IWT AND SUB CODES (why your office could fail)

[ninja]

My report to my area rep on the problems with the tools or maybe how RM are trying to misrepresent your office preformance.

Dear Paul,


Please find below my interim findings on the RCS sub codes within the delivery units and the effects on the Indoor Workload Tool.

Duty Management System (DMS), Resource Control System (RCS) should be validated as part of the six step process.


DMS.

It would seem that this system is held within the hard drive of the user and so you would have to identify what manager created a duty set and then log on via there details in order to view or edit them. On investigation of the 318’s that I have seen for several offices it would suggest that a simple formula was used in there construction:

Sorting, prep, meal relief, delivery or 4hrs indoors and 4hrs outdoors broadly speaking.

In order to build a suitable duty set you should have identified the tasks required and then use the drop down menu within the system to place the correct sub code, like H11 for prep.
H11 – Prepare Mail for Delivery Walk
Prepare mail for all Walks
Bundle mail and pack in delivery pouches
Transfer Missorts to designated sorting frame TAKEN FROM RCS CODES
Collect priority service items VERSION 5 JAN 2010
Process vague letters
Attach and endorse undeliverable sticker to items
Identify redirections for further processing
Weigh pouches
Transfer extra pouches to conveyance
All conveyance of mail to and from this area undertaken by preparation duties
Complete signing out sheet
On the floor team briefs / Huddles

SD1017XX

The book states:
This list provides the information needed to code P318 duty sheets within DMS, MIST, RSL.
Each part of the operational Pipeline has its own unique set of subheads.

The purpose of RCS subheads is to allow for accurate recording of AWD, SA, Overtime, Pressure, Lapsed, etc. within the Balance Of Staff in the Resource Control System.

These subheads are not open to interpretation.

Accurate recording of staff hours is vital because it impacts upon:

• Bonus Payments
• Product Costing, including Downstream Access
• Regulatory Analysis
• Unit & Area Performance Measurement

The accuracy of the Product Costing and Regulatory information is subject to External Audit. The Regulator has the power to request data from any internal reporting system down to Cost Centre level,
It is fundamental that the baseline hours (AWD & SA) accurately reflect what is performed in our unit and balance with the hours held within your P318 system. It is also just as important that Pressure and Lapsed hours are recorded fully and accurately.

So keeping with the H11 code it indicates that we should Attach and endorse undeliverable sticker to items (kill offs) within the time allocated to this code. The former PHG grade would have received all these kill off items and then proceeded to deal with them as defined by M18
M18 – Missorts / RTS / Dead and Vague / Redirection / Undedeliverables
Process Missorts / RTS / Redirections / Dead & Vague / Undedeliverables
at Delivery Office
Record Traffic using scales and record on WLA sheets for input into TFS
Prepare dispatch
On the floor team briefs / Huddles


SD1037XX

Yet over the last few years the business has moved the processing of the kill offs back onto the delivery duties, but nobody (except me) has updated the DMS system to reflect this within the units. So if we work this example through, it would indicate that we would be reducing the H11 code in order to accommodate this task.
Also last year many of the units have had an outward mail centre frame installed and the delivery OPG’s are now required to sort the kill offs direct into this frame after they have killed them off. Which would be covered by this sub code:
M28 – Outward Missort / RTS / Redirection Work at Mail Centre (indoor)
Process Missorts / RTS / Redirections / / RTS / Redirections / Dead & Vague / Undedeliverables at Mail Centre
Record Traffic in MIST
On the floor team briefs / Huddles

SD0599XX
So once they are received at the mail centre they can go straight into the pipeline.

Because the system allows you to duplicate a duty, the evidence shows that the manager simple duplicated the required numbers for a walk, firm, rural, etc in order to reach the agreed awd’s for the office. So if one 318 is wrong then it is highly probable that all are wrong and the consequence of this is that the P130 report will show more hours against H11 and G54.

Another universal problem has been around cycle checks and vehicle refuelling and cleaning. I think we would all agree that prior to using any equipment you should check it over and the cycles require a mandatory inspection prior to use. Checking through the sub code definitions guide jan 2010 we could use only two possible codes

M27 - Cycle Maintenance & Repair
Maintain cycles and repair cycles

SD1688XX
Or
M51 Cleaning / Safety / Security / Catering
All Security work performed by OPG
All Cleaning work performed by OPG
All Reception work performed by OPG
All Health & Safety activities performed by OPG
All Catering work performed by OPG
All Aviation security performed by OPG

Including Gatekeepers.

All Supervision of above during Line Manager absence.
SD1460XX



Yet every cycle or HCT 318 I have seen doesn’t show any of these codes and therefore no time has been allocated to this mandatory check.

M11 - Vehicle Maintenance
Vehicle checks prior to all motorised duties (applicable to Delivery and Local Distribution)
Perform vehicle maintenance and vehicle checks
Cleaning vehicle
Fuelling vehicle
Ferrying vehicles to/from cleaning/servicing area

SD1667XX

M11 is interesting because you can find hours against this sub code within the DMS and RCS systems, but on closer inspection the hours only relate too the mandatory vehicle checks, planners allow 10mins per day to complete this task. Yet no time has been built into the 318 to allow for refuelling or cleaning of the vehicle.

