Generation Z in the car dealership: Innovative, agile leadership instead of “business as usual”

Generation Z in the car dealership: Innovative, agile leadership instead of “business as usual”

In times of Generation (Gen) Z, traditional corporate principles and leadership structures are out - agility and diversity are required in the leadership and work culture. For motor vehicle companies this means: rethinking at management level and promoting the innovative spirit of employees as well as creating diverse working conditions. Success is only possible if the car dealership boss manages to do this. Below, Promotor provides tips for managing a business involving Gen Z.

The baby boomers are retiring. Fewer and fewer young, well-trained skilled workers are entering the labor market. But these scarce workers are in high demand. Accordingly, the red carpet is often rolled out for them. But that alone is not enough, because the new generation has high demands on the world of work. The automotive industry must face this change. If the current management culture simply “carries on like this” despite the advance of Gen Z, born between 1996 and 2010, on the labor market, there could be a crash for young people, says Promotor Managing Director Andreas Serra. According to Serra, a rapid realignment is therefore necessary, especially when dealing with applications from the car dealership management level. “Digital applications are still answered very slowly, not digitally and in an uninteresting way. Getting to know each other personally by the boss, innovative reactions such as a short video or a reaction at eye level are often missing,” says the promoter managing director. Job descriptions are also a thorn in the side of Millennial and Gen Z applicants. According to Serra, the accusation here is: “Everything is expected and promised.” However, the details and the exciting things about the new task are not provided.

Listening at eye level

In times of digitalization, automation and globalization, Andreas Serra is convinced that modern corporate management plays a key role more than ever in the success of car dealerships. In other words, not only Generation X (born 1965 to 1979) and Millennials (1980 to 1995) can now be taken into account. Gen Rather, it is also important to be aware of the needs of Gen Z. For this generation, New Work and with it the desire for a combination of professional development and personal fulfillment are at the top of the agenda. She has clear ideas about the management style of her future employer. These are: appreciation, communication at eye level and prompt feedback on their work. Freedom to grow and develop at work is just as important to her as structure in everyday life and work-life separation. After the 24-to-9 working day, free time is the order of the day and this is sacred to her, as is her employer's corporate culture based on trust and personal responsibility. In general, digital natives long for security in addition to a greater sense of purpose in their work. With fixed contracts in hand, they want to counteract the fast-moving digital globalization.

Especially in view of the high shortage of skilled workers in the industry - according to the ZDK, there are currently 10.000 employees missing in the craft sector alone - companies must therefore act quickly. Andreas Serra: “The management style of a car dealership plays a crucial role in attracting scarce skilled workers. Ultimately, it has a central influence on the satisfaction, motivation and loyalty of employees to the company. However, thanks to listening at eye level, making concessions, promoting diversity and inclusion, openness and targeted mentoring, management has key factors at hand with which employees of all generations can be taken into the new management culture.”

Managers in car dealerships have to deal with clearly heterogeneous teams

While the majority of companies had just begun to adapt to Millennials with their new view of home offices and flexible working hours, it is now time to adapt again with Gen Z. This younger generation is more cautious when it comes to careers, needs more freedom for their own ideas and creativity in the workplace and is more demanding when it comes to their own performance feedback. For Gen Z, the 24-hour availability of the generation before them is a warning example that the intrusion into private life is too great. Today, in a much more complex world, managers have to hold clearly heterogeneous teams together and do everything together with them to stay on the road to success.