Delivery Outdoor Planning Values – Validation Exercise

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 675/14 - Delivery Outdoor Planning Values Validation Exercise

To: Branches with POSTAL Members

Dear Colleague

Delivery Outdoor Planning Values – Validation Exercise

Further to LTB 378/14 and the indoor planning value exercise, we have now agreed to carry out further validation on the outdoor elements of delivery using fully trained Industrial Engineers.

The main reason for this remains the same as the original indoor validation exercise which is due to the efficiency review that is taking place on behalf of Ofcom the regulator.

There are a number of tasks carried out on delivery that did not exist when planning values on outdoor work were originally established, these are mainly the trolleys, CDVs and Delivery to Neighbour, add to this the fact that the historic study data is now not universally available and there would appear to be a sound reason to carry this validation exercise out. We agreed to support the exercise on the proviso we had an agreed Terms of Reference, which is basically the same as the TOR used for the indoor validation.

The intention is to identify and study the standard Methods, review these and the tasks carried out on delivery and benchmark them against the current national planning values. In some instances this will involve formulating new planning values, such as Delivery to Neighbour, and refreshing some existing values where appropriate.

The objective of the exercise is to provide more reliable and accurate reporting.
We have requested the filming of some elements of outdoor work so that they can be used as a reference point and to be able to demonstrate how the outdoor elements should be carried out.

We will have full access to all information/data generated and the CWU will be involved at all sites and at national level. The list of sites to be included is attached (Annex A) which also includes the timeline for this activity to be carried out.

The exercise is due to commence w/c 3rd November 2014 due to the availability of fully trained Industrial Engineers. Also the notice to Branches has been squeezed due to our discussions with Royal Mail and the finalising of the Terms of Reference which we hope will not provide an inconvenience to those units involved in this exercise.

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 230.03
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Bob Gibson
CWU Assistant Secretary – Outdoor

[TrueBlueTerrier]

National Terms of Reference - Industrial Engineer Observations
Delivery Office Planning Values Validation - Outdoor

Introduction

Industrial Engineers (IE’s) will be visiting a number of Delivery Offices during November 2014. (The proposed list of offices is attached at annex A)
The purpose of this exercise is to carry out checks on the outdoor national planning values which are being used for product costing purposes and efficiency measures. The industrial engineers will carry out work studies across all aspects of outdoor delivery work, across a range of delivery types – Town / Rural / Firm / Shared Van / HCT.
This exercise is a follow on from the indoor studies undertaken earlier this year, and will enable Royal Mail to confirm that the approach taken by them is valid and that work measurement has been accredited by trained experts, which in turn will help demonstrate to the regulator that products are priced appropriately relative to cost and that the operation is working efficiently.
This is not necessarily about producing revised planning values; it is about validating the existing ones and to also identify if there is a need for new planning values due to operational changes, although tasks such as Delivery to Neighbour and collection on delivery, which have not been subjected to this type of measurement before, will have time values established. This underpins the work on regulatory and commercial pricing.
This study should not be seen as, and is not a walk testing exercise. Data for each individual delivery gathered during the study will not be published, but will instead be amalgamated with similar data from other units across the country to derive a National value for each task.

The information and data is primarily designed for national use.  Local feedback on certain aspects of the study (not individuals’ performance), may be discussed with the DOM and the CWU representative where there are issues or opportunities for improvement. Where this is the case then the full terms of existing national agreements, joint statement and guidelines will apply including the IR Framework.

Operation & Scope
 
Prior to the Industrial Engineers visiting an Office all employees will be briefed to make them aware of the visit and the purpose. That they are not being monitored as individuals, it is about working out what the workload is for different tasks/activities.

When the Industrial Engineer(s) arrive they will be met by the DOM who will introduce them to the CWU Representative and other managers where applicable. The CWU Representative and DOM will be asked to nominate deliveries that will fulfil the needs of the study.
The IE will be introduced to the nominated individual performing the delivery, and will outline the details and methodology of the study.

All IE’s will wear Royal Mail ID and PPE appropriate to outdoor delivery at all times.

Examples of the things to be looked at include:-
Successful / unsuccessful attendance calls (Town / Rural / Firms)
Delivery To Neighbour
Start / End of loop activity
Collections on delivery
Associated HCT work
Return to office activity
All observations will be made on processes compliant with agreed Standard Operating Procedures and Safe Systems of Work. The Industrial Engineers will be issued with a checklist of these common standards to ensure the correct methods are studied. Individuals will be made aware of the Standard Operating Procedures for each activity. People should follow the Standard Operating Procedures and Safe System of Work at all times and that is what will be observed and accounted for. Checklists are being provided to the IEs in case some people do cut corners so that the results are not distorted.
This is not about checking the performance of individuals against standards or assessing the performance of units against standards or other units. This is about assessing how long the task takes, not how well individuals are working.

