LABOR SHORTAGES
generation like it used to .
Paul added that “ the OPE industry doesn ’ t generate replacements in service . Young people ,” he says , “ are more likely to pick motorcycles over mowers .” Paul says he needs to train people for a vast array of service work . “ And it can take a year or better to get a person fully acclimated . We work on 60 years ’ worth of equipment . People don ’ t understand that .”
He says he ’ s raised the shop labor rate and has raised our hourly pay . “ But we can ’ t raise more than the market will bear ,” said Paul .
“ Pay is not the main issue ,” said Mark Guss , owner of Bethel Power Equipment , in Bethel , Conn . “ Service is different today .” Guss pointed out the difference between automobile service shops , where they replace parts , and power-equipment stores , where “ we fix things ,” he says . “ I ’ m hiring two-stroke mechanics , but people are less mechanically interested .”
“ I think it ’ s a combination ,” said Hall , “ of being unable to find experienced people and pay issues . We had a dream team for several months . But we lost one good technician to Stihl where he became a service tech for them . We are good up front in the dealership , but the service side is a challenge .”
80 % 70 % 60 % 50 % 40 % 30 % 20 % 10 % 0 %
0.0 %
None of the above
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS DO YOU USE TO RECRUIT NEW EMPLOYEES ?
53.9 %
Employee Referral Programs
61.5 %
Social Media
7.7 %
Job Fairs
76.9 %
Retention Employers across America , from restaurants to manufacturers to OPE dealers , have had to deal with employees leaving jobs , whether you want to call it the Great Resignation or the Big Quit . Remote work has helped corporate employers . A recent Gallop found that 91 percent of U . S . workers hoped they could continue working some of their hours from home . But until you can set up mini service shops in the garages at your employees ’ homes , working from home is not an option for OPE dealership staff . The best thing to do is strive to keep employees .
“ The number one thing dealers can do is make it hard to leave ,” said Sara Hey of Bob Clements International . She has a few suggestions for dealers , including setting up bonus programs where everyone in the dealership gets to participate based on profitability , and providing growth and training opportunities .
“ To be clear ,” said Hey , “ we don ’ t ever want to have an employee at the dealership when they really don ’ t want to be there , but we want to find ways to make them think before they run to the dealership down the road for an extra dollar an hour .”
Greg Paul has learned from Bob Clements training sessions and has been investing in ideas that can make
Online Job Boards
7.7 %
Recruitment Agency
0.0 %
Advertisements
23.1 %
Online Advertisements
15.4 %
Other
Source : OPE Business
people more productive . “ It ’ s easy for the industry to throw more labor at a problem , but we need to make our labor more efficient ,” he said . “ We added more lifts in the shop , plus faster blade sharpeners and other things to be more efficient .”
For Dengler and Sill ’ s Motor Sales , it ’ s personal . “ Just like with our customers , we want to have a relationship with employees ,” said Dengler . “ It ’ s not just a sale , and it ’ s not just a job .” Dengler is a fourth-generation leader at Sill ’ s Motor Sales , which has been in business for 92 years . “ We become family here ,” she said . “ Pay is important , but we want to support the individual all the way around . I want to get to know and support people . We are part of a family , and we support each other , from newborns to kids graduating from school . You
22 OPE Business May 2023 www . OPEBusiness . com