The automotive industry continues to grow with companies looking to recruit employees in many different areas, but this is proving to be difficult and the industry could be looking at an employee shortage crisis in the near future. Research from Jardine Motor Group revealed that just 18% of UK employees would consider a career in the automotive retail sector, so it is clear that this industry needs to take action to become more appealing to jobseekers.
New Research
Car dealer, Jardine Motors commissioned research which involved asking 527 workers across the Jardine Motor Group along with research from OnePoll of 1,000 workers in other sectors and this revealed how the industry is seen as outdated and could have a serious issue moving forward if action is not taken.
Perceived Gender Issues
In addition to just 18% considering a career in this industry, it also seems that there is a gender issue with 15% of women outside the industry willing to consider a career in automotive retail with just 5% perceiving the industry to have a friendly environment. Interestingly, this does not reflect the view of women working in the industry with 45% believing that it has a really friendly environment. This could be because the industry has worked hard to change perceptions in recent times and address gender imbalances.
Career Development & Pay
It is not just a gender issue, though, as the research revealed that many are deterred by working in the auto industry due to a perceived lack of career development opportunities. Just 3% of Brits outside of the industry believed that there would be opportunities to progress compared to 40% inside the industry. On top of this, pay is another stumbling block with 53% of those outside the sector stating that they did not like commission-based roles with 20% of 18-24-year-olds not considering roles in this industry due to concerns over pay.
Time for Change
It is interesting to see the perception of the industry from outsiders and how this is actually quite different to how those in the automotive retail sector find work. Of course, this does not help when it comes to recruitment and this is why Jardine Motor Group are taking action based on their findings to attract more talent and this will need to be followed throughout the industry. This might include addressing gender imbalances, implementing new pay initiatives and creating a good work-life balance.
The auto industry continues to grow but could be hampered by a staffing crisis in the near future. The perception from the outside is that the auto industry is not a good place to work with an unattractive pay system, and while this may not always be true, it is clear that those in the industry need to do more to attract talent.
