When did your business last employ a new driver who promptly left after a few months?
Numerous times. Drivers typically abandon their jobs within the first six months of employment, which is the reality.
It didn’t work out, and now the business is starting over because the driver was either the incorrect fit or they weren’t happy with the day-to-day demands of the job.
The same issue will persist regardless of how many truck drivers an employer employs if it doesn’t alter its tactics and address the reasons why drivers are departing in the first place.
Fortunately, by making a few adjustments and putting the right strategies into place during the hiring process, it is possible to reach the ideal candidates where they build a relationship based on trust right away and support a driver’s long-term success through ongoing investment, all of which can help retain good workers.
In a recent “2022 Driver Recruiting & Retention Annual Report” report, Data Analytics, a retention-focused firm shared what they learned about the most recent recruitment marketing and retention trends.
As per the report, we have listed four crucial recruitment strategies that organizations are ignoring, which could increase Retention:
Creating a Market Strategy
A strategic marketing plan built around the targeted driver personas is one of the most prevalent elements organizations likely lack.
Drivers spend much of their free time scrolling through internet feeds while not driving. Recruiters should concentrate their marketing efforts in these digital spaces because this is where candidates interact with companies.
Organizations can use content that appeals to their audiences, such as videos, memes, blogs, online reviews, reels, stories, and boosted posts, to increase interaction and foster brand preference. Given the variety of ways drivers ingest content, this is a huge opportunity for organizations.
Vertical video ad formats were the most effective lead generator in the study, which stated that video content generated the most driver-led on social media in 2022. Approximately 72% of drivers reported online evaluations from other drivers had the greatest impact on their decision. Drivers also believe the testimony of others online. Employers can track down online driver reviews, react to them, and promote their brands.
By developing a digital media, social media, video, and content marketing strategy, employers or companies can better connect with their ideal candidates. These drivers are most likely to remain with the business longer.
You can also read, The Market for Corporate Recruitment Process Outsourcing to Witness Massive Growth by 2022–2028
Following the Data
An organization must continue monitoring the plan’s effectiveness after developing and implementing it. The effectiveness of a company’s plan cannot be inferred from a guess.
The best choices for a company’s employer brands must be made by paying close attention to performance data. Making the best choices for your driver employment marketing requires being able to dig deep into the data.
Organizations need thorough reporting, statistics, and metrics to hire more strategically and keep employees longer. A cutting-edge piece of equipment that fleets can use for this particular reason is the LeadLink driver recruitment command center application.
It enables fleets to track data from the initial click of an advertisement through the hiring process and beyond to determine where their budgets are moving and how well their money is being used.
Carriers can see how their campaigns are working, which drivers are the most problematic, how sources are trending for Retention, and more with Conversions recruitment marketing data and PDA’s retention data from the RAMP platform. It depicts the entire journey of the driver.
Hard metrics assist companies in using real-time data to make educated choices, identify what is and is not working, and connect with drivers who are more likely to stay with them.
Prioritizing Communication
It’s well-known that trust is difficult to earn but simple to lose. It applies, in particular, to vehicle drivers.
In a recent driver survey, over 53% of drivers said that the experience they are receiving when they are hired is not the same as what they were sold in the recruiting process.
Communication that is open and sincere fosters confidence in any circumstance. With over half of the drivers blaming slow or nonexistent responses, communication was mentioned in the report as one of the top operation problems for drivers.
Varun Khosla, MD, Dynamic Group, an international recruitment firm, stated “when there is a lack of confidence, drivers believe fleet managers will do nothing to address their issues. Fleet managers should avoid making empty commitments and using impersonal hiring and onboarding procedures that make drivers feel like vehicle unit numbers rather than people.”
The ideal approach is always to be truthful and upfront with drivers. According to him, gaining a driver’s trust early on benefits recruiting and retention.
Respectful communication is essential because drivers rarely interact with their supervisors face-to-face. According to the report, this can appear as mirroring drivers’ communication preferences and respecting their preference for calls over messages.
You can help a driver feel less frustrated by explaining why the loads are organized the way they are. The speed at which you react to a driver can influence how much respect they receive. The effectiveness of a company’s communication will ultimately decide whether turnover rates will increase or decrease in 2023.
Additional read: 10 Recruitment Trends to Keep An Eye On
Invest in Recruiting and Retention
The report found that, on average, after stopping its recruitment branding investment, a business needs twice as long and twice as much money to catch up.
It is common for businesses to overlook the value of drivers in a slowing economy, which can have the knock-on impact of making all drivers less valuable.
However, the best action does not involve reducing recruitment and retention attempts. Maintaining momentum is crucial if businesses are to be able to draw in drivers when it counts most. It is particularly true during periods of soft market conditions.
Companies can out-hire the competition, generate more leads, and streamline the hiring process with the aid of digital tools. For many carriers, Lead Assist tools use AI technology, SMS texts, email campaigns, social media comments, and more to go from a short-form driver lead to a complete application in less than 48 hours. By using Lead Assist, fleets are seeing an average of 22% more short forms converted to full applications and, eventually, more qualified candidates who are more likely to stick around.
Both human and technological investments are crucial. Companies may also imply Retention is nobody’s responsibility when they claim it is everyone’s responsibility. Hiring staff whose only duty is Retention is necessary if we’re sincere about lowering turnover.
According to the research, businesses with a retention manager or team are the most effective. When the team notices a driver is unhappy or frustrated, they escalate the situation to the retention person, who immediately gets to work on meeting the driver’s requirements.
Wrapping Up
We hope you’ve enjoyed this analysis of the current state of driver retention and our take on what it might look like in the future.
We’ve seen an increase in new-hire retention rates and a decrease in turnover rates over the last few years. We believe these practices will continue to improve as long as they’re implemented consistently—and that’s where your company comes into play. You can help your company stay on top of trends in the industry by implementing these hiring practices into your hiring process.
The hiring practices can be hard to execute, but these proven steps can help your company move forward positively. Having learned how to execute the practices, it’s time to start.
So if you’re looking to increase employee retention, there are various ways to do this for interested applicants. You can use these tips to get the most out of your time and resources.
In conclusion, it is essential to recognize that any employee who has been with a company for a long time will likely have their own set of challenges and needs. The management team must ensure they provide their employees with the right tools and resources to help them succeed and continue working at their jobs.
Do you need to hire people quickly? Visit our website today: Dynamic Staffing Services!
