Image is vital in the haulage industry: customers want to
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be served by immaculate fleets and well-turned-out staff. As Steve Banner reports, fleet operators who want to be taken seriously need to supply their employees with smart uniforms. A driver who arrives
at his destination in scruffy old jeans, a grubby shirt and a jacket that would disgrace a scarecrow is a bad adver tisement for your company. It's just about forgivable if he's delivering building products to a muddy construction site. But it's inexcusable if he's delivering a batch of computers to a bank in the City of London.
The need to project a smart corporate image that impresses customers is one reason why parcels giant GeoPost puts its employees in uniform. It's not the only one, however, says Darren Lawrence, UK hub general manager for GeoPost subsidiaries lnterlink and Parceline. Security is an important consideration, he explains. Hub staff wear uniforms as well as the company's drivers, so anybody out of uniform is immediately noticeable.
"We can ask them who they are, and what they're up to," says Lawrence. "Employees of other companies who come onto the site for whatever reason are provided with a reusable white or orange paper uniform."
Smart but casual
Safety is another reason for the uniforms, as Lawrence explains: "We have Goo vehicle movements every day at the hub," he says. "As a consequence we incorporate high visibility strips into drivers' anoraks so they can be seen when they are walking around." That way they're less likely to get run over.
Hub employees and trunker drivers are issued with three pairs of trousers, five tee-shirts or polo shirts—the smart but casual look seems to be increasingly popular—two sweatshirts or jumpers and a fleece for when the weather gets cooler. The sleeves on the fleece zip off, so it can also be worn as a body warmer.
"The drivers also get the aforementioned anorak, which is waterproof," says Lawrence. "And shorts arid long socks are available for non-customer-facing staff to wear in hot weather."
Parceline's collection and delivery drivers are issued with combat trousers with plenty of pockets to hold all their kit. The Current uniform was introduced earlier this year after wearer trials. "As a consequence of employee feedback, the fleece's design was changed to incorporate a heavy duty material at the bottom that won't be worn away by the parcels that employees carry," Lawrence says. Everybody was measured to ensure their uniforms fitted, and men's and women's sizes are both available. "People have to feel comfortable," he remarks.
Having separate uniforms for I nterlink and Parceline drivers would be problematic because it would make it more difficult to switch staff between operations depending which was the busiest. "So what we have is a standard uniform in GeoPost's corporate colours, which cleverly incorporates both the Interlink and Parceline logos," Lawrence says.
Members of staff are responsible for carrying out minor repairs—sewing buttons back on, for instance—and for keeping garments clean. Virtually all the clothes are machine washable.
TNT UK adopts a similar approach to Gee Post. It issues its collection and delivery drivers, line haul drivers and load bay workers with a uniform package that includes two pairs of trousers, three polo shirts, two sweatshirts and a jacket.
The current TNT uniform was introduced in 1998, and is used worldwide, with regional variations. "You don't see too many of our employees wearing long trousers and bomber jackets in Singapore, for example," observes TNT UK group purchasing manager, John Atkinson.
If a garment is seriously damaged most companies seem to adopt the same stance. Provided the damage occurred as a consequence of the individual's work and couldn't be avoided, then the employer foots the bill, If it happened as a result of carelessness, though, or the damage was deliberate, then it's down to the employee to buy a replacement.
Any employer who provides uniforms should also give guidelines on how they should be worn, even if they at times risk sounding like a strict nanny.
Exel says its employees should always keep their shirts, including polo shirts, tucked in, and should not overfill their jacket and trouser pockets because this can look unsightly. Drivers wearing shirts and ties should always keep the shirt's top button done up, and body warmers and fleeces should always be zipped, even if the zip is lowered to allow the wearer to keep cool. Flapping garments look untidy and are a potential hazard, says the firm. It issues its guidance in writing, along with easy-to-understand washing instructions for each item. The uniform package includes an outdoor coat for drivers and outdoor depot workers, while anybody who works in a refrigerated warehouse can order thermal longjohns.
Smart uniforms and scuffed, dirty trainers don't mix, so many firms also issue footwear. "We provide our drivers with safety boots," says Atkinson. IF somebody runs a heavily laden sack trolley over your toes, then it's going to hurt unless you are wearing protective footwear.
An employee has to return his or her uniform to the company on leaving, he says, and there are financial penalties to ensure they do so. "It is then cleaned and issued to people who are either temporary staff members or on probation."
Big advantages
While some people are not keen on wearing a uniform, there are two big advantages that should help them come to terms with the idea, says Tony Murray, sales director at Leeds-based corporate wear specialist, First Choice Clothing: "You're not wearing out your own clothes at work, and you don't have to worry about what you're going to wear when you get up in the morning."
One objection to a uniform is the fear that the Inland Revenue will treat it as a taxable benefit. "If it is embroidered with an employer's name or logo, then it won't be seen as a taxable benefit," says Murray. "If it's plain, it will."
In a bid to combine style with comfort and durability, Alexandra, which is a major player in the corporate workwear sector, is importing and distributing WearGuard clothing from the USA. This includes polo, tee, and sweatshirts, as well as tough outdoor garments—just the thing if you want your drivers to have the authentic American trucker look. The firm has also worked with leading designer Bruce Oldfield to develop clothing collections specifically for major clients.
"Corporate workwear is the biggest growth sector in tailoring these days," Tony Murray observes. "Everyone from bank and building society staff to the people who work at the local chip shop all wear uniforms. So why not truck drivers?"