LAS VEGAS, Nov. 8, 2019—There are a few myths to bust when it comes to recruiting and retaining young techs, said Dynamic Automotive CEO Dwayne Myers.
One is that millennials are a lost cause in the workplace. Another is that people aren't as motivated to work. During a presentation at the AAPEX Education series in the Bellini Ballroom of The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, Myers said that shop owners have to motivate their people to grow within their organization and create the structure to do so.
Operators shouldn't worry about investing in young techs over the risk that they might take those skills elsewhere.
“To me, that’s the wrong mindset to start with," Myers said. "If you're worried about them leaving before you create that relationship, most likely you’re part of the problem.”
In a strong economy with low unemployment, Myers said that his shops experience some turnover just like others. But he said that his retention recruitment are stronger than others because they worked on four areas: the hiring process, developing entry-level techs, creating a career path and developing a team concept and culture.
“Team concept to me is so important, because we use that along with our goal mapping so that they help each other grow," he said. "We teach each other the next job that we’re going to be doing.”
He started seeing results by working with the local tech schools and drafting (on paper) an official apprenticeship program. And once techs are on board, he develops real road maps to plan for where each person wants to be in the organization.
The key is to give employees motivation to stay on with your company and develop. It's more than the paycheck. The results are improved retention among employees and the ability to expand a business more through a strong, cohesive shop culture.
