Why Driver Need a Trucking Wellness Program?
A 2017 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) revealed that of the 1,670 long-haul truckers they interviewed:
69% were obese
54% smoked
88% had at least one risk factor for chronic disease
These rates are much higher than the general population.
Although it may be difficult to measure a monetary ROI for wellness programs, they seem like a no-brainer if the industry wants to recruit and maintain a fleet of healthy, happy drivers. Wellness programs help prevent high turnover rates, and keep employees devoted to their careers without losing them to disease or poor health. That’s a goal we at SmartSense thoroughly support.
If you already have a driver wellness program it may be worth having it audited yearly by an expert like a trucking fitness consultant that understands and knows what it takes to build, lead and offer a wellness program and one that is utilized by its fleet.
With the increase in trucking companies implementing driver wellness programs, don’t be fooled this doesn’t answer the question of are successful and whether are drivers using them. Out of the last five trucking companies, Hope Zvara CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga spoke and consulted about their existing programs, and every single one of them confided that the utilization of their wellness programs was poor. Some with less than a 5% commitment rate at the end of the year.
If you want to improve the health of your fleet, you care about your drivers and you want to increase the VOI and ROI of your investment consider revaluing your program with an expert trucking fitness consultant so that they can help you fill the gaps and create a program that drivers want to use and everyone wins.