Driver/Employer Communication
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Companies are struggling to survive right now. Many factors are in play, coming not from the Industry itself so much, but by the availability of good paying jobs in other Trades in fierce competition for the same workers. Add to that increased security and regulatory guidelines, the aging workforce (as much as 20% veteran driver's are quitting or retiring) on top of the lifestyle issues that have always influenced driver turnover rates. Annual turnover rates for some companies is now about 130%.
Companies desperately need to implement driver retention plans.
As one poster mentioned...."Companies need us, more than we need them."
The culture of the Industry must be changed. Companies must create a work environment where driver's will want to stay. What would be the single most important factor in this equation? Good communication between the company and its drivers.
And here is the problem.
The No.1 complaint of drivers is that they've been lied to.
No.2 They do not feel respected for their skills as professionals, and they feel companies are only interested in the freight and the customer.
No.1 complaint of companies is they feel that their drivers complain too much, and are never satisfied...dispite all that they feel they are providing.
Companies are going to have to put aside the competitive nature of the business. They are going to have to address the "job hopping" problem as a problem they have created. It's my opinion they are victims of their own doing.
Many companies still have a revolving door mentality when it comes to recruiting. Drivers can be replaced every 90 days.
Understand this.
Companies will agree on the negative aspects of job-hopping, yet most aggressively encourage turnover by the predatory element of recruiting. Until companies become concerned with retaining drivers, with the same passion they place in recruiting drivers...the problem will not go away.
The tendency to repeatedly seek greener pastures is precisely what fuels the churning cycle. It's not easy for drivers to resist the temptation to change jobs frequently when companies are enticing them with sign-on bonuses, pay premiums, immediate benefits and other fluff. Many drivers seem to ignore the financial hit that job-hopping causes. Each job change can cost you $4000 to $6000 in lost pay, and benefits.
Now we have recruiters here, and I know they are the kind of recruiters this Industry needs more of. We have learned a lot about them through communication. That is the key to better relations all around. I see them as the kind of recruiter that actively listens to drivers both on this board, and especially with the individuals they are placing. It's their goal and should be the goal of every recruiter to match them with the "right" job rather than "any" job and putting the drivers needs first.
The company has to improve Operations. After recruitment, after orientation, the company must help set the stage for successful careers. One way to do this is....what? communication. The newly hired driver needs to be put at ease. So many things can frustrate the new driver. Communication during this phase usually is ambiguous. Managers must keep communication open and ensure drivers feel free to discuss issues with them instead of relying on other drivers as their sole support.
How many times has your office been so busy they want to get you off the phone as quickly as possible? How many times has your office simply not care to hear your problems...and expect you to just deal with it?
Your company want to evaluate you? Hey how about that going both ways? Good feedback can strengthen the relationship, and be a positive reinforcement of each others performance. It should in my opinion be a team effort. Workers in other Industries have career paths, so why should a driver not be given this option also. Granted some companies are doing this with jobs considering more home time, or offering regional, dedicated or local positions, and various other "senior driver" transitions. This practice should be SOP throughout the Industry.
Some drivers leave their job due to shady recruiting tactics. But in most cases, it is simply miscommunication that causes the driver to feel misled. Initial perception can be faulty. How many times have we seen posts get misread, and even after posting and pasting, the comprehention and intreptation can still remain an issue. Communication is therefore not the answer to all problems. But it is a great step forward in most cases. It must be initiated before any changes will ever occur, and this Industry has been suffering enough for too long. The company can not continue to overlook the role the driver plays. Drivers can not continue to point the blame at recruiters and feel herded off like only a number branded for the company and sensing pending slaughter.
Recruiters have to fill multiple positions. They must sort through various details of each job, pay rates, time-off schedules and operational practices. Given the number of drivers a recruiter speaks with on any given day, honest mistakes are bound to happen. Drivers who talk to several different companies while job hunting can also confuse the facts.
So. it is in your best interest to avoid such occurrences, and get all your job information in writing.
Then should a problem arise, talk with your Boss. Most will be willing to address your issues, rather than loose you. If they are going to loose you, they should be given the reasons why. Maybe they will change their policies, or look closer at driver retention. This is a serious problem which is not going to go away, until we all learn to communicate better.
My biggest complaint with the company I work for is this vary issue. So far I am just talking to a wall.