Getting an employee to sign on the dotted line is the first step of onboarding a new team member. Your talk track, compensation and benefits package may get them through the door, but a dealer’s ability to foster growth opportunities and an atmosphere that is not only professionally rewarding but fun as well will go a long way toward determining their career span.
Most dealers we polled agree that a strong corporate culture, one that can be embraced on a large scale, will certainly push that employment value well beyond compensation and benefits. Adding room for professional growth, promoting team unity and developing programs that salute a job well done will only underscore the hard sell you made to them during the interview process.
Alexandra Goodman, Fraser AIS
At Fraser Advanced Information Systems of West Reading, PA, providing the resources and support for co-workers to grow personally—within their roles and the company itself—is vital, according to Alexandra Goodman, human resources manager. Examples of this include advanced role and self-guided training, sales and customer service workshops, service team development, promotional opportunities and upper management support and coaching.
Morale-boosting and incentive-based programs at Fraser AIS are other enticements, such as fun perks like the Sacks of Cash program, which awards cash for positive customer or peer feedback. Fun committee activities and events, an annual awards banquet and team-building activities positively impact employees and promote a culture that supports its core values and company mission.
“Fraser’s forward-looking, big picture views promote creative thinking and the sharing of ideas so at the end of the day, having a passion for success and striving for excellence is evident in employee engagement and recognition,” Goodman notes. “We believe we provide an opportunity for 30 percent career growth for any role within the company.”
Chris Taylor,
Fisher’s Technology
Chris Taylor, CEO of Boise, ID-based Fisher’s Technology, also believes that a strong corporate culture is the backbone of any successful business that endeavors to foster longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationships with its employees. Finding candidates who are customer centric and enjoy a fun working atmosphere often find Fisher’s Technology to be an ideal landing spot.
“We invest a lot in the interviewing process, so candidates know us extremely well at the end of it,” Taylor pointed out. “If we are a great fit for each other, then we will get the great hire.”
Fun surprises that underscore a dealership’s caring mentality goes a long way, and imageOne is no exception. The Oak Park, MI, dealer has a program called We Care Fridays, where every employee once a year is called on a Thursday night and told they have the next day off, according to Emmy Georgeson, head of Recruitment & Development. It’s the adult equivalent to a snow day off from school, and employees are told that their duties, meetings, etc., will be covered, so they don’t have to worry about what was on their schedule. A second day off “on the house” is every employee’s birthday.
Emmy Georgeson, imageOne
Community service is another pillar of imageOne’s culture. The dealer offers paid time off, generally a couple days, to employees who perform community service functions. To promote their employees’ efforts, imageOne uses an online collaborative sharing device where it posts pictures of community events they participate in. imageOne also has a staffer dedicated to finding community service opportunities for employees all across the country.
“It’s just the way we do business,” Georgeson said. “I think people are blown away by how open and honest we are with each other and our customers, and how we take care of them. They also love how we make people feel welcome. A welcome sign is waiting for them when they come in for an interview. We really open our doors and hearts to make sure they feel like it’s a very comfortable place.”
Finally, it is important to foster a tight-knit atmosphere, especially for dealerships whose employee ranks number in the hundreds. Obviously, no one wants to feel like a spare part in the cog of a large machine.
Kevin Fries, Eakes Office Solutions
“We tell new hires that we’re a big company, but we still have a mom-and-pop shop-type feel,” noted Kevin Fries, human resources manager of Eakes Office Solutions in Grand Island, NE. “We’re a big enough dealer that we can go out and do things that make sense for us, whether that would be to acquire a new dealer or expand geographically. At the same time, we 100 percent value what our employees do in being involved in the community. Those are the things we push from a cultural standpoint.”
