Almost overnight our entire lives changed, both professionally and personally. While some lives were affected much more severely than others, we have all been affected in some way or another. COVID-19 and its effects on the way we have had to live and adapt, have created an environment that this generation, or any generation for that matter, have ever seen before. These times have created an economic global shutdown like the world has never seen, and for those that have lost their jobs, it has created not only uncertainty and fear on finances, at the same time it has created a social isolation that challenges our well-being, both physically and mentally. Frontline and essential workers who have had to continue to work through the pandemic are dealing with other issues and anxieties. These workers are dealing with the fear of contracting the disease, as well as the fear of passing it along to their families and loved ones. In the case of truck drivers, although they maybe able to isolate from people in their truck cabs for long portions of their work day, limiting exposure, many of them do travel to highly infected areas, or hotspots, in both the US and Canada, which exasperates their fears even more. At the same time, they are in an environment where their own access to facilities have become even harder to access then they ever were before. The issue of safe parking and proper amenities have been an issue for the industry and it’s drivers for years, however in the light of the fears of COVID-19 spread, and public health orders, these issues have been exasperated with the closure of dine in restaurants and access to their washrooms, and many shippers/receivers denying drivers access to facilities when they are delivering or picking up. (if you are one of these shippers/receivers denying access, you should be ashamed of yourself, and adapt to an alternative plan to ensure drivers are provided access to a clean and well maintained washroom facility while they are on site, after all, if they stop delivering and picking up your product, you would be closed altogether…..) For these drivers who are out there day in and day out, risking their own health and welfare, and doing so under these trying circumstances, you have my gratitude and respect, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. When this virus finally passes, and we get back to some semblance of normal, lets hope that the newly renewed respect the general public has for this industry and its drivers is not forgotten, and continues well into the future. At the same time, lets hope the small segment of this industry that treated their own drivers with a complete lack of respect in the past, also change, or find it so hard to prosper in the new environment, and without a change in their behaviors, will simply disappear from the landscape…
Getting back to the title of this article, although our lives have been consumed with COVID-19, and our normal day to day routines are gone for the time being, can you think of a better time to acknowledge, reward and thank your employees for their sacrifice, perseverance and selflessness then at a time like this? I cannot. Employees, now more than ever, need to hear how appreciated there, how good a job they are doing, and to be thanked for their efforts and hard work. A little gratitude goes along way when it comes to retainment of current employees, and recruiting new ones, as a workplace that shows it values and respects it’s employees, is one that people want to stay at, or go to work for. While money is tight for everyone at the current time, there is a way you can recognize your employees in a meaningful way, that does not break the bank, and only takes a small investment of your time. The PMTC annual awards program is a great way to do this and is designed to recognize veterans and up and comers in this industry. For some of these awards, being a PMTC member is not even a requirement. The PMTC has many awards to help you recognize your employee’s efforts and provide them with funds to further their education and employment. Winners are recognized at our conference, acknowledged in press releases, as well as on our website, and are given memento’s to keep to commemorate their achievements, and are fully funded by the PMTC and our sponsors, no financial commitment is required by you. The awards consist of,
The 3M VEHICLE GRAPHICS DESIGN AWARDS COMPETITION, AVIVA PRIVATE FLEET SAFETY AWARDS, KRTS PROFESSIONAL COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVER TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP, PMTC YOUNG LEADERS EDUCATION BURSARY, RICK AUSTIN MEMORIAL DISPATCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD , & THE PMTC & CPC LOGISTICS CANADA HALL OF FAME FOR PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS.
As a result of COVID-19, the PMTC’s annual conference has been moved to September 8th to the 10th, and the deadline to enter your employees for the awards program, is July 15th. You can see full information and entry details by clicking on the following link.
http://pmtc.ca/events–awards/awards-program