In real terms vehicles do get refuelled because the time is hiding away in another sub code and the evidence suggests this would be on H11 or G54. I say this because under SDD we aimed to introduce 3.30 delivery spans + travel, and most DOM’s showed 4hrs for this task, therefore the remaining 4hrs (indoor) was split against m/r, wtl, sort, prep. So with fixed times for meal relief and work time learning the remainder of the 4hrs was simply split against sort and prep in order to account for the hours.

Below is a real example of the potential cost to a DO I was looking at recently.

Based on local testing and observations I applied the following Planning Value for cycles (5mins daily) and van refuelling/cleaning (20mins per week).

44 cycles x 5min x 6 days = 22hrs

22 vehicles x 10min + 20min = 44 hrs

TOTAL 66hrs per week or one and a half jobs would be taken simply because we hadn’t shown the hours under the correct code.

It would be easy to state that these mistakes should be picked up under the six step process, but firstly you would have to be able to thoroughly check the 318’s using the current version of the RCS sub code definitions and correctly identify what task’s are being carried out within the unit. Although the default descriptions within DMS can cause confusion when looking at a 318, for example M51 will be described as security on the 318, but you may be doing a safety task.

RCS.

Even if you have a truly reflective 318 for each duty within the office the next problem will be with the RCS which simple takes the P130 report from the DMS system in order to create the profile of the office budget. The RCS does allow for you to import the codes/ hours directly from DMS but it would seem that the RCS has default sub codes already within its set up and so you will find yourself with missing sub codes and so it would seem that in some cases the manager simply added these hours to the nearest code therefore what you can find that the H11 or G54 is overstated because these were the only H or G codes available on the system.

Collections seem to be a typical example of this problem with missing codes on the RCS and here is an actual example from a unit I have looked at:

E12 - Meter Post Operation
Setting up of area and obtaining empty containers
Conveyance of mail to Meter area if undertaken by Meter duties
Opening and tipping of bags, emptying Meter pouches
Facing, segregating and streaming of all meter mail, includes traying of letters and flats, packets to container. Checking dates and values on meter postings.
Transfer empty meter pouches out of area.
Record on MIST and convey mail to next process
All conveyance of mail/containers to and from Workarea
On the floor team briefs / Huddles


SD0548XX

Firstly, this code covers the meter operation that has taken place with the delivery units for a number of years. This unit clearly carriers out this function but since the RCS for the unit doesn’t have the code they have placed all the hours against B12

B12 - Collection Work performed at Delivery Office
All Collection activities undertaken by Delivery Office
Collect from Pillar box / Post office / TSO / Firms
Unload and segregate own collection mail on platform when performed as part of driving duty.

NB: Where parcel and letter/packets are collected together, the combined
collection time must be identified here.

SD0449XX


This is partly due to not understanding the process for getting the right codes onto the RCS and possible confusion on what is meant by segregate own collection mails. The other issue is that E12 is a mail centre code, which is true that they are performing the mail centre function, and so the code would be the correct one and strangely enough I have found another DO using this code within its RCS, so presume my rational is correct.

The management terms of reference for the collection review states that they require 10% from the B12 code and you can see that with the contamination of missing codes this figure could be very high.

One question I have asked myself is who and why do we use the sub codes.

TRAFFIC HOURS MANAGERS (THM)

As stated above the THM role is to compare the traffic against the hours used throughout the pipeline in order to set prices and provide any reports for the regulator.
Therefore the THM’s are not interested in the volume of AWD’s within the D.O but the amount of hours against the sub codes, for example sorting,prep,delivery, which gives an indication of what each units cost per item is.
THM’s can indentify issues within the DO’s and a good example would be are largest DO doesn’t show any hours against B35 convey mails to the mail centre, so are THM asked who was collecting this work for them. They are doing this work but are using L62 mail centre to DO on the DMS and RCS system.

I have spoken to R Dunn who has ownership of the sub code definitions’ book and during 2010 he had produced two versions Jan/Dec (although a new version was released this week). Mr Dunn also confirmed that to his knowledge nobody from the CWU has involvement with the code definitions and nor do the THM’s, but the changes are confirmed by the design teams (delivery design, Mail centre,etc).

It would seem that every time a new code book is produced the amalgamation of codes increase and this I believe will cause problems with IWT. Perhaps by looking at the changes to a sub code will show this.



G54 - Inward Sort Mail for Delivery
Inward Primary and Secondary sort Letters / Large Letters / Packets to ‘Walks’
Assist loading and unloading of mails, including D2D on platform
Conveyance of mails to and from inward sort areas
Segregation of mails including any bag opening required
Cleardown and despatch of mail to other units latest version june 2011
On the floor team briefs / Huddles

I


G54 - Inward Sort Mail for Delivery
Inward Primary and Secondary sort Letters / Flats / Packets to ‘Walks’
On the floor team briefs / Huddles JAN 2010 version

SD2690XX



Clearly, you can see that the new G54 is being used to do deal with most tasks within the unit.

