HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY TRUCKING BENEFITS PACKAGES MORE MERRY!
It’s that time of year again – the holiday season is upon us! We all look forward to the parties, gifts, and time with family that are a part of this time of year.
Of course, if you work in logistics, you know that this is also one of the busiest times of year, workwise. Parcel volume hit 20 billion packages in the United States in 2020. We won’t know the 2021 numbers until after the holidays pass, but we’re guessing that your drivers have plenty of work playing Santa Clause this year.
Surely, all of the busyness of holiday trucking has our readers thinking about driver recruiting and retention. The notorious driver shortage happening right now only further calls to attention how heavily companies rely on truckers this quarter. It’s not an ideal time to have to scramble for workers.
Having the right benefits and incentives in place can help. By offering a robust benefits package, you can alleviate a lot of the stress that steers truckers towards competitors. We’ve laid out three recommendations to attract new drivers and retain current employees below.
Three Benefits That Can Keep Your Drivers Happy During The Holiday Trucking Season
- Shorten the start dates for benefits packages – There’s no law that says benefits must start on day 90. In fact, in 2021 The National Transportation Institute saw some companies start benefits within the first month! Pushing up a benefits package start date can foster goodwill amongst your drivers and incentivize them to start sooner, and then stick around, especially during pandemic times.
- Push up 401(k) start dates – Every year, The National Transportation hears consistently from fleets that 401(k)s have the lowest participation rate of a total benefits package. That’s because drivers are not always committed to their employers on day one. The solution is to offer frequent opportunities to enroll in a company 401(k) as a driver matures within your company. Reflect good will by making it easy to enroll and remind them often of the value now, and later by participating.Drivers don’t want to be in a position of not being able to retire down the road. None of us do! The more you can prove that your fleet is a home to your truckers, the more they will envision a future with you, including participation in retirement benefits. By offering early and regular access to a retirement program, you can prove to your drivers that you are invested in their future, and encourage them to stay with you.
- Add in holiday pay – Holiday trucking conditions aren’t easy. Drivers potentially have to work through bad weather and holiday traffic, not to mention missing holiday traditions at home with their families. And all the while, they are the ones who make much of the holiday season possible. Why not give them a little something to thank them for their hard work?Holiday bonus pay, and ensuring that they receive their salary if they are taking time off for the holidays, is exactly the type of gift that your drivers would love to get from you. (It’s also helping some retailers retain workers over the holiday season.)
We feel a lot of gratitude for The National Transportation Institute community at this time of the year. All we enjoy during the holiday season is because a Professional Driver delivered, and with your support. Thank you for making this season possible, and happy holidays from all of us at The National Transportation Institute!
