Employee turnover can affect any industry, and the auto and collision industries aren’t any different. Employees are a big investment - a lot of time, effort, and money goes into training and retaining them. When they leave, your return on investment essentially disappears. 

The turnover rate for mechanics has risen from 25.1% to 27.2%, and the shortage is predicted to be between 20,000 to 25,000 mechanics. Collision tech stats?

This begs the question, how do you retain your staff long-term? With multiple years of experience in the industry, we’ve compiled a list of how to reduce employee turnover in your auto shop and create an environment for attracting and retaining loyal employees.

Build a Culture to be Proud of

Does your shop foster a culture of positivity, inclusion, and teamwork in your shop?

One reason good mechanics often leave is they feel undervalued, and like they aren’t a part of a team. One study revealed that an employee who feels valued, heard and that they make a difference in the world is 59% less likely to leave. 

One way to combat this is to coach your employees that they are a team and help them build on their communication skills. Toxic work environments and bad leadership are the top reasons employees leave. If you have constant turnover, take a look at your culture and the way your employees communicate with one another.

Invest in Employee’s Learning (Continued Education)

If you want your employees to know that you value them and the skills they harbor, consider implementing a hands-on, productivity-based continued education option for them. It has been proven time and time again that continued education brings a return on investment for a business, and also boosts employee confidence. 

In a survey of more than 1,400 people, almost half (49%) didn’t think their employer was offering them enough learning and development opportunities. This rings true for the automotive industry as well. Your employees are wanting to get in a focused environment, away from the chaos of the day-to-day business, and get hands-on productive training.

Give Your Mechanics a Chance to Succeed

Investing in your employees with continued education gives your employees the opportunity to learn and train with structure and support. By investing in productivity training early on, you are essentially giving your employees the chance to reach their full potential at the shop. Not only will your employee’s quality of work improve, but you will likely be able to retain them as they understand to appreciate the company's investment in them. An investment in your employee’s productivity  is an investment in your shop, and waiting for or relying solely on OEM training is most often too late

If mechanic retention is important to you, then consider how utilizing a school like Matrix Trade Institute decreases your turnover and starts boosting your bottom line.

Our Upskill Efficiency Bootcamps increase productivity and employee retention by helping employers provide a clear path to advancement with continued skill enhancement and efficiency training. Learn more about it here.