How well do you know your drivers?
The answer to that can never be too well, and if you don’t know them well enough, consider changing that. They are the face of your company and their misdeeds, while accidental, can have a major impact on your business’ reputation.
The fine handed down to Stagecoach after one of its double-deckers crashed into a supermarket, killing two people, is at the far extreme of what can happen if proper control and due diligence is not exercised, but it should serve as a warning to every operator.
Gone are the days when a driver required little more than a licence and a pulse, and was paid commensurately.
Standards are now much higher and the responsibility for ensuring that they are met is the operator’s as much as it is the driver’s. Technology is available that helps to judge their performance – although it is only of any use if the data that it generates is acted upon.
While some problems will be obvious if a degree of attention is given, others are less so. And it’s not just among driving staff that they exist; mental health is a matter of concern across the board, and it can be an issue for any employee.
Looking for signs of health problems among staff, whether they are easy to spot or not, is an important part of a manager’s job. And the best part of it is that if you’re able to help, not only may you have prevented an embarrassing moment for your business, but you’ve also ticked the caring employer box, and with staff shortages common, being considered thus is something that cannot be over-valued.
