Susie Jones
Nyheder og opdateringer • 3 min læsning

Hvordan kan transportbranchen støtte chaufførernes mentale sundhed?

Oprettet: 07.10.2024

Opdateret: 10.10.2024

44 % af langturschaufførerne oplever symptomer på depression - men den mentale sundhed i transportbranchen bliver ofte overset. Jobbets karakter spiller en afgørende rolle for chaufførernes velfærd, idet chaufførerne står over for mange timer på vejen og lange perioder med isolation. Med Mental Health Awareness Day den 10. oktober, hvordan kan chauffører og branchen passe på deres velfærd?

Hvordan kan chauffører passe på deres mentale sundhed?

Chauffører kan tage flere skridt for at sikre, at de passer på deres mentale sundhed:

Søvn og hvile

Tilstrækkelig søvn er afgørende for den fysiske og mentale sundhed. Som lastbilchauffør kan mange timer bag rattet forstyrre et regelmæssigt søvnmønster - at etablere en rutine vil forbedre humøret, årvågenheden og chaufførens velbefindende.

Hydrering og kost

Selv om det er svært på farten, er det vigtigt at opretholde en velafbalanceret kost og holde sig hydreret for at undgå energitab og humørsvingninger.

Håndtering af stress

En del af jobbet som lastbilchauffør er at håndtere stressede situationer - stresshåndteringsteknikker som tidsstyring og afslapningsøvelser reducerer effektivt stressniveauet. At praktisere mindfulness, som f.eks. meditation og dyb vejrtrækning, hjælper med at bevare en rolig tankegang.

Fysisk træning

Regelmæssig motion er afgørende for den fysiske og mentale sundhed. Enkle øvelser som at gå, cykle eller strække ud frigiver endorfiner og øger humøret. Find ud af [hvordan du holder dig sund på vejen] (https://snapacc.com/newsroom/how-to-be-a-healthy-truck-driver/).

At tale

Lastbilkørsel er et isolerende job, hvor chaufførerne tilbringer timer uden at tale med nogen. At holde kontakten med venner, familie og kolleger gennem telefonopkald og videochats giver støtte og bekæmper følelsen af ensomhed. Truckstops giver chauffører en god mulighed for at tale med ligesindede om jobbets prøvelser og trængsler.

Tag pauser

Det kan være mentalt udmattende at sidde bag rattet i længere tid - at holde regelmæssige pauser for at hvile og lade op reducerer stressniveauet. Chauffører er underlagt strenge regler for regelmæssige pauser - læs mere om [regler og bestemmelser for fartskrivere] (https://snapacc.com/newsroom/tachograph-rules-made-easy/).

Hvad chauffører sagde

Vi bad chauffører på de sociale medier om at fortælle os, hvordan de passer på deres mentale sundhed:

Truck Life GB siger, at de "støtter andre chauffører gennem mine sociale medieplatforme. Min indbakke er altid åben for en snak. Uanset om det er lidt drilleri eller en generel snak, så er det de små ting, der rækker langt."

"Podcasts og et godt sæt venner, som kender alle op- og nedture, ligesom jeg gør med dem. Mindst én af dem vil have en værre dag end dig," forklarer lastbilchaufføren Mark.

Sms-tjenesten "Be A Mate" fra Mates in Mind giver bilister mulighed for at tale med uddannede frivillige døgnet rundt, hvis de føler sig selvmordstruede, angste eller overvældede. Tjenesten er anonym og fremgår ikke af telefonregningen. Alt, hvad bilisterne skal gøre, er at teste "BeAMate" til 85258 for at starte samtalen.

Hvad kan flådevirksomheder gøre?

Flådechefer kan tage flere skridt for at sikre, at deres chauffører passer på deres mentale sundhed. Ved at fremme et miljø, hvor diskussioner om mental sundhed mødes åbent og uden fordømmelse, kan man ændre holdninger og stigmatiseringer.

Flåder kan tage følgende skridt:

Arbejdsbyrde

Hvor det er muligt, kan en reduktion af chaufførens arbejdsbyrde forbedre chaufførens velbefindende betydeligt.

Støtte

Regelmæssig kommunikation med chaufførerne vil tilskynde til ærlige samtaler. At give chaufførerne et støttesystem vil sikre, at de ikke føler sig alene.

Kommunikation

Effektiv kommunikation om alle organisatoriske ændringer vil reducere stressniveauet blandt chaufførerne.

Kultur

Fremme en positiv arbejdskultur, der undgår konflikter og uacceptabel adfærd.

Hvad kan tankstationer gøre for at hjælpe chaufførernes mentale sundhed?

Lastbilchauffører er afhængige af rastepladser for at få dækket deres daglige basale behov. De er afgørende for at forbedre chaufførernes mentale sundhed, da de fungerer som et fristed for chauffører, der har tilbragt lange, isolerede timer bag rattet. Ved at tilbyde topmoderne, rene faciliteter, sund mad og et sted at være sammen med andre kan chaufførerne slappe af og koble af.

Rastepladser kan fremme fællesskabet ved at organisere sociale aktiviteter og arrangementer, hvor chaufførerne kan komme i kontakt med deres jævnaldrende og mindske følelsen af isolation.

Hvordan har chaufførmanglen påvirket chaufførernes mentale sundhed?

I 2023 har Europa over [230.000] (https://www.iru.org/resources/iru-library/europe-truck-driver-shortage-report-2023#:~:text=Europe%20has%20over%20230%2C000%20unfilled,due%20to%20driver%20retirements%20alone.) ubesatte stillinger som lastbilchauffør - en mangel af denne størrelse har øget presset på dem, der allerede er i branchen.

Den stigende e-handel har øget dette pres - lastbilchauffører skal overholde strammere leveringsplaner og håndtere større mængder varer. Den øgede arbejdsbyrde og det øgede pres har haft stor indflydelse på chaufførernes trivsel - og medarbejderudskiftningen er på sit højeste.

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