Umberto de Pretto is a recognized global expert on all things related to the road transportation industry. He has worked with haulage companies, large and small, for many years and understands the challenges that they face. One of their greatest challenges is ensuring their drivers remain dedicated and committed so that they are able to help the business grow. Any business’ greatest investment is its staff and this is equally true for the road transportation industry.
Umberto de Pretto on Increasing Productivity
According to De Pretto, there are a number of things that will ensure staff is always working as hard as they can without having to pay them more than is needed. Staff may never become a burden, nor should they ever be made to feel as a burden. It is about creating equality across the board, in which the drivers understand how vital their contributions are to the overall success of the organization. De Pretto feels that, therefore, businesses should:
- Be open and transparent at all times. They should ensure their staff is aware is aware of the financial health of the organization and how a small change is able to make a big difference. By keeping staff in the loup, they also feel like a greater part of the business themselves and it makes them feel valued. This, in turn, makes them more committed to the organization itself.
- Recognize any highly performing staff. Recognition does not have to be monetary, although many will appreciate that. If business is tight, however, something as simple as an official and public statement about a certain employee doing really well, and how their contribution has helped the organization as a whole, is often enough.
- Create a working environment that is nurturing and inclusive. This is often difficult because staff at a haulage company tends to spend most of its time on the road. Developing methods to bring people together so that they can feel part of the greater whole is very important, therefore.
- Enable all staff members to have a voice. There are numerous ways for business to be in touch with their staff members, including email, CAB radio, intranet, telephone, letters, surveys, and so on. It is very important that everybody feels as if they have a voice and can say what they believe is important, even if they don’t spend much, if any, time in the office. Again, this is all about engaging employees.
By incorporating these four things, De Pretto believes that all haulage businesses can continue to operate and flourish in the modern road transportation industry. He should know, having so many years’ experience. The industry is totally unique in as such that it is the driving force and perhaps even lifeblood of almost every nation in the world, but it is quite hidden and unknown to those outside of the industry itself. Hence, some external recognition can also go a long way towards ensuring trucking industry members feel appreciated for their hard work.
