Making "appreciation" more than a buzzword
As we close in on National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, the term “appreciation” is being tossed around quite a bit. Without the right tactics to back it up, though, appreciation can become just another empty buzzword, dismissed by drivers who have heard it one too many times.
When we put our heads together to write The Truck Driver Appreciation Playbook, we pulled together the knowledge we’d learned from working with many of the best fleets in the business.
The thing that stood out to us the most? Fleets that excel at driver appreciation have it hardwired into their company culture.
It’s simply part of what they do all day, every day.
The results speak for themselves: better retention rates, better safety ratings, and recognitions like being named a Best Fleet to Drive For.
Don’t just take our word for it, though. Here’s four reasons why appreciation should be more than just a buzzword at your company.
Driver Appreciation = Driver Retention
Few jobs require the dedication and sacrifice that trucking requires. Drivers live and work in a space that’s roughly 170 square feet, often for weeks at a time. If that kind of labour is met with a genuine show of appreciation when your driver returns to terminal? Your drivers are more likely to want to stick around.
• Employees who receive good recognition are 65% less likely to be actively looking for another job.
• Yet, only 22% of employees say they get the right amount of recognition for the work they do. Truck drivers are no exception!
• A “welcome back” message on a digital board, with the driver’s name on it, can make a huge difference. So does a clean and comfortable driver’s lounge.
Sometimes it's the small things that tell your drivers they’re more than just a cog in the wheel.
Recognition encourages better job performance.
Employees who feel their work has received proper recognition are more likely to keep performing at the top level.
- Even more crucial? Nearly 25% of respondents in a recent Gallup poll said that their most memorable recognition at work came from a high-level leader.
- Be sure to reward great performance and to make it a very big deal. If you don’t have an employee recognition program yet, now is the time to start. (trophies, door decals, plaques, awards they’ll actually enjoy!)
- This also encourages employee engagement! Engaged employees have 18% higher productivity, and crucially, a 21% reduction in turnover.
Even more crucial? Employees who feel their work has received proper recognition are more likely to keep performing at the top level. Which brings us nicely to our next point:
Driver Appreciation helps reduce compliance risks.
High-performing drivers will naturally also have high rates of safety. They’ll set out every day with safety on their mind.
The stats don’t lie, either: businesses with high-engagement employees face 63% fewer safety incidents than businesses with lower employee engagement.
Driver appreciation elevates your entire fleet.
"Happiness” is another buzzword that’s often used in vague terms in the business world. You’ll be glad to know, then, that driver appreciation does more than make your drivers happy: it elevates your bottom line as well.
- A University of Oxford study says that happy workers are 13% times more productive than they otherwise would be.
- Just make sure you’re doing more than paying lip service. Consider having an Employee of the Month, in addition to a Driver of the Month. Celebrate wins from your entire team, too.
- Respect should be treated like an infinite loop, rather than a directional process. If your drivers are treated with respect when they arrive back to terminal, they’ll most likely return that respect back (we discussed this in depth in this article).
Be sure “appreciation” isn’t just another buzzword at your fleet. Make sure it’s something you live and breathe each day, during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and beyond.
Speaking of driver appreciation, TruckRight provides drivers with a great recruiting, onboarding, training and compliance management experience. Book a 1:1 meeting with our team to learn more.