The testing economic environment has presented serious cost concerns for companies and their employees alike.
High inflation, soaring interest rates and fragile consumer confidence has put the squeeze on business profitability. At the same time, commercial and personal finance pressures are taking their toll on drivers.
With management focused on hitting performance targets to protect their bottom lines, driver mental wellbeing can risk being negatively impacted.
Indeed, recent research from Bridgestone and Webfleet – Bridgestone’s globally trusted fleet management solution – found that more than three quarters (76 per cent) of fleet businesses believe the work pressures facing drivers are intensifying and a similar number (75 per cent) think the cost-of-living crisis is negatively impacting their mental health.
Harnessing connected insights
By investing in fleet management solutions to streamline workflow, simplify operations and digitise time-intensive tasks, businesses can become more efficient while also fostering a happier, healthier working environment.
At technology company Telent, for instance, long shifts are often required when dealing with emergency situations, but Webfleet is being used to help manage driver hours. The system issues automatic alerts when employees are approaching their 12-hour door-to-door working time limit, triggering a dynamic risk assessment process.
Telent managers can also use Webfleet to remotely check in with engineers who have not made contact or have deviated from their work schedules. In an emergency, they can create a geofence around an incident to identify and communicate with employees at risk and, if necessary, dispatch support workers.
This example of fleet technology in action is just the tip of the iceberg of what is possible.
Telematics solutions enable jobs to be dynamically assigned or reallocated according to capacity, with schedules optimised to ensure sensible workloads and realistic deadlines. Intelligent routing can reduce time spent behind the wheel, alleviating driver frustrations and the pressures of leaving customers waiting.
Driver performance feedback means fleet managers can be alerted to driving styles becoming erratic, such as an increase in incidents of speeding and harsh braking, which may be caused by stress. The employee can then be given coaching on adopting a more relaxed style behind the wheel.
Elsewhere, managers can keep closer tabs on driver hours and rest break protocols to prevent fatigue, while burdensome admin can be alleviated with driver devices, such as the Webfleet PRO M and PRO 8 series, that host applications to simplify and streamline tasks, from vehicle safety checks to mileage capture and claims processes.
With the Webfleet Mileage Logbook app, for example, drivers can clarify whether a journey is for private or business purposes. The app gives them access to their individual journey logs and expense reports can be generated and exported directly into company accounts. At Konica Minolta, the app is saving drivers an average of 45 minutes each month on claims administration.
Such fleet management solutions give businesses the tools to control costs without compromising workforce health, safety, wellbeing or job satisfaction.
Call 0208 822 3605 or visit www.webfleet.com
