Unlock peak performance: health hacks for truckers

Even amid the skilled-worker shortage and the ever-evolving mental health reality within the trades, it’s probably easy to overlook, or not even realize, that the average lifespan of an American trucker is 61 years old.

This alarming statistic is significantly lower than the national average (77), and highlights the unique challenges and health risks faced by professionals in the trucking industry, from long hours and sedentary lifestyles to high stress and limited access to healthy food options.

It should go without saying that addressing this issue is crucial to improving the well-being and longevity of truckers on the basic human wellness level, but as a business, a company that exhibits an obvious acknowledgement for the total, long-term health and wellness of its workforce will almost certainly enhance its own attractiveness as an employer, and ultimate growth as a result.

As far as planning goes in that regard, in modern times, a company’s commitment to employee health is often only as good as its workplace wellness program. But what is that, exactly?

In so many words, such programs can include a variety of activities and resources designed to encourage healthy behaviors and lifestyles – including, but not limited to: health screenings and assessments, fitness programs, nutrition education, stress management, smoking cessation programs (51 percent of American truckers smoke), work-life balance initiatives and incentives (competitions and rewards for achieving health-related goals).

As for the approach, an effective program would address three pillars: physical health, mental/emotional health and nutrition. Key elements within these tiers would include: customization and flexibility, employee engagement, a supportive environment, access and inclusivity, continuing education, confidentiality/privacy and, understandably, measurement and evaluation.

A win is a win

Increasing healthy habits for truckers can be challenging due to the nature of their job. In turn, many of these challenges overlap with mental-health challenges, like isolation, sleep disruption and deprivation, physical discomfort and/or pain, regulatory and economic pressures, lack of quality healthcare access and even lack of workplace support.

The stress of juggling any or all of these additional layers can obviously merge with the physical challenges to create conditions that likely feel insurmountable – and often are when you consider the aforementioned lifespan of truckers.

The combination of these conditions underscores the extreme importance of addressing these issues early and often within the transportation industry. In pursuit of this aim, implementing a successful workplace wellness program in a trucking company involves addressing the specific challenges truckers face and ensuring that the program is accessible, engaging and supportive.

You can start by assessing needs and interests – probably through surveys and feedback, as well as voluntary health assessments, all of which can identify common health issues. A comprehensive plan would come next – complete with tailored programs and a holistic approach that doesn’t take shortcuts on the physical, mental and emotional aspects mentioned above. Management buy-in is also crucial, which likely includes budget allocation. Portable resources (from resistance bands/and on-the-road workout programs to healthy snacks to mobile apps) as well as virtual options (health coaching, telemedicine services and online wellness workshops) also have a huge impact on trucker health.

And lastly, check-ins and check-ups are imperative to keeping the program intact and hopefully hitting the mark with your workforce. As is almost always the case, communication is everything. Keep the lines open and available at all times – you’ll likely see enhancements in overall health and performance, safety, employee satisfaction and even your company’s reputation. And don’t hesitate in sharing success stories from truckers who have benefited from the program. A win is a win – and any efforts we can make to extend the lifespans of the people we care about should be celebrated along with those people whose lives are improving as a result.