As any auto repair shop owner knows, technicians are often concerned about their next paycheck. And, many shop employees, in general, are understandably concerned amid the uncertainty inspired by the coronavirus outbreak.
So, how can you, as a shop leader, set employees’ minds at ease? While it’s difficult these days, it’s hardly impossible.
Here are some suggestions, from experts mined throughout the Internet.
ADJUST POLICIES
In a Forbes article, experts noted the need to be flexible with scheduling, since schools throughout the country, and even some daycare facilities, have either closed or reduced hours. That leaves employees who are parents in a difficult position.
Consider, 1 in 3 employees have left a job because they didn’t feel their boss cared about them as a person, and 25 percent have left a job because they felt they weren’t treated with dignity by company leaders.
CREATE A COMMUNICATION TEAM
As noted in a Harvard Business Review report, in a fast-moving, ever-evolving situation like the coronavirus crisis, any business needs a crisis-response team. Employees need to know who they can quickly turn to for answers during a time of virtual nationwide panic.
Ideally, a communication team would consist of a handful of business leaders, and it should meet regularly to monitor the evolving situation, provide regular updates to employees, and be as transparent as possible.
Experts say that business leaders like those that run repair shops should communicate with employees by doing the following:
- Post information regularly, in a highly-visible location
- Describe how decisions were made about issues like reducing business hours
- Communicate no less than every other day
- Do your best to provide timely information rather than waiting to collect every answer
