Most important, supervisors are taught to demonstrate interest in their workers as individuals. Higher-level managers often spot-quiz supervisors about their new employees: What are his hobbies? Where is she going to school? Show an interest in someone -- especially someone who's new and a bit lost -- and for that person, an intimidating workplace can start to feel more like home.
5. It's all right to drop a few.
Supervisor Carla Wass doesn't see herself at UPS forever. She wants to get her master's degree in education and then become a teacher. Jonathan Ziders, a night loader, hopes to be a firefighter after he finishes community college. William Jaruszewski has been to cooking school and is saving money to start up his own restaurant.
And that's just fine with Shroeger. Not everyone should spend the rest of his life loading and unloading boxes. "People are going to leave," she says. "Instead of worrying about them leaving, we should be taking an interest in their future. We had to learn that part of making people successful means letting go."
That was the crucial insight that has helped UPS attract and keep so many young workers in Buffalo. College kids aren't especially loyal to their jobs, their supervisors, or their employers. But they are loyal to skills -- the kind of skills that they can apply to other work as they build their careers. And that's why UPS helps pay the college bills and why it offers its employees Saturday classes for computer-skill development and career-planning discussions.
A few part-timers will figure out that UPS is where they want to stay. After all, the company offers good pay, stability, and a long-term growth path. "I want this to be my last job," says Ghee. Even though most others will leave, they will leave after years instead of weeks. And when they do leave, they'll depart, Shroeger expects, with a sense of fondness.
Her definition of victory? "You know what I'd like?" she muses. "I'd like all of those part-time workers to graduate from college and start their own businesses -- and become UPS customers."
Keith H. Hammonds (khammonds@fastcompany.com) is a senior editor based in New York. Contact Jennifer Shroeger by email (jennifershroeger@ups.com).
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