On a Positive Note

 

My transfer was accepted! I start working full time for Amazon next month.

It's not the schedule I prefer, but it gives me Sundays off, and it's an early day shift that ends at 5pm. I stay at my current fulfillment center. I have not converted to Blue Badge yet, but I'm eligible to be in the running when the opportunity arises.

My wife is struggling with the change, it will impact our time together (assuming her next role is standard business hours). My hope is to transfer again when a better schedule is available. There's another facility opening soon nearby, so there will be more options soon.

I'm choosing to look at the positives. I get a three day "weekend", with time for appointments, chores, and errands during the week. I get to start my tenure that will make me eligible for benefits. I have to admit the physicality of the role has a positive effect. I'm naturally sedentary and built-in exercise is good for me. I'm close to home. I do enjoy the work; it's simple, solitary and gives me a tiny burst of accomplishment each day.

I have two interviews lined up this week. I'm still searching for my next move. But I'm grateful for this small step in the right direction.

Another Pivot

Well, my transfer requests pushed back to a later timeframe. The new review period starts next week. I could see the schedules were updated; both of my choices now showed no spots open.

I'm not sure if this was the right move, but I canceled my transfer requests and made two new ones for schedules that reported "many spot open". One for my current location, and one for a different facility. 

The transfer selection process is bit of a mystery. Is it based solely on tenure? First come first serve? Is my part-time status hurting my chances? Or my "seasonal" status?

There were recently changes made to "Blue Badge" conversion. A blue badge indicates you are a regular full-time Amazon employee, versus a white badge indicating your are seasonal. The wording is slightly misleading; some "seasonal" employees have been working at Amazon for almost a year, maybe more.

Blue badge conversion, from what I understand, used to depend entirely on corporate feedback regarding headcount and tenure. If you put in the time, and corporate Amazon determined your site is ready to convert more employees (based on turnover, increased activity, etc) you were in. 

Now, performance plays a major part in conversion. Amazon tracks rate, and you must be in good standing (or at least not behind your peers) to be eligible. You also cannot have write ups. Tenure still plays a part; you must be employed for at least 90 days.

Honestly, I'm surprised performance metrics were not a part of the conversion formula until now. I know I need to focus on bringing my rate up. My new path is Stow, and I need to pick up the pace. This department is also one of the transfer choices I picked. Right now, my metrics show as Insufficient Data. I assume this is due to being relatively new to the path and working part-time. I'm less than a week from meeting the 90-day requirement. 

And the "real" job search continues. I was hoping to see more activity now that we have settled into the new year, but everything feels like more of the same. I did have a phone screen, and I took a (kind of bizarre) AI-driven assessment for a role I recently applied to. I have not heard any updates. On a positive note, my wife has had two interviews. 

I'm proud of my family's ability to pivot. Circumstances change, and we might be disappointed for a moment, but then it's right back to work. What might we learn from this change? How do we adapt? What are the possibilities I have not yet realized?

Training for More

I'm cross training in another department; Stow. At the start of my shift, I check the labor board for my assignment. Large TV screens are displayed at each entrance with details for the Inbound team. 

The list is organized by your User ID. I find my designation and review the instructions: What side of the building I report to, and the floor. The board tells me the aisle where I can pick up work, and where to drop off my finished cart. I have learned to snap a picture of the TV before walking away; it's too much to memorize when it changes daily.

With a scanner in hand, I make my way to the assigned aisle to start work. There are long, green and gray "U boats" lined up for the taking. They contain a mixture of yellow totes and corrugate boxes. I scan my location, pick the first cart, and scan the totes. 

The labor board gives us suggested aisles for stowing; sections where we're most likely to find space. I roam the aisles and check for other stowers; I don't want to crowd too close. My experience as a picker has informed my stowing process; I know what a pain in the neck it can be to navigate three or four aisles packed with large U-boats when I'm trying to pick.

