Do you know the signs of burnout? Many fleet managers put a focus on health and wellness – and so they should – but far too few talks about burnout. Burnout is a major problem and direct outgrowth from excessive stress. Truck drivers who experience burnout are subject to stress factors not always in their control.
Truck drivers are constantly on the move. As such, it isn’t always easy to pinpoint the signs of burnout. And when stress and burnout are not addressed, truck driver turnover increases. It is a simple inevitability. On-the-job stress has also been linked to more frequent workplace accidents, lower productivity, and performance issues.
Many people assume these factors are just a result of work. Yet far too many people have become desensitized to unacceptable work stress simply because they think it is normal. The fact is real mental illnesses and personality disorders need to be treated outside of work. They are not a natural outgrowth of work.
What is Employee Burnout?
Since COVID-19 first began sending people into lockdown in 2020, people reported experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression. In fact, a study completed by Brown University found that depression rates tripled during the first year of the pandemic. And how does this relate? Well, depression, anxiety, and burnout are all related.
The word ‘burnout’ is thrown around far too casually nowadays. Many people use the word burnout to describe a situation where they are tired or need a vacation. Yet burnout is a specified medical condition with a full list of symptoms. Burnout at a company is usually regarded as a systemic issue within an organization. Left unchecked, workplace stress will inevitably lead to employee burnout. Put simply, burnout is something humans experience because of chronic stress.
It is important to catch burnout when it is in its early stages. Early on, burnout generally impacts a single individual. But as it metastasizes and begins to spread to other employees, burnout and stress negatively impact all aspects of the job. And few employees are spared its effects.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to addressing when your employees experience burnout is to open the lines of communication. Provide clearly stated and realistic goals and expectations. And, most importantly, remember that your employees are human beings, not just your workers.
How Does Burnout Manifest Itself?
Burnout is also multi-faceted and manifests itself in different ways. First, it appears as exhaustion. Exhaustion related to burnout is more than just feeling physically tired. It is about feeling chronically tired, tired through to your bones. Exhaustion impacts people of all shapes, sizes, and walks of life.
Exhaustion is an extremely undesirable feeling, but another one to watch out for is cynicism. And what is exhaustion left unchecked if not cynicism? Once an employee views your organization through a cynical lens, they will have lost all moral authority. Once cynicism sets in, those within your company will believe that the organization lacks integrity. This, in turn, can lead to disparaging and critical behavior.
Address cynicism through feedback. Use surveys to find out if there is interpersonal or interdepartmental conflict or exhaustion. Look for those who may have challenging communication styles. Seek out employees and truck drivers who feel disrespected or undervalued. The underlying problem could be burnout.
One final cause of burnout and excessive workplace stress is inefficacy. When a truck driver or other employee feels unproductive, it manifests itself as inefficacy. And it doesn’t matter whether the inefficacy stems from a lack of skills, tools, or other resources – all are a problem. Ensure truck drivers are properly notified of changing equipment or changing regulatory needs. Remember, once a truck driver feels ineffective or underappreciated, they will likely start looking for a new employer.
Tips to Avoid the Burnout Trap
Fortunately, you’ve got tools in your toolkit. There are proven methodologies you can use to address the root causes of burnout. One of the easiest ways to prevent exhaustion is to provide your truck drivers with as many opportunities to get home as possible. Not only will your truck drivers thank you, but they will get quality sleep, which keeps exhaustion at bay.
Driving big rigs can also be a lonely job. Trucking companies with a focus on their employees put an emphasis on mental health resources. They also offer resources to truck drivers when they are out sick. This is especially important during the time of a global pandemic. In many cases, truck drivers may be far away from their primary care provider. Do you have a policy in place to find them a doctor when they need one?
It is important to create a culture where your people feel comfortable coming to you and saying “Hey, I am not okay, and I need some help.” The last thing you want is your truck drivers hiding their feelings and then their emotional state only gets worse over time. This will impact everyone up and down the employee chain.
People who experience burnout often find themselves dreading going to work when they wake up in the morning. They become easily distracted and significantly less productive. It’s important for employers to be aware of burnout as well as to have an open line of communication with management and human resources.
Provide Competitive Benefits for Your Truckers
Do your wages align with the market you operate in? Is your pay competitive when evaluated next to your competitors? If you are not paying your truck drivers what they deserve, they are likely to look elsewhere for better compensation. At that point, you’ve lost a valuable worker over something you have total control over.
Make sure you also promote respect for your truck drivers and show them recognition for a job well done. It also might not be a bad idea to hold events and meetups at your headquarters so that your truck drivers and other employees can get to know each other better. It is also important to ensure new truck drivers spend some time on the road with experienced drivers. You must have a coaching and mentoring program in place for new operators.
Try to schedule extra time for new customers or accounts that cause extra headaches. In the past, we have advised our readers to get rid of shippers that make life difficult for your truck drivers. Still, that isn’t always possible. That’s why it is important to ensure expectations are properly aligned for both your shipping partners and truck drivers.
Ensure a Path to Success
Reversing feelings of inadequacy is not easy. But with the proper focus, you can do it. Ensure your expectations are clear and that your truck drivers feel like they have a clear path to succeed in the organization. If your employees don’t feel like they have a path to success, they will feel like they are in a dead-end job. Employees who feel unappreciated or stagnant will quickly look for other companies that offer more opportunities for growth.
Fleet managers should also schedule regular check-ins with their truck drivers, technicians, and back-office workers. After all, you won’t know what the problems are unless you ask your people about them. Those you check in with will feel appreciated and listened to. In turn, they will be more motivated to do a good job.
The people who work for you won’t get very far unless you provide them with the tools and resources they need to do so. Provide adequate training resources and social support within internal teams. Come up with additional training seminars, webinars, wellness programs, and stress-relief activities and programs. Demonstrate your desire to help by emphasizing the various programs and benefits designed to ease stress and prevent unnecessary burnout.
Finally, ensure your managers properly communicate with your truck drivers. Communication should always emphasize appreciation, self-worth, and recognition. These efforts must be consistent across the organization if you want to see actionable results. In the end, remember that burnout and stress are motivation killers. Focus on eliminating them and watch your productivity and employee satisfaction rise.