Keeping a good driver isn’t always easy. Between driver shortages across the US and high turnover rates, you can easily find yourself in a cycle of hiring, training, and then saying goodbye to a driver with potential.
If you’re ready to stop the cycle, here are a few things you can do to keep your best drivers on the payroll.
Care About Driver Complaints
One bad apple can cause dissension among the ranks, sure. But if multiple drivers are complaining about the same problem or your best driver says something, pay attention. Not every problem can be solved, but often listening to their concerns and working towards progress is enough. Remember, your drivers are an internal customer. Just like your external customers, you need them to be satisfied with what you provide. In this case, you need to care about driver pay, miles, and working conditions if you want to keep your best drivers.
Treat Drivers with Respect
We all get angry. Sometimes that means we yell or curse. It happens. But no one wants to work where they feel disrespected. If anger and stress are allowed to thrive, it will infect every driver you’ve got. Your best drivers know they can go somewhere else and get hired immediately, and they may decide they don’t need to put up with all the stress. When managing people, remember a simple rule: praise in public and reprimand in private. No matter how angry a driver makes you, keep the conversation professional and respectful. It will go a long way in keeping morale high across your entire fleet.
Leverage the Experience of Your Best Drivers
Want someone to stick with your company for a long time? Acknowledge their expertise and experience. Drivers with a lot of miles under them have something to offer your fleet and to teach newer drivers. Give these drivers opportunities to take on leadership roles and help train your newest recruits. Not only will they know you value their experience, you also know that the next generation of drivers has a solid foundation. This reduces turnover rates and safety violations.
Use Technology to Help, Not Hinder, Drivers
Technology is meant to make life more efficient. But it’s easy to get carried away and throw a bunch of tech into the job in the name of “efficiency” while complicating the lives of employees who have to use it. It’s important to find the balance and to use technology and information to your advantage. In this case, make sure the “advancements” you bring into the fleet help drivers, not hinder them. It should help them stay safe on the road and become more productive. If new tech slows everyone down, doesn’t work the way it should, and serves no purpose, your good drivers may not stick around.
At Gorilla Safety, our fleet management and ELD system are designed to help fleet managers, drivers, and mechanics do their job better. The tech is simple to use and designed to fit your business, not the other way around. If you’re looking for tools to help make your drivers more successful, we can help. Get started, today.
