Top 5 Issues in the Trucking & Transportation Industry

I was recently asked what the top 5 issues are for the Trucking and Transportation industry when it comes to inclusive cultures and inclusive leadership.

Based on numerous readings, intel, and from being in the industry for a very long time (ok over 24 years) I would say there are a lot of points as to why inclusive leadership is not fully embraced in the industry.

Here are some of my thoughts.

• It is a mostly a male driven industry (they are fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but we need more diversity in this industry).  Having a narrower diverse leadership team or at other levels in an organization, can lead to tunnel vision with regards to ideas, or inclusion as other viewpoints are not always brought to the table.
• Unconscious bias as to hiring women or even physically smaller people for heavy lifting or long-distance driving jobs.  Those people may be able to lift more than the 6-foot male or love to be on the road!  Never judge a book by its cover.  If they applied for the job, they did so for a reason. 
• Recruiting efforts can be geared towards the old way of doing things.  It’s time to move forward and recruit for diversity to keep the industry moving forward and without unfilled jobs.
• Too much turnover because there is little engagement with lower levels, remote workers drivers, sales, or others who are remote.  The industry needs to include these people in everything from ideas, suggestions, and safety, to company events they normally get left out of.  If you have a Christmas lunch, do you offer a screen in the room for the remote people to enjoy with you?
• Equity is a problem as well.  Pay and other equities need reviewed on a regular basis in any organization.  This industry is not an exception.  More work is needed here for most industries to move forward towards embracing equity.

There are more, but these stand out to and come up time and time again when I read articles, watch videos, or hear stories from others in the industry.

Are you ready to take your company to the next level and be more inclusive, embrace equity, overcome diversity issues?  Great!  Give us a call or email and we will set up a time to meet with you to show you how you can have an empowered, engaged, inclusive, and diverse team who wants to work for you!  Retain those employees!  Save on costs!  Increase those bottom lines!

Tara Lehman, Netwomen Division Director, Trucking & Transportation