DON JERRELL
Associate VP

The greatest tool for recruiting drivers is managing your retention.  When you have retention, then your own drivers are your recruiters. 

Your internal brand is how your own employees perceive your company.  If they like working for you, they’re a better recruiting resource than all of your other efforts combined.  Are you tapping into your own people for driver recruiting?

The Goal of Your Internal Brand

The goal of your internal brand is simple: to be known as a great place to work.

What is the “perception” of your company to your own drivers?  Be honest in your evaluation of this.  Are you really “different” or are you “just like all the other companies?”  Do employees tell others what they like about their job, or do they complain about it after punching out for the day?

Do Some Recon: Find Out What They’re Saying Online

Google your company and see if drivers are talking about you on social media, forums or driver boards.  This can be a real eye opener.

If you do find negative comments online, don’t jump to track down the employee that posted it – instead, take a look in the mirror and see what you could do to turn that perception around in the first place.

Conduct an Employee / Driver Survey

One way to begin to gauge your internal brand is to just ask people what they think via a survey. 

If you do a survey, make sure it’s completely anonymous so employees feel comfortable speaking their mind freely.  If possible, offer some kind of incentive for completing it to ensure good response rates.  (50% or more is generally considered pretty good for this type of thing.)

Look at Day-to-Day Processes and How Employees Work

Day-to-day processes and procedures contribute to your internal brand.  Inefficient processes have a major impact on how people feel about their job – and they’re one of the things people tend to complain about the most when they punch out for the day.

Get drivers involved in developing your processes and procedures.  Don’t just get drivers involved for the “feel good” factor – take their input and actually use it to improve. 

Ask for Feedback and Opinions

What processes do you have in place with regards to getting employees’ ideas and opinions?  Actively solicit their input – and then make sure you follow up with anyone who does offer feedback.

Your drivers and front line employees know their jobs better than anyone, so they may have the best suggestions for where to improve.  Letting them know that you’re listening and trying to make things better for them can go a long way in improving what they’re thinking and telling others about the company.

Build Morale by Connecting Employees to Each Other

Make sure new employees are introduced to others in the company.  This is especially important for drivers who spend little time in the office.  Feeling connected to others has a huge impact on morale and retention.

A mentoring program for new hires and drivers is a great way to do this.  They can guide the employee through any problems, make sure they get to know people, and be a resource for any other needs.  Communicate expectations well and choose mentors carefully – some have the personality for this, while others might not.

Connect Employees to the Organizational Mission

Sharing information about the company’s progress and goals can be inspiring to employees at every level.  For drivers who aren’t often at the home office, also helps them feel more connected to the company.  Having a sense of the “big picture” and where they fit into it can be very motivating and inspire greater loyalty to the organization. 

Recruiting Drivers Starts with Retention

By retaining drivers and giving them a reason to enjoy working for your organization, you’ll exponentially increase your recruiting team.  The word-of-mouth testimony they can provide is better than anything else you can do to recruit more drivers!

Related Posts:

Reducing Driver Turnover: Why Do Good Drivers Quit?

Recruiting Drivers: Play to Your Company's Strengths

How to Get a Copy of a Roadside Inspection Report

The Top 10 Ingredients of a High Performing Driver Scorecard