Delivery truck drivers’ professional commitment profiles: implications for human resource managers

The profession of delivery 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 drivers' relationship to their occupation. Are delivery drivers committed to their job? Can specific perceived professional characteristics, advantages and downsides explain different levels of commitment? Understanding how current delivery drivers feel about their occupation will provide Human Resource managers with suggestions on how to attract, select and train future delivery drivers. A quantitative questionnaire survey of 203 delivery drivers was conducted in April and May 2017. A typology of respondents using Ward's hierarchical classification method was completed. Three types of delivery drivers were identified, presenting different levels and forms of professional commitment: the enthusiasts, the moderates and the well-advised. Each group has its own representation of the occupation of delivery driver and embraces its requirements to a greater or lesser degree. The research contribute to identify intrinsic job features as determinants of commitment:the acceptance of the customer relationship dimension of the job (standard and advanced customer relationship) and the perceived advantages of the job. Human Resource managers can attract more potential delivery drivers by emphasizing on the customer interaction aspect of the job as well as its perceived advantages in terms of autonomy, mobility and responsibility. Above all, successful candidates should show a strong ability to manage conflict, as it appears as a noticeable antecedent of professional commitment. Also, training should include customer relationship management modules.