General manager: James Bonar

Dealership group: Kunes Auto Group

Full-time employees: 28

Bonar on changes to employment practices because of recent industry disruptions like the inventory crisis: “We really just tried to do our best for the ones who stayed the entire time. And then when we didn’t have a huge rate of turnover and took care of our internal people, the new ones who came in saw what was going on and believed in the place.”

Sales Manager Travis Simmons on improving employee retention: “Just taking care of the people who are here. We also ask people if they need help and, when we do that, we help them. In return, people aren’t as scared to ask for help when they need it. …You can actually help someone quicker than when they aren’t comfortable to ask for help and have things go wrong again and again because they are embarrassed to ask someone for something.”

Simmons on offering a long-term career path: “We show them how the group works and operates. We show them the opportunities that become available in the group and show them paths to do different things they never would have thought they could do. The last thing we want anyone to feel like is they are stuck in the mud with no potential for growth.”

Bonar on changes to promote work-life balance: “We have always had a good work life-balance before COVID just because that is very important to [dealer] Gregg [Kunes]. We have our staff comfortable enough to come to us if they need extra time off or there is an important event they want to attend.”

Bonar on best practices to improve operations: “Open lines of communication between myself and the other managers with all employees. When people feel like they can come to you, it really helps solve any problems before they get big and turn into major issues.”