Delivery Depot

DEFINING SUCCESS IN A DELIVERY DEPOT

 

PRIORITY OBJECTIVES:

The project objective was to develop and implement a 'Standard Operating Model' that would define success for a Delivery Depot (regardless of the size, complexity, etc.) and better drive 'employee engagement'.

This Model included:

  • development of Supervisory Timelines - including Admin Tasks, Weekly Planning Worksheets
  • implementation and enhancements to their Management Operating Systems - including Planning Meetings, In–Depot Safety Checklist, On-Street Activities Form, Daily Tours / Reviews, Weekly Reviews
  • clarification and definition of the Roles and Responsibilities of the local Management Team, especially as it related to engaging the employees

PVA’s RESPONSE:

A strategy known as a 'pull approach' was taken. The core of this strategy was based on weekly 'Working Sessions' that gathered the input of the Supervisors and Superintendents. At each step of the process, the combined information was then communicated to the Area Manager and Director for their input, and then shared with the General Managers for their reinforcement. At this stage, barriers and obstacles were managed and actioned as required. Only after this process was successfully completed, were the changes implemented and was the new Standard Operating Model in its entirety installed on the floor.

The use of the 'Working Sessions' was also designed to help drive team work and to remove the 'silos' that had historically existed. This would also provide the realization of substantial gains through the sharing of resources, as well as consistency in the application of expectations, work assignment and follow-up, and holding the management group accountable for the attainment of their results.

Some of the key project activities were:

  • Identified and eliminated the major barriers that existed within the administrative activities, preventing the Supervisors from having a successful day.
  • Reduced the amount of duplication in those activities and enhanced other documents to improve their ease of use.
  • Identified and implemented key floor level activities and their associated behaviours that would most impact performance results.
  • Identified and implemented some engagement guidelines for processes that would simultaneously improve compliance and employee engagement.
  • Adapted their performance management planning process to include the key floor level activities and their required frequency for completion.
  • Identified and implemented a planning process to direct the key floor level activities towards the priority employees, customers, situations most negatively impacting the team’s performance results for any given day or week.
  • Identified and implemented a tour review process to closely monitor and follow-up on the team’s performance.
  • Identified and installed additional Management Operating System elements that would best provide the framework to ‘lock in’ these activities, guidelines and processes.
  • Trained a Coordinator to be a Resource to the local management team for their sustainment efforts.

PROJECT RESULTS:

The implementation of the Standard Operating Model delivered the following results:

  • improvement in overtime hours (unplanned absences) vs. national average
  • improvement in overtime hours (due to high volumes) vs. national average
  • improvement in casual hours saved vs. national average
  • more substantial decrease in the employee benchmark vs. national average

In addition, the increase in safety prevention related activities during the project will pay long term dividends to the corporation. This, along with the other initiatives, are also driving a culture of employee engagement and continuous improvement.

PERPETUATION OF RESULTS:

In order to ensure that the improvements are sustained the following activities were established:

  • A Coordinator was trained to maintain all aspects of the Standard Operating Model through audits and coaching.
  • An Opportunity Resolution Program was installed to manage all opportunities identified that could not be resolved directly by the local management team.

The local management team is committed to sustaining all of the changes and staying the course.

VERBALS:

“I am so committed to this process that I don’t want to live without it. I thank you dearly for making my job so easy now and fulfilling. I couldn't have done it without you and your amazing team! We are still going strong with the planning and submissions and will continue to sustain this processs.” - Superintendent

“One of the biggest changes was the installation of the Planning Meetings. These meetings focused everyone on KPIs and poor performers and this increased the accountability for all team members. The other big win was getting the Supervisors outside a minimum of 3 times per week and the discoveries that they made through their increased follow-up in the field. The employees really responded positively to their support and I think this surprised them.” - Depot Manager


For more results that we have achieved within the Warehouse and Distribution Industry .