While diversity is important, it’s imperative to also focus on the inclusion part as well. Even if you succeed in attracting more diverse talent, those employees are not likely to stay until dealerships create more inclusive environments for them to thrive. This means dissecting the current culture and the environment it creates before focusing on attracting diverse talent. So, where should a dealership start? In order to breakthrough, it’s going to require significant intention and effort. It’s not a matter of “hoping” that you’ll “catch more fish in that pond.” It’s actively finding some “new ponds and new equipment and strategies for fishing.” Below are a few ideas to consider when looking to increase diversity and inclusion at your store: • Get leadership buy-in — Leadership must understand the WHY and have bought in. Otherwise, employees are less likely to follow, and the initiative will fail — kick off your diversity initiative with a management meeting to help leadership understand how this initiative will benefit the dealership and them personally. • Hire a DEI consultant — Often, an “outsider” can help us navigate and build momentum faster. A DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) expert can provide an independent assessment of what’s going on and a game plan for improvement. • Measure and identify your dealership’s gaps in diversity and inclusion — Send out an anonymous employee survey or host listening sessions to understand which demographics are underrepresented (relative to your community), and identify differences in employee satisfaction, perceptions, pay, etc. • Create a diversity committee — Offer employees an opportunity to contribute through a committee that will brainstorm new ideas and help execute on key projects. • Offer Employee Training — Bring in a DEI trainer to help your team cover key topics like allyship, sexual harassment, unconscious bias, and microaggressions. • Spotlight the diverse talent you already have — Prospective employees, in many cases, will develop perceptions of your culture and environment based on what they see on your website and social media. Consider spotlighting the diverse employees you already have through social posts, pictures, and videos that share their unique stories and experiences. • Get creative on where you recruit — Tap into and get involved with community and affinity groups that cater to the demographics you want to recruit. This includes women’s groups, historically black colleges, ethnic professional associations, youth groups, etc. • Adjust your screening process — Employers often set requirements for jobs that have nothing to do with success, and these standards eliminate diverse talent. Identify the true requirements of the position, not based on historical trends but based on the current landscape. For example, in the past, selling cars took a more transactional salesperson that could aggressively close. However, in a world where most consumers are digitally armed with more information, the profile of a successful salesperson has changed to someone who is more relational and can offer value beyond a transaction. • Offer key benefits and flexibility that attract diverse talents — One of the key reasons women avoid working in automotive retail is the lack of work-life balance and f lexibility in schedules. However, this isn’t just an issue that impacts women. Younger generations, fathers, and single people (just to name a few) are looking for f lexibility as well. It’s beneficial to get creative by offering alternative schedules like part-time roles, shifts, and regular days off on weekends. • Establish policies on how to deal with diversity complaints before they are needed — It’s easy to ignore and allow bad behavior from your superstar salesperson. However, this is to the detriment of creating a diverse and inclusive culture. Instead, create policies upfront that identify bad behavior as it relates to diversity and inclusion and establish the actions you will take to address these behaviors (e.g., training, termination, etc.). More importantly, make sure to enforce these policies, regardless of who the offenders are, in order to set a good example for your entire team. • Employee resource group — Start affinity or employee groups (e.g., women, Latino, etc.) that enable diverse employees to have a safe place to discuss their unique challenges, network and gain inspiration. You can also consider supporting outside organizations and encourage your diverse employees to participate. • Celebrate key holidays that matter to diverse employees — Acknowledge and celebrate key holidays and months that are significant to diverse employees such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Chinese New Year, Hispanic Heritage Month, etc. This could include a mention in a sales meeting, newsletter, or an employee event. Kerri Wise is President of Women of Color Automotive Network (WOCAN) and Chief Marketing Officer at AutoFi, a leading commerce platform for digital sale and financing. She can be reached at kwise@autofi.io. A FOCUS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS A BUSINESS DECISION. N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S 41 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
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