The trucking industry is unique in that your team is very rarely, if ever, in the same location at the same time. It’s even different from companies with a large number of virtual employees because truckers don’t necessarily work on the same schedule, nor do they work collaboratively on projects or join together for meetings. The culture this creates is unique. WorkHound understands this difference because we have spent so many years working with companies in the trucking industry. We know the nuances of the trucking industry and its unique needs. 

One key point we firmly understand is that this unique culture can lead to your drivers feeling as if they have no voice in the decision-making process. They may not believe they have any ownership in the company, and that leaves them feeling uninvested in its success.

WorkHound creates a more open and collaborative culture by giving everyone, regardless of their position, the opportunity to make their voice heard. The result is that everyone feels respected and that they are part of the process.

We build trust. Drivers and other team members need to know that leadership has their backs. They need to feel respected, valued, and safe. Employees want to feel secure in their employment, but that isn’t always the case. Learning what your staff wants and working with them to meet those needs builds trust and reduces the “us versus them” mentality that often affects frontline employees and management.

Part of building this trust is to create a system that places value on employees. This is what our technology is primarily aimed at—ensuring that everyone, no matter what role they play, feels that their time and skills are valued.

You can use the information gained from the WorkHound messages to do this in several ways. First, the feedback may highlight where compensation is lacking or what benefits employees wish they had but do not currently have access to. Some may have been burned at a previous employer and still feel the stress from being underpaid or going without insurance benefits. Others may be new to the industry and are uncertain how their pay even works. They may be hesitant to ask these questions for fear that management will think they don’t understand their job.

With anonymous feedback, you are more likely to get honest comments and questions. This gives you the opportunity to revise pay policies by adding clarity and ensuring that all pay is accurate. It also highlights any medical or mental health initiatives your employees need but that are not currently provided. Providing these services, especially if other employers have not, may boost retention more than a small pay raise.

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WorkHound messages aren’t just for negative feedback, though. We encourage employees to provide positive feedback or shoutouts to co-workers who have gone above and beyond. This allows you to see what parts of your culture are healthy and working as intended. It also gives insight into which employees have management potential or may be open to taking on leadership roles.

While it’s vital to understand what isn’t working or what incentives are missing, it’s just as important to hear the positive. You can provide recognition to those employees who do boost morale and help others. Doing so makes these employees feel valued, improving the likelihood that they will remain with your company.

One of the keys to retention is to determine the right incentives. Employees expect certain things from their employer. Answering their questions and improving or correcting issues they report via those WorkHound messages will help you meet these expectations. However, many of your competitors may already be meeting or even exceeding expectations.

That’s where incentives come in. Incentives may be seen as going above and beyond what employees expect from a job. Using the praise and other information from the responses you get allows you to determine what incentives will have the best response from your team.

For example, if employees have commented that work/life balance is important to them, you may add more autonomous dispatching (or flex scheduling)  or time off. Drivers may indicate that comfort is important to them. They may be more inclined to stay with your company if you provide them with additional comforts such as high-quality blankets, refrigerators in their trucks, and other items.

This information should also help you identify the wrong assumptions you have. For example, employees may indicate that they don’t often use the coffee gift cards the company gives out for holidays or as awards for doing well. You may get better retention rates and feedback if you change this reward.