Ways for dealerships to walk the DE&I talk

Staff turnover has long been an issue at dealerships, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse. Although dealers have learned to do more with less, once inventory levels normalize, the current labor shortage will present a problem for dealerships with plans for growth.

In November last year, a record 4.5 million people quit their jobs according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a trend that has been dubbed "The Great Resignation." The reality now is that some great candidates are out there, including many women and minorities, but how can dealers attract them back into the work force?

One way to appeal to employees is to build an inclusive and diverse workplace. Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi once said, "Diversity is a fact but inclusion is a choice." It is not enough to just hire people from a diverse background; leaders must also create a workplace environment where everyone feels welcome. This means retooling your culture so that all employees have a sense of belonging and feel valued, respected and accepted.

When diversity and inclusion work together, they improve the job experience for employees, and they improve the performance of the company as a whole.

Unfortunately, not all leaders are walking the talk. While 72 percent of leaders say that diversity and inclusion are values or priorities at their company, 46 percent of employees say that leadership does not do what they say when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion.

So, how can leaders make sure they are walking the talk? Implementing a DE&I program allows you to measure what you manage.

To ensure that every employee feels included, prioritize DE&I as a business initiative. Here are some best practices.

• Define metrics for success. What are your goals? Design anonymous employee surveys to gauge progress.
• Hold listening sessions. Minority and female employees are your best resource. Get to know them, what they value in a workplace and what obstacles to success they perceive exist.
• Appoint a leadership committee. Schedule monthly meetings to discuss progress, brainstorm new ideas and monitor metrics.
• Form unity groups. Encourage employees to form and join groups based on their interests and experiences. Examples of unity groups might include African American or Latino groups, mental health, wellness or members of the military.
• Partner with organizations. Involve your dealership's employees in local causes supported by organizations such as the YMCA/YWCA, minority groups at local community colleges and auto associations such as Women in Automotive or the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers.
• Hold community events. Gear events toward attracting minority and female groups; for example, Heels and Wheels, or host a networking night for local sorority and fraternity organizations.
• Invite speakers. Have representatives from diverse groups in your area (East Indians, Muslims, Latinos) come into your dealership and talk about their cultural traditions and customs.
• Mentor. Start a mentorship program for all employees in your dealership.
• Promote diversity. Senior-level leadership at most auto dealership groups is still pretty homogeneous. Set a goal that your management team will become more diverse. Identify, train and mentor management candidates and cross-train employees so that when new positions become available, current employees have the opportunity to advance.

• Have "save an employee" meetings. In sales, managers often have "save a deal" meetings, but do you have "save an employee" meetings? Sit down with employees on a regular basis to discuss their career goals and plans. Identify unhappy employees and what their issues are — whether money, work-life balance or child care. Do what it takes to save that employee.
• Create work-life balance. Wherever possible, create part-time positions, flexible schedules and allow remote work. When you show employees that you value and respect their time, they are more likely to value their employment status at your dealership.
• Building a diverse and inclusive workplace is not difficult, but it does take a commitment from senior leadership. To ensure that you are walking the talk, make sure that managers at your dealership foster an environment of inclusivity for all employees, regardless of background.