For many CDL driver recruiting and retention teams, understanding why drivers leave remains a yet-unsolved mystery in the industry. CDL driving has a notoriously high turnover rate, and with competition in the space only rising, more and more carriers are asking themselves: “What are we doing wrong?”
Over the years there has been plenty said about and written on this topic. Today, however, drivers have the power in their hands – and driver recruiting and retention teams must use this unique outlook to their advantage. Our number one tip for building a culture of CDL driver retention is… drumroll please…
DriverReach’s #1 retention tip: Gather feedback from your drivers
While it sounds like a no-brainer, gathering feedback is, unfortunately, often an afterthought for many organizations. Driver recruiting teams can often be moving at incredibly fast speeds to find new applicants, move drivers through the recruiting process, and NOT check the right boxes for driver retention.
Taking a step back to ask drivers how they’re managing and coping with the process can work wonders when developing long-term strategies for driver retention.
Here are a few actionable tips for gathering and leveraging driver feedback:
- Send out a survey to drivers where they can share their thoughts. If possible, try to include an option where drivers can submit anonymous feedback to make them more comfortable with candid responses.
- Conduct exit interviews with all departing drivers. These conversations allow you to ask pointed questions about why they’re leaving and what they wish they’d received from your organization.
- Create a real-time feedback loop with your team. Ask for feedback after any new initiative and have your recruiters follow up directly on any interesting or concerning responses.
- Put the feedback to use. Asking for feedback is only the first step in a more long-term strategy for success. Make sure you use this feedback to inform new projects or ideas down the road so that drivers can see their opinions are being taken seriously.
- Improve your driver communication strategy. Even if you are providing the benefits and resources drivers are looking for, they’re only going to know about them if you announce things. Make sure you’re communicating effectively with current drivers throughout their entire employment tenure.
- Understand that retention starts during the recruiting process. You only have one chance to make a first impression, so lay the groundwork for a long-term driver partnership right out of the gate with a five-star recruiting process.
As we look ahead to 2021, it has become more apparent than ever before just how small the CDL trucking industry actually is. By setting up clear lines of communication and feedback with your drivers, your team can establish itself as a thought leader in the industry and an organization that truly keeps its drivers where they belong: at the center of every process.
Want to learn more about taking steps towards a culture of driver retention? Download our ebook created in collaboration with WorkHound, Why Your Drivers Aren’t Sticking Around – and What to Do About It. You can download the ebook here.
Stay up to date on CDL trucking trends! Be sure to check out the DriverReach blog for other relevant articles and head over to our webinars page for an up-to-date list of upcoming events and on-demand recordings.
Interested in seeing DriverReach’s modern Recruiting and Compliance Management System in action? Request a demo!
