2021 Best Dealerships to Work For

Dealer: Rick Hendrick

Dealership group: Hendrick Automotive Group

Full-time employees: 51

General Manager John Secondo on learning how to be a better employer from managing through the pandemic: “Our employee-first initiative has focused on one-on-one meetings to help make sure we were keeping mental health a priority. Teamwork and communication were key. A lot of people stepped up to help their co-workers when they were sick.”

Secondo on long-term changes in hiring or employment practices because of the pandemic: “We’ve always focused on promoting from within and using employee referrals as our main strategy. We have a much lower turnover rate by hiring people we actually know, rather than strangers.”

Service and Parts Director Matthew Martin on diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to hiring and employment: “We try and hire the best possible candidate, regardless of their background. Great team members come from all over, and we don’t discriminate based on job history, age or personal background. Sometimes the best sales and service advisers are people from completely different industries.”

Secondo on improving employee retention: “We promote from within, tweak schedules to allow for more time with family and offer mentorship and coaching opportunities. We move people into different departments, cross-train and put people where they perform the best.”

Secondo on offering employees a career path: “We utilize continuing training courses for techs, sales training classes with Mini and Hendrick, outside continuing-education classes and other opportunities. We are a close-knit store and our family atmosphere makes people want to work here.”