strategy & tactics
Finding qualified personnel is only one aspect of encouraging growth in your business. Learn strategies for finding and keeping employees, as well as ways to help promote a positive store culture. WORDS BY ANDREW EVENS
As owner of Industry Auto Body and Fabrication in Las Vegas, Nev., one of my biggest struggles over the years has been employee acquisition. It’s nothing new that many of us find hiring to be a huge struggle within this industry. It hasn’t gotten any easier. There is still a shortage of qualified, dedicated technicians. Because I continue to have difficulty with this issue, I have worked to find strategies to deal with it. You might be thinking that we’ve been through all of this and there’s nothing new to discuss, but bear with me. Sometimes to tackle an issue, we have to think differently about it. I think it’s very important that we break out of the old approaches and philosophies of hiring. For example, too long of a probation period can be problematic, while a short hands-on trial period can be very helpful.
Set Boundaries and Expectations Even though we are all in need of help, I feel it’s important to be cautious of the following points and set clear boundaries and expectations not only for the
44 Mobile Electronics February 2019
potential new hire, but for ourselves as business owners. Naturally, we are considering who we intend to hire, what their position will be and when we’ll be ready to hire someone. From my personal experience, the most overlooked point is: How will this decision impact our current situation and the shop’s culture and system? People who respond to outreach about a job opening may either respond online, or walk through the front doors of the
shop. The question is, do we hire an experienced technician, or someone who has less experience, but is willing to learn? Option A: Hire the experienced tech. This person may be ready to work on their own more quickly. During training, the shop standards would be demonstrated. We may have to briefly check their work until a certain comfort level has been reached. Option B: Hire the not-so-experienced tech. This individual would have to be
