truck-driver-retention-cta-300x68

Truck Driver Retention
People Element
  • People Element Platform
    • PDP Personality Assessments
    • New Hire Check-In
    • Snapshot
    • 360 Degree Assessments
    • Stay Interviews
    • Strategic Contact
    • Workforce Assessments
    • Strategic Engagement Survey
    • Exit Interviews
  • Coaching, Training, & Consulting
  • Testimonials
  • Elements Blog
  • Free Resources
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Browsing Author Archives

How to Integrate Exit Survey Insights Into Your Driver Hiring Process

truck-driver-retention-how-to-integrate-exit-survey-insights-into-your-driver-hiring-process

Drivers leaving their jobs is a reality that every trucking company will face in the year ahead; in fact, the numbers are increasing across the industry and people are quitting at alarming rates. According to the American Trucking Associations, turnover at companies has risen above 90 percent and has been above that mark for more than nine consecutive quarters, leaving up to 40,000 unfilled jobs with for-hire carriers.

As of April 2015, it was reported that small truckload carriers faced a 95 percent turnover rate while large truckload carriers were at 96 percent. Considering that the nationwide quit rate for all industries was only at 2 percent, it creates an interesting challenge for trucking companies to deal with. Megan Younkin, one of our Strategic Programs, Inc. consultants, explains that an important way to combat the challenge is by taking advantage of the exit surveys that employees complete when leaving.

While many people may think of these exit surveys chiefly as a way to find out why a driver wasn’t happy, a savvy company will use the information to make changes and improve the culture to keep other drivers happy and from following suit.

A Helpful Tool

An exit survey can be conducted either face-to-face, on the phone, online, or in the form of a written survey. The most accurate exit information comes from using an independent 3rd party to conduct the interview to put the respondent at ease. Drivers will not feel pressure to change the answers or spare the company’s feelings that may occur with an in-person format. An additional benefit to using a third-party is that when the survey is conducted by phone the interviewer can ask follow-up questions to gain more insight into a leaving driver’s answers.

Exit surveys can provide value to an organization in many ways:

  • Manage turnover by retaining high performers
  • Re-recruit regrettable exits and save money
  • Identify criteria that contribute to driver satisfaction
  • Document trends and provide historical data to direct change
  • Identify “red flag” early warnings to avoid possible litigation or compliance issues

Why Drivers Leave

It’s no surprise that compensation is the reason that most drivers leave. At Strategic Programs, our research shows that 32 percent of all people who quit cite money and perks as the No. 1 reason for going. But there’s plenty of other issues that cause people to leave a company. Everything from needing more home time (13 percent) to problems with company policy and procedure (8 percent) to lack of career opportunity (3 percent).

“When we look at why drivers are leaving, one important thing to distinguish up front is the difference between problems that need fixing and perceptions that need managing.” Younkin says. “If we look at drivers’ open-ended feedback, we can identify those differences and create action in the form of problem-solving or communication to adjust perceptions. Most fleets don’t need a complete compensation overhaul, they need better communication about compensation packages.”

Taking Action to Prevent Issues

A lot of these issues can be sniffed out during the hiring and onboarding phase. If everything is clear up front and all major topics discussed so there are no surprises for the driver, the number of people leaving their jobs may start to decrease. For instance 10 percent of respondents to exit interviews name dispatch and load planning as a major reason for leaving. The problem that gets talked about in exit interviews are that drivers weren’t aware that there would be lots of downtime between loads, or that they weren’t presented an accurate assessment of how dispatch worked.

Had these been clear up front in the hiring process and employees had their questions about these topics answered then, they would have understood the way the process worked and it wouldn’t have caused an issue of dissatisfaction. That’s just one way for a driver manager to use an exit interview to his or her advantage.

Not getting proper recognition or appreciation is another area that drivers list as a reason for going elsewhere. This problem can easily be alleviated by management simply making a call and letting a worker know he or she is doing a good job. Sure, perks for a job well done are always welcome, but sometimes just a simple pat on the back and some kind words is all a driver needs to feel appreciated.

Keep in mind that almost every problem that results in someone quitting a job has some sort of solution that could better the situation. Even if it’s a problem that can’t be fixed right away, just knowing about the issue and increasing communications about the problem can help to manage perceptions about the issue and keep others from leaving. By communicating to your drivers that you are aware of the issue and are looking for a solution, you can help with future retention numbers.

