May 1, 2018—Women make up an average of just 19 percent of employees at new car dealerships, and human resources plays a key role in achieving more gender parity in the industry, according to a recent article on workforce.com.
In the article, Amy Byrne, the chief human resources officer at CDK Global, posed this question: Considering women influence 85 percent of car buying decisions, shouldn't they be more involved in an industry that so heavily relies on their buying power? Not welcoming the perspectives of women on important business decisions will only hurt dealers, Byrne contends.
Of the women who are in the industry, 68 percent have been told they're too aggressive, and 43 percent felt they had been passed over for promotions because of gender, she added, citing a recent industry survey.
Byrne feels it's important for HR professionals in the industry do what they can to support the needs of women in the workplace, and suggested the following steps be taken:
- Support organizations and charities that make sense for the auto realm, because that can illustrate that you support women in the industry.
- Offer more expansive benefits that support employees' personal dreams as well as their professional ones, like fertility treatments or adoptions, perks that can help when attempting to recruit more women in a male-dominated industry.
- Offer a flexible work environment, in which, when it makes sense, employees have the opportunity to work flexible schedules, or even the occasional remote shift.
