Honesty and Dignity Go a Long Way in Recruitment Efforts

Honesty and Dignity Go a Long Way in Recruitment Efforts
Posted: Oct 7, 2013 11:24 AM | Last Updated: Oct 7, 2013 01:34 PM

TORONTO — "When those young people come in, we need to stand tall — we're truckers."

That was Dan Baker last week at the Canadian Recruiting and Retention Conference, talking to a room of trucking company recruiters.

The 74-year-old Texan, whose father was a trucker, has been consulting trucking companies for over 40 years — from culture and retention to generational differences and the driver shortage, Baker touched on a wide-array of subjects affecting the trucking industry.

His main message, however, was reminding recruiters how far honesty and treating people with dignity and respect goes in this industry, something that can help your recruiting and retention issues.

"I like recruiters that lay it on the line for me — be real, be human," he stressed.

That realness and humanity is especially important with the new generation coming into the industry. "This new kid is recruitment proof — they've heard the one liners, all of it. You don't have anything new that other people don't."

But it's also important to treat your older drivers that way, too. What will make young people attracted to your company, Baker said, are the drivers that love your company.

"How many of our drivers perceive that we look down our noses at them," Baker asked, the audience nodding in agreement. "Other people will respond to you in terms of how they perceive how you perceive them," he said.

That means "getting out of your own way" and learning to listen and remember that the driver has a family, he said. "The challenge today is not just numbers — it's ourselves.

"People don't remember what you say, they remember how you made them feel."

It's about listening and mentoring. "Kicking butt doesn't work anymore — we are mentors and coaches — we can teach them skills and they are smart," Baker said of the new generation.

"How many people got 15 jobs on their resumes?" Baker asked the recruiters. "You can stop that by bringing them into the family, by seeing what's special inside them."

The new generation learns from their mistakes, he said. The older generational has an amazing work ethic. "If we could cross-pollinate those two, we'd have something special."

And at the end of the day, the job for anyone working at a trucking company is to get drivers "on the road, get them paid, and get them home, with as little downtime and humiliation as possible."

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Con-way contributes to Joplin relief efforts

Con-way Inc. (NYSE:CNW), parent Con-way Truckload?s parent firm, Con-way Inc. (NYSE:CNW) has stated it is making a $100,000 charitable contribution to support disaster relief efforts in Joplin, which was devastated by one of the most powerful tornados in recorded U.S. history. Joplin is the longtime home base of Con-way Truckload.

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The general offices of Con-way Truckload-- which is open for business? ?were on the edge of the tornado?s path,? Con-way noted, ?and no one in the building at the time the tornado struck was injured.?

?The devastation suffered by Joplin has been unimaginable, yet even today the people of this great city are showing remarkable courage and character as they focus on recovery and rebuilding their community,? said Douglas W. Stotlar, Con-way president & CEO. ?We feel this tragedy personally through the impact it has had on the lives and families of our employees. We?re hopeful this contribution will help speed the recovery of the greater Joplin community.?

Stotlar also announced that the company is making a second $100,000 contribution to a separate fund set up solely for Joplin employees of Con-way Truckload who suffered losses from the tornado.

Last week, the company established The Con-way Truckload Employee Tornado Relief Fund, providing a mechanism for Con-way employees across the nation to assist their fellow employees. The monies will be distributed directly to local Joplin Con-way employees affected by the storm.

Some 47 local employees lost their homes completely or found them rendered uninhabitable from damage inflicted by the tornado and its aftermath. To date, Con-way employees have pledged nearly $100,000 in contributions, in addition to donations of household goods and supplies for disaster relief.

?This has been a humbling experience,? said Herbert J. Schmidt, president of Con-way Truckload and a 40-year resident of Joplin. ?Our community has suffered through an incredible disaster, yet through the compassion and commitment of many we are finding the road to recovery.  This city will rebound and rebuild. I know I speak for all of our employees when I say how proud we are to be part of the Con-way family.?

Con-way Truckload noted it employs nearly 500 at its Joplin headquarters and has some 2,800 truck drivers deployed over-the-road providing truckload freight transportation throughout North America.

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