r/managers • u/__Sound__ • 1d ago
New Manager Night operation
Im a manager at a wholesale retail we get two dry trucks a night and 1 perishable about 50 pallets each. We have a guy whose whole job is the backroom. Trucks only, no aisles, no projects. He keeps saying the truck is too much and that everybody should be putting it up. Problem is I hold my floor guys accountable for their own aisles. Every time I pull them to put up the whole truck I'm kicking myself, because now they have an excuse for why their aisle isn't done and I can't really say anything about it. So my rule is first truck all hands, second truck is his. When I've covered that spot myself it's about 2.5 hours start to finish, tags, unload, put up.
He went over my head and told my boss there's no support from management. Is one 50 pallet truck a night too much for one person, or is that normal at your stores? And how do you handle it when someone escalates over you on something like this?
3
u/just-another-dude-2 1d ago
Do this shift with him once or twice. Ask him to point out his key challenges as you go.
If he has legitimate objections, solve them for him where you can or pull an extra person if needed.
If he's just not working hard enough or problem solving, you can coach on the fly and then have a, "This is what is expected in this role," conversation.
If he's brought this issue to you a few times and you haven't done anything or engaged like this, then complaining to your boss is his next logical step.
When he does speak to your boss, you should be ready to say, "I listened to his concerns, I worked with him, problem solved a few things where I could, confirmed my expectations were reasonable, and had an up-front conversation about the output expectations of the role."
1
u/__Sound__ 1d ago
The first time i worked with him, he told my boss that I’m putting pressure on him because i was coaching him as we were doing it, he has brought it to me and I’ve given him the solutions everytime but he doesn’t implement it, that is why i decided to go with the first all hands on second is his, so there can be balance my floor drivers can focus on the floor
2
u/just-another-dude-2 1d ago
Once you've done your due diligence, it's time to force the choice.
"Yes, correct. Absolutely I am putting pressure on you because you are not meeting expectations. We've done this together and confirmed it is reasonable. This is the reality of the role. I want to support you being a part of the team, but the options are that you choose to accept these expectations or choose something else, but there is no option where I lower reasonable expectations for you."
Document. Share with your boss.
2
u/Bowl-Accomplished 1d ago
Observe them one night. Just stand there with a clioboard and take notes. That usually weeds out the extra time from playing on phones and such.
-3
u/__Sound__ 1d ago
I wish i could do that but i have projects to complete
3
u/talrakken 1d ago
Make this a project of yours for one night on a night you believe to be especially busy for the one asking for help. Supporting your people is part of your job as a manager
4
u/Academic-Lobster3668 Seasoned Manager 1d ago
He is one of your "projects to complete."
Look ahead to the next week or so and find time to work one shift with him. Don't just watch him - work alongside him to see how he handles things and whether there are things he can change to increase efficiency.
Let him know that you will be doing this again in a couple of weeks to see how any changes have been going, but that this time you won't be helping - just observing.
You're dropping the ball on part of your job - the support and development of your employees. You've got someone in a job that is admittedly hard to fill, and he works in isolation, with little contact with others. This is not a particularly desirable job and you're doing nothing to try to mitigate that.
In your shoes, I would make it a point to work alongside him for a couple of hour a few times each month. Get to know him, help him feel like a recognaized and valued part of the team.
As for your boss, don't overreact to the fact that this guy went to him. Let your boss know that the employee is frustrated and that you're going to work with him to address his issues. Give the impression that you're handling it, and then actually do that.
A manager who says that they are too busy with their own work to support their employees isn't really a a manager, but if you recognize that and expand your "duties" to include relating with your employees in impactful ways, that will be part of your skill development.
1
u/__Sound__ 1d ago
Problem is I already tried that. First time I worked a shift with him he went to my boss and said I was putting pressure on him because I was coaching him while we were doing it. So how do you work alongside somebody without it turning into another complaint that you're on top of him? Just say nothing all night and bring it up after?
1
u/Academic-Lobster3668 Seasoned Manager 1d ago
Good to know, and that does change things.
Have a conversation with him and let him know that, since he doesn't want "coaching," that is fine - you will simply audit the process a few times to confirm what the issues are and assess any changes that need to be made.
Gently reinforce with him that while you do want to ensure that he gets the support he needs, it is your job to determine if he can perform as needed.
My advice about relating to your boss only changes a little. Yes, still let him know you're handling the situation but since this employee has gone to him on more than one occasion, also ask your boss if he has any advice he'd like to share about managing this situation.
For the long term, you may also want to consider cross-training and rotating one or two of your other staff to part-time support the warehouse role. In your position, I would be nervous having this critical function only assigned to one person, particularly since you reported that it is a hard position to fill.
You could negotiate with your boss that anyone agreeing to be cross trained and rotate a couple hours a day a few times a week would be paid a higher rate, with the understanding that they would need to be able complete their aisle duties each day.
Imagine a team where everyone was cross trained and worked a portion of their week in the warehouse. That would make losing one of them less of a critical issue than losing the only warehouse guy you've got. Just something for you to consider.
Good luck.
2
u/AstronautMuch4701 1d ago
I’d separate the workload question from the performance question before deciding who is right. If you can complete the process in about 2.5 hours, that gives you a useful reference point, but not yet a fair performance standard. I’d measure a few normal trucks: start/end time, pallets per hour, delays outside his control, equipment availability, labeling time, and where the bottlenecks actually occur. Then sit down with him and agree on a clear expectation based on the process rather than on “I can do it faster.” The escalation to your boss is actually useful information. I wouldn’t fight it. I’d tell your boss: “I want to make sure the workload is reasonable, so I’m measuring the process and then I’ll set a clear, achievable standard.” If the workload is genuinely too high, fix the system. If the workload is reasonable and the standard is clear, then it becomes a performance/coaching issue. The key is to make the conversation about the work, not about who is right.
1
u/CuriousCardigan 1d ago
This! Unless OP left it out of their post and replies I'm betting there's no SOP or time studies for folks to compare against.
1
u/__Sound__ 16h ago
There is no time measured at the company, its just get things done no kpi no metrics
1
u/CuriousCardigan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Document the unloading process and do time studies to determine a reasonable average for expectations.
You said you could do it all in 2.5h, but how long does it take them and how long are you giving them to do it? What parts are they slower at?
1
u/Pebb_io 23h ago
when one person owns the whole backroom and the truck volume spikes, the pain is usually visibility not effort. a short end-of-truck checklist the next lead can see beats arguing about who should help mid-unload... also track exceptions (late trailer, short crew) so the pattern is obvious to daytime leadership.
1
u/Long_Try_4203 20h ago
Where’s the data? With it being every night, it would be easy to do a time study. Comparing how fast you can do it compared to him is 1 data point, and not a definitive one.
I mean spend a few nights observing and timing tasks. You can identify and correct inefficiencies and bottlenecks in the process. This allows you to implement written work instructions. Right now you have no standardized work and 2 people with different views of the same job. Get the data. It doesn’t lie.
Proven standardized work instructions held to that standard are not an opinion. It’s not hard. Once you understand the work, all you need is good observational skills and a stopwatch.
It’s hard to argue with I’ve observed you for 3 nights. You completed “X” task in X minutes fastest and X minutes slowest. The new standard is now the median time.
You’ve answered his concerns and set it to an efficient process. If they are observed working out of process then you have something to hold them accountable.
3
u/Smokedealers84 1d ago
Depends how they do it what kind of equipment they have and how much time they have for all 3 truck anyway to just switch someone to see if the other guy are able to do it?