Hey Barkeep

Early in my career, I assigned a manager to a problem terminal facility. His mandate: turn the place around.

The first thing he did was paint the reception area, the offices, and the drivers’ room. Next, he revamped and reorganized the workstations.

Then, he hung up his “Teamwork” poster. He scheduled meetings with every terminal employee and owner-operator to outline his expectations and his commitment to open and honest communication.

Within a year, this so-called problem terminal facility went from being the worst in the company to one of the most productive. Turnover fell, morale rose, and teamwork prevailed. Productivity, budget compliance, and safety measures all improved. Profitability quickly followed.

Nothing says more about your work culture and the standards you place on your staff than the pride you show in your place of business. It’s a fact that people work more productively and are more satisfied, focused, and effective when they actually enjoy their work environment.

And this is truly a hallmark of real winners.

Successful fleets set expectations higher for themselves than do their less profitable competitors. They also provide staff with professional work environments, execute well-conceived business plans, offer above-average pay, and provide training and support to staff.

The unfortunate reality is that not every trucking carrier can deliver on this list. And those that can’t tend to operate on the financial edge.
They seem to lack a robust business plan and get by picking loads off the link, putting trucks on the road and drivers behind the wheel.

This is reflected in the quality of their workplace and their vulnerability to market pressures, such as fuel price hikes and staffing shortages.

Of course it’s not all about keeping an office bright and tidy. A commitment to high standards is also needed. One of the first things I look for when I enter a company’s offices is whether a mission statement is displayed. A clear mission statement sets expectations for integrity, employee and customer respect, and workplace safety. People need to see this every time they work, and what better place to do this than in the front office?

However, commitment to a work standard doesn’t end at the front door, especially in a trucking business. Every one of your drivers — who probably conduct more company business on the roads than at the office — should also commit to that standard.

For example, one Maritime owner developed a detailed set of rules that clearly outlined expectations for his professional drivers. The owner then reviewed every one of these rules during each candidate’s initial interview.

One rule stated that no speeding violations would be tolerated. The first offence would mean a one-on-one meeting with the owner. A second rap would lead to dismissal.

Another rule required drivers to follow hours-of-service regulations. Any violations would lead to remedial training. And if an HOS offence involved log falsification, the driver would be fired.

Driver candidates had to sign-off on each rule. The reward not only included a job with the company, but also above-average compensation.

These rules were not limited to the drivers. Even management was required to sign a corporate code of conduct — a code that committed them to working within industry laws and the company’s own mission statement.

Creating expectations is one thing. Communicating them and then rewarding those who meet them are crucial subsequent steps.

Finally, expectations and standards require flexibility. Without periodic monitoring and review, your people will get complacent. They’ll neglect the rules. Your entire plan will be rendered irrelevant.

This is perhaps worse than not having any expressed standards at all.