How to Boost Driver Morale as Fleet Manager After Dispatch School

Keeping morale high is important for any person who is managing staff members. In the case of being a fleet manager, it is no different. Being a truck driver is demanding because truck drivers are often on long-haul drives, which can be draining. As their manager, you must be able to implement morale-boosting measures to keep them happy and willing to work. There are methods you can utilize for this, which work alongside the morale-boosting measures you learn during dispatch training.

If you want to discover ways to boost the morale of your drivers as a fleet manager, continue reading.

Keep Open Communication and Listen to Feedback

During dispatch school, you learn about communicating openly with drivers–a crucial part of boosting and maintaining morale. People naturally like being heard and feeling valued, and this is what having open and honest communication does. This mustn’t be a one-way street where you are the only one who can express anything. Arranging meetings, reviews, and calls with your drivers will effectively ensure they can express their feedback and opinions.

It’s important to listen to driver feedback. If they suggest an idea, for example, to change the route or to increase the time allocated for a route, it is important to consider this. Don’t just acknowledge it and move forward. Consider what the driver says, and even if their idea is refused, explain why. If accepted, thank them for their input and let them know they are valued. Doing this and having open communication will allow you to tackle problems before they escalate.

Set Goals After Dispatch School

Setting goals and achieving them is a great way to boost the morale of your drivers as a fleet manager. People feel great when they reach an objective and show their value. The key is to set goals that challenge your drivers while remaining obtainable. Ensure the goals you set align with the company’s goals, such as reducing delivery times or increasing deliveries made, for instance. An easy way to implement this is using SMART goals;

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Achievable

R – Relevant

T – Timely

An example of this is setting a goal for drivers to complete 20 deliveries each month for the next six months. It is specific to them and what they need to do. It is measurable in that the deliveries are tracked. It is achievable because they may do one delivery daily, so 20 per month is possible. It is relevant to them as drivers being able to complete their work. Lastly, it is timely since they have a specific time frame to achieve the goal, namely six months.

During dispatch training, you will learn to set different goals for different drivers to increase morale. Overall the key is to make them feel like they are contributing to the company and its success. If possible, it is also good to incentivize goal achievement to encourage this further – showing that hard-working individuals are valued. This will help boost morale and show drivers that hard work pays off. 

Keep Drivers Healthy as Taught in Dispatch Training

As taught in dispatch training, the health of your staff is vitally important. As drivers are seated for extended periods and could be involved in accidents while on duty, safety and health incentives will help boost their morale. A great way to help with this is by providing medical insurance and medical care when needed.

If your drivers feel safe working for your company and their needs are met, their morale will increase. Overall, healthy employees are happy employees with great morale who will be able to work more efficiently.

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