Electric trucking guide

What are the impacts of electrification on talent and personnel management?

Electrifying a truck fleet is not based solely on technological or financial choices. It also transforms ways of working, the skills required and team dynamics. Too often, projects focus on vehicles and infrastructure, underestimating a decisive lever: the human factor.

This fact sheet aims to raise organizations’ awareness of the importance of personnel and talent management in an electrification project. It offers a "101" primer on HR impacts, showing that the success of the project depends as much on employee buy-in, training and change management as on the performance of the trucks themselves.

The human factor at the heart of project success

In an electrification project, the driver is often the most decisive actor. Martin Casaubon points out that even the best electric truck will never reach its full potential if driving habits do not adapt. The same vehicle can offer very different ranges depending on driver behavior, to the point of accelerating battery wear or significantly reducing the distance traveled.

Jean-François Brossard concurs on this point: offering training adapted to electric driving best practices is essential. Beyond the technical aspects, driver and team buy-in becomes a major success factor. Without understanding, without commitment and without internal ambassadors, an electrification project can quickly become a source of frustration, even failure.

Conversely, when teams are involved from the start, the benefits are tangible. Several operators observe that, once electric has been adopted, drivers do not want to go back. Driving comfort, reduced vibrations and the elimination of stops at the gas station positively change daily life and contribute to acceptance of the change.

Managing the human transition, not just the technological transition

The electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles presents several challenges for organizations: notably developing the human skills required for driving, maintenance and managing electric fleets.

HR managers must contend with a sector already under pressure. Transport and logistics face a persistent labor shortage, both for drivers and technical trades. The arrival of electric vehicles intensifies this pressure by adding new requirements: understanding factors that influence range, high-voltage safety, energy management, use of software and telematics data, and much more.

In this context, traditional personnel management practices must evolve. Recruitment, training, retention and retraining become strategic levers. Electrification does not impose entirely new jobs as such, but it transforms the skills expected in existing roles.

Affected roles: a shared responsibility

"An electrification project affects far more people than one might initially imagine. Drivers are obviously at the heart of the change, but fleet managers also see their role evolve towards finer operational steering to fully integrate the electric dimension," notes Martin Casaubon, Vice President Operations at Les Emballages Carrousel.

Mechanics and technicians must integrate new skills while continuing to carry out classic heavy-duty maintenance. Supervisors and senior management play a key role in setting the tone, supporting investments and legitimizing changes to teams.

Other roles, sometimes forgotten, must also be included in the thinking: snow-removal teams around the charging stations, tow truck operators called to intervene on electric vehicles, health and safety or fire prevention officers, as well as technicians responsible for charging infrastructure. Electrification is an organizational project, not just a fleet project.

Training to secure, reassure and optimize

Training is one of the pillars of success. For drivers, it's not about retaking a license, but acquiring reflexes specific to electric driving: managing range and adapting driving, using regenerative braking, interacting with charging stations, anticipating routes, understanding energy interfaces and complying with safety rules related to high voltage.

The issue of fire safety also deserves particular attention. Without turning drivers into experts, awareness is necessary to recognize signs of a battery problem, adopt the right behaviors and know when to evacuate and alert emergency services.

On the mechanics side, upskilling is more structural. Training must cover high-voltage safety, electronics, diagnostics of electrical systems, reading battery data and using specialized software.

For fleet managers, the needs are different but just as critical: understanding real range, planning recharges, interpreting telematics data and integrating energy into daily management, not to mention change management capabilities.

"Each manufacturer offers specific training related to electric vehicles for mechanics so that they can fully understand the technical particularities and the maintenance procedures specific to the vehicles. Training programs are available in educational institutions in Quebec, but taking the training offered by manufacturers is often essential for reasons of maintaining warranties.

For drivers, internal training on the basic operation of the vehicle and the safety instructions is generally sufficient to ensure a good take-up. I also recommend taking eco-driving training, which can significantly help optimize vehicle use and improve battery range. That said, the essential point does not lie in perfect training, but in a continuous approach to learning and supporting teams," says Jean‑François Brossard, Director of Energy Technologies and Innovations at Location Brossard.

Change management: creating allies and ambassadors

An electrification project is not "sold" only with numbers. It is built over time by involving teams, explaining objectives and highlighting concrete gains for employees. Identifying allies and ambassadors internally, whether drivers, supervisors or mechanics, makes it possible to spread best practices and reduce resistance.

Assigning a person or team to the project, whether internal or supported by external experts, facilitates coordination and communication. This person or team becomes the point of reference for questions, adjustments and follow-up, preventing the project from becoming diluted across several departments.

In conclusion

The electrification of truck fleets does not upend transport jobs, but it evolves skills and responsibilities. Drivers must notably adopt energy-efficient driving and range management, mechanics gain skills in high voltage and electronics, fleet managers add the energy dimension to their oversight, and building management teams must coordinate with charging stations.

Le message central est clair : sans adhésion des employés, sans formation et sans gestion du changement, un projet d’électrification peut échouer, même avec la meilleure technologie. À l’inverse, lorsque le facteur humain est pris en compte dès le départ, l’électrification devient un puissant levier d’attractivité, de performance et de transformation durable pour l’organisation.