The Ultimate Guide to Setting a 2020 Retention Resolution

As we kick off 2020, let’s talk about our Retention Resolutions. We’re especially big fans of resolutions with retention in mind because if you’re having a tough time retaining drivers, it sounds like it’s time to resolve some driver concerns. In 2020, we’re challenging the industries we serve to prioritize employee retention in setting their New Years’ Resolution. 

Not only will a retention resolution help you build a better company culture, but with the cost-to-replace professional truck drivers skyrocketing, you’ll save money, too! 

So, here are the ultimate ways to get ahead in 2020. Trust us, it’s our expertise: 

• Ask for feedback: Your workers are the eyes and ears of your company. They see exactly what’s happening on the frontline and they’re the ones to prioritize in retention. Most importantly, asking for feedback is about going directly to your workers, not waiting for them to come to you. An open-door policy only works if workers can be near an open door.  
• Take action on feedback: If you have driver feedback within reach, what’s holding you back from doing something with it? As they say, time is money. Act now. 
• Make sure your team is ready for feedback: We’re always excited to ask for driver feedback, but it can be disheartening for your drivers (and WorkHound!) when you don’t do anything with the feedback. Before you kick start feedback as an employee perk, make sure your team is firing on all cylinders to listen to what drivers have to say and make changes based on their concerns. 
• Define your company’s culture: Oftentimes companies tell us in one or two words the culture they believe they have. Family Culture. Modern Culture. Tightknit. Why not take the chance to get specific in defining your culture? Your workers and new recruits could be counting on it. 
• Join an industry peer group: Seek out like-minded professionals who you can meet regularly to gain a fresh perspective and grasp new industry trends. If you can’t find a fellow industry leader in operations to connect with, reach out to WorkHound and we’ll be glad to get you plugged in. 
• Attend a trade show: Is there really a better way to understand the top industry trends if you aren’t seeing them up-close in action? Take a look at the upcoming ATA and TCA annual conferences, you’ll see us at both! 
• Have that tough conversation you’ve been avoiding: It goes without saying that confrontations are hard. Maybe you need to find the right words to have a coaching conversation with a peer or drivers are leaving critical feedback that could really shake things up. No matter what, hard conversations are meant for growth and we have some tips on why and how to take the first step here.  
• Re-evaluate your company’s retirement and benefits package: What would you do if you could easily jump ship for an employer down the street offering better benefits and more promising retirement planning? Professional truck drivers do it all the time, and for good reason. Drivers are leaving feedback that benefits and retirement matters, and yet, employers ignore their concerns. In 2020, listen, act, and respond. 
• Understand how your company proactively cares for mental health: For most drivers out on the road, life and work are synonymous and both become lonely and stressful. Make the effort to care for your drivers’ mental health because their wellness matters.  
• Use positive feedback, as well as examples of how you’ve taken action based on driver feedback in your recruiting materials: You could assume you know why drivers appreciate your company, or you could just ask. Then you’ll have a ton of great content in the form of driver testimonials for your recruiting materials or more specific insight about what needs to change for the better. It’s really a win-win. 
• Become a Top 20 Carrier: In 2019, we were proud to work with a handful of carriers named “Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For,” as determined by the Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge. Each of these carriers is making a positive difference in their drivers’ lives by implementing innovative programs. 

For our New Year’s Resolution, you can expect WorkHound to continuously evolve in serving our customers and the transportation sector to reduce industry-wide turnover. As mentioned in WorkHound CEO, Max Farrell’s, 2019 update, join us in looking forward to fulfilled product feature bucket list items, cutting edge data, and expansion into additional high-turnover workforces, like healthcare and other parts of the supply chain. 

To get started on your retention resolution, schedule a free consultation. We’d love to help you get 2020 started on the right track.