You may not have considered the gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability and background of your truck drivers and staff, but this is an important topic for trucking companies. Actively seeking truck driver diversity among your applicants gives you the opportunity to gain unique insights from your truck drivers and expand the sense of community among the employees in your trucking company.
Who needs diverse truck drivers and staff?
All industries, including the trucking industry, can benefit from prioritizing diversity and inclusion. Your trucking company should put some thought into considering the benefits of accurately representing genders, races, ages, abilities and more when selecting your truck drivers, back-office staff and leadership.
What does diversity in the trucking industry look like?
A sustainability survey in 2020 received results from respondents declaring that 64% identified their trucking company as being 51% owned and operated by members of one or more diverse groups. Also in 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that women made up 12.4% of the trucking workforce. In 2018, 40.4% of truck drivers identified as minorities according to the 2019 American Trucking Associations’ Truck Driver Shortage Analysis.
These numbers are steadily rising and making room for diversity due to an expanding industry, driver shortages and retirements. Your trucking company can be a direct contributor in this increasing attention to diversity and inclusion.
What do diverse truck drivers and staff have to offer?
Having a diverse group of employees means new perspectives and different experiences that can be used to help solve problems, increase efficiencies and improve overall business practices. Who doesn’t want a blend of great ideas from diverse people who will be motivated to enact those ideas and ultimately help your trucking company perform better?
Diversity and inclusion also look good to the public and to future candidates. It shows that your trucking company respects and values the benefits that diversity brings into the workplace. This respect is proven through inclusion by creating opportunities for growth and success.
When should you plan to hire diverse truck drivers and staff?
You can start today! The Great Resignation has put a dent in the number of truck drivers out there, so if you’re hiring truck drivers, office staff and decision-makers you can consider diverse candidates more closely. If you’re not receiving any applications from diverse truck drivers, then you can start campaigns or initiatives to attract diverse candidates to your trucking company. Campaign ideas can include hiring bonuses, help paying for CDL licensing, employee-focused health and wellness initiatives and more.
Why prioritize diversity for your trucking fleet?
Most people want to work somewhere with others who look and think like them. This is the same for truck drivers, back-office staff and leadership in trucking companies. This reassures employees they are working for a trucking company they can trust who values their differences and takes their needs into consideration. Inclusion is just as important as diversity, and they work hand-in-hand to address the unique needs of your employees.
When candidates can’t see your efforts at diversity and inclusion, or if they don’t believe your efforts are cohesive and valid, they may turn down offers of employment or not apply at all. Unflattering rumors and a bad reputation regarding diversity in your trucking company can affect the outcome of your hiring efforts. If you have a diverse trucking fleet, you’re likely to attract other qualified and diverse truck drivers and candidates.
Contact RTS today to help you streamline your operations with increased cash flow and back-office support!