Top Mental Health Concerns in Trucking — And How to Proactively Address Them 

The stigma around talking about mental health has certainly lessened in the past decade—but there’s still a long way to go to proactively address the impact of workplace-related stress. 

Take these alarming stats from the American Psychological Association (APA):  

• Workplace stress annually drains $500 billion from the U.S. economy 
• 550 million workdays are lost annually related to on-the-job stress 
• Up to 80% of workplace accidents and doctor visits can be attributed to stress 

Implementing monetary incentives for addressing employees’ mental health — the APA reports a return of $4 in improved wellness and productivity for every $1 poured into improved mental health services.  

But before trucking companies can achieve this return on investment, they must understand how specific stress-related conditions affect their drivers and how to help them. 

Burnout 

The phrase “burned out” is often overused, but here’s what it clinically means: 

• Chronic exhaustion or loss of energy  
• Increased negative feelings or cynicism toward one’s job 
• Reduced ability to successfully perform professional tasks (aka professional efficacy) 

One way to measure employee burnout symptoms is by using Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (MBI) General Survey. Fleet managers, for example, can use the survey when asking for driver feedback. It scales 16 different items, including exhaustion, cynicism and professional efficacy. Gathering self-reported data through the Maslach survey can help fleets understand drivers’ biggest pain points and know where to start. 

Exhaustion 

Time away from home and their families can lead to drivers feeling mentally — and even physically—exhausted. To help employees overcome exhaustion, trucking companies can: 

• Encourage drivers to regularly communicate with their loved ones at home 
• Pay special attention to drivers who seem especially exhausted 
• Encourage drivers who are TVC Pro-Driver members to take advantage of our healthcare discount program, which features savings of up to 50% on healthcare needs—including mental health needs—and 24/7 virtual access to board-certified physicians 

Cynicism 

Cynicism can creep in when drivers experience interpersonal conflict, departmental friction, a lack of communication from managers, and feeling disrespected or undervalued. To address cynicism head-on, trucking companies can: 

• Ensure company wages align with industry standards 
• Always treat drivers with respect and appreciation and require employees company-wide to do the same 
• Host in-person or virtual events so drivers can connect with team members 
• Encourage new office employees to understand the daily challenges of  a driver’s job 

Inefficacy 

We have all experienced lack of productivity or motivation when feeling completely worn out at work. To overcome drivers’ inefficacy, trucking companies can: 

• Focusing on training for new drivers and ongoing training for seasoned drivers 
• Offer social support to reinforce the carrier’s commitment to drivers’ success 
• Establish stress-relief or wellness programs 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) 

Once fall and winter set in and sunlight hours decrease, many people suffer from symptoms of SAD, including depression, anxiety, loss of energy and difficulty concentrating. Trucking companies can address SAD by: 

• Checking in with drivers regularly 
• Encouraging drivers to exercise healthy habits like physical exercise, healthy eating and proper rest  
• Supporting drivers who need to take time away for mental health treatment 

Burnout and SAD exists across industries—but in trucking, there are fewer resources for help and a lack of policies to proactively address employee mental health. By showing employees they truly care about their overall well-being, trucking companies can better retain and recruit top drivers and improve employee satisfaction and performance.