Every motor carrier operates in a challenging environment that exposes it to the risk of a catastrophic loss. Serious injuries, loss of life, and high-dollar claims are just one crash away. Yet, even with this awareness, many motor carriers are ill-prepared for what follows that dreaded phone call informing them that one of their drivers has been involved in a critical crash.
Financially surviving the “big one” is certainly a risk that must be managed proactively, but what is often overlooked is how a motor carrier’s leadership team will respond to the emotional hardship that a catastrophic event can have on the organization. As employees process and cope with the loss, especially if fatalities are involved, they must also deal with the intense scrutiny that accompanies a post-crash investigation. From top to bottom, the entire organization will be under an intense microscope as the search for the root cause begins.
Catastrophic losses have the potential to negatively or positively impact a person’s psychological wellbeing. A truck driver may quit the profession following a bad wreck, while others may use it as a source of renewed professionalism, meaning he or she recommits to the protective driving techniques that can help prevent a future occurrence. Using a catastrophic loss to change for the better is an example of post-traumatic growth (PTG)*, which is different from resilience. “Resiliency is the personal attribute or ability to bounce back,” says Kanako Taku (Collier, 2016). “PTG, on the other hand, refers to what can happen when someone who has difficulty bouncing back experiences a traumatic event that challenges his or her core beliefs, endures psychological struggle (even a mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder), and then ultimately finds a sense of personal growth.”
Post-traumatic growth takes time and energy to achieve. Whether it is personal growth or organizational growth, recognizing the need for improvement following a catastrophic loss is one thing, but making it happen is another. Change will not happen overnight. In an organization, post-traumatic growth may require a complete culture shift, starting with a declaration by senior leadership that these types of losses will not be tolerated.
Change also requires a top-to-bottom analysis of the company’s processes and procedures to identify leading indicators, or warning signs, that a systemic problem may exist. If an operational change is not made to address these warning signs (like driver quality), then there is an increased likelihood that another catastrophic loss could occur.
Motor carriers should not wait for a traumatic event to start the growth process. The odds of a catastrophic event can certainly be reduced by proactively managing operational risks. This is the goal behind Great West’s Value-Driven® Company products. Integrating safety with every job and taking the necessary steps to manage risks will better position motor carriers to survive losses and keep the wheels turning.
Source: Collier, L. (2016). Growth after trauma.
Monitor on Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/11/growth-trauma.aspx
*Post-traumatic growth is a theory developed by psychologists Richard Tedeschi, PhD, and Lawrence Calhoun, PhD.
The information in this article is provided as a courtesy of Great West Casualty Company and is part of the Value-Driven® Company program. Value-Driven Company was created to help educate and inform insureds so they can make better decisions, build a culture that values safety, and manage risk more effectively. To see what additional resources Great West Casualty Company can provide for its insureds, please contact your safety representative, or click below to find an agent.
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