Pub. 4 Issue 2

19 www.glancda.org I n the world of auto sales, the transition from rookie to strong deal-closer of ten takes several years. Trouble is, by then, many in the sales force have already left the dealership. Ted Kraybill, president of ESiTrends in Largo, Fla., a consulting firm focusing on employee retention, says the median tenure for dealership salespeople dipped to 2.4 years in 2015, from3.8 years in 2011. “Retention is becoming a major issue in the industry,” he says. “If it takes three to four years for someone to get up to a solid proficiency level, and half the people aren’t making it to three years, that’s going to hurt productivity and profits.” Stephan ie Slate, HR manage r of Enter pr ise Ta lent Acquisit ion for JM&A Group’s parent company, JM Family Enterprises, oversees talent acquisition strategy and planning for the organization. One of her main responsibilities is to par tner with the JM&A field team to help dealers strengthen overall performance by advising on how to recruit and train the right people. “With the new set of expectations candidates bring to the workplace, the one-size-fits-all model of recruiting doesn’t work anymore,” says Slate. “The candidate will research and i nter v iew your company to make sure it’s the best fit for them. If the organization’s offerings do not align with their professional goals, they will seek employment elsewhere.” Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e f i f t h a n nu a l Mi l l e n n i a l Su r ve y b y De l o i t t e Touche Tohmatsu Ltd., 66 percent of Millennials expect to leave their o r g a n i z a t i on by 2 02 0 . De l o i t t e sur veyed 7,700 people in that age group, from 29 countries, in fall 2015. Slate also stresses the impor tance of t a i lor i ng t he rec r u itment and onboarding experience to ensure that incoming talent understands how they can be effective members of the team from the start. BreAnna Fisher, vice president of Major Account s for Hi reology, a Chicago-based provider of software and talent coaches directed at helping dealers improve hiring, talked about the recruitment strategy dealers have relied on in the past. “Dealers traditionally used the three Ds—dollars, day off and demo car—to attract and retain talent, but in today’s competitive market, those tactics aren’t as effective in light of changing career preferences,” says Fisher. Getting the right candidate starts with employment branding and simplifying online job applications. Orientation, training and development are key when onboarding a staff member. While it’s imperative to have an effective onboarding process to attract the best talent, it’s equally important to establish a culture that your team believes in and practices. That’s what helps build loyalty within your dealership. Kraybill wouldn’t suggest abandoning some of the long-standing rules to retaining talent. Competitive pay and achievement recognition are still important. When ESiTrends surveys employees, asking if they’re seeking a bet ter job, old values aren’t the determining factors; the best predictor is how associates feel about career development with their current employer. Of course, different variables contribute to why associates might leave. Before dealers can even address reasons for a high turnover rate, they have to understand what the perception is of the dealership’s philosophy. Surveying your employees is a great way to learn how satisfied they are with the work TIPS FOR RECRUITING & RETENTION