Are You Trucking Along Okay?

Our nation’s 26,000 truck drivers are essential workers who transport 92 per cent of New Zealand’s total freight (by weight). Truck drivers make a vital contribution to everyday kiwis and the New Zealand economy. Truck drivers help ensure we have food on the shelves at supermarkets and petrol at the gas stations –items we need in our everyday lives have been delivered to us by trucks.

There’s no denying that truck driving is a challenging job. Long hours away from home, shift work, fatigue, isolation, physical inertia and challenging traffic conditions – all these factors impact drivers and business owners’ mental health. Mental illnesses are more common than you might think, as one in six New Zealand adults have been diagnosed with a common mental illness at some point in their lives, such as depression and anxiety.

Teletrac Navman and the New Zealand Trucking Association are encouraging drivers to maintain a healthy mind and body with events, posters, stretch bands and a drivers' workout video for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

 

With this joint initiative, people in the transport industry are encouraged to check in with each other, whether you’re a driver or working in the supply chain. Even if you are close to someone, it can be hard to tell how much emotional pain they are in and when to reach out to help; it can be equally as hard recognising it in yourself. Often, it’s something small that can make you think something isn’t quite right - odd behaviour to normal, withdrawal from activity and socialising, excessive worry, or mood changes.

Mental health awareness, what can you do?

Here are a few tips to help you support those around you. You can play an important role in helping someone feel less alone and ashamed. It’s ok for them, or yourself, to feel the way they’re feeling and they are not to blame.

• Learn about mental illnesses and its signs and symptoms so you know what to look for. The mental health foundation has good resources: https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/
• Sit down and have a chat – often people just need someone to talk to. Listening is the key.
• Offer to help make that first appointment with a doctor or accompany them to the doctor, as these first steps can be hardest.
• Don’t assume anything, don’t make judgements, but ask how you can help. Listen carefully to the response.

If you’re worried about someone, the Mental Health Awareness website has important information and contact details for you when need to get the right help.

David Boyce from the New Zealand Trucking Association says that the health and wellbeing of our truck drivers and all the support people around them, such as despatch operators, diesel mechanics, tyre technicians, repairers, office personal, and management are very important. Truck drivers have an isolated profession, so everyone that the driver meets along their way can impact the way they feel by the end of the day.

The importance of the work environment

Having a business with a healthy work environment is probably the most important thing managers can do to support their worker’s mental health, and here are some tips on how to achieve it from David Boyce:

• Zero tolerance of discrimination and bullying—ensure everyone feels safe and happy to go to work.
• Ensuring any mental health issues are treated the same as physical health.
• Open door policy—ensure your management team are available to chat to all staff, and that conversations are confidential.
• Mentally healthy behaviours are part of your work culture—positive ways of working are reinforced and activities and exercises supporting these are promoted.
• Positive interactions based on trust, respect, and civility—as the employer, follow through on what you say and immediately address rude or unacceptable behaviour.
• Strength-based support for employees—recognise what employees can do in their work and build on their strengths.
• Promote teamwork and reduce social isolation—make sure your people work together for a common aim, even if their tasks do not overlap.
• Acknowledge emotions in the workplace—be aware of how people are feeling and respond with empathy and support.
• Build a culture where people feel they can ask for support—make discussing emotions easy to talk about and have support readily available.
• Listen! Ask what you can do to support everyone. Most of the times it’s the littlest things that count, such as tea and coffee, music, breaks, and so on.

For more information about mental health initiative, a partnership between Teletrac Navman and NZ Trucking Associations, visit the website to order truck window stickers and download posters.

Are you trucking along ok? Check out our infographic for some important information about mental health.