A Harvard Business Review shows that Boomers and Millennials are changing what constitutes a great place to work.

(Keep in mind that each of these generations are roughly twice the size of Gen. X which lies in the middle, so it is critical that we listen.)

When a group of 50 multinational companies spearheaded two large-scale nationally representative surveys, the following became abundantly clear:

Flexible work schedules and the opportunity to give back to society trumped the size of the paycheck.

It is clear there has been a shift in priorities that require a different perspective from employers. In the past, my company did recruiting for some of our clients.  After doing a substantial number of interviews for positions offering lucrative salaries only to be stood up or turned down, it quickly became clear that the automotive industry needs to make some big changes.  

Who could fault anyone for wanting more time for their families, hobbies, continued education and to give back and connect with society through volunteering or faith based activities? There is also research that proves that individuals who take time for these activities and have strong connections outside of work are healthier, happier and… are you ready for this…MORE PRODUCTIVE!  Wouldn’t you rather have a balanced happy employee on a flexible 40-hour schedule than an unhappy burnt out employee slaving aways for 60 hours per week?  It would be interesting to compare their productivity per hour.

So, owners and managers – my questions to you are:
How do you create flexibility in your store?
Are you willing to make schedule changes to advance production and employee retention?
Have you promoted any programs that connect your employees to charities or helping others in your community?  

Sally Whitesell

Updated 11/13/2020