What is your role in the industry? What does your organisation do?
OneAdvanced supports the logistics, wholesale, distribution, manufacturing and retail industries with sector-specific software. The OneAdvanced product portfolio helps teams complete operational tasks with ease and efficiency – providing the freedom to focus on strategy for the benefit of their customers, people and communities.
Our customers include dedicated road haulage businesses, logistics companies that include road freight under their umbrella of services and manufacturers that rely on road haulage providers or have their own fleet.
Supporting desk-free workers like drivers is a key priority for us as a company, and we develop solutions like our performance management software, Performance & Talent, and workforce management software, Time & Attendance, with them in mind. Our OneAdvanced portfolio is built to support a distributed workforce; accessible via cloud so drivers can access our products via their phone or hand-held devices.
Performance & Talent incorporates a feature that allows drivers, who often will not spend much one-on-one time with their managers, to gather external feedback from those they work with in the supply chain – like warehouse staff and freight partners – to build a fuller picture of their performance. It also allows users to leave recognition through voice notes and use AI to shape written feedback, making connecting with colleagues easier for drivers and their managers – when English might not be their first language, if they are dyslexic or do not enjoy writing.
Similarly, our Time & Attendance workforce management solution allows your drivers to clock-in on the go, with time tracking to support their tachograph. They can clock in remotely, using their smartphone or a device – enabling accurate workforce management during overnight stop-offs.
Why are you and / or your organisation getting involved in National Lorry Week 2024?
Our mission is to support the distribution, logistics and manufacturing industries, providing sector-specific software to drive operational efficiency and put people first. National Lorry Week is a chance to give back and get involved with the driving force (pun intended!) behind the sectors we work with. National Lorry Week’s purpose – to generate skills, create opportunities and inspire talent – aligns with our own commitment to “Better Society”, using our software to empower workforces, encourage skills development and put people first.
National Lorry Week’s focus on supporting drivers also aligns with our commitment to championing desk-free workers. Desk-free, or frontline workers, of which drivers are a key example, are often overlooked or can too easily feel unengaged – with high job dissatisfaction and increased employee churn rates. We hope to address this with our products, helping managers and C-suite engage and support these workers.
Why is it important to celebrate the road transport industry?
Road transport is vital to manufacturing, logistics and retail. As recent supply chain issues demonstrate, people do not appreciate it until they see missing products on supermarket shelves. It is also an industry subject to disruptive factors outside of its control, such as post-Brexit rules and weather events. It’s important not to forget that this ‘behind the scenes’ industry is facing its own challenges– and underlying it all are hard working drivers, at risk of feeling forgotten and unengaged. Let’s make sure we understand the importance of the sector, and do not forget it is powered by people!
Are there any misconceptions about road transport that you would like to put right?
We want to help combat the misconception that working in road transport is just a ‘job’, not a long-term, rewarding career. With our Performance & Talent product, we help logistics and manufacturing businesses ensure their employees reach their potential, facilitating development conversations, the creation of agile goals and more. Part of our mission is to help these workers see their development pathway clearly and work towards a long future in the sector – joining the dots between the day-to-day and their future in the role.
What issues must we raise awareness about in road transport and why are they important?
We want to raise awareness that you can be constantly learning and developing as a driver – and as an organisation, you can and should be empowering your drivers to develop as much as your office staff. Drivers are your unsung heroes, and it is important you use every tool available to empower them to be the very best they can be.
With drivers on the road all day, it is easy for managers to overlook the importance of regular, formalised performance conversations. With the right software tools, however, this does not have to be the case, and you can check in remotely – with goals set and tracked, development plans discussed, and any blockers or concerns addressed. This is so important in a sector where loneliness and depression rates are high. Regular check-ins help identify these wellbeing issues early on. We really want to help fleet managers schedule frequent one-on-one meetings with drivers to touch base on their experiences, road conditions, and mental health – enabling proactivity when it comes to solving problems and providing support.
On the 10th anniversary of National Lorry Week, what excites you about the future of road transport?
I am excited about the power of technology to evolve the sector and drivers’ day-to-day lives. I keep a close ear to the ground about topics like fuel-efficient driving, telematics, GPS monitoring and route optimisation software. Anyone who thinks road haulage is a stagnant sector is very wrong! Instead, I predict forward-thinking fleet managers will be incorporating lots of ways to make drivers’ lives better and easier over the next few years. But it is important that throughout this, decision makers keep communication channels open and do not let desk-free workers get forgotten. Fight against an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality when it comes to your drivers. All software and technology decisions should be made in a collaborative way, with this vital workforce brought along for the journey.