Delivery truck drivers’ professional commitment profiles: customer facing matters
Résumé
The profession of truck driver has undergone significant changes over the past decades, yet this profession is unsung and short-staffed. In this context we raise the question of delivery truck drivers’ relationship to their occupation. Are delivery drivers committed to their job? Are the increasing customer relationship requirements of the trade likely to attach the drivers to their profession? An exploratory research, based on 203 questionnaires administered to French drivers, allowed us to identify three types of delivery driver profiles, with different levels and forms of professional commitment: the enthusiasts, the moderates and the well-advised. Each group has its own representation of the occupation and embraces its requirements in a more or less favorable manner. Focusing on intrinsic job features as determinants of professional commitment, this research provides Human Resource managers with suggestions on how to attract, select and train future delivery drivers.