Tell drivers what's collected and why before anyone looks at a score. Then talk about patterns rather than single events, start by asking how they are and say well done when it's earned. Driving data feels like Big Brother when it only ever comes back as a telling-off, weeks later, from someone the driver rarely sees.
Before anyone sees a score
- Explain what's collected, who sees it, how long it's kept and what it's for, in writing and in person.
- Say what it won't be used for, and stick to it.
- Talk to drivers and their representatives first, since a system introduced without a word is the one drivers resist.
- Check the data protection side. The ICO, which regulates data protection, says: "It is harder for you to justify driver monitoring, such as monitoring driver behaviour and driving style". It adds: "You must carry out a DPIA as this type of processing would be considered high risk." A DPIA is a data protection impact assessment. This is a summary of the guidance, not legal advice.
The conversation itself
- Start with welfare. A change in someone's driving can mean something is going on outside work, which makes "is everything OK?" a fair first question.
- Be specific. Name the pattern, such as cornering that's slipped compared with the same days last week, rather than calling someone a bad driver.
- Say when they've improved. Drivers who only hear about the bad weeks stop listening to any of it.
- Be straight when it carries on, and leave the door open to talk about why.
Nathalie Gager, Group Fleet Manager at Orkin, puts the aim simply: "It needs to feel like we've got their back, not like we're policing them."
What makes it feel like being watched
- Data that only ever surfaces after an incident
- A league table used only to name the drivers at the bottom
- Messages that read like a form letter or a disciplinary letter
- Hearing about a pattern from three weeks ago, when nothing can be done about it
Where SHIELD fits
SHIELD's Driver Influence checks in with drivers whose driving is starting to change, on the SHIELD app, in the way a good driver manager would. When a pattern carries on, the message stays straight and still leaves the door open: "Your cornering score is trending down compared to the same days last week. We've mentioned this area before and it needs to come back up. Have a look at what's happening when you're turning and get this sorted. If there's something we need to know about, let's talk." Under every message drivers can answer "How was this feedback?", so you can see how each one landed.
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Sources: Information Commissioner's Office, "Monitoring workers", work vehicles.