Need drivers who not only stay for the long haul, but also go the additional mile to ensure your organization 
succeeds? One of the keys to success could be “worker engagement.”
An employee who is completely involved and keen about his or her work is thought to be “engaged.” Engaged truck drivers think about the eventual fate of the organization and are willing to work harder to offer the organization some assistance in achieving its objectives and goals. Research indicates that engagement is preferred in reducing driver attrition over monetary and extra benefits.
So how would you make an engaged driver workforce at your organization? Read on.
Build Trust
Communication is the key to success, however, it needs a basic level of trust to be successfully received. When the trust isn’t there, then individuals will intentionally or unknowingly channel what they hear. Workers coming from an organization, where their former employers treated them poorly, will have trust issues. But over a period of time certain bonds of trust will start to shape and you will genuinely see the value of those employees.
One of the most ideal approaches to build trust at an early stage is to meet with new drivers and set expectations on both sides. What does your driver expect from you? What do you expect from them? Having this discussion with each new driver goes a long way towards building trust. Another extraordinary approach to building trust is by determining best techniques for communication.
Use Their Language
Consider the drivers on your group. How do they talk? What is essential to them? Talk about those things. This isn’t as a matter of course a call to “dumb down” what you’re saying–it’s a suggestion to engage them by speaking in the style that they are comfortable with.
Megan Younkin, of Strategic Programs says, “Speaking to someone in a style that’s comfortable for you but that clashes with theirs can be detrimental to relationships. I’ve had experiences where I’ve felt intimidated by the way people talk to me, which makes me not want to interact with them. The person wasn’t trying to intimidate; it’s just the way they communicate.”
Keeping Your Drivers Engaged
Strategic Point of Contact(POC) offers trucking organizations some assistance in retaining truck drivers by dedicating a POC with whom the driver can associate amid those vital points in the employee lifecycle – points, when the driver is choosing whether or not to stay with the organization. Associating with employees at these circumstances gives a pattern of quantitative information taking into account reactions to standard overview questions, and in addition qualitative data taking into account individual remarks and input from drivers.
Don’t Let Your Dispatchers Ruin the Show
Earlier dispatchers were retired truckers who had driven professionally for a living and they understood that mileage was equal to the money paid to drivers. As dispatch software use became widespread, trucking companies saw the need to hire young employees to operate such software. Also, since they work in lower wages, being new to the workforce, they are popular among carriers. Dispatchers could be the cause of truck driver shortage in your organization as they have a vital role to play in the success of the trucker—more than your company.
For more on Truck Driver engagement and retention, join Mark Dixon, in a Live Webinar, titled Are Dispatchers Contributing to YOUR Driver Shortage?, on Thu, May 5, 2016. During this Live Webinar, Mark will address these issues before you lose any more valuable drivers. Trucking companies need to ensure that their workforce is on the same page in regards to driver retention and this session will help you achieve that.
