Sorting Speed Tester?

[Albethere]

Has anyone been tested recently to check your sorting speed? Our DOM has started doing this, and threatening folk with the sack if you are not up to the required speed!!!

[pinstripe]

Don't think they can sack anyone for not being able to sort fast enough. They have to offer training to enable the employee to reach the standard required. An Employment Tribunal would have a hay-day otherwise.

[k979aaa]

Has anyone been tested recently to check your sorting speed? Our DOM has started doing this, and threatening folk with the sack if you are not up to the required speed!!!

I say let him set the standard for he who cannot meet the standard's should not set the standard's!.

[Albethere]

25 letters per minute has been mentioned ! ! !

[gdm09]

i think the union agreed standard is 25 a min for prep and 31 a min for ips.

i failed ips test recently

[baldrick]

In my MC there are notices up saying a sorting speed of 22 items a minute is required.
They would have to sack most of the newer staff who have recieved little or no training if
they were to enforce that.
They would also have to sack most of the managers.

[oldrope]

In a MC testing is always going on and is good fun, 31 per min for ips and ops, 25 for flats i think and 17 for pks, when i got tested i was on the ips and the letters were in a run all for the same box, i got over 100, , i failed the flats on the ops, but the pks was a wark in the park as we sort into alps not a dbf.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

CAPABILITY CHECK FOR OPERATIONAL GRADE


Following the introduction of Individual Performance Standards, managers and employees should have a clear understanding of what the standards are and what is expected of them. Therefore there will not be a requirement to carry out formal performance checks on fully trained employees, giving managers the opportunity to focus on their principal leadership skills.

The only exception to this will be when an individual’s capability to meet the standard is brought into question due to the length of time they have been away from the task they are due to perform, e.g.: the individual has been performing other duties for a year and the use of a formal one minute check may indicate to the manager that they may require support or refresher training. Where a check is necessary in these circumstances, they should be carried out in the following way.

Please note: this is the only formal process for checking the work rate in respect of capability, which is acceptable both to RMSD and the CWU.

1.The individual is observed working below normal standard.
2.The Manager should approach the individual discreetly and discuss informally with the individual whether they are having any difficulties that are preventing them from working at the normal performance level.
3.Where appropriate carry out a formal one minute check that is applicable to the task being performed
4.Before starting each check, the manager should inform the employee what is happening, i.e. inform the individual when the check has started and that the number of items sorted in a one-minute period will be counted.
5.They should also make sure an adequate head of work is available and that no other known issues are likely to impact on the individual’s performance.
6.On completion of the check, the manager should again take the individual aside and tell them how they have performed. It is vital that this is handled sensitively.
7.Managers should take the opportunity to congratulate the employee where the standards are met.

Points to remember

If you feel an individual’s capability to meet the standard is brought into question;
Due notice should be taken if the employee is new to the area, a reserve, a triallist, a casual or perhaps on a special duty where allowances should be made.
Managers need to have a frank discussion, but be sensitive to the potential reaction and focus on helping employees to improve.
If there are concerns on either side about accuracy, a P40 check should be run as soon as possible.
It is vital to continue to support employees through coaching / counselling / additional training as appropriate.
Managers should be aware of the full range of support services available through the line manager, advice from the EHS on health/welfare issues and employment policy managers for personnel procedures.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Activity
Equipment
Check Rate



Number per minute
Letter Sorting
48 box
34

56 box
31

63 box
35

64 box
31



Packet Sorting
DBF
18



Flat Sorting
48 box Impact
28

56 Box Impact
27

64 Box
Impact
26



Flats
Handstamp
20

Packets
Handstamp
16

Preparation
RM 2000
25 letters

48 box letter
34 letters

Wing Prep
25 letters

West Bradford
25 letters

[seawolf]

In the RM2000 I belive it is 25 in a min, in an empty frame, also the tester can't check to see if they went in the right slots.

[rebel]

It's all very well to quote the "union/management" lines on the guidelines for IPS but every office has characters like in mine who, because of chatting/sneaking off etc are unlikely to achieve (over a 90 min IPS schedule) an average of 8 iems per minute.

Looking and reading postcards is a very popular past-time. The inability to sort whilst having a conversation is another phenomenon. Then there are the guys who blatantly do nothing (even face the other way from the IPS frames) and verbally challenge their colleagues (and management) to do something about it.

So don't bleat about checks on sorting speeds. We're about to come into a situation where the working day is gonna get an awful lot longer. Therefore, the less time spent on IPS the better for us all.

[rhino49]

Has anyone been tested recently to check your sorting speed? Our DOM has started doing this, and threatening folk with the sack if you are not up to the required speed!!!

Sounds like your DOM is the one who needs sorting - see Teebs "CAPABILITY CHECK FOR OPERATIONAL GRADE" above and it shows that your DOM has the usual unrefined, ignorant and uninformed manner of the manager who isn't.

[billyb8]

It's not as bad as the old days when you were taken to a empty frame given 3 or 4 trays of letters and left for 20 min. the tester then counted how many and checked the accuracy.

Minimum of 500 to be sorted with a maximun error rate of 1%

[baldrick]

When I started you got two weeks training at the RM school at Belgrove, Kings Cross.
You had to be able to sort 500 cards in 15 minutes with less than 5 (I think) missorts.
After 12 months in the job you were retested in the MC to the same standard, before you
passed your probationary period.
If you failed you were retested again 3 months later, and in theory you could be sacked
if you failed again, but I don't think anyone ever did.
If you went PHG you got another 2 weeks training at Belgrove, and had to pass a sorting test
(again 500 cards in 15 mins) in one major, and two minor divisions (groups of counties).

[POSTMAN]

We've got some newbies starting next week,because of time constraints,well i mean cause RM don't give a f**k,they are learning the cards for a couple of days then a test this is just after being trained for 1 week only on a walk.
They will then be fully trained and expect to do the job just like me and you.