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One of the biggest issues in transportation, if not the biggest, is the driver shortage. Carriers nationwide are struggling to find — and keep — qualified drivers. If you find yourself in this situation, one of the best things you can do is to pair up your new drivers with a mentor. When done right, a mentoring program can help you retain drivers, develop drivers’ skills, and create a more welcoming culture.
Before assigning mentors to new employees, make sure your carrier has clearly defined goals, format, and roles for the program:
Now that you have identified your program’s goals and roles, it’s time to fill those roles. It’s imperative that you recruit mentors who want to be in the role. Forcing drivers to be mentors will likely backfire, as disgruntled or overworked drivers are less likely to take the role seriously or to give new drivers a positive view of the company.
It’s also a good idea to have more mentors than you’ll actually need at any one time. Mentoring can be a time- and energy-consuming role, so plan to rotate mentors and make sure everyone gets a break once in a while.
Having great mentors is half the battle, but they can’t be successful if they don’t receive the support they need. Train new mentors on how to coach and provide both positive and constructive feedback. Host an open house or other orientation to give mentors and mentees a time to meet for the first time and to learn about the goals and benefits of the mentoring program. Then, set aside time for mentors and mentees to meet on a regular basis. Provide resources to mentors that cover the skills and topics that you want them to discuss with their mentees. Most importantly, talk about the mentoring program often. Highlight successes and make sure all employees, from leadership down, know the value of the program.
As mentees exit the mentoring program, take the time to interview them about their mentoring experience. Ask for their suggestions for the program. If there are aspects of the program that don’t seem to be working, make a change! Also collect data on employee retention, incident records, customer feedback, and job satisfaction and compare to data collected before you began your mentoring program. Once a mentoring program is well developed and entrenched in the carrier’s culture, you should see positive changes that will have far-reaching benefits.
A driver-mentoring program can help an employer bolster training and provide additional support to new CDL drivers.
One of the biggest issues in transportation, if not the biggest, is the driver shortage. Carriers nationwide are struggling to find — and keep — qualified drivers. If you find yourself in this situation, one of the best things you can do is to pair up your new drivers with a mentor. When done right, a mentoring program can help you retain drivers, develop drivers’ skills, and create a more welcoming culture.
Before assigning mentors to new employees, make sure your carrier has clearly defined goals, format, and roles for the program:
Now that you have identified your program’s goals and roles, it’s time to fill those roles. It’s imperative that you recruit mentors who want to be in the role. Forcing drivers to be mentors will likely backfire, as disgruntled or overworked drivers are less likely to take the role seriously or to give new drivers a positive view of the company.
It’s also a good idea to have more mentors than you’ll actually need at any one time. Mentoring can be a time- and energy-consuming role, so plan to rotate mentors and make sure everyone gets a break once in a while.
Having great mentors is half the battle, but they can’t be successful if they don’t receive the support they need. Train new mentors on how to coach and provide both positive and constructive feedback. Host an open house or other orientation to give mentors and mentees a time to meet for the first time and to learn about the goals and benefits of the mentoring program. Then, set aside time for mentors and mentees to meet on a regular basis. Provide resources to mentors that cover the skills and topics that you want them to discuss with their mentees. Most importantly, talk about the mentoring program often. Highlight successes and make sure all employees, from leadership down, know the value of the program.
As mentees exit the mentoring program, take the time to interview them about their mentoring experience. Ask for their suggestions for the program. If there are aspects of the program that don’t seem to be working, make a change! Also collect data on employee retention, incident records, customer feedback, and job satisfaction and compare to data collected before you began your mentoring program. Once a mentoring program is well developed and entrenched in the carrier’s culture, you should see positive changes that will have far-reaching benefits.
A driver-mentoring program can help an employer bolster training and provide additional support to new CDL drivers.