Note: Elements of the observations will be filmed as a reference point both to support the SMVs that are produced and to potentially support training & induction as well as future WTLL briefings on delivery processes and safe working methods.

Involvement

As with the indoor studies, IEs will spend time with the Local CWU reps to talk through the study in detail.
Local CWU reps will be asked to work with the DOM to nominate deliveries that will meet the needs of the studies

All information/data will be shared with the CWU during and following the exercise.

Following the exercise there will be a joint review and the information/data will be jointly analysed to see what affect if any this may have on current standards, which may in turn require further discussions about the use and application of the information/data. This will take place prior to any sharing with the regulator, or any changes to the current tools used for the purpose of delivery revisions.



Signed……………………………………………….. Signed………………………………………………………..
Graham Baker – Royal Mail Bob Gibson - CWU

Date 28 October 2014

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Annex A

Chesterfield w/c 03rd November
Carlisle w/c 03rd November
Newcastle-u-Lyme w/c 03rd November

Lincoln w/c 10th November
Houghton-le-Spring w/c 10th November
Sutton Coldfield w/c 10th November

Hull City w/c 17th November
Kilmarnock w/c 17th November
Bath w/c 17th November
Bromley w/c 17th November
Sheffield North w/c 17th November

Retford w/c 24th November
Lancaster w/c 24th November
Shrewsbury w/c 24th November
Brighton w/c 24th November
Shoreham on Sea (1 day) w/c 24th November (Day TBC)

[RTP]

2yrs too late on Deliver To Neighbour.

Still, better late than never I suppose

[dvbuk55]

You would have that London would have had a couple of offices under scrutiny in the circumstances

It will be interesting to see if the use of the agreed equipment is enforced in those offices under scrutiny so that the data is accurate.

[halfull]

You would have that London would have had a couple of offices under scrutiny in the circumstances

It will be interesting to see if the use of the agreed equipment is enforced in those offices under scrutiny so that the data is accurate.

yes i wonder how they will react when they see most vans dont even have a trolley in them now!

[k979aaa]

Well did not need too dig to far for the big problem "When the Industrial Engineer(s) arrive they will be met by the DOM who will introduce them to the CWU Representative and other managers where applicable. The CWU Representative and DOM will be asked to nominate deliveries that will fulfil the needs of the study." well DOM'S will pick the easy ones will they not.

[dvbuk55]

Well did not need too dig to far for the big problem "When the Industrial Engineer(s) arrive they will be met by the DOM who will introduce them to the CWU Representative and other managers where applicable. The CWU Representative and DOM will be asked to nominate deliveries that will fulfil the needs of the study." well DOM'S will pick the easy ones will they not.

Well that will depend on how the relationship between them is and how interested the CWU is in ensuring a factual data gathering.

[fishtank]

This is not necessarily about producing revised planning values; it is about validating the existing ones

lol
Talk about going into it with a pre-conceived plan.

although tasks such as Delivery to Neighbour, which have not been subjected to this type of measurement before, will have time values established.

I thought the time value for DTN was f**k all.
Is this as close to an apology as you get from Gibbo?

[The_Wax_Man]

The outcome has already been decided in this one sentence.

Union will not/do not have any say in the matter - As your were.



............This will enable Royal Mail to confirm that the approach taken by them is valid and that work measurement has been accredited by trained experts............

[jack]

Well did not need too dig to far for the big problem "When the Industrial Engineer(s) arrive they will be met by the DOM who will introduce them to the CWU Representative and other managers where applicable. The CWU Representative and DOM will be asked to nominate deliveries that will fulfil the needs of the study." well DOM'S will pick the easy ones will they not.

Don't be silly all duties are the same walk span, pegasus decided that

[dvbuk55]

When I left the army I trained as a Work Study Engineer pretty much I would imagine what these guys do and there was never any secret that the objective of the exercise was to increase productivity and cut costs, otherwise what would be the point. You were employed by the employer and it was tacitly implied that there should be at a minimum NO increase in costs regardless of what the statistics showed.

[mightymetro]

Hope they pick duties that are also having collections put on to them in the next few weeks........apparently it only takes 1 minute to open ,scan ,empty and lock a post box !

[hans solo]

west of scotland collections put back till after xmas
kilmarnock i think is west of scotland
so their validation will be bogus straight away

[Lincox]

Same as Lincoln.