Exit surveys can be a trucking company’s best friend if used correctly. By taking action on the data collected, the insights gleaned will keep more drivers happy and less walking out the door.

The 4 Essential Aspects of Successful Driver Onboarding

truck-driver-retention-four-essential-aspects-of-successful-driver-onboarding-550x412

Finding new drivers is one thing, but keeping them is entirely a different story. In fact, recent data shows that half of all hourly workers leave new jobs within the first four months, and 50 percent of senior outside hires fail within 18 months.

According to the ATA, the turnover rate at large truckload carriers reached more than 90 percent for the 10th consecutive quarter at the end of 2014, while the rate at small truckload fleets hit 94 percent, so it’s clearly a problem that needs a solution.

Megan Younkin, one of our Strategic Programs, Inc. consultants, explains that an important way to combat the challenge is by implementing a robust employee onboarding program.

“Data has shown that 90 percent of drivers decide whether they will stay at an organization within the first 6 months on the job,” she says. “For this reason, a successful onboarding program can be crucial.”

The Basics

A proper onboarding program can shorten a driver’s learning curve, increase productivity and reduce errors. It can also better facilitate compliance with company policies, legal procedures, and rules; improve job satisfaction and retention; and promote communication between managers and drivers.

“The initial first impression a driver gets when they come in for onboarding is important because they are still trying to decide if they made the right decision,” Younkin says. “And with so many trucking companies being incredibly ruthless with their recruiting practices, a driver probably has multiple options to go other places, and competition is so high, so that first impression is crucial now.”

Establishing Expectations

Gone are the days when you can just hand a driver a manual and hope it makes sense. A savvy onboarding program will establish a connection between the driver and his new work environment, and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the job.

A trucking company who calls on Strategic Programs’ services, will benefit from our best-in-class surveys, which assess new drivers’ expectations of the organization, their work, their fleet manager, the work environment, and compensation and benefits. Plus, the results will alert the organization to any concerns or needs of the drivers in order to make sure it’s a win-win for both parties.

“It’s all about making sure the expectations are set well so when someone gets on the road they are not saying, ‘this is not at all what I thought it would be,’” Younkin says.

Communication is a vital part of the onboarding process. It should be a back and forth conversation and not just a reading off of a checklist. “We usually recommend that a supervisor conduct an expectation exchange with each new driver and that is a template that’s provided to supervisors so they cover all the bases,” Younkin says. “They should let drivers know how to get a hold of them, when they are available and who to get in touch with if they are not available.”

The conversation should also include any issues that may have popped up in the past with drivers. For example, if a driver will have to go to New York City on occasion, that should be discussed.

Assimilation

Another important part of the onboarding equation is making your new hire feel like part of the group, and letting them know that the company has an ear to their problems and concerns. You want the new driver to feel like part of the team from the get-go.

“One of the things that is helpful is not just trying to assimilate the driver into the organization, but also including their families into the culture,” Younkin says. “Maybe a letter home to the family welcoming them to the team or some communication of what to expect.”

Creating Connections

Once a driver starts at his or her new job, a key part of retaining them is checking in from time to time to make sure they are happy. This is especially important during the first few days and weeks, when the excitement of starting something new might begin to wear off. This is where a company can ensure no misunderstandings lead to someone walking away.

Younkin says that some of the most successful fleets the company has worked with have a set policy for different people in the organization checking in with new drivers in the first several weeks, rather than just the manager doing so. For example, one week someone from payroll will check in with them, a few days later someone from the safety department, and so on.

Onboarding isn’t just a way to get a new driver into the system and ready to work; it’s a savvy, friendly and welcoming way to make a new hire feel like part of the team and want to be part of your strong organization. It’s a way to ensure that there’s no confusion about the job requirements and that everything runs smooth from Day One.

5 Benefits of Driver Surveys That Have Nothing to Do with Turnover

Truck Driver Survey Benefits

It’s no surprise to anyone in the trucking industry that the demand for drivers remains strong, with Fleet Owner quantifying the problem at the end of 2014 with a story about driver shortages hovering around 30,000.

A competitive job environment means there’s plenty of opportunities for to go elsewhere if they’re not happy, which is why keeping turnover at bay is an important component to any trucking company’s success. That’s where driver surveys come in.

