• How to Motivate, Cultivate and Maintain a New Generation of Employees
By Jon Stovall, General Sales Manager, Ocean Blue Yacht Sales
In 2024 and beyond, we have a new generation of people coming into the retail marine industry. How do we, as business owners and managers, connect with a generation that thinks and acts completely differently from us or any generation we have worked with?
The newest generation of workers that are now coming out of high school, trade schools and even four-year colleges have a way of thinking that we have not seen in the workforce before now. As business owners and operators, we have established mindsets, expectations and requirements when interviewing and hiring a new candidate. But, at some point, you start scratching your head when the new hire who you had high hopes for suddenly says they want to leave your dealership with no warning signs.
After seeing this happen consistently, not only at my dealership, but at others around me, I wanted to dive deeper into what motivates this generation and how we as operators can continue with our established dealership cultures and still develop our next work force.
The biggest lesson I learned is that this new generation is not always motivated solely by money. As a manager, sitting down with your new hire is critical. Yes, I am sure we all do this automatically, but do we really ask the questions or know the questions to ask? Asking questions that allow your new hire to really express their long-term goals and aspirations is a great starting point. I have found that young candidates don’t always know what their long-term goals are. Especially with how fast their lives change based on how integrated social media and technology is in their lives and early development. Having continuous conversations about this helps keep them engaged and feel appreciated by leadership.
My most successful hires with the new generation have required frequent check-ins, more than I normally would do with employees that are similar ages to me. These check-ins are critical. Helping them understand the big picture of what your dealership can do and where it can go with them as a part of that plan has helped me provide them with long-term goals, mentorship and empowerment that they thrive on. Taking monetary compensation out of the equation has helped take instant gratification emotions out of their mindsets. It does not completely go away – compensation is an extremely important topic – but providing a platform that can clearly show their potential and pave a path for long-term growth and success can far outweigh any other compensation they can dream of.
In summary, it’s important to take a different approach to developing employees than you have in the past. Providing purpose, identity and a connection to them and your everyday business could outweigh monetary compensation at a different job down the street.
About the Author
Jon Stovall is the General Sales Manager for Ocean Blue Yacht Sales in sunny southeast Florida. He has been in the marine retail industry for 10 years and has worked in just about every department of a marine dealership. He also serves on MRAA’s Young Leaders Advisory Council (YLAC). With a passion for the industry, he has learned that recruiting and developing new people is the key to long term success.
Future-Proofing Your Workforce: Using AIMIE to Connect with the Next Generation
Acquiring and maintaining a steady, talented workforce is a tall task. We understand! That’s why Jennifer McLachlan, MRAA Membership Specialist, is hosting a webinar to share with you innovative ways that AIMIE (AI for Marine Industry Education) can help you grow and future-proof your workforce.
This conversational session explores the practical applications of AIMIE to enhance your dealership’s recruitment and training processes. Learn how to leverage AIMIE’s capabilities to attract and retain young talent, maximize efficiency and provide continuous education for your team.
Date & Time: Wed., Oct 9, 2024 / 12 p.m. CDT
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