In This Episode
In Episode 123 of Dashboard Radio, leaders Rick Schmidt (Director of HR & Safety), Brendan Nussbaum (Director of Culture & Development), and Doug Bradle (Chief Operations Officer) walk through the results of Nussbaum’s annual People Element Survey—why it matters, what we learned, and how employee feedback directly shapes decisions across the company.
This conversation reinforced a simple but powerful message: these surveys spark change.
Episode Summary
Nussbaum has been using employee surveys for well over a decade, with the People Element survey implemented company-wide since 2015. This year’s results reflected the realities of a challenging market—but also highlighted the strength of Nussbaum’s culture.
Despite economic headwinds, engagement and favorability scores remain strong compared to industry and national benchmarks. Participation was high across both drivers and office teams, reinforcing trust in the process and the belief that feedback leads to action.
Throughout the episode, Brendan and Doug emphasized that character, culture, and pride in the company remain defining strengths, even as engagement dipped slightly due to external pressures like compensation constraints, freight challenges, and employee fatigue.
Just as importantly, leaders shared specific examples of changes that came directly from survey feedback, including:
- Expanded after-hours support
- Improvements to driver orientation
- Training and development programs (Certified RED, Grow RED, Lead RED)
- Department collaboration improvements
- Road Captain program enhancements
Key Quotes from the Episode
“We don’t take this survey lightly. We read the comments. We look for patterns. And we make changes.”
— Doug Bradle
“Even when engagement dips, character stays strong—and that tells us who we are as a company.”
— Brendan Nussbaum
“People are friendly and kind at Nussbaum—96% of drivers and 98% of office staff rated this highly.”
— rick schmidt
“It’s been a tough market, but our results are still significantly better than industry and global benchmarks.”
— Rick schmidt
“This survey gives us a mirror—not just of the company, but of ourselves as leaders.”
— doug bradle
Key Learnings & Takeaways
1. Character Is a Competitive Advantage
- Character remains one of the highest-rated categories for both drivers and office employees.
- Over 90% of respondents said they are proud to work at Nussbaum.
- Culture and kindness continue to anchor the organization—even during difficult seasons.
2. Engagement Reflects the Market Reality
- Engagement declined slightly for both drivers and office staff.
- Leaders acknowledged this aligns with limited pay growth, tighter freight markets, and increased workload.
- Despite this, engagement remains well above industry averages.
3. Feedback Leads to Action
Survey insights have directly led to tangible improvements, including:
- Better after-hours coverage
- Enhanced onboarding and orientation experiences
- Increased focus on training and career development
- New initiatives like driver profit sharing launching
4. Communication Needs Continued Focus
- Communication surfaced as a consistent opportunity for improvement.
- Challenges often increase during tougher markets, making transparency even more critical.
- Leaders emphasized proactive conversations—not just waiting for annual surveys.
5. Cross-Department Appreciation Matters
- Multiple teams expressed feeling underappreciated.
- Leadership highlighted the importance of recognizing how every department contributes to success.
- Job shadowing, Road Captains, and shared company goals help bridge understanding gaps.
Final Message from Leadership
The People Element Survey exists to listen, learn, and improve together. Open-door conversations, Road Captains, managers, and peer collaboration are all encouraged—not just once a year, but every day.
As the market turns and new initiatives roll out, Nussbaum remains committed to building a workplace defined by character, trust, and continuous improvement.
Thank you to every employee-owner who took time to share their voice.
Your input continues to shape the future of Nussbaum.
