As a fleet fuel card company, we know the success of a fleet is based largely on its drivers – drivers are the ones who transport products, so they define how many products reach a destination and how long they take to get there. They also determine how much gas is used and how each vehicle is treated.
If you put all of those factors together, drivers affect your sales numbers, delivery times, fuel budget, and vehicle maintenance necessities. So how can you keep them motivated?
Awards
Who doesn’t like winning awards? By creating workmanship awards for your fleet drivers, you can motivate them to work harder in order to win. Try creating awards like “Best Traffic Record”, “Best Driving Partner”, “Fleet Driver of the Year”, “Highest Road Safety Score”, and more. You’ll give your drivers something to reach for.
Personal Life Interest
Many business studies have shown that if a boss shows interest in the personal lives of his/her employees, employees will be motivated to work harder. By asking simple questions about personal interests, family members, and past experiences, you can build a level of trust with your fleet drivers that will inspire them to help the company succeed.
Bonuses
Bonuses like cash or extra vacation days are an easy way to motivate fleet drivers. You can reward the driver with the most deliveries, the driver who is most on-time, etc. with a little extra in their paycheck or a bonus Friday off from work.
Words of Praise
It sounds too easy, but words of praise can go a long way. Make it a point to recognize the accomplishments of your fleet drivers and thank them for their hard work. You can do things like send them monthly email, attach a post-it note to their paycheck, announce their accomplishments to others on the team, or simply shake their hand and show your appreciation. After that, they’ll be eager to please you again.
Lunches
Company lunches are a fun way to take a break from working and can make your drivers happy, which in turn makes them more motivated to work. Try holding a monthly lunch for the hardest workers, or selecting a random name every week and taking that person to lunch.
Goal Logs
When you have a goal to work towards, you’ll be more motivated to reach it, so have your fleet drivers set goals. Each month, create a goal log and have each driver write down his/her goal for the month. Then, create a small prize and hand it out to the people that reach their goals.