
Fix or Upgrade the Code Search Computers!
There are frequently problems with the code search computers, which are essential for determining where freight with questionable codes should be routed. These computers have been down for extensive periods of time, which complicates the sort or translates to a significant amount of misdirected freight when employees cannot verify if they are still receiving specific codes that may have been erroneously deleted or added to posted code lists. These computers should be fixed or at best replaced/upgraded.
FedEx Employee Profile Pages
Incorporating an employee profile page into the FedEx website would help FedEx really familiarize itself with its employees, and it would help FedEx employees per se to familiarize themselves with and befriend one another based on expressed interests. FedEx employee profile pages would provide a platform for each employee to upload and/or share their photographs, job titles and descriptions, personal interests, and biographical information...
How to Utilize Newly Created Space
Newly created space on the FedEx campus that would be resultant of eliminating tugs and cans other than those that are loaded onto FedEx planes could be utilized a number of ways. For one, it could be utilized to create or proliferate formal departmental meeting and break rooms for pre-shift meetings, stretch and flex, and qualified breaks. The noted meeting and break rooms should be equipped with tables and chairs, vending machines, lavatories, sinks (for the washing of hands... prior to meals) and lockers for storing employee belongings. Newly created space could additionally be utilized to create or build a FedEx campus arena for all-staff meetings and entertainment.
A FedEx campus arena would be utilized for interactive all-staff meetings* (not merely for departmental meetings), routine pep talks by varied motivational speakers, and entertainment, i.e. free or discounted concerts, et cetera. *Audience participation microphones could be installed in the arm rests of arena seats for the purpose of allowing FedEx employees to provide feedback during staff meetings. The audience participation microphones could be locked into the arm rests and/or silenced during events where they would not be utilized. Periodically having employees' favorite recording artists to perform and provide a word of encouragement in appreciation of the hard work that they routinely perform would be an awesome and welcomed treat. Employees could be distributed a certain number of complimentary or discounted tickets or purchase their desired number of tickets until they are sold out. The FedEx campus arena would too market concessions and synonymous promotional paraphernalia—FedEx and that of visiting speakers and entertainers; FedEx could additionally affiliate market the stated items via its website for specified or indefinite periods of time, and offer discounts on shipment of those items. The FedEx campus arena would be a small-scale version of Memphis's FedEx arena that would be exclusively for FedEx employees and their guests, for certain events...
A FedEx Innovation Committee
FedEx and every company should have an innovation committee via which it monetarily rewards employees for submitting plausible ideas for improving the company. I was employed for a company that has a monthly innovation contest and another with an any time "bright ideas" program. Feedback from employees who work or who have worked in the company can frequently be more valuable than that of professional consultants...
How Every FedEx Employee Could Practically Receive a Christmas Bonus
I really miss my substantial Christmas bonuses that I received from previous employers. With one employer I'd worked my way up to receiving more than $1,000.00 (one thousand dollars plus) each Christmas and nearly $800.00 each Christmas with another employer. Both of these were full-time employers, and the bonuses were based upon the length of time at each employer. Though many traditional FedEx employees are part-time, it would not be far-fetched for them to receive a Christmas bonus, since they are provided other benefits (healthcare, etc.). One way for FedEx to accomplish this is via employee benefits programs. For example, FedEx could pull cash from unused healthcare or other benefits each year to provide employees a Christmas bonus. I'll note here that since the turn-over rate is so high at FedEx, the Christmas bonus for most employees would be conservative, since the bonuses would be based on the amount of time that each employee has been with the company. Fed ex could otherwise or at least provide gift cards to employees for a holiday turkey each Christmas and/or Thanksgiving. FedEx collects food each year to give to the less fortunate, while many of its own employees are among the needy.
FedEx Undercover Boss
FedEx should have its own Undercover Boss initiative via which they'd surprise deserving employees with needed personal and other resources and incentives. FedEx could learn of employees' needs and wants via FedEx employee profile pages, etc.
Predestination of My FedEx Encounter and A Higher Calling to Fulfill with its Purple Promise?!
I was astounded when I learned that FedEx began operations in the month and year of my birth (April of 1973), in the city of my birth (Memphis, Tennessee), and when I learned of their purple promise, considering that my name, Yolanda, means purple (violet) flower. I do not believe it mere happenstance that I became employed with FedEx. Perhaps it precisely had something to do with what I have written here to improve its processes and working conditions for its employees and other similar companies and, maybe it is synonymous with an idea that I contrived and presented in one of my Sociology classes, an idea that could very well coincide with establishment of THE Purple Promise of a returning and reigning Christ. I titled my project the Corporate Colonists Initiative, which refers to the practice of resource pooling by varied groups for the purpose of funding major global development projects that would ultimately and wholly develop all developing nations and provide employment, housing, and other resources to citizens of those nations. FedEx (and other similar companies on a lesser scale) would literally deliver the building and other material to every pointer of the globe and they and/or other airlines would temporally and permanently in some instances move all persons residing in third world or regions of the world that are not suitable for habitation to developed nations that would provide them emergency housing, education, food, employment, etc. in the realization of this stated initiative.
What I have articulated here in no way means that I should remain employed with FedEx. I believe that in articulating the stated vision, I have fulfilled my purpose where FedEx is concerned. I actually have other career interests, and my FedEx vision is only a small component of my ultimate ideals.
Conclusion
Streamlining FedEx hand...ling processes and those of other courier delivery services would accelerate and improve productivity while saving FedEx, etc. billions of dollars each year in costs for fuel and upkeep of tugs, in replacing damaged freight, and in nursing and/or replacing injured employees.
Wholly delivering its purple promise could very well mean playing a centripetal role in delivering on THE Purple Promise of Christ's return and reign over a perfected world.
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