Driving Force: Tips for Retaining and Retraining Your Furloughed Drivers for the Spring
Stay in Communication
- Ask drivers if they are interested in returning to work. Oftentimes, drivers may have taken another driving position in delivery, but they intend to return once work becomes available. It is important to ask each driver regardless of their current position.
- Regularly communicate with drivers through:
- Newsletters
- Text Messages
- Phone Calls
- Emails
- Company or Driver Facebook page
- Keep them engaged in any group activities, events or zoom meetings
- Provide valuable resources that may help them during furlough:
- Unemployment info
- Updates on benefits, paid time off
- New opportunities for work within the company
On the Road Again
- Rotate opportunities to drive as your business picks up.
- Use available training programs to keep them engaged and build skills.
- Look for cross-training opportunities.
- If possible, with your business strategy, keep on the payroll using PPP or other applicable relief funds.
- Make sure all rules and regulations are adhered to including road test, reviews and CDL compliance.
- Maintain compliance with drug testing. If a driver has been removed from the testing pool, they will need pre-employment drug screen before returning to work.
- Make sure systems and logins are up to date for drivers such as passwords and logs.
- Check your attendance policies and where possible be flexible and incentivize returning to driving.
- Train drivers on new COVID policies, protocols and procedures as well as maintaining and making available PPE supplies.
