FLEET managers and small business owners need to be vigilant about the mental health of company drivers, according to fleet associations and commercial driving experts.
Businesses with staff who drive for work, whether in company cars or commercial vehicles, have a legal obligation to manage them correctly, and this has only been enhanced by COVID-19.
More than two-thirds of adults in the UK (66%) report feeling worried and anxious about the impact of Covid on their lives, according to a UCL poll of 90,000 monitoring mental health symptoms during lockdowns. There is a clear correlation between stressed drivers and road accidents.
People who drive for work are in a unique position. Often working long hours, in solo situations, driven by deadlines, and with the responsibility of a vehicle, it can be a difficult and stressful workplace environment, according to Government advice. Many drivers are more exposed than the general population. As a result, there is the potential for their mental wellbeing to be adversely impacted and, as a result, an increased risk of accidents.
As the nation comes out of lock-down, accident risks can actually increase. Once there is a relaxing of the rules around lockdown businesses and drivers need to maintain a vigilant watch. Research has shown that after a trauma, people are more likely to have accidents, according to research from Cranfield University’s DriverMetrics programme.
Peter Golding, Managing Director at the fleet software specialist, FleetCheck, said employers should be fulfilling their basic requirement of checking that drivers are fit to drive and of course, their mental wellbeing should arguably be as much part of this assessment as if they had a physical problem.
“It should be taken as a given that anyone who feels that their mental health has deteriorated to a point where they should not be driving should be taken seriously, and employers should also make it clear that such situations will be dealt with sympathetically.
“Probably the starting point for most fleets would be to seek professional human resources and medical guidance in order to ask drivers a few questions regularly in order to flag up any immediate issues that need attention.”
Golding added that FleetCheck was examining the introduction of basic mental health tools into its Vehicle Inspection App, which included not just daily walkaround safety checks but also incorporated questions about the driver’s health.
Other factors need to be taken into account, according to Dr Lisa Dorn, associate professor of driver behaviour at Cranfield University who has published COVID-19: A Fleet Manager’s Guide. Some people turn to alcohol and drugs as a method of coping with stress so employers need to be extra vigilant to ensure that fleet drivers are not under the influence of alcohol when they report for work.
It is illegal to drive or attempt to drive if your ability to do so is impaired by drugs, including some prescribed medication for a mental health problems. Drivers need to ask the doctor prescribing medication whether it is likely to affect their ability to drive, says the DVLA.
The DVLA website has a list of medical conditions which you can use to find out what the rules are in relation to specific mental health problems. Drivers should also check the leaflet that comes with medicine for information on how it may affect their driving.
A further factor has been a huge increase in home deliveries leading to the recruitment of large numbers of new drivers. This additional demand could increase the chances of drivers suffering fatigue as they try to keep up with a packed delivery schedule. The impact of fatigue on a person’s mental and physical health includes stress, irritability, reduced alertness, minimal vigilance, and lower productivity and sleep deprivation.
How Do People React To Stress?
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Difficulties with sleep
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Poor concentration
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Suffering with headaches and stress related ill-health
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Changes in appetite
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Irritability and aggression
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Increases in alcohol consumption
What Measures Should Employers Consider?
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Ensure adequate protection and follow social distancing guidelines in the workplace to reduce fears and anxieties.
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Increase levels of communication with your workforce to make sure that they feel their well-being matters. Make sure there is a two-way communication process so that fleet drivers believe in their ability to create change if necessary.
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Avoid putting too much pressure on your workforce and allow them to adopt a pace that they feel comfortable with. Increasing workloads when your drivers are already highly stressed may be counterproductive. It may take a little while to return to previous levels of production.
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Brief your workforce on the expected workload within the company so that fleet drivers are able to predict when demands may be higher than usual and prepare themselves psychologically.
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Provide support – it can be a relief for your fleet drivers to talk about how they have been affected by the pandemic – so offering support can be extremely helpful for reducing stress. Bottling up feelings can make things worse.
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Be vigilant to signs of stress such as a fleet driver being quieter than usual or more argumentative. Offer an opportunity for them to talk through anything that might be bothering them.
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Be vigilant to signs of alcohol or drug use as these may be a coping mechanism adopted by some members of the workforce. Make sure you continue with random drug and alcohol testing.
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Be vigilant to signs of fatigue as people may have trouble sleeping when under stress. Manage fatigue by building in extra breaks if working hours are longer than usual.
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Let drivers know that their colleagues are able to support them, and empower people – including their loved ones, friends and family – to recognise signs of trouble. Also look for the indicators of stress, which include being quieter than usual or more argumentative.
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It is important to make sure that your drivers feel they have someone to talk to if they are feeling isolated or alone. Maintaining a healthy peer support culture helps people feel involved in their business, and enhances a sense of purpose. People who are engaged in their work are happier and more productive – leading to better workforce retention.
Source: COVID-19: A Fleet Manager’s Guide
Image: Sinitta Leunen
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