Appreciating Mechanics 101

Underappreciated, is that how they feel?

In any automotive service department, mechanics play a critical role in the success of the business. They work tirelessly to repair customers' vehicles and provide exceptional service, often in challenging and high-pressure environments.

However, despite their important contributions, many mechanics feel undervalued and underappreciated in the workplace. This lack of recognition can lead to decreased motivation, job satisfaction, and retention rates. As a service department manager or leader, it's crucial to show appreciation to your team in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.

In this guide, we'll discuss appreciation, ways Service Leaders can implement appreciation in your service department, and how to measure it.

Understanding

To be an effective appreciator, it's essential to understand the challenges that mechanics face in the workplace. Mechanics work long hours in physically demanding conditions, often dealing with tight deadlines and demanding customers. You know this, you're in the thick of it with them.

They encounter unexpected challenges during a repair, such as faulty parts or unclear instructions, which can add stress to their workload. These are factors that can lead to burnout and decreased job satisfaction.

As a Service Leader, it's important to empathize with mechanics and understand their experiences. By recognizing and acknowledging the unique challenges they face, Service Leaders can show their support and build trust with their team.

Identify

To effectively appreciate your team on the shop floor, it's important to identify and implement effective appreciation techniques. Sounds like some BS doesn't it?

Trust me, it's not.

Some of these techniques include verbal recognition, written notes, public recognition, and opportunities for professional development.

• Verbal recognition can be as simple as saying "thank you" or "great job" to a mechanic for their hard work.
• Written notes, such as a thank-you card or email, can also be a meaningful way to show appreciation.
• Public recognition, such as acknowledging a mechanic's contributions during a team meeting, can be a powerful motivator.
• Offering opportunities for professional development, such as training sessions or promotions.

Come up with your own by asking stupid questions. You only have to ask a stupid question once, if you listen to the answer.

Implement

Once effective appreciation techniques have been identified, per individual, it's important to implement them consistently and effectively throughout the service department.

This can be done by setting clear expectations for appreciation, training subordinate service department leaders on effective appreciation techniques, providing ongoing support and resources, and keeping a log of communication.

One effective way to implement appreciation techniques is to incorporate them into regular performance evaluations and feedback sessions. This allows service leaders to provide constructive feedback while also recognizing and appreciating mechanics for their hard work.

Additionally, holding regular team meetings and check-ins can create opportunities for public recognition and feedback.

If you are only holding 1:1 performance reviews yearly, you are missing out on intimate moments where genuine appreciation can be shown. Reviews like this show be done regularly, for maximum impact.

Measure

Measuring the impact of appreciation techniques is crucial to ensuring their effectiveness and continued use in the service department.

One way to measure the impact of appreciation is to collect feedback from mechanics on their job satisfaction and motivation levels. This can be done through regular surveys or feedback sessions.

The Wrench Turners Wellness Survey can help identify areas 
where you need to correct, because appreciation may be at 
the bottom of the priority list.        

Check out more information on WTWS here: www.wrenchturners.online

Additionally, tracking metrics such as employee retention rates and productivity levels can provide insights into the effectiveness of appreciation techniques.

Though it's imperative that you have these baselines recorded before you create an action plan and implement it.

It's also important to note that the impact of appreciation may not be immediate and may take time to manifest. So it's important to track and measure the impact of appreciation techniques over time.

Solidify

Showing appreciation for your Wrenches is essential to maintaining a positive and productive work environment on the shop floor.

By understanding the unique challenges faced by mechanics, identifying effective appreciation techniques, implementing them consistently and effectively, and measuring their impact, Service Leaders like you can build a culture of appreciation that benefits both mechanics and the business as a whole.

It's important to remember that appreciation is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process that requires commitment and dedication. By following the techniques and strategies outlined in this guide, Service Leaders can create a workplace that values and appreciates the hard work and dedication of their team.

TL;DR

• Service Leaders need to appreciate mechanics by understanding challenges, using effective techniques, implementing consistently, and measuring impact.
• Building a culture of appreciation benefits mechanics and the business, increasing job satisfaction, productivity, and employee retention.

PS. The Wrench Turners Podcast Podcast - Coaches Corner - Negative Pushes, Positive Pulls was posted yesterday. It's possibly the most impactful episode thus far. Please go have a listen and share it if you think it has value, please and thank you. Find it?HERE

Stay Informed:

Podcasts on Spotify:?HERE

• 10 Mill Mastery (Tuesdays): 4 Mechanics discussing topics that are current, relevant, and specific to Automotive, Mobile, and HD Mechanics.
• The Wrench Turners Podcast (Wednesdays): 1:1 Interviews
• The Mechanic Minute (Thursdays): 1-7 minutes of advice.
• Coaches Corner (Saturdays): I bring up an issue or situation that I discussed with a mechanic during a 1:1 coaching session and talk about what I advised, and the results that followed.

Products

• The?Wrench Turner's Wellness Survey?helps transform your automotive service department, click?HERE ?to set up a free discovery call.
• Do you need more information about what the Wellness Survey report looks like? Here's a 12-minute video for you to consume at your leisure:?HERE ?
• The?Reverse Interview?is a simple way to delegate the promotion of your job ad in a way that gives mechanics the opportunity to meet the hiring manager, without setting meetings, or have lost time for the manager through missed interviews. Click?HERE ?to set up a free discovery call.
• Digital Content, E-Books, Video Tutorials, and more on?GumRoad

Community

• Mechanics: the Wrench Turners Discord Community:?HERE
• For more information and links please head to?www.wrenchturners.online

Disclaimer: I am not a Psychologist or Wellness practitioner, registered or otherwise; even though I've now been called a therapist almost a dozen times. I am not a professional Life Coach or trained teacher. I am simply applying my perspective and relaying advice I've created or gathered over the years from other professionals, with a peppering of research and statistics, in addition to the context of my life. Please, do your own due diligence, and use it at your adult discretion.