Let’s face it: Truck driving doesn’t exactly have the best reputation for being a healthy lifestyle, and the amenities and circumstances drivers find themselves in don’t exactly facilitate optimal health.
You can change this perception as a fleet manager or haulage firm owner. By supporting your drivers in maintaining good health and self-care, you can improve your company’s reputation and reduce health incidents and absences due to lifestyle factors.
As a manager, you play a crucial role in promoting the health of your drivers. Your actions and decisions can significantly impact their well-being.
I’m sharing about this topic because I’m a bestselling wellness author and leading Behavioral Change Expert, and love to help people to live healthier lives.
So, what can you do to ensure your drivers are as happy and healthy as possible?
Providing education to your drivers on healthy foods, how to maintain good posture when driving, the prevalence of truck driver skin damage and how to prevent it, as well as strategies for boosting mental and physical health on the road can all be valuable resources that can work towards helping drivers make better lifestyle decisions.
Things like water for drinking on the road, healthy snacks, protein bars, etc., for rivers to take with them can reduce the need to spot unhealthy snacks and help them make better food choices. While you can’t force grown adults to eat better, like with kids, you can direct them to better choices by making food available for them on-site or to takeout on the road.
You can either provide amenities like mini refrigerators for their home-cooked meals or prepared foods or cool boxes to store homemade food and drink in, or you can supply exercise equipment, or you can provide them a list of truck stops or places to shop that can help them do that. Maybe there is a complex on their route offering healthy meals and has a gym. This way, they can get out, get some good food, and work out without going too far out of their way. Alternatively, providing a gym membership for them to use when they’re not working can be a great way to help them stay in good health.
Long-distance driving can be isolating, especially for those driving alone for many hours. As a manager, it’s important to understand and empathize with this. Emphasizing the value of taking breaks and connecting with loved ones can significantly support your drivers’ mental health while on the road. Your care and concern for their well-being will not go unnoticed.
Talk to your drivers about what would work best for them and allow them to participate in (legal) activities that can help them boost their mental health. For example, as mentioned above, hitting the gym on breaks or rest stops, having internet connections to video call their kids or spouses, or providing entertainment for downtime to help them unwind can all be valuable resources to provide drivers with for prolonged periods on the road.
Ensuring the health and well-being of your drivers on a daily basis can not only boost your workplace couture but also ensure that your drivers are fit and well to do the job; it can reduce employee absences and give your company the best reputation possible.
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