Measuring engagement is never easy, especially when dealing with CDL drivers. As a recruiter, you aren't actively seeking out or talking to current drivers every day. For one, you probably have way too much on your plate to manage that kind of outreach. And two, your drivers don't have that kind of bandwidth either.
There are other ways for drivers and recruiters to connect in today's modern trucking culture that don't involve daily phone check-ins. Here are some ways to truly tell if your drivers are engaged and connected to your company:
- Drivers initiate conversations regularly. CDL driver recruiters are tasked not only with bringing on new drivers but also often play a role with retaining current drivers. This means that recruiters are often reaching out to check in with drivers to ensure things are going okay on their end. Engaged drivers will often initiate check-ins with their recruiters instead of just waiting for a check-in.
- Drivers are posting and/or talking about your organization with their networks. The CDL driver network is very interconnected, and engaged drivers are skilled at sharing updates and content with followers. If a driver is posting on social channels or online forums, or if they are talking about your organization on a radio show, they are keeping up with what is happening within the corporate side of your organization as well as what is happening on the road.
- Drivers connect and engage with your company's social channels. During any new hire onboarding, HR teams will ask new hires to follow the company's social channels. Social media is becoming an essential channel for connecting with new drivers and engaging current drivers in trucking. By doing a quick follower audit across your social channels, you can see which drivers follow and engage with your posts.
- Drivers are happy and willing to provide recruitment content when asked. Your current drivers are often one of the best recruiting tools in your arsenal because they know precisely why drivers should work for your company. If you ask a driver to provide recruitment content (for example, through a video testimonial or speaking to a prospective driver) and they say no, they are probably not as engaged and involved in your organization as you would like them to be.
Ready to maximize driver engagement and connection?
Your team needs new ways to connect with drivers where and when they need it most to engage with modern CDL drivers. This means exploring new engagement channels (like text or video calls), leveraging different online tools like forums or team pages, and giving your drivers access to resources that make it easy to engage with your more extensive organization.
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