Develop your best people strategy with the help of AM and the IMI

We gather together some of the sector’s top employee specialists, motivators, automotive retailer colleagues and industry leaders whose insights will help you shape a winning people strategy.

Your employees remain your key differentiator. Consumers are demanding and an exceptional customer experience that’s personal, seamless and technologically advanced is more important than ever.

However, the sector and the wider employment market are not without its challenges.

Industry challenges

1) Expanding sector

A record March with 518,707 registrations rounded off a record quarter (5.1% higher than the same time last year) and followed a record year in 2015 when more than 2.6 million new vehicles were registered. (Figures: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders)

2) Skills shortage

The automotive sector is facing a skills shortage, 5,000 vacancies, to be precise, are unfilled across manufacturing, components and the supply chain although retailers also find it tough recruiting the best people.

3) Recruitment

Inevitably, a skills shortage compounds recruitment and with top 10 AM100 dealer group Lookers predicting almost three million new car registrations by 2020, even more people will be needed to sustain the sector’s expansion.

4) A regulatory landscape

The Financial Conduct Authority’s market study into remuneration is due soon and questions are already being asked about whether the current salary structure, particularly for sales executives, needs to change.

5) Evolving the workplace

If dealers are to grow their business, they will need to cast their recruitment nets much wider and offer different models of working including a more flexible approach to attract more women, young people, graduates and people from different backgrounds.

Attend the AM-IMI People Conference on Thursday 16th June at the Park Plaza Riverbank by visiting www.ampeopleconference.co.uk