1. E. Observations Delivery Office– Outdoor Validation Studies (August 2016)

 

Dear Colleague

 

Branches will be aware of the ongoing validation exercise of existing planning values used in delivery, which has been carried out using fully trained Industrial Engineers as explained in LTB 230/15 and agreed by the Postal Executive in April last year. The main reason for this is the ongoing efficiency review that is taking place on behalf of Ofcom the regulator and the purpose of this maintenance programme is to carry out checks on national planning values, which are being used for product costing and efficiency models.

 

Industrial Engineers will carry out work studies to collect data on the operational tasks, across all areas of the outdoor operation from leaving the office to returning to the office in order to ensure the Royal Mail figures demonstrate that products are priced relative to cost and that the operation is working efficiently. This current exercise is about validating the data calculations and assumptions used in the above mentioned models. This underpins the work on regulatory and commercial pricing.

 

This exercise is part of the rolling programme of work agreed last year and is designed to verify model workload for route based workload calculations (also known as bottom up modeling). The findings of the exercise will also influence the model for Final Mile Optimisation (FMO) which we will need to be fully involved in.

 

In line with previous TORs we will have full access to all outputs/data generated and the CWU will be involved at all 3 sites and at national level. The list of sites involved is included in the TOR (attached) and they have already been communicated with via email on Friday 22^nd July 2016. Also attached is the letter sent in the email to the participating delivery units.

 

The exercise commenced on Monday 1^st August 2016 with our agreement as it is a continuation of the exercise agreed last year in a generic TOR.

 

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 230.03

Email address:outdoorsecretary@cwu.org

 

 

Yours Sincerely

 

Bob Gibson                               

CWU Assistant Secretary – Outdoor

National Terms of Reference – Industrial Engineer Observations

Delivery Office– Outdoor Validation Studies (August 2016)

 

Introduction

 

Industrial Engineers (IEs) will be visiting a number of Delivery Offices from August 2016 (The selected offices are Nuneaton, Redfern Park and Chorley).

 

The purpose is to carry out validation studies on the outdoor workload by route which is being modelled for our costing model which is in turn used for product costing and efficiency measures. The industrial engineers will carry out observations on all aspects of outdoor delivery work, across a range of methods – e.g. Town / Rural / Firm / Shared Van / HCT.

This follows similar observation methods carried out last year, and will enable Royal Mail to confirm that the modelling approach is valid and that work measurement has been accredited by trained experts, which in turn will help demonstrate that products are priced relative to cost and that the operation is working efficiently.

 

This is about validating the data calculations and assumptions used in the above mentioned models. This underpins the work on regulatory and commercial pricing.

 

These studies are not a walk testing exercise for use at the local level. Data for each individual delivery gathered during the study by the industrial engineers, along with data from other units across the country will help Royal Mail to verify model workload for route based workload calculations (also known as bottom up modelling).

 

 

Operation & Scope

 

Prior to the Industrial Engineers visiting a delivery office, employees will be briefed to make them aware of the visit and the purpose. That they are not being monitored as individuals and it is about working out what the average times are for varying tasks/activities.

 

When the IE(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 advised which deliveries are required to be observed in order to fulfil the needs of the model validation.

 

The IE will be introduced to the individual performing the delivery, and will outline the details and methodology of the study.

 

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

 

Examples of the things to be looked at include:-

 

• Number of manual items being prepped and therefore delivered
• Successful / unsuccessful attendance calls (Town / Rural / Firms)
• Delivery To Neighbour
• Proportion of Door to Door taken out on a particular day
• Door to Door only delivery points
• Start / End of loop activity
• Collections on delivery
• Associated HCT work
• Return to office activity
• Total time taken
• Total calls made
• Total traffic delivered (including parcels)

 

All observations will be made on processes compliant with agreed Standard Operating Procedures and Safe Systems of Work. The IEs are fully aware of these common standards to ensure the correct methods are studied. Individuals will be made aware of the Standard Operating Procedures for each activity if they are unsure. 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.

 

Note: Elements of the observations may be filmed as a reference point both to support the observations that are made and to potentially support training and induction as well as future WTLL briefings on delivery processes and safe working methods. Employees will be asked in advance if they don’t mind, if they decline they will not be filmed.

 

Involvement

 

As with all previous 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 speak with staff on deliveries that will meet the needs of the studies

 

Following the exercise there will be a joint review, 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 and / or any future developed Outdoor tool used for the purpose of delivery revisions and Resourcing to Workload.

 

 

 

Signed………………………………………………..                Signed…………………………………………

Graham Baker – Royal Mail                                Bob Gibson – CWU

 

 

29^th July 2016

Industrial Engineering exercise from w/c 1^st August 2016

 

Nuneaton Delivery Office.              (CV Postcode)

Chorley Delivery Office.                (PR Postcode)

Redfern Park Delivery Office.         (B Postcode).

 

 

Dear Colleagues

 

This exercise has been agreed with CWU HQ and is a continuation of the exercise that was cleared with the Postal Executive in April 2015 as part of a rolling programme of study work and will involve observations carried out in line with the nationally agreed TOR.

 

The intention is to send the Industrial Engineers in next Friday if possible to meet with the local unit manager and CWU rep to have a chat, get a feel for the units and the routes so that they can prep their study apps accordingly.  They will also be available to put the staff at ease as they normally do before any study activity, and may possibly be accompanied by a second colleague, from the Efficiency team, who will support them in obtaining the information around volumes and DPs not called at in order to ensure there is no disruption or delay on the specific route.

 

The observations/studies will start from Monday 1^st August for a period of 3 weeks covering four routes per week in each unit, although the Monday is likely to be the prep day where the IEs talk to the staff conducting the four delivery rounds that they will study each week, ensuring they understand if there are any changes to the actual route compared with what’s in A+ and the sequencing data so that any deviation from those systems are captured for the business modelling team.  Furthermore, for shared van routes, the industrial engineers will pair up during the third week in order to be able to observe both deliveries from the shared van.

 

To be absolutely clear 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.

 

Local CWU reps will be invited to observe Industrial Engineers carrying out their work and to also ask questions. Adequate release will be provided for this to be done.

 

The goal for the observations that the IEs will be undertaking is to obtain as much information from each individual route on each day of observation, such as manual letter, large letter and parcel volumes, addresses not called at (with zero mail of any kind), addresses with only door to door items, time taken to travel from the delivery office to the first DP / Loop, and time taken to carry out activities whilst on delivery.

 

Thank you in anticipation of your assistance in this programme of work.

 

 

Bob Gibson

CWU Assistant Secretary – Outdoor