The question must be are these additional tasks measured by IWT?.

As stated before the view of the THM’s/planners is that any cycle/hct safety checks would come under H11 although it is clear that there is no mention of it within the box and so I will still use M51 now M72 to allow time for these checks. I guess under there logic the M11 code Vehicle checks,fuelling,cleaning, etc will become part of H11 on the next update and as you can workout this would be a lot of hours moving into H11.
Below is a summary of what codes have been gone or moved into another code as per the duty builder.

Summary of Subhead changes Oct 2012: colour key
new in Oct 2010
The table below shows where old subheads are now mapped to. description change 2010

RCS code Description If your unit currently uses one of these subheads - then you need to change to the code in column A
B11 Collections B12 B13 B14 B15 B16 B17 B31 B32 B33 K25
B35 Collections to Mail Centre
G54 Inward Sort Mail for Delivery G11 G12 G13 G55 G56 G58 G41 G42 G43 G44 G47 K61
G57 Response Services
H10 Walk Sequencing at Delivery Office
H11 Prepare Mail for Delivery Walk H12 H13 H14 H15 H16 H17
H18 Door to Door - Indoor Work


H21 Delivery Unmotorised H24 H31 H34
H22 Delivery Motorised - Bulk H32 H37 H33
H23 Delivery Motorised - Support H29
H25 Delivery Motorised - Rural H26 H28 H35 H36 H38 H40
H27 Delivery Motorised - Town
H42 Motorised Shared Van
H43 Unmotorised High Capacity Trolley
L62 Local Dist Mail Ctr to Dely Unit L61 L69 C14
M11 Vehicle Maintenance
M39 Missorts Dead&Vague RTS Redirects M18 M35
M22 Mail Room for 3rd Party ON RM Premises
M23 Mail Room for 3rd Party NOT on RM Premises
M24 Callers Office Work G59 R14 R16 R20 M46
M27 Cycle Maintenance & Repair
M72 Delivery Support M41 M42 M51 M44 M34 M17 N41 M19 M37 M59 M50 M51
M45 Union Facility Time
N60 Meal Relief N20 N43
N36 Work Time Listening & Learning N13 N42
P33 All Parcel Force Work P10 P11 P12 P13 P20 P26 P28 P30 P40 P60 P61
R13 Delivery - Express Locker R10 R12 R15 R17
M65 Callers Office Extended Opening


The main reason for these changes seems to be for the introduction of the mini duty builder and the PSP program.

I understand that DMS has now been shelved and that all units need to build the office using the duty builder.


Below is a screen shot of the mini duty builder and you can see that the system needs you to identify the workload of the duty on each day, using the available sub codes.

INWARD SORT PREP INWARD SORT
G54 G54 G54 H11 H11 H11 G54 G54 G54
DUTY NAME OPG NAME DAY STRART FINISH TOTAL START FINISH TOTAL START FINISH TOTAL START FINISH TOTAL
HIGH ST F.BLOGGS M 6.00 14.00 8.00 6.00 6.30 0.30 6.30 7.00 0.30 7.00 7.30 0.30
HIGH ST F.BLOGGS TU 6.00 14.00 8.00 6.00 6.30 0.30 6.30 7.00 0.30 7.00 7.30 0.30
HIGH ST F.BLOGGS W 6.00 14.00 8.00 6.00 6.30 0.30 6.30 7.00 0.30 7.00 7.30 0.30
HIGH ST F.BLOGGS TH 6.00 14.00 8.00 6.00 6.30 0.30 6.30 7.00 0.30 7.00 7.30 0.30
HIGH ST F.BLOGGS F 6.00 14.00 8.00 6.00 6.30 0.30 6.30 7.00 0.30 7.00 7.30 0.30
SA 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
SU 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
CHECK 0.00 40.00 2.30 2.30 2.30

I believe that due to the issues raised by this report that the national officers will need to establish with RM what parts of G54 and H11 are not measured by the IWT and agree a process to remove the unmeasured elements from the tool.

Yours truly.

[Tamsky]

Excellent report Ninja, explains a lot when trying to work out IWT and unit EP. There is no doubt that RM are manipulating IWT to raise EP. It also explains how some units are recording EP over 100. Some as high as 148EP.
Failure to meet the EP is being blames, as always, on poor OPG performance.

[Dorset Plodder]

Very DETAILED report Ninja Rather you than me wading through all those codes. Just goes to show that if RM did incorporate all the correct timings for Cycle and Vehicle checks etc we'd have a much more realistic picture about how the Business is "Eating" up time before we even start worrying about throwing of walks and delivering the bloody stuff!

My Office works because we've got a high number of conscientious, experienced, posties who probably do a lot more than they should do to make the system work. As with most Offices I'm sure if we took a Bloody Minded attitude and not so much "Worked Properly" but actually "Nit Picked" over the minor details the whole House of Cards would come crashing down!

[Danelectro]

Am i getting this right?.. a local rep has spotted universal omissions in IWT that 58k Gibson was not aware of?