Carriers often miss opportunities to hire well-qualified driver applicants for a variety of reasons, including an orientation itinerary that is incompatible with the applicant’s schedule, or an orientation process that takes too long and results in too many days until the driver “gets in the truck”. Traditional orientation formats are costly and often require considerable expense of time and resources. An on-demand onboarding solution that manages documents and training content streamlines the cumbersome, paper-intensive processes associated with orienting and educating new drivers, allowing carriers to get them in their trucks more quickly. This approach will lead to a better driver experience as well as position your company to generate additional revenue more quickly.
There are several models of implementing Web-based tools to support the driver orientation and onboarding process and, just like no two organizations are exactly alike, neither are the onboarding processes. The most important thing to note is to implement an onboarding process that supports your culture and be sure to have the processes and systems in place to accomplish those strategies.
Read on to learn some of the benefits to adopting an on-demand orientation and onboarding solution.
Reduce the Risk of New-Hire Fallout
An on-demand driver onboarding process allows qualified applicants to engage with your organization immediately upon acceptance. Carriers can present orientation documents to drivers electronically. Instead of filling out countless pieces of paper that require redundant information, the applicants may log into a Web-based portal that contains all or a partial group of the forms for completion prior to on-site driver orientation activities. The form completion process is self-paced and allows applicants and new hires to get the paperwork completed more quickly and proceed to the next step when they arrive on site. This provides a more personalized orientation experience for the driver.
Improve Accuracy and Reduce Completion Time
Much of the necessary data such as name, address, and phone number are either auto-populated from your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or entered once by the driver, and then is auto-populated onto subsequent forms. This eliminates the need to re-key the information and saves time as the applicant moves through the process. Specific “sensitive” information such as social security number can be tagged secure and omitted from the forms, preserving private data and ensuring compliance.
Automatically Monitor Applicant Progress
Each document is time- and date-stamped so the hiring manager can monitor the applicant’s progress and validate the data at any time. Applicants are alerted to missing information and are unable to proceed unless that information is provided, and HR staff is notified of document status. Aside from paperwork completion, an on-demand onboarding process will generate tasks associated with other learning tools including online training; the SHIPS Learning Management System allows carriers to create a customized training program including in-house and third-party training content, and allows for multiple content options like video, tests, hands on activity forms and surveys. (To learn more about how one EBE client implemented EBE’s Learning Management System to increase operating revenues and drive down orientation costs, read our Covenant Transport Success Story.)
Make the Most of On-Site Time: Don’t Lose the Personal Element
Since many of the necessary driver orientation tasks may be completed before the new hire attends the on-site portion of the orientation, recruiting staff is able to focus on the important in-person tasks. The orientation moderator can provide individualized attention to the applicant — saving time and resources – and can more accurately tailor the orientation experience to the needs of the individual applicant.
Reduce Risk and Improve Compliance
In addition to attracting and recruiting better drivers, on-demand onboarding also better positions your company to mitigate risk. The workflow process ensures every crucial document is completed correctly and inventoried, providing an audit trail that preserves evidence for FMCSA compliance. If an applicant fails a comprehension survey or exceeds time to completion standards and is released from orientation, the release is supported by quantitative results, thus mitigating the carrier’s risk by having substantiated documentation. What’s more, the paperless system secures privacy by requiring login information and tracking login history. Don’t squander your chance to hire well-qualified drivers. Find out how you can streamline your orientation process and get your drivers on the road more quickly with the EBE’s Recruiting solutions by calling us at 800.447.0612 or visiting ebeships.com.