I find a spot and get to work. I scan items and place them in bins. Scan the bin, repeat. Small items go into cardboard drawers. Large items need a shelf. Master packs are broken down into individual units. I'm slow at this, but getting better. I'm grateful for the chance to learn another department and look forward to more shift access.

My transfer requests are pending approval. If approved, I will be moving to a new facility; a distribution center. I would be trained in yet another department. I could really use the full-time work. It's early in the review timeline and I'm hoping to hear back soon.

Weathering the Storm

 There's a prediction for severe weather coming this weekend. In my neck of the woods, a minimal amount of snow can cause panic. The grocery stores are overrun, schools close, and generators are gassed up. 

Most of the time, it's overkill. But what if it's different this time?

My little family is bracing for a more personal disruption. My wife received notice that her company is being absorbed by its large corporate owner. The office will close its doors in a little over a month. It's an emotional as well as financial blow. 

Again, plans change. I'm seeking a transfer to full time with Amazon. I'm also training in a new department. She's starting the job search. We're reviewing the budget, our savings, and figuring out a path forward. 

When it rains, it pours! I'm still hopeful this storm will nourish the seeds of something new; fresh ideas, opportunities, perspective. 

I'm off to complete my adverse weather checklist! Stay safe out there.

New Year, Same Circumstances

 2025 is officially over. I'm still working as a part time seasonal associate at my local fulfillment center. Still looking for the next opportunity, and hopeful for the start of a new year.

The holidays were low-key for us. Given my under-employment (to say the least...), we were mindful to keep our budgets modest. We stayed close to home, ate comforting home-made meals, watched movies. and enjoyed exchanging small gifts. Honestly, it felt great. It felt like with the current restraints, we were reminded to re-center our focus on just being together. It was kind of rad.

I'm not sure how long Amazon will keep me on past the peak season. I would like to continue; the work is straight-forward and keeps me active. It gives me structure and a slight supplement to my unemployment. All I can do is keep showing up and wait for an update.

I attended a workshop put on by my state's unemployment office. The presentation shared a number of tips for jobseekers. I'm making updates to my resume and exploring the free courses they have available. Some of the information can seem repetitive or out of touch, but I'm grateful for the review on fundamentals and exposure to resources I wasn't aware of.

I continue to apply for positions almost every day. Out of over a hundred applications (easily), I've had one interview. I'm disappointed but cautiously optimistic that feedback and new roles will present themselves soon now that we're in the new year. 

In the meantime, I'm finding peace in my routine. I do the majority of the housework, attend the occasional networking event, and focus on my little family. It's radically different from my former workaholic self! But I'm leaning in and I like it. I'm mindful to enjoy this extra time and focus while I can. With that said, it will be a relief when I obtain full time work again. 

Here's to the new year.. I'm looking forward to new opportunities!

There's an App for That

Amazon uses an app for many internal administrative and HR tasks. I suppose that's not too surprising given the company's love of tech and resources. 

Of course we used technology in my previous roles. As a manager, checking work email was my pastime. I could join a Teams or Zoom meeting over my phone, and I regularly took customer calls. Other work duties were regulated to a laptop, and many requests required me to interact with another department/person in one way or another. It may have been enable with tech, but it still involved a human on the other side.

Compared to Amazon, I was practically living in the dark ages. My role as associate doesn't involve meetings or presentations, but I'm nonetheless enmeshed in the online Amazon employee universe. I regularly receive text message and emails with updates that prompt me to check the app. At other companies, our front line employees barely had an online footprint. They may be assigned a work email, but it was access rarely and usually through a dedicated desktop workstation when a mandatory training session was needed. By contrast, Amazon employees are online all of the time. The app shows your work schedule, options to report missed punches, messages from the site leadership and headquarters, options to request time off and much more.

