Recruiting female drivers is the key to overcoming the driver shortage. As female drivers make up less than 14% of the professional driving population, women are the most untapped resource for finding new drivers. They possess the right skills to excel in the industry; the key is to showcase what trucking can do for them. Today, we will look at recruitment and recruitment marketing strategies that can aid your company in bringing more women into your organization and seating them in your trucks.
Create a Culture of Diversity
How do you think the average person looking to join the profession imagines the look of the typical truck driver? Trucking is not an obvious choice for those who do not see themselves in this image. To gain more women and minorities in the profession, acknowledging stereotypes and showcasing your commitment to diversity is crucial.
According to the 2022 Women in Trucking Index, less than half of all trucking companies have DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies, though 18% stated that these policies were in development. Still, more than 30% of companies reported no guidelines, and none were in the works.
Having policies that guide your DEI movements can make them more successful and create a welcoming environment for women and other minorities.
Images
The art of your standard recruitment marketing plays an important role in breaking stereotypes and allowing people to see themselves in the trucking profession. Seeing people who look like you creates a powerful connection to an idea, product, or company.
Your creatives must showcase your female drivers for those looking to recruit more women as drivers. Go beyond the stock photo and showcase the real drivers on your team to be more authentic.
Social Media
There is no escaping it; social media plays a huge role in life today. If you are not taking advantage of social media's branding power, you are putting yourself significantly behind your competitors.
Allowing people to get a real feel for what it is like to be a driver is an important tool for gaining interest in the profession. Be honest with your content and show the good side of driving for your company and the bad/ hard sides of the life. Honesty builds connections and gains better candidates for your company and the profession itself.
Start programs that build influencers from your staff, particularly your female drivers. Offer incentives to get the real story of what it is like to be a driver and what it is like to work for your company out there.
Safe Working Environment
According to the November 2022 Crime Prevention for Truckers Study by the Department of Transportation, truckers, regardless of race and gender, are subjected to different forms of harassment. This study noted that 59% of women were called derogatory names, and female drivers were exposed to significantly more sexual harassment than their male counterparts. It also illuminated that women were more exposed to sexual harassment from other drivers at their company or from their trainers than their male counterparts encountered on the road. This study also noted that 42% of women chose not to report harassment because they felt it would not make a difference.
Ensuring that your company has a clear harassment policy is crucial to hiring more women. Knowing that harassment will be dealt with creates a positive and healthy environment for your drivers and increases loyalty and recruitment.
Job Descriptions
Unconscious bias is often a factor in job descriptions. Look at your wording. Are you using words that give the impression that you are looking for only men with your positions? Think closely about the language; simple wording changes can bring a more inclusive feel to your advertisements.
Do you require too much? It is often a knee-jerk reaction to list your perfect candidate's qualifications as requirements. Think about what you really need from your candidates and what would be nice to have. Studies show that while men will take a leap and apply for positions where they meet only some of the requirements, women are less likely to do so.
Conclusion
Recruiting and encouraging more women to join the trucking profession is one of the key components of reducing the driver deficit we face. Updating your recruitment marketing to highlight your commitment to diversity, showcasing what it is like to work for your company, and providing a safe environment for women are key to recruitment success.
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Debra_lz
Debra Watkins covers recruitment and digital marketing for Lionzone. A Nashville native, after graduating from the University of Kentucky, Debra utilized her research and writing skills in the museum and heritage tourism fields, rising to director of two institutions before returning to Nashville in 2020 to join Lionzone.
Resources:
https://www.womenintrucking.org/index
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/crime-prevention-truckers-study
