The new technician you hired seemed great in their interview. They answered your questions well and seem to have the basic knowledge you’re looking for in an entry-level position. Perhaps you’re like many owners nationwide who have turned to folks with little to no training in the automotive industry and plan to train them on basic services like an oil change.
But how do you know for sure that they will show up on time after the first day (or then, for that matter), let alone that they will be a good employee, learning the processes and performing service to the best of their ability?
John “JB” Burkhauser with BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY this month writes an exclusive article for shop owners explaining how to implement job shadowing programs for new employees. He has five steps to creating a successful shadowing program, starting with choosing the technician the new hire will shadow.
“Have the newbie shadow one of your senior techs for a couple of weeks,” JB writes. “How the new hire responds to this will show you who and what they are very quickly. Additionally, shadowing will lower the liability of bringing on an inexperienced technician.”
What is important to remember, he notes, is that this is not paying an individual for nothing.
“Rather, this is an investment in both their training and maintaining your shop’s standards. Not only is this a relatively small investment, but it will save you money in the long run,” JB writes.
Most employees do want to work hard and learn new skills to improve their career. But there are those who just want a paycheck and are not interested in working hard. As JB writes in the exclusive piece, hopefully the new hire proves to be as skilled as expected and didn’t simply sell you a “bill of goods.”
“When hiring more experienced techs, their level of skill will become apparent in just a few days working in the shop,” he says.
Read more to learn not only the ins and outs of the shadow program, but additional ways JB suggests owners align themselves with new pipelines of potential employees.
