Saying Thank You Benefits Your Drivers — and You

It’s the time of year where we focus on saying thanks. But expressing gratitude is important at all times of year — and it offers so many benefits. 

While gratitude certainly pops into mind as the holiday season rolls around each year, it’s actually a key component of a strong company culture in general. Saying a simple “thank you,” whether in those exact words or through your actions, can make a positive impact on your entire team. 

Why is it so important? Let’s break down the research — and then talk a little about how you can thank the drivers who literally keep the wheels turning.

Everybody Wins When You Give Thanks

Have you ever been having a version of Alexander’s “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day,” when all of a sudden someone shares something positive with you or simply tells you thanks for a job well done? Even a small gesture of appreciation can flip around a day quickly.

But interestingly enough, if you’re having a bad day and you tell someone thank you for something they’ve done, you can experience the same mindset boost. 

It’s true. Whether you’re the giver of gratitude or the recipient, you benefit in many ways. You’ve probably felt it, but the benefits of gratitude aren’t just intangible:

• Giving thanks can actually make you happier and more likely to focus on the positives in life, at work and at home.
  
• Regularly expressing gratitude can help you stay focused, making you feel more alert and awake.
  
• Recognizing the positives in other people and saying thank you can help you hit the “reset” button on your relationships, making you more forgiving and compassionate toward others and toward yourself.
  
• Saying thank you to others also gives you a physical boost, helping to strengthen your immune system, lower your blood pressure, minimize stress, and even lessen pain.

What’s not to love about all those benefits? Gratitude is good, and it’s worth pausing to find the good and give thanks, especially in the workplace.

Expressing Gratitude for Your Drivers

How can you create a culture of gratitude in your business? Start with literally saying thanks. 

The life of a professional driver can be challenging in the best of times. And let’s face it, the last few years haven’t been the best! 

Take a few minutes to reflect on your drivers and the work they’re doing. Then think through ways to say thank you. If any drivers are visiting a corporate office, take time to express your gratitude for the work they’re doing face to face.

Similarly, if members of your leadership team regularly talk with drivers over the phone, that’s a good time to plant a bug of thanks, too. But you can also sprinkle gratitude in your company-wide messaging.

When you’re preparing your next weekly broadcast, put together a thoughtful message about the work your team is doing, why it’s important, and why you’re thankful. (And do it often.)

Saying thanks is definitely an important way of sharing gratitude, but you can also give thanks through your actions. If you have an employee feedback program like WorkHound in place, you’ve taken a good first step — you’re gathering real-time information about what your drivers need and want.

Armed with that information, you can take actions that will benefit your drivers and show them they’re valued. That’s the ultimate form of giving thanks, after all.

These may be good ways to say thanks, whether during the holiday season or at any time of year:

• Enhanced home time policies to allow drivers to more easily request time off the road as needed
• New uniforms or even nice company T-shirts that make drivers feel like part of the team
• Facility upgrades that benefit all members of your team, like restroom or break room enhancements
• Improved access to a good selection of food and drinks at your facilities
• Complimentary truck washes or other meaningful “freebies”
• Revised compensation for non-driving time, such as when a driver’s truck is in for maintenance work
• Policies that allow family or friends to travel along with the driver on occasion or even regularly

Say thank you to drivers by listening to their feedback — and putting that feedback into action!  Sign up for a demo to learn how we can help.