Hertford-based haulage company, Matthews Haulage, has announced that it has formed a Limited Liability Partnership to ease its driver shortage.
With Brexit drastically halting recruitment from the EU, the pandemic causing a massive backlog of driving tests leading many drivers and staff members to quit the industry in droves, the UK haulage sector is currently in a state of disarray.
But Dhaval Shah, the new owner of Matthews Haulage, believes the company has found the answer to the growing problem of driver shortages and the broader supply chain chaos around the UK: the partnership model.
Just like John Lewis, Matthews Haulage now offers a new partnership model to all its staff that allows them to collectively own the business because it believes that in the long term, the interest of shareowners is perfectly aligned with that of employees and customers.
Dhaval Shah, owner, Matthews Haulage, commented: “We know our success will be largely affected by our ability to attract and retain motivated team members, each of whom must think like, and therefore be, an owner. Since we switched, there has already been a significant lift in staff morale and engagement, which is great to see.”
Matthew Moore, Commercial Director, Matthews Haulage, commented: “The LLP business model will make us stand out from the crowd and ensure all our partners are working together to reach the same goal of a successful business. We are well known for the service we provide to our customers, but we also want to show the value we hold in our staff both currently and in the future.”
Trevor Brown, Operations Director, Matthews haulage, added:”Becoming a partnership is a perfect solution to many issues in the logistics industry. Making colleagues partners in a business instantly lifts spirits and promotes longevity of business relationships.”
Ben Crampin, partner, Optimal Compliance, concluded: “The partnership model is often overlooked but it can be a powerful way to engage staff by turning them into co-owners of a business, which means they are likely to stay for longer and be far more driven to make the business succeed. The haulage sector is currently in a state of crisis, leaving supermarket shelves empty, petrol stations short on fuel and putting a vast number of other businesses in a difficult situation. The partnership model may well be a way to help alleviate the UK’s supply chain woes and is something all companies in the haulage sector should consider moving forward.”
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Haulage company sets out to solve HGV driver shortage by becoming partnership