The 10-Second Version (AI Summary)
What happened: Automotive News previewed what separates this year's 150 Best Dealerships To Work For from stores that applied and missed the list.
Why it matters: The winners stand out on time off, flexibility, and open books, and their people feel the difference.
What to do: Pick one number your team never sees and start sharing it.
AI-generated and reviewed by the ASOTU team.
One of our team members spent years managing a pizza place, and he saw the numbers every day. They showed which direction the store was heading and what decisions tomorrow would need. His takeaway still holds:
"Without data, alignment will get you somewhere; it just may not be where you wanted to be."
That idea runs through Automotive News' preview of this year's Best Dealerships To Work For, which we broke down on today's episode of the Automotive State of the Union. The full ranking drops Nov. 4.
How big is the gap between winning stores and the ones that missed?
Automotive News and Workforce Research Group compared this year's winners with other stores that applied and missed the list. These are dealerships that already care about culture, which makes the gaps more telling.
Employees who say... | Missed the list | Winners |
|---|---|---|
They have enough PTO and sick leave | 74% | 92% |
They're satisfied with weekly hours | 81% | 94% |
They rarely miss personal events for work | 73% | 92% |
They know the store's financial status | 66% | 89% |
They're paid fairly | 72% | 90% |
Policy alone doesn't explain the gap. Stores that missed the list were actually more likely to keep meetings out of after-hours (67% vs. 50%). The winners' advantage shows up in how the job feels to the people doing it.
All four of its Salem, Oregon stores made the list, and the group has grown from roughly half its size 15 years ago to about 450 people. Managers can see daily metrics across the group. Patriot Subaru in Saco, Maine, runs open-to-all staff meetings three mornings a week, pays 100% of medical, dental, and vision for 100+ employees, and has most of its staff on four-day weeks.
"If it hasn't positively affected our bottom line, I would be shocked."
Adam Arens, owner, Patriot Subaru
Why are so many dealership people moving to the vendor side?
We see it constantly, and nights and weekends aren't the whole story. The bigger draw is flexibility and freedom from piling on extra hours. Stores large enough to offer real flexibility, PTO, and volunteer time have a recruiting tool most of their competitors don't.
Open books matter just as much. People want to know whether the thing they show up for is working. They want to feel like they're part of something bigger than their own corner of the store. Small gestures count too, like bringing in someone for chair massages once a month.
The full conversation is on today's episode, along with why Adam Arens' way of thinking about business is worth studying.
