If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know we have lots of tips to help you recruit more truck drivers. But if your fleet is struggling to recruit, it is probably because you are struggling to retain good drivers. There are a plethora of tactics you can use to retain more of your best drivers, but here are three great ways you might not have thought of.
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1. Keep Your Promises
In an ever more competitive environment, it is important that your fleet have a clear message that communicates why drivers should apply for open positions that need to be filled. It can be tempting to promise the world to prospective drivers. You need them to apply for open positions.
The problem is that if you show your best truck in a recruiting video and imply that your entire fleet is similarly equipped, it can be an implied promise. If your newly hired driver shows up for work his first day and finds something very different, he will immediately feel betrayed. That driver might not quit right away, but those negative feelings are what will lead him to be lured away by a shiny signing bonus a few months later.
This turnover is expensive, preventable, and isn’t even a little worth it.
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2. Celebrate Wins
Even though most of your drivers spend most of there time alone in the cab of a truck, they still want to feel like they are part of something. One of the universal traits of employees everywhere is that they want to be an important member of a winning team.
This might be as simple as starting a company newsletter for your fleet. Take the time to highlight new drivers and talk about anniversaries of drivers that have been with your fleet for a long time. But that is just the beginning. Talk about goals that your fleet is trying to accomplish. Remember to mention things that each driver can do to contribute to those goals, even if it is something small.
Making your drivers feel like they are part of a team that is successful is a great first step towards lowering your fleet’s turnover rate.
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3. Show Your Appreciation
No, this isn’t a ground breaking concept. Most fleets are actively trying to make their drivers feel appreciated through events, bonuses and perks. But have you asked your drivers what they actually want from you recently? You might find that you are spending money on a lot of things that aren’t actually making much of a difference.
Fleets should also attempt to figure out which drivers are most likely to leave and try to take steps to keep them. If you really want to get ahead of your competition, your fleet could begin quantifying the reasons drivers leave and start using predictive algorithms to help guide your hiring decisions. Solutions like this can be expensive, but so is hiring hundreds of drivers every year just to see them leave a few months later.
Hopefully these tips help you take some important steps towards lowering your fleet’s turnover rate. It is always worth your time to take a second to put yourself in a driver’s shoes and figure out what would make your life easier.
