Maximizing Fleet Performance Through Strategic Feedback: What the Research Shows
In the world of fleet management, improving driver performance is an ongoing challenge. How can managers effectively guide drivers to be safer, more efficient, and more productive? The answer lies in performance feedback, but not all feedback is created equal.
The Science of Effective Feedback
Recent research has revealed that feedback isn't just helpful—it's one of the most powerful tools for changing behavior in organizational settings. However, to be effective, feedback needs to be delivered strategically.
Accuracy Matters Most
Corrective feedback can be hard to deliver and harder to hear, often leading to emotions from drivers. Regardless of how difficult it can be to deliver, research has found that accurate feedback is the most effective feedback. Even occasionally watering down feedback (making it less accurate) significantly reduced performance and delayed skill acquisition.
For fleet managers, this means investing in reliable data collection systems (which you may already have) and verifying information before providing accurate feedback to drivers.
Timing: A Surprising Discovery
Conventional wisdom suggests feedback should come immediately after performance, but researchers found something surprising: feedback provided just before the next opportunity to perform was more effective than feedback delivered after performance.
This insight suggests fleet managers should consider providing key feedback during pre-shift briefings rather than solely in post-shift reviews.
Personal vs. Technological Delivery
While technological solutions are increasingly available, researchers found that person-mediated feedback (delivered by a supervisor) produced higher performance, motivation, and engagement compared to computer-mediated feedback.
The researchers concluded that person-mediated feedback contains affective and social cues that make it more impactful. However, a combined approach using both personal and technological feedback may be optimal in fleet operations. We aren’t saying to get rid of telematics-delivered feedback, but you should be combining this with in-person feedback!
Positive vs. Corrective Content
When you’re pressed for time, it can be easy to only deliver corrective feedback. However, researchers have found that positive feedback sometimes produces better results than corrective feedback. Don’t just tell your drivers what they’re doing wrong, make sure to also tell them what they are doing right!
Implementing Effective Feedback in Fleet Management
Based on these findings, here are four key strategies for fleet managers:
- Prioritize accuracy above all else. Ensure your feedback is based on verified data and accurate observations (Brand et al., 2020).
- Deliver feedback before the next drive. Pre-trip briefings may be more effective than post-trip reviews for improving future performance (Aljadeff-Abergel et al., 2017).
- Balance technology with personal interaction. While telematics provide valuable data, in-person feedback from supervisors may have a greater impact (Giamos et al., 2024).
- Tailor your approach to individual drivers. Different drivers may respond better to different feedback styles. Consider assessing individual preferences when possible (Devereux et al., 2025).
Real Results
When implemented effectively, these research-based feedback strategies can yield impressive outcomes. Fleet operations that have adopted strategic feedback systems have reported:
- Significant reductions in harsh braking events
- Improved fuel efficiency
- Fewer preventable incidents
- Higher driver satisfaction
By focusing on accuracy, timing, delivery method, and content, fleet managers can transform feedback from a routine obligation into a powerful performance improvement tool.
The Power of Performance Feedback
Discover how strategic feedback can improve driver behavior, reduce incidents, and boost efficiency—backed by the science of behavior.
References
- Sleiman, A. A., et al. (2020). A quantitative review of performance feedback in organizational settings (1998-2018). Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 40(3-4), 303-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1823300
- Brand, D., et al. (2020). Examining the effects of feedback accuracy and timing on skill acquisition. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 40(1-2), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1715319
- Devereux, R. L., et al. (2025). An evaluation of selected and non-selected feedback packages on performance. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44(3), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2025.2460450
- Johnson, L. K., et al. (2024). Effects of feedback statements on staff procedural integrity. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44(3), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2023.2249868
- Giamos, D., et al. (2024). Continuous performance feedback: Investigating the effects of feedback content and feedback sources on performance, motivation to improve performance and task engagement. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44(3), 194-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2023.2238029
- Aljadeff-Abergel, E., et al. (2017). Evaluating the temporal location of feedback: Providing feedback following performance vs. prior to performance. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 37(2), 171-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2017.1309332