Discussing driver retention and shortage.

All drivers attend a 13 week induction course and probationary period. The first two weeks is completely classroom work introducing the company and its procedures. The UPS training includes on the job, driver’s mate time out on the road. This mentor is responsible for ensuring that the training the new driver has received can be applied to the job. The pass rate is high with only approx. 1% dropping out before 4 weeks of training, leaving the rest to achieve the full 13 weeks training. It is a credit to the selection process that this low dropout rate is achieved.

Once the driver is competent he moves into the depot and the job role he has trained for. Continued development is required to achieve his CPD and this is completed in a classroom in five modules. In one of these modules the drivers are allocated time to discuss ‘stress at work’. No-one (company) wants to admit to stress in the work place but during the drivers CPD we allocate and hour to encourage the discussion. Listening to the drivers is important and by doing this we can focus the driver on understanding that ‘we deliver parcels, were not firemen or soldiers risking our lives; we deliver a cardboard box and we expect our drivers to go home safely’.

UPS recognise that drivers can reach any role they wish if they carry out continued professional development programmes within UPS. Each manager has to have done at least ‘6 months with parcels’ to show and know the core of the business before supervising or managing a team. Sometimes this process needs outsourcing support from independent quality assessors to achieve best practise. UPS diligently aim to source those best suited to achieving this.