Over the past 40-plus years, the manner in which shop leaders work has changed. As the average shop owner moves away from long hours and turning wrenches in favor of business development and leadership, the 2021 Ratchet+Wrench Survey saw more shop owners working fewer than 40-hour workweeks. Also up was the number of vacation days while time repairing vehicles was at its lowest since the survey’s inception.
Average hours of work per week
Less than 40 - 17%
40-49 - 37%
50-59 - 29%
60 or more - 17%
Vacation days per year
None - 10%
1-5 - 21%
6-10 - 17%
11-15 - 21%
16 or more - 31%
Scheduled Check-Ins with Employees
Yes - 41%
No - 59%
Time Spent Working on Vehicles
Everyday - 27%
Never - 31%
Occasionally - 42%
Leadership styles
Direct involvement - 40%
“I get dirty on the shop floor and lead by example.”
Visionary - 23%
“I focus on the big picture and inspire my team to succeed.”
Democratic - 19%
“I encourage my staff’s input in decision-making.”
Hands-Off - 16%
“I trust my team with key decisions and am not afraid to delegate.”
Authoritarian - 2%
“It’s my way or it doesn’t get done.”
About the Author
Ratchet+Wrench Staff Reporters
The Ratchet+Wrench staff reporters have a combined two-plus decades of journalism and mechanical repair experience.
