12/2/2008
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10 Benefits Valued Most by Employees
By Jeff Stankard
As
you work harder, smarter and faster to overcome the effects of the
economic downturn, you need all hands on deck. Everyone at your shop
needs to be working together toward a common goal — providing the
highest quality repairs and top-notch customer service so that your
shop traffic continues to increase and profits follow along an
upward path.
This
unified front works best when employees are content in their jobs and
you are taking steps to retain your good employees. Things like
treating employees with respect, giving them a clean, well-lit
environment in which to work, recognizing them for their
accomplishments, open communication and the like. But, there are other
more “tangible” benefits that can oftentimes make the difference
between a “good” employee and a “great” employee.
With the goal
of providing you with input on the benefits valued most by employees,
Babcox Research asked a sample of shop owner readers for their ideas on
the topic. We received dozens of great responses, some of which are
listed below, so thank you to those of you who responded.
10 Most-Valued Benefits For Employees
-
Provide a competitive income to recognize technical skills and the ability to expedite repairs through diagnostic expertise.
-
Offer “points” incentives for repairs that are done right the first time and that minimize parts returns.
-
Provide
paid vacations, sick days and do not dock employees when they need time
off to tend to personal issues; offer flex work hours.
- Health insurance — considered a precious commodity
today. Consider family medical insurance plans, and dental and vision
insurance.
-
Fully paid training that includes transportation to the training facility.
-
Establish a working environment that is pleasant and built on
family-like relationships so employees have a vested interest in the
business. Customers will enjoy coming to your shop because your
employees are friendly and customer-oriented.
-
Allow the use of the shop for personal vehicle repairs, but limit this privilege to family members only.
-
Birthdays and holidays off with pay.
-
Bonus and retirement plans.
-
Provide uniforms, and know that little things can mean a lot — like free coffee and maybe even a periodic free lunch.
If you have any ideas you would like to offer, just send me an e-mail at jstankard@babcox.com and we’ll add them to our listing.
Jeff Stankard is Group Publisher of Babcox Publications' Tech Group.