Your fleet is a vital part of your business. It transports your staff from one place to another and delivers good and equipment for to and for your customers. Hence, it’s important not to only have a fleet of vehicles that will help your business operations, your team of drivers are just as important. Here are 5 tips to recruit and retain great drivers for your fleet.
1. Use social media as a hiring tool
Posting your job ad on social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn is a cost effective way to increase the reach of your job ad. With many fleet drivers in the workforce nearing retirement age, it is important to expand the reach of your recruitment to recruit younger drivers. Using social media targets the younger age group as they use it not just for entertainment and networking, but also for career opportunities.
2. Use word of mouth for recruitment
Your current drivers are the best marketing tool for your recruitment programme. Run a referral programme so your drivers can refer their connections and get something in return as an initiative for referring a friend. Do keep in mind that some drivers might be reluctant to refer new drivers to the team for fear of losing work. Be sure to outline in your referral programme, how expanding your fleet allows you to expand your operations which means more work for everybody.
3. Establish your company culture
Your company culture plays an important role in recruiting and retaining your team of drivers. Offer added values to your drivers such as education about retirement and health benefits. Show them you care about their wellbeing by providing tips encouraging healthy habits while on long-haul routes and informing them about new trends and regulation changes.
4. Create driver feedback loops
Regardless of the industry, strong employee retention begins with effective communication. Create a channel, such as a simple anonymous suggestion box for your drivers to share their input and feel that their recommendations are being heard. Encourage your managers to regularly meet with the drivers and get feedback from the ground up. Take action even smaller ones, so your drivers feel heard as people not just a number.
5. Upgrade your technology
Investing in technology not only provides your drivers with better work-life balance, it also allows you to track your operations closer and find out where you can save costs. Full-featured telematics systems in Pan Pac trucks include route optimization, fleet tracking, and safety features. Smarter routing, scheduling, and safety features allow drivers to get home sooner and more often, deal with less hassle on the road, and feel safer. Updating the technology on your fleet will show your drivers that you take their well-being seriously.
Even If you have the best vehicle fleet, you need a good team to operate it. To recruit and retain good drivers for your team, invest in your company culture as this will attract future workers and retain your current ones. Use social media and word of mouth as a recruitment tool to cast your net wider. Show your team you care about their input and their wellbeing by gaining their feedback and using technology to make their job smoother.
