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.