How To Keep Great Auto Employees

With decades running my auto business, I have been through a lot of employees. Some, I regretted to see leave while others I regretted to hire. Owning an auto body shop can be a pain in the ass and it can’t be successfully done if your a lone wolf, especially if you aim to go big and expand your business.

Hiring more employees helps spread the workload so you don’t get burned out from all the work that you do and still need to be done. 

Surely you can replace employees that decided to leave but retaining your best employees is the best thing you can do for your business. When you do, the process is smoother because they already know the workflow. This also means that customer satisfaction is maintained. It’s not easy seeing your best employee leave and you don’t have to. Today, I am going to tell you about ways on how to keep your best employees to ensure they are productive.

Be Clear About Your Expectations

In order to have the best employees, you should also be able to tell them what you expect your best employees to do. Communicate well with them to get your message through. When they know what you want from them, they are likely to do it unless they want to lose their job, right? Once they are already doing what is expected of them, it is also best if you don’t constantly change your expectations. If there is a need to change them, do it gradually and not too often because that can create a whole lot of stress. 

Be A Better Manager

One of the reasons why an employee leaves is because of their superiors. As a manager or owner, you have to know how to reach your employees and communicate with them. Like what we’ve previously said, make sure they are clear about your expectations. Also, give them feedback about their performance. If they are doing great then tell them and if they need improvement then tell them too. 

Different employees take criticism differently so try to give constructive criticism if needed. Instead of just saying what is wrong and what you don’t like. Try helping them out and help them improve. After all, if your employees improve, it will also be good for your business.

Discover Their Talents And Skills

The talents and skills your employees have can help them feel better about themselves, especially if they can use them to help out at work. Let’s say your auto shop focuses on performance mods but an occasional customer asks for custom paint. If one of your employees is an artist, they can help with simple designs or accents for custom paint. 

Give Them Room To Grow

There are still many things that can be learned even when you work at an auto shop. Some exemplary employees that don’t feel challenged can get bored with the work they do and quit to find something more challenging. You can send your employees for training to improve their skills. That’s not only good for your employees but it is also good for your auto shop. With their added training, you can add specialty services that you can now offer. 

Make Them Feel Appreciated

Increasing their salary is a great way to show your appreciation for the great work that your employee has done. However, you can’t afford to raise the salary at all times. You can still make them feel appreciated in other ways. Saying “Thank You” is one of them. Little tokens or gifts can also make them feel special and appreciated. 

Promote A Positive Working Environment

Even if you are working on cars, that doesn’t mean your employees have to be rough around each other. Encourage a better working environment by not tolerating a rude attitude. Make sure you make rules and have them followed. Don’t play favoritism because you wouldn’t want to lose everyone else at the price of just one.