Millennials are a tough nut to crack for many industries. However, for the U.S. trucking industry, which continues to experience a driver shortage, millennials could offer a unique opportunity and investment to sustain and grow a fleet in the long-term. But such an investment requires getting young drivers to invest in the fleet’s mission, too.
Trucking can be a tough sell to younger generations who place a great emphasis on having a work-life balance,. The long, arduous hours and limited time-off for truckers can be challenging for millennials to see past. One way to overcome these perceptions is to evaluate the fleet’s workplace culture and integrate an emphasis on work-life balance. For example, offer adequate time off, create flexible schedules, and provide reliable WiFi in cabs so drivers can more easily stay in touch with family and friends along their journey.
Speaking of the journey, appealing to the experiential side of trucking can be helpful in appealing to millennials. Millennials are a Wanderlust generation who want to connect to, and share with, the world. For example, cab Wifi could also be promoted as a way for drivers to share their travels and experiences on social media or a travel blog in their own authentic way. If the fleet integrates this idea of adventure and travel into their mission, then millennials are more likely to want to work for a company that values opportunities to live life.
Another way to get young drivers invested in the fleet’s mission is to align the mission with sustainable and socially-responsible practices. Millennials work for a purpose, not just a paycheck. Many want companies to positively impact the environment. Some millennials are even willing to take a pay cut to work for a socially-responsible company or a company who shares their values. Finding ways to reduce the fleet’s carbon footprint would be one way to win over millennials. Since they are also tech-savvy, implementing innovative technologies, like Vnomics’ True Fuel™ to improve the fuel efficiency of the fleet, would align with millennials’ socially-conscious mentality, and would make them more likely to invest their careers in a fleet that’s trying to make a difference.
Healthcare and education are two important things that millennials deeply value, so ensuring that the fleet offers a robust benefits package, even voluntary insurances that bolster the insurance offerings without impacting the fleet’s bottom-line, as well as educational opportunities would also entice a younger driver to invest in the fleet. In fact, a study found that 76 percent of millennials say that benefits customization is an effective way to increase their job loyalty.
In addition to a more comprehensive benefits package, offering cabs that have access to educational platforms, such as Rosetta Stone, for example, would appeal to those millennials who want to intellectually and emotionally grow while they work.
Overall, a millennial is concerned with lifestyle. If a fleet were to invest in the personal growth and lifestyle of younger drivers, they would appear sympathetic of and empowering to their aspirations. A fleet that is perceived by prospective drivers as one that cares about its employees would more likely draw in younger drivers, and this attitude would deepen their investment in the fleet’s mission, and want to help contribute to their success.