How can you help your employees be their best? What steps can you take to keep them motivated and interested?
Employees are your greatest asset, but only when they’re performing at their best. You need to understand the dynamics in the dealership, and understand what it takes to keep people motivated and help them work together as smoothly as possible.
One of the keys to keeping an even keel is being proactive. If you regularly communicate with all employees, keep an eye on performance, and watch for any warning signs and act on them as soon as they’re visible, you’ll earn the respect of your employees and put a better face forward to your customers. Here are some tips to help you manage the process.
Training and support are essential. All too often, dealerships fall short on training. It can be the nature of the business, as people frequently move between stores, and some jobs are very specialized but don’t always come with a full training manual.
Start by hiring the right person. That may not necessarily be someone with a lot of experience, but who’s willing to learn. Make sure that person integrates into the team and others are patient as your new employee grows into the role. Keep the lines of communication open. Don’t wait for people to ask for help; drop by regularly to see if they do. But also watch for signs that the job and the person are not going to mesh. If it’s not going to work out, you may have to take action. But before you take the last-ditch route of termination, see if there’s another position in your company where that employee may shine.
Think about the corporate ladder. There may not be as much room for employees to move around as they might in a large corporation, but identify potential paths. These don’t always have to be upwards, as some employees might like a lateral move for a change of pace, or to learn new skills. When someone’s hired, let them know where there’s room to move.
If a position opens up, see if a current employee is interested before you look outside your organization. Not every move away from one’s specialty is necessarily a demotion. For example, an older technician who’s finally had enough of tussling with transmissions might consider becoming a service advisor, rather than simply retiring.
Identify the trouble spots. Some trends can be easier to spot than others. In many positions, you can evaluate an employee’s performance by the sales numbers, but that isn’t always the full story. It may be coming at the cost of other employees or even customers, such as a service advisor who upsells unnecessary items or muscles out others working on the service desk. It benefits your bottom line right now, but could cause ongoing issues.
Identify the trouble spots. Some trends can be easier to spot than others. In many positions, you can evaluate an employee’s performance by the sales numbers, but that isn’t always the full story. It may be coming at the cost of other employees or even customers, such as a service advisor who upsells unnecessary items. It benefits your bottom line right now, but could cause ongoing issues.
People are usually on their best behaviour when the boss is around, but you’ll find out more if you’re frequently out on the floor and employees know you’re willing to listen to them. There will always be occasional issues when people work together, but if you notice a lot of friction, see where it originates – and don’t discount the fact that the person you think is an “excellent employee” might be the problem. It’s also important to get both sides of the story. If there’s conflict, don’t automatically favour the employee who is the first to grab your ear.
Don’t just do annual reviews. Hold meetings several times a year, and look at both sides: How they’re doing for you, and how you’re doing with them. Perhaps you haven’t made it clear what you expect of them, and they’re not meeting your expectations because they’re not sure where that benchmark is.
Assure confidentiality and try to keep it casual, rather than a formal event with note-taking. Ask what’s working, and what your organization could do better for that person, which may open up more of a line of communication. If friction points come up, get the whole story from others on the team before making a decision.
Keeping a store staffed with the right people is always a challenge, but careful planning can make it easier to get it right.