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Driver turnover is a process

By Thomas Stirr

Anyone associated with the trucking industry certainly understands the importance of reducing driver turnover. The typical costs associated with having to replace a driver such as recruiting, advertising, training and testing are often quoted at $5,000 to $7,000 per driver. If a fleet also adds the reduced productivity that often comes with new drivers, the potential erosion in customer satisfaction and all of the costs associated with having trucks parked up against the back fence due to driver shortages, the real “all-in” cost could be as much as 35% to 45% of a driver’s earnings.

While there are no quick or easy solutions to reducing driver turnover, the first step is for managers to understand that turnover isn’t an event; it’s a process with discernable stages that can be managed.

The first stage in the turnover process is a turning point. This is when something happens that gives a driver his or her first inkling that they may have made a mistake signing on with your fleet.

Some typical turning points include:

• A petty or unreasonable show of authority by a manager or dispatcher
• Driver asked to do something unethical, or they find out the company is unethical
• Being made to work with unsafe equipment
• Unreasonable or unexpected demands are made on personal or family time
• Job parameters aren’t as promised (length of haul, number of days out, etc.)
• Pay or volume of freight isn’t as much as promised

Turning points cause drivers to begin to look at the fleet with a different perspective, one that has drivers focus on what they perceive is "wrong" with the fleet. Once on this path, drivers become increasingly disengaged from the fleet, and if the situation is left unchecked, will eventually decide to leave. Once a driver becomes so disengaged that they decide to leave it is almost impossible to get them back on board. So, it’s critical to recognize disengagement signs early.

Some common signs of disengagement to watch for are:

• Abrupt changes in behavior or dress
• Lack of eye contact
• Arriving late for shifts and leaving early
• More sick and personal time, especially on Fridays
• Decreased level of participation in group meetings and discussions
• Doing just enough to get by
• Sudden outbursts of anger or impatience with co-workers, especially if this behavior is out of character for the driver
• “Just a job” attitude
• Lack of interest in the future

All of these factors indicate that your drivers are on the disengagement path. If they also begin to make comments like, “There’s lots of other fleets that would want me,” or "Maybe I should look for something else,” they should be taken seriously! These are not the "idle comments" that they appear. A driver is typically well down the disengagement path for these kinds of comments to surface.

Don’t be surprised if you find out that a large portion of your drivers are on the disengagement path. International studies indicate that as many as 75% of employees can be in some state of disengagement at any given time. Even more sobering is the fact that disengagement can begin during the first week that a new employee is on the job.

To try and reduce driver disengagement and the subsequent turnover it creates there are some pragmatic things you can do:

1. Train all of your managers and support personnel to recognize signs of disengagement so they can help identify drivers that are at risk of leaving.

2. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! The majority of people need ongoing communication to feel that they are part of an organization.

3. Have a well-structured orientation program. Make it personal and encourage people to get involved and interact.

4. Encourage all of your support staff, and challenge yourself, to know all your drivers by name. It shows you care.

5. If your volume of freight begins to slip DO NOT simply spread the work around and cut back on everyone’s miles or loads. While this appears "fair," all it really does is create turning points with all of your drivers. It is much better to use a downturn in freight volume to lay off low-performing drivers and those with negative attitudes. That way you can keep your best people continually busy and reduce the risk of turnover in your high performer ranks.

6. Create a confidential method for drivers to share their concerns and identify abusive supervisors. Once identified, train your problem supervisors with the necessary skills and encourage attitude shifts. If they are unable or unwilling to make the necessary shifts, move on quickly.

7. Have individual meetings with drivers who are showing signs of disengagement. Be open and honest and work hard to find out what is causing them to disengage. Then, work even harder to fix those issues in your organization.

The better able a fleet can identify the early signs of driver disengagement, the better the chance it has to address sources of disengagement proactively, and reduce their downstream driver turnover.

Copyright 2006, Thomas-Ritt Associates Limited. All rights reserved.

Thomas Stirr is a trucking industry veteran, having spent 14 years in corporate management positions with Kenworth and Freightliner. He is the president of Thomas-Ritt Associates Limited, and an accomplished business coach, trainer and facilitator. He is the author of numerous articles and two books. Additional information can be found on his Web site www.tomstirr.com . You can reach him at 905-309-5431 or via e-mail at tom@tomstirr.com.

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