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hiring truck drivers, how to hire truck drivers

How to Hire the Right Truck Drivers

Those who are unfamiliar with the trucking industry may not think much of driver turnover, but with a turnover rate of 74%, large carriers know that the growing problem is a problem that must be addressed until a solution is found. Basically, this rate of turnover means that only 26% of drivers will remain with the same company after a year’s time.

By figuring that it costs a company anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 to attract, hire and train each driver, the high turnover begins to mean billions of dollars which are lost to companies that are already besieged by rising fuel costs, service-hours regulations and narrowing profit margins.

How to Attract the Right Drivers From the Start

Knowing how to attract the right kind of drivers from the start is the first, and possibly the most important way that a company can lower the rate of turnover. The following 5 steps may make all the difference in getting drivers that will stay.

1. Think about who will conduct the interview – A reliable HR department is an integral part of any large trucking operation. However, they may not be fully qualified in hiring truck drivers and conducting new driver interviews as many HR personnel have probably never stepped foot in a commercial truck. In order to gain valuable information during the first interview, you may want to make sure that one of your current trusted drivers is available to sit in. Not only will they be able to listen to what the applicant has to say about his or her experience and credentials, they will also be able to ask questions of the applicant pertaining to the ins and outs of the job.
2. Leave the office for the 2^nd interview – There is truly only one way to know if a driver can “walk the walk,” and this is by conducting the second interview in a truck. This is not to say that the second interview needs to include a full load and unload. Instead, have the driver run through some maneuvers in the yard while you take the passenger seat. This type of interview should show you if the driver can change gears smoothly, back up confidently and hook up a trailer and air lines without problems.
3. Check the PSP and MVR reports – Those wondering how to hire truck drivers may want to request a Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP). This can provide employers with safety and performance information that an applicant may be unwilling to provide. The information in this type of report comes from 5 years of DOT reportable crash data and 3 years of roadside inspection data. These reports are provided only to pre-screen employees, not to use with those you already employ. In fact, potential employers must get written permission from the applicant before they can request a PSP report.

Another type of available report is the Motor Vehicle Report (MVR). This will contain personal information about the applicant, such as name, license number and address. It will also identify the type of endorsements, violations, revocations or suspensions a driver has on record. In some states, this type of report also includes information about prior accident information and any driving-related convictions.

4. Silent observation – While stalking is not considered to be a good move on the part of an employer, on-the-job observation is. It may feel uncomfortable to follow along, unannounced, as a newer driver completes local or nearby tasks, but the invaluable information gained makes it worthwhile. This is truly the best way to see if a new employee is following company policy and truly has the skill to continue working for your company.
5. Check in periodically – Drivers who are hired and forgotten about are much more likely to take a better offer down the line. Instead of having drivers feel that they are only a number, make plans to check in with them periodically. This can either be a 90-day recurring review where they can tell you how the job is going and discuss desired changes or can be more random. Such interviews do not need to be lengthy as 10 -15 minutes of conversation can really make the driver feel like they are part of the team.

Driver Shortage Means Competition

Take the cost of driver turnover and add it to the fact that there is a huge driver shortage in the industry. These two facts mean that companies must work at first, hiring excellent drivers and second, making them feel like a valued member of the team. Many companies now offer competitive pay structures that include fair pay for time spent waiting and loading, more frequent at-home time and programs to help keep drivers healthy. When these types of incentives are provided to carefully chosen employees, turnover rates can plummet helping to increase your company’s bottom line.

office space planning, office design, office layout, office furniture, sunline cubicles

Designing Around Workflows – The Most Efficient Office Layout for Your Team

Starting with a blank slate is the norm for many who may be planning a new office layout. And as tempting as it may be to order trendy furniture, quirky chairs and abstract lighting, it may not be the best choice for the long-term budget or overall efficiency.

Start with a Good Plan

Knowing exactly what the office space will be used for, how many people will need desks or workstations and planned traffic flow patterns will be are just a few parts of successful office space planning. A good plan should also include details about effective use of available floor space, and ease of supervision.  Add to this a few more details about possible future expansion needs and the plan is complete. Following are a few more detailed considerations that top office design specialists recommend reviewing during the planning stage:

• Usage – Having a clear understanding of what types of usage the office space will need to support is imperative to planning. For instance, will the office need private conference rooms, workstations or cubicles?  Office layout specialists know that with the right type of space, it is possible to plan an efficient office design with one or all of these types of space.
• Layout of Space – Working on the final layout of the office was once done with pencil and graph paper. However, today there are many computerized programs that help in layout planning.
• Overall Appearance – When an office plan layout is complete, it is important to consider the overall appearance of the completed space. While office spaces in the past were standard with gray cubicles, built-in desks and uncomfortable chairs, today’s spaces can be completely different. Make sure your office space reflects the overall culture of your company. Consider what colors might help to lift the mood and boost the productivity of all employees.
• Long-Term Storage – It may be easy to forget pesky items such as storage and supplies in the excitement of office planning but finding out in retrospect that there is no space for these necessities could ruin the overall functionality of the space. Most offices still need space for filing and long-term storage of important paperwork as well as another dedicated space to house office supplies.
• Standardization – Though an office space might need to have several different types of dedicated spaces, overall standardization can help to pull the entire space together for just the right look and feel.

Encourage Productivity

Another important part of office layout planning is understanding factors that will help employees to be highly productive. In days past, it was assumed that an employee with complete privacy would be an employee without distractions and would be more productive. Today, almost 70% of offices use a more open floor plan. This type of plan helps to boost the ability to collaborate and converse but might lessen productivity due to distraction levels. It may be best to seek employee input when working on office layout plans, as they typically understand which types of things are distracting and what changes could be implemented to help them focus more fully. In some offices, providing white noise options for each employee has proven beneficial. Other locations have found it beneficial to provide a private storage space where each employee can lock up personal items and supplies. And don’t forget the importance of good lighting.  Not only will your employees appreciate not having to squint while working on projects, the right lighting can actually increase overall levels of happiness.

Look to the Future

If the mark of a successful company is growth, then make sure your office furniture selection leaves room for that success.  For some companies, this growth brings expansion into more adjacent office space. For others, the growth spans several floors of a building. No matter what type of growth your company experiences, a cubicle system that is built with growth in mind is key to successful expansion down the road.  One example of this type of system is Sunline Cubicles. Not only is this sliding cubicle system easy to assemble, requiring only 5 screws, a few clip-on brackets. The standard cubicle panels slide in and out of place easily meaning that it is possible to raise or lower wall height, remove or add walls and windows or even change cubicle colors.  Even better, Sunline has managed to create a system that lowers the build time of a cubicle from 4 hours down to an hour or less.  This increased ease and simplicity is certain to make future change and growth much easier to embrace.

Creating the right office layout for your team is truly different for each and every situation. Knowing which items help to boost efficiency and productivity and keeping future growth in mind help to ensure the workflow of your future office space will be considered a success by employees and management alike.