As recent employment numbers show, trucking is exploding. The immediate need for drivers from companies across the nation highlights an acute problem. The trucking industry could immediately fill over 25,000 driving positions.
In order to keep up with freight volumes, carriers will need to fill a minimum of 100,000 positions per year for the next ten years; truly staggering numbers. The lack of qualified truck drivers compounds the problem. There simply isn’t a wide enough pipeline of new people to replace those that are retiring.
|
|
As a result, fleets are turning to technology to give themselves a competitive edge. As they wrangle for a small pool of experienced drivers, companies are pulling out the digital recruiting stops.
Let the Software Do It
Previously, truck driver applicants had to fill out a standard-issue form that recruiters printed out and reviewed by hand. It then went into a file cabinet. Gone are those days.
As fleets ramp up their recruiting efforts, they turn to web-based recruiting systems to get it done. One way they are doing this is through combining third-party ad agencies with web-based software systems. Together, they generate leads and streamline recruiting efforts.
Based on the information gleaned through ad agency analytics, interested truck drivers fill out an online application located within the web-based software. The software first analyzes how the applicant answered certain questions. Depending on the answers, the software ditches the application before it even gets to the recruiters desk.
The software will typically disqualify up to 15 percent of the job applicants. Once applicants pass the first level of qualifications, the software then assigns the recruiter.
Where once the recruiter would have had to immediately step in to evaluate the applicant, now entire chunks of work are handled by the system itself, freeing up time and efficiencies without eliminating jobs.
|
|
Recruiting Gets Analytical
The data generated from who the company decides to hire is fed back to an ad agency where it is used to create a profile. The truck driver profiles matching those most likely to succeed and stay for the long term are then plugged into the ad agency’s recruiting efforts.
New systems allow fleets to keep track of the entire process digitally, from applicant qualifications to background checks and onboarding. Recruiters use e-mail and spreadsheets to keep track of information in concert with databases available within their web-based HR management programs.
In addition to advanced dashboards that can be customized to show recruiters only what they need to know, some solutions offer a myriad of workflow tasks. An employment background report becomes only a mouse click away.
Graphical design tools and flow charts allow recruiters to customize workflow and streamline decision-making. Models can be formed to fit a business’ particular design rules. A bi-directional flow of information combined with powerful analytics helps identify markets where the fleet is getting their best drivers.
The Final Steps
Once a recruiter has made an employment offer, the software is then used to schedule the new-hire for orientation and training. The software can both send notification emails and provide a portal for applications to check on the process as it unfolds.
When a driver is hired, all the information obtained in the process can be transferred directly into the software mainframe, which in some cases is in the cloud. If a driver quits or is terminated, the software easily allows HR to mark whether or not they are eligible for hire.
|
|
Many of today’s web-based software solutions span the entire lifecycle of truck driver management from recruiting to exit interviews. Tools are coming online that offer online job applications, complex workflow tools, and integration with third-party systems. Being cross-compatible is especially important as fleets attempt to align disparate operations.
As fleets scrabble for an ever-decreasing pool of qualified drivers, companies will step in to fill a technological need. Organizations will do whatever it takes for a recruiting edge. As a result, expect technological solutions to only increase over time.
[…] methods can help the trucking industry in a variety of ways. Not only are these systems a great way to teach new truckers, but they can also help combat the seemingly never-ending employment […]