While many companies might think of surveys strictly as exit interviews, more savvy leaders understand that by gathering the opinions and thoughts of the current workforce, the company can respond to an issue before it becomes a problem.

Megan Younkin, one of our Strategic Programs, Inc. consultants, explains how surveys include drivers across the entire lifecycle, including new hires, long-time employees, and those who are exiting, to get a crystal clear picture of the workforce environment. From those surveys, they design customized assessments for individuals and organizations, implementing data-driven action plans, and measuring results.

“We collect feedback from employees to help businesses make decisions about their workforce that can and will affect their future going forward,” she says. “We give them the perceptions employees have to make better decisions.”

Profitability

Survey methodology has helped numerous trucking companies in their journey from good to great, by informing them of how employees truly feel about the company and what can be done to improve recruiting and retention.

“We don’t say that we decrease turnover because there’s so many factors, but what we do is make recommendations for making improvements, and those improvements could potentially lead people to not exit the organization,” she says. “There’s a cost per person of leaving an organization, and if we can make a recommendation to help business change something that one person is satisfied enough to stay and they were going to leave, it could save the business anywhere between $5,000 and $60,000 depending on the organization.”

Process Improvement

When it comes to process improvement, a survey can be a company’s best friend. Our survey aims to find an item where people are dissatisfied, look at all the processes involved and discover why it isn’t working and how a company can best create a solution.

For example, recently, a trucking company called on Strategic Programs’ services to conduct a current driver engagement survey and one of its chief findings was that drivers felt they weren’t being recognized or appreciated for the work they were doing.

“The leadership team told me that when times were harder and people strapped for time, the time for recognizing people went by the wayside,” Younkin says. “I was able to help them facilitate building back up a process by taking them through a goal-setting process.”

Based on the feedback, now the company aims to recognize at least 10 drivers a week who go above and beyond what they should be doing. Many companies only review driver performance when there is a problem, but a smart strategy would be to hold regular and frequent performance evaluations and be focused on recognition and continuous improvement.

Improve Efficiency

While financial rewards are always nice, trucking companies must consider a wider range of factors to keep qualified drivers happy and contributing to the fleet.

Surveys will show your workforce that:

  • Their opinion is valued
  • The company supports them
  • Things can change for the better
  • The company cares

“When employees feel they are being listened to and supported, it leads to an intention to stay at a job and job satisfaction rises,” Younkin says. “That in turn, leads to a more efficient workforce.”

Identify Problems

Anyone who’s ever read an exit interview knows that they are usually full of complaints and issues with the company, but Younkin says that sometimes those can be very personal and it’s important to distinguish the problems of one vs. the many.

“Is it one outspoken individual or are 100 people responding in this way? We need to balance both kinds of feedback,” she says. “Just having employers listen to the feedback can boost satisfaction, can boost engagement and boost an intention to stay with an organization.”

That’s why surveys given to current workers and long-time employees often work better in discovering what problems drivers really have and what’s getting them upset.

“We’re not going to guarantee we can reduce turnover but observations and recommendations from outside of the organization can help keep those staying with the company happy and satisfied,” she says. “We can help identify those things leading people to leave an organization and help you find ways to address those reasons.”

That in turn could lead someone to eventually return, and companies can see a decent amount of savings if they can bring someone back on board rather than hiring someone new.

Safety and Performance

Biopsychology research says that if you increase engagement, it will increase safety and decrease absenteeism. That’s just another reason to survey employees.

“We don’t survey for driver performance per se, but what we have done and are likely to do more of, is get metrics from organizations on safety and on performance, and overlay those with their levels of engagement and show how highly-engaged people are more productive and safer,” Younkin says.

Exit surveys are a mixture of 50-60 quantitative questions using a scale of 1-5 (strongly agree to strongly disagree) and questions where people can use their own words to describe their thoughts and feelings about everything from the climate to moral, to their immediate supervisor to training and career development.

The end result? Surveys and other forms of workforce intelligence offer a wide breadth of benefits for trucking companies. In organizations where drivers make up the majority of the workforce, timely input from throughout the organization is key to building a more profitable operation and identifying issues before they become a problem.

  • Trucking HR Stats
  • People Element Platform
  • PDP Trial
  • Get articles like these sent right to your inbox

  • Connect with us:
  • Twitter
  • RSS
  • © 2023 People Element
  • 650 S. Cherry Street Suite 115 | Denver, CO 80246 | 800.800.5476