18 Pros and Cons of Working for FedEx

FedEx specializes in time-sensitive shipments around the US and globally.

As such, there are a number of job opportunities that exist within the company.

Whether you drive a truck, work in a store, or for one of their warehouses, you can take advantage of the pros and cons that exist with the company.

Knowing what the job is like will help you to decide if you want to work for FedEx.

Pros of Working for FedEx

A variety of pros are available when you work for FedEx, helping you to enjoy longevity with the company.

1. Pay is Competitive

The pay across all of the positions within FedEx is highly competitive.

According to Payscale.com, package handlers can expect an average of $15 an hour while operations managers will average $22 an hour.

Meanwhile, drivers can earn a range of between $10 and $26 an hour depending on the state and the route.

It can help you to turn your job into a career in the long term.

2. Benefits Package is Great

The benefits at FedEx are quite impressive depending on the position that you have with the company.

You will have health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance.

Additionally, you will have access to the Employee Assistance Program.

Other benefits include 401k, paid time off, paid holidays, and all sorts of perks based on the location that you work within.

3. Tuition Reimbursement is Offered

Higher education is made possible when you work for FedEx.

If you want to work your way up the corporate ladder and obtain a degree along the way, the company will help to cover your tuition.

On average, you can expect to receive a reimbursement of at least $3,000 a year.

However, the company also offers scholarships, which can help to cover even more of the expenses.

4. Uniforms are Supplied

The cost of clothes for any job can be expensive, especially as you have to replace them due to wear over time.

FedEx will provide you with all of the uniforms that you need within your position.

Of course, the uniform that you will receive will depend on the position.

If you work within the corporate office, you may be given some embroidered shirts, but the remaining part of the uniform will be up to you to provide.

5. Lots of Job Security

FedEx has been around for decades, and the company is only growing stronger.

They are located around the US as well as throughout the globe.

It provides you with confidence knowing that the company will be around.

Additionally, you serve an important role – and if you do your job, FedEx will want to keep you around for your entire career.

6. Good Work Culture

People are at the core of FedEx.

The company has a long history of recognizing its employees, which is why FedEx continues to be a top employer.

Many employees say that they feel valued and recognized, which helps people to become motivated to stay with the company and move up through the ranks.

The company understands that each team member serves a vital role in order to achieve goals.

7. Plenty of Opportunities

There are all sorts of opportunities that exist within FedEx.

You may start as a driver and slowly move your way into management at the warehouse level or even within the corporate.

There are over 19,000 employees within the company – and locations are found everywhere.

It allows you to move and stay within the company and grow into new and exciting positions as you gain experience and education.

8. Sense of Belonging & Purpose

FedEx provides you with a sense of belonging and purpose.

There is a lot of camaraderie between employees to get the job done.

Additionally, the company places a lot of emphasis on identifying what the goals are on a regular basis.

The goals will vary based on the part of the business you are in as well as the given month.

9. Plenty of Training

You will never be at a loss for what to do on the job.

The company invests a significant amount of time and money to provide training.

It allows you to understand the responsibilities that you have within your job.

You will shadow other employees before being left on your own.

Additional training is offered throughout the year based on new equipment, services, and more.

10. Promotes from Within

Most of the positions that exist are hired from within the company.

This means that when supervisory and management positions become available, they will look from within the company as opposed to hiring from the outside.

This can help to turn your job into a career as you move up through the various positions and prove that you are a long-term asset to the company.

Cons of Working for FedEx

Not all of what FedEx has to offer is fun.

You will want to weigh the cons with the pros to decide if it is the career you want.

1. Work is Strenuous

The work can be strenuous depending on the job that you are in.

If you are in the warehouse or working as a delivery driver, it is not uncommon to be asked to lift boxes of 50 pounds or more.

Additionally, you may have to carry loads to the various delivery addresses rather than using a cart because of the conditions of the path.

It can leave you tired at the end of your shift.

2. Hours are Long

The hours are long, making it hard for you to maintain a desirable work-life balance.

If you are on a specific delivery route, you cannot be done until your truck is empty.

If you hit traffic, it will only make your shift longer.

It may mean that you miss out on various social activities because of still working when everyone else is finished for the day.

3. Overtime is Sometimes Mandatory

Overtime is sometimes mandatory, especially around the holidays.

FedEx is very focused on delivery times, so they become fanatic.

It can lead to being stressed out – and you may be asked to work 10 to 20 hours more a week.

While it can provide you with more pay, you have to decide if the added stress is worth it to increase your paycheck amount a few weeks out of the year.

4. There’s a High Risk of Getting Injured

FedEx does a lot to focus on safety, but sometimes it is not enough.

You are going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting with most jobs.

This means that even if you do everything right, you can experience back pain and other aches.

If you are a driver, you run the risk of getting into an accident every time you hit the road.

As you deliver, you may encounter dogs and other pets that may attack.

5. Schedule Isn’t Very Flexible

The schedule at FedEx generally is not very flexible.

You will have hours that the company depends on you for.

If you do not come in for a day, it can affect the entire business model.

This means it can be difficult to get approved for time off.

Additionally, if you wanted to suddenly change your schedule from days to nights or vice versa, it may be nearly impossible.

6. Routes Can Vary

If you are a driver with FedEx, there’s no guarantee of what kind of route you will get.

You may be assigned a rural route where the deliveries could be miles apart.

You may spend most of your day driving down dirt roads and walking quite a distance to reach the door of the recipient.

Then again, you could be doing a lot of commercial deliveries where a single business may be receiving multiple boxes.

As you stay with the company, you will have some control over your routes.

7. Environment Can Be Undesirable

FedEx delivers no matter what the weather is like.

This can leave you driving in the rain, the snow, and on the hottest days of the year.

You may be walking through mud, spending a lot of time outdoors with the bugs, and much more.

By the day’s end, you could be filthy, smelly, and ready for a nap.

8. High Turnover

There’s often a high turnover, particularly among drivers and warehouses.

Not everyone loves working for FedEx.

Additionally, some people are brought in just to get through the holiday rush.

When there is a turnover, it can result in new people not knowing what needs to be done.

You may also spend more time training new employees, only for them to leave in a few weeks or months.

Pros and Cons of Working for FedEx – Summary Table

Pros of Working for FedEx	Cons of Working for FedEx
1. Pay is Competitive	1. Work is Strenuous
2. Benefits Package is Great	2. Hours are Long
3. Tuition Reimbursement is Offered	3. Overtime is Sometimes Mandatory
4. Uniforms are Supplied	4. There’s a High Risk of Getting Injured
5. Lots of Job Security	5. Schedule Isn’t Very Flexible
6. Good Work Culture	6. Routes Can Vary
7. Plenty of Opportunities	7. Environment Can Be Undesirable
8. Sense of Belonging & Purpose	8. High Turnover
9. Plenty of Training
10. Promotes from Within

Should You Work for FedEx?

FedEx was founded in 1971 and has grown exponentially since then.

You can find work with FedEx in nearly every major city – and enjoy countless career opportunities.

Knowing all of the pros and cons can make it easier for you to decide if you want to work for the company while accepting both the good with the bad.

When in doubt, talk to employees to see what they have to say about working for the company.