
Fleets should focus on flexibility, accommodations, and open conversations to improve retention, especially among older employees, according to Trucking HR Canada (THRC).
THRC’s 2024 labor snapshot reported that the share of truck drivers aged 65 and older grew from 5% to 7% since 2016, adding 15,000 older workers to the industry. Meanwhile, there are now more Canadians aged 55-64 than aged 15-24. Many of these workers are delaying retirement for financial reasons, while others are looking for continued engagement in the workforce, THRC said during a webinar on Jan. 29.
Older employees bring experience, reliability, and lower turnover, but retaining them requires structuring work in ways that supports their needs. The same strategies that help retain older workers can also make the industry more appealing to younger generations, women, and other underrepresented groups.
Tracking key workforce trends
Fleets looking to improve retention should start by measuring turnover rates, average tenure length, and absenteeism, said Tanara Ferguson, senior project manager at THRC, during the webinar. Monitoring these trends allows companies to identify gaps and evaluate the progress of their retention strategies.
Ferguson recommended conducting exit interviews and pulse surveys to understand why employees leave and how satisfied current workers are within their roles.

“You can look at how satisfied was the person in their role? Why are they choosing to leave? I’d be interested in knowing how many of you asked the question, ‘Would you refer others to work at this company?’” she said. “Then, think about, what other questions can you ask [your current employees] – how satisfied are you with your current role? Do you feel confident in what’s expected of you? Do you feel supported? Is your input valued? Do you feel valued? Do you feel leadership is approachable?”
Another strategy discussed was the creation of employee resource groups, voluntary employee-led groups that help foster inclusivity in workplaces. Ferguson said these groups can provide valuable feedback mechanism by giving employees a safe space to voice concerns and suggest improvements.
Flexible work arrangements
As more employees seek phased retirement, part-time work, or more predictable schedules, flexible work arrangements have become an important retention tool, added Cam Whalen, project manager at THRC.
Whalen said that while flexible work was once seen as a perk, now it has become an essential part of modern workforce management, adding that fleets offering flexible work arrangements report higher productivity, lower absenteeism, and stronger employee engagement.
Among THRC’s Top Fleet Employers, many have adopted flexible policies, including flexible start and stop times, part-time work, and hybrid or remote work for non-driving positions. For drivers, more companies are allowing workers to select routes closer to home, bring family members or pets in the cab, or take part in team driving.
“To determine what your employees are interested in, there’s no better way than to ask them,” Whalen said. “For example, you could ask, ‘Well, what flexible work arrangement would you be interested in? What are the benefits to offering that arrangement to you and the company? What challenges might you or your colleagues face? What changes to your schedule would you make if we offered it as a trial?’”
Accommodation challenges, discussions
Fleets must also be proactive in addressing workplace accommodations, Ferguson said.
As workers age, health concerns such as mobility challenges, chronic pain, high blood pressure, issues with sleep, and other problems can become more common. This is why providing appropriate accommodations can help employees remain productive and engaged. However, employees of all ages might require accommodations.

But THRC has found that many employees hesitate to disclose health concerns. Ferguson said that even when employees work in an inclusive environment, they may still find it difficult to request accommodations, and employers need to create a culture that encourages disclosure by having open discussions about available accommodations and ensuring workers feel supported.
The challenge is that while employees may be reluctant to disclose health issues and disabilities (visible or invisible), managers often feel unprepared for these conversations.
“We found that managers had a number of challenges. They were nervous about going into the conversations. They were scared of asking a question that they weren’t allowed to ask. So didn’t know how to approach the conversation, because they weren’t often having accommodations discussions,” Ferguson said. “They were nervous going in because they hadn’t had practice doing them, or didn’t necessarily have adequate training in order to host them. A lot of the folks that responded to the survey also indicated that the policies and practices weren’t necessarily up to date.”
The key to improving these discussions, she added, is treating each accommodation request as unique and checking in regularly to ensure the solution is working. She emphasized that even employees with the same condition may require different accommodations. For example, two employees experiencing back pain might need entirely different supports — while one may benefit from an ergonomic chair, another might need a completely different solution.
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