09 October 2016

The obvious thing to do here would be to dissect the latest new registration figures. With September a key month, much ink has already been spilt discussing what the various market breakdowns and consumer buying patterns mean for the future of retailing.

But I’m not going to do that. Our story about differing employee-employer attitudes to work and rewards highlights the importance of understanding and staying in touch with staff. Okay, so the conclusions were based on a broad survey and not one focused on sale-orientated roles. However, that pay proved not to be the primary motivating factor among employees challenges the view that money is the greatest incentive of all.

That the management types polled saw differently could be viewed as them being out of touch. Sure, money is great. Yet, the trend for dispensing with sales-based rewards is gathering pace, and the revolt from the shop floor has yet to materialise. No, what employees appear to value as much as the cash is a sense of fulfilment and job satisfaction.

I’d bet that, especially after a particularly high pressure month like September, staff are looking for more than a few token words of thanks after they’ve checked their payslips. A structured and genuine employee performance recognition scheme would go a long way to boosting staff retention, a feeling of worth and, likely, a positive vibe in the showroom or workshop. Granted, there are other ways to boost job satisfaction, but simply thinking that a token pay rise will counter thoughts of ‘jumping ship’ is naive – especially if an employee wants to take a pay cut for a happier working life.

Iain Dooley

Editor, Agenda

Auto Retail Network

Tags: employee, employer, job satisfaction