Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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44 commercial carrier journal | may 2018 and direct with, and others you need to ensure have that personal connection at the end of every conversation. But regardless of what generation they are in, every single person appreciates the gratitude you give them for working hard and doing what you asked. Recogni- tion is something that no one can give themselves. ey can only get that from others." Doing 'the next right thing' As Veriha continued its efforts to develop its workforce in recent years, manage- ment realized the distinction between simply encouraging employees and empowering them to become their best selves. Smerchek began to study behavioral science for her own personal devel- opment to become a more effective company leader. "It takes something you did that you knew would work and puts the science behind it, so you now know why it works based on how the brain functions," says Smerchek. Realizing the impact behavioral sci- ence could have on the entire organiza- tion, Smerchek rolled it out to the front office and fleet leaders, who meet weekly to discuss best practices and hold each other accountable on specific goals. Veriha's vision for its new science- based coaching is to encourage employ- ees throughout the organization to go beyond what they think is possible. "Having confidence is key to suc- cess, and there are a lot of people out there that are lacking it, even though you might not be able to see it," says Smerchek. "eir brain is telling them what they can't do instead of you encour- aging them to go aer something big. Until that happens, they aren't going to hit their full potential." Smerchek cites a coaching opportunity around lowering a driver's idle time from 50 percent to 20 percent. "ey are going to say, 'Wow, 30 percent, I can't do it.' If it's too large of a jump, they aren't going to get there. But just because we have people that far away from hitting goals doesn't mean they are a lost cause." Veriha breaks large goals down into smaller, more achievable milestones in 30- to 90-day windows so employees can experience what success feels like. "en the conversation becomes, 'What step are you going to take to- day?' " Smerchek says. "Let's just do the next right thing and take it one step at a time so that when they see improve- ment, they feel successful and are will- ing to do the next right thing again." In addition to driving performance improvements for idling, safety, trailer utilization and health and wellness, the use of behavioral science has had a posi- tive impact on driver retention. "Once you solve a problem for a driver, they become more loyal to your organi- zation because they know they are going to have another problem, but now they also have the confidence in you that you truly care about solving their problem and doing what is best for them," says Smerchek. The art of understanding Understanding the importance of social collaboration and emotional intelligence traits has contributed to Veriha's diverse workforce. e company hires for the person and their total skills package and not just for the technical skills generally seen on a resume. "Ultimately, we are managing the emotions of our people, whether they are drivers or office associates," says Smerchek. "If they are in a good emo- tional state, they are going to perform at a high level." CC J I N N O VATO R S profiles carriers and fleets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking's challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact Jeff Crissey at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953. Forty percent of Veriha Trucking's front office staff, 47 percent of its shop personnel and nearly 30 percent of its drivers are millennial. "They are looking for passion, purpose and bliss," says Karen Smerchek, the company's president. To offer more stability for its drivers, five years ago Veriha Truck- ing instituted a guaranteed pay package independent of freight availabil- ity, weather and traffic factors that otherwise could erode a driver's earning potential.