One of my first interactions with the app was ordering site-approved headphones. My fulfillment center allows specific models of OSHA-compliant ear buds to be worn on the floor. My next task was selecting my shifts. As a Flex employee, I have to sign myself up for the shifts I work. Each Friday evening new shifts drop; I'm alerted with a text and email. In the app I can see the days and times and make my selections. Each shift is broken into 5 hours (or a typical half day if you're full time). They can be approved and dropped automatically. For my first week, I noticed the shifts disappeared quickly. My entire onboarding class was Flex associates, and we all competed for the same shift drop. I still managed to snag a couple of early (7am start time) shifts, my preference. For the following weeks, it seems the shifts remain open for much longer. I can only assume many of my classmates have already moved on to greener pastures (or burnout....).

One of the more unique features of the app is the Voice of the Associate, or VOA, board. This function allows all employees to share messages in a public (site-specific) forum for all associates to see. The results are available online and broadcasted on monitors throughout the building.

At previous employers, I would tune into quarterly Town Halls that would end with a Q & A. At times our HR team may hold a meeting to discuss policy and provide answers. In all cases, the questions were either curated ahead of time or implicitly censored to meet business etiquette. By contrast, the VOA board is the Wild West. Aside from some basic rules regarding foul language and taboo topics, everything is posted and available to view. As is human nature, most messages skew toward the negative. Complaints about the temperature, how associates dress, parking and personal accommodations abound. It's a fascinating peek into human psychology; I'm grateful to be a casual observer. Leadership answers every post (albeit with the help of AI). I wonder what led to the decision to make this feature visible to all employees, and not just a communication tool to leadership? My morbid curiosity takes me back day after day, but that's enough scrolling for now.

Ground Floor

 It's my first full day on the floor. I grab my scanner and wait for Start Up.

There's a stand up meeting for each shift, one at the start time and one after lunch. An Operations leader shares some site news or business update while a video demonstrating suggested stretches plays in the background. The big news today is the Holiday Meal. This will be accompanied by an extended 45 minute lunch, the extra 15 paid. 

I'm off. It takes me a minute to find a cart. I grab a tote and start picking. Our metrics are not tracked for the first few weeks, but I know eventually I will be obligated to meet my pick rate goals of 80 picks per hour. I try to find a good flow. I'm getting the hang of this. 

We're coached to not overfill the tote; items can fall out or jam on the conveyor. My tote is about halfway full when I'm assigned to pull five more items from one bin. No problem, I have plenty of room. Most of my picks have been compressed clothing or jewelry boxes.

This is five boxes of solar string lights. They're each the size of a tumbler, five boxes. Shit.

I can't fit them all in the tote. They're spilling over, it's too much. What do I do?

I need to call Problem Solve for the first time. My trainer went over this yesterday. There are computer stations dotted throughout the aisles. Each desk has a walkie talkie tethered to it. I speak into the radio and give my location. There's a muffled response. Where am I? I repeat my coordinates, the aisle location. The muffled voice responds with.... something? I scan the desk. There's an identifying number: Alpha ##. Shit!

A kindly Process Assistant comes to greet me. She's very nice and remains chipper as she gently admonishes my many errors:

Shows me how to use the Problem Solve station 

Corrects my use of bin vs tote: bins are what we pick from in the aisles, the totes are what we pick into and transfer to the conveyor belt once closed out

Notify my manager if I need to note ant Tome Off Task (TOT)..... but not to worry, she will take care of this time.

Don't overfill the tote, close it out and drop it off any time you're close to a conveyor belt

Shit, shit, shit!

The PA follows with a flurry of activity; unloading the tote and re-stacking Tetris-style. The end result is still an overstuffed tote, but it's now packed tight and just peaking out the top. I'm sent on my way.

Crestfallen, I attend lunch. There's a long line ahead of me; a catered barbecue lunch is being served by the Operations team. It's good; my sorrows are soon drowned in turkey and cheesy potato casserole. Good timing.

The second half of my shift is slow but steady. No more calls for help needed. This marks the end of my three days of training. My feet throb, but I can feel the toe box of my shoes start to break in. From here on out I will be scheduling my own time as a part-time Flex associate. It will be a couple of days before I'm back out on the floor again.