Combining professional and personal development increases employee retention, as does setting realistic goals.
Watching employees learn and become interested in the car washing industry can be one of the most satisfying aspects of car wash ownership and management. Guiding them in that direction and motivating them can play a big part in helping pique their interest. But, just as everyone has different likes and dislikes, the same can be said for motivational inspirations. So, what is the best way to connect to your employees, help them set realistic goals and encourage them to realize a career in car washing might be a perfect fit for them?
“Employees should be aware of the businesses goals and strategies to reach those goals,” said Ryan Easter, founder of The Allied Advantage. “When milestones are hit there should be a celebration that includes the employees. This sets the foundation for the employees to understand growth through a goal-setting lens and perfectly sets up the leadership team to engage with the employees about their own goals and growth strategies.”
One of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of professional development is that professional growth and personal growth always go hand in hand, Easter said. “You often see people who don’t understand this link who are not getting the promotions that they desire, and it’s because they have not focused on the personal growth that is required to make them successful in the new role,” he said. “The best companies understand this and set an employee up for success by focusing on their personal growth as a part of the development program. By investing in the employees’ personal growth, you are not only helping them become better people, but you are preparing them for the next step in their careers, often within your company.”
At Living Water Installations, the 20-30 person installation division of Champion Xpress Car Wash, there are four different tiers on the technician pathway, said Ben Kneer, senior installation technician. “Each tier represents the level of knowledge and experience acquired,” he explained. Tier 1 is the apprentice level and Tier 4 is a senior technician. Team leaders are senior technicians and are responsible for training the team, but each technician also works with and trains the other team members, he said.
Progress is measured through quarterly performance reviews, so people can advance quickly, Kneer said. A key component of the reviews is to make sure the pathway reflects the individual’s personal goals, he said. “Travel is a key part of the installation division. Techs work one week on and one week off, with the weeks on representing travel away from home,” he said. “If I have someone who cannot continue this level of travel due to personal reasons, we have the opportunity to look at positions at Champion Xpress, a family-owned company with 50 locations, that better meet the individual’s goals.”
The flexibility to move from the installation division to Champion Xpress and recognition of an employee’s personal goals leads to retention of talent, Kneer said. “Even if someone leaves the division or company, most often due to relocation, they typically stay in the car wash industry.”
“Most people don’t know that the industry offers a career, not just a job,” said Alex Paisner, director of people and culture for ScrubaDub, a family-owned company with 20 locations employing 300 people. One of the tools they use to show potential and current employees what a career at the company looks like is a visual career roadmap. In addition to the roadmap, which is presented in new-hire orientations, webinars and in-field training sessions, ScrubaDub is working toward a more formal description for pre-requisites that may include courses and management training programs.
Paisner pointed out that having a career pathway requires a commitment that goes beyond a poster or conversation during an evaluation. “Our entire company is made up of people who did not plan on a career with ScrubaDub but stay here for years as they move up as a leaders in the organization,” he said. If someone questions the validity of ScrubaDub’s focus on careers in the company, Paisner just points to current management throughout all locations, “100% of the management team are internal hires.”
One-on-one evaluations give employees opportunities to talk about what they want in their career or personal life, said Paisner. “This conversation occurs after we’ve discussed the evaluation, which is designed around the company’s core values, and we talk about what tools or resources they need to reach their career and personal goals.”
Helping Employees Set Goals
Valet Car Wash enhances professional and personal development with a Dream Coach who meets with all employees on a regular basis. “Our Dream Coach helps employees set their personal and professional goals and works with the employee to create a program to help them reach both,” said Mike Black, owner of the South Ontario company that has 11 locations and 150 employees. “We started the Dream Clean Coaching Program in 2019 with a consultant, then hired our own in-house coach 2½ years ago.”
The program was first implemented as a way to retain employees rather than deal with ongoing turnover, said Black. “Our turnover was high; in fact, we were hiring three people for every position throughout the year,” he said. “The pendulum has swung in the opposite direction, and we now hire less than one person for each position.” An added benefit is the public recognition as an employer of the year by the Chamber of Commerce in Ontario and the stacks of resumes received from people who want to work at Valet. “We can be choosy about who we hire,” he said.
When it comes to goal-setting at Champion Xpress and Living Waters, “A good leader works with the team,” Kneer said. “If you work with team members, you can teach and communicate, and you get to know what they can do and what they want professionally and personally. You can identify what they want to do.” While the company always encourages employees to gain knowledge and learn skills, some technicians do not want to move up to team leader because they don’t want to be an administrator. “We recognize that and help them continue learning and training others on their team, without the paperwork and administrative responsibilities.”
An employee roadmap, which is a bridge between the business and the personal, can really set the stage for conversations on career goals, as well, Easter said. “Ask the question, ‘What are your dreams in life, work aside, what do you dream of?’” Because the great thing about the car wash is that it is so diverse. There might be another position within the company that would help that employee on that journey, he said. “This gives the employees the freedom to speak up about personal goals while still presenting it in the context of the car wash setting.”
One-on-one meetings are best for personal goal-setting, said Peter James, executive coach at HCG Consulting Solutions. “Remember that goals will differ. The professional and personal goals of a college student working part-time are very different from the mother of three children,” he said. “Once the individual goals are identified, talk about what needs to be accomplished to achieve the personal goals, which motivates and engages the employee in the overall business goals.”
One of the challenges to creating formal goal-setting or professional development programs is based on time and resources available. “Many organizations are struggling to stay afloat and are focused on customer acquisition, but even small companies should plan for professional development. They can determine what is needed now, then grow the program as the company grows,” James said. “Survey employees and ask them what they need and what would motivate them.”
Training for professional and personal development is often seen as an expense that may be out of reach for some mid-sized or small businesses, but Paisner has found a resource. “State Workforce Development grants may be available to subsidize workforce development,” he said. “We are eligible for up to $200,000 to subsidize worker education, and the grants cover in-house or outside experts.”
Most importantly, remember that professional and personal development programs are an ongoing process, not an item to check off a to-do list.
“We should never state that we have implemented a program that works perfectly,” James said. Just as new business practices and technologies continue to emerge to improve the operational side of a car wash business, new ways to support employee goal-setting and professional development should never be static programs. “For example, we have so many AI tools today that we did not have 2 ½ years ago that can assist with professional development planning,” he said. “We should also ask ourselves if we are evaluating needs and explaining options in the best way to improve our business and our employees’ lives.”