For decades, consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) have provided critical data to employers looking to hire qualified drivers. These reports have helped companies make more informed hiring decisions by aggregating criminal and motor vehicle records (MVRs), employment history and education verification – among other data. However, as the job market becomes increasingly competitive, these companies must evolve to meet the changing needs of their clients. To help clients expand their applicant pools while effectively managing risk to retain drivers, new approaches are needed for both pre-hire and post-hire practices.
Get Your Free Checklist: Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Top-Notch Drivers
The Current State
When it comes to traditional pre-hire processes, most companies will review and typically score an applicant’s driving history via an MVR and check that their license is valid and meets the employer’s safety policy for hiring. An applicant either passes the established criteria or fails to do so. But given the explosion of opportunities available to applicants with qualified driving history in the gig economy (such as Uber, Lyft and Instacart), last mile delivery (how many Amazon, FedEx and UPS vehicles did you see out on the road just today?) and virtually every other home delivery service, it’s no wonder the already critical driver shortage has worsened.
According to Manpower Group, as many as 69% of employers struggle to fill open driver positions due to talent shortages. Moreover, finding and hiring a qualified driver is a costly endeavor, with companies reportedly spending between $7,500 to $28,000 on finding and onboarding a new driver. Retaining existing drivers is, therefore, more cost-effective than hiring new ones.
Solid Driver Retention Strategies Start at Pre-Hire
This current state has prompted background screening companies to evolve beyond just providing data, offering more holistic solutions that help companies with hiring, training and overall driver retention. CRAs can work with employers to develop multiple adjudication approaches for applicants, pool those applicants and create the right onboarding and post-hire practices using data and solutions to identify and mitigate risk.
To start, forward-thinking employers realize they can expand their pool of applicants without compromising their risk tolerances. An otherwise qualified applicant with less than perfect driving history can still qualify with a focus on onboarding and ongoing training that’s targeted to fill any safety gaps, as well as ongoing visibility into infractions and suspensions once the applicant is hired.
Utilize Post-Hire Data and Tools to Mitigate Risk
By continuously monitoring certain data sets in conjunction with one another, companies can gain a more complete (and accurate) picture of their employees’ ongoing risk. For example, MVR, CSA and telematics data can be used together to assess driver risk more accurately. Many companies also have systems in place for receiving alerts on any license suspensions or revocations, as these can also be indicators of high-risk drivers.
With access to these actionable data points and continuous visibility, companies can then invest in employees post-hire through ongoing and targeted training opportunities – working to mitigate risk and increase retention.
Prioritize Frequent Training
Frequent, proactive training is critical to keep safe driving techniques top of mind and reinforce a company’s ongoing dedication to their team’s safety. It’s also a proven method to reduce crashes and violations. Companies that train monthly have almost half the violations of those that train twice per year. From defensive driving techniques to winter safety training, even the most seasoned of drivers benefit from ongoing refreshers.
Establish Intervention Strategies
Taking immediate action and shrinking the remediation period when an employee is driving poorly or has received a violation is a crucial component of a company’s intervention strategy. By identifying and addressing problematic behaviors as soon as they arise, companies can minimize the impact of negative driving behaviors, resulting in fewer crashes and other incidents. Additionally, these interventions show that companies value their employees and are committed to their success, leading to increased driver satisfaction and retention.
By minimizing the path between finding and fixing high-risk behaviors, companies can proactively address potential issues before they become more serious.
Stay Ahead of the Curve
Overall, the growing collaboration and partnership between background screening companies and HR departments will be critical in bridging the gap between talent acquisition and retention. As the background check industry continues to evolve, it will be essential for companies to stay ahead of the curve and offer new and innovative solutions to meet the needs of their clients. Establishing trusted relationships and influencing the longevity of their businesses will be vital in achieving success in this ever-changing landscape.
To dive deeper into emerging trends in the background screening industry, tune in below with Chief Product Officer of SambaSafety, Rich Lacey, as he discusses increasing safety, compliance and profit on Background Check Radio with Host Kevin Bachman, The CRA Doctor and Partner at IQubed Advisors and IQubed Advisors Co-Founder Jason Morris.
Author Bio: Gerard Baker is the Vice President of Channels at SambaSafety, a leading provider of cloud-based mobility risk management software. Gerard recently joined a distinguished panel to speak at this year’s PBSA Mid-Year Legislative & Regulatory Conference.
This article was originally prepared for and published by PBSA in the May-June 2023 edition of the Journal. Read the full issue here.
Download our free checklist to discover more effective driver retention strategies!
