Best Dealerships To Work For in Canada 2019

Location: Calgary, Alta. 

Dealer principal: Jim McManes

Dealership group: McManes Automotive Group

Number of employees: 130

2018 new-vehicles sales: 1,869, up 1%

2018 used-vehicle sales: 930, down 5.6% 

General Manager Brent Walker on best practices aimed at addressing the shortage of skilled workers: We are greatly concerned about a shortage of skilled workers, especially in the sales and technician fields. In order to address this issue, we try to place a large focus on building an employee from the ground up. Getting them in with minimal experience, working with our postsecondary institutions to find candidates with little experience and then training them over the years to fill our forecasted staffing issues. 

Walker on steps taken to ensure the dealership reflects the community’s demographics and cultural diversity: At Eastside Dodge, we hire staff that come from varying backgrounds, speak different languages, range in age. This allows us to cater to a wide market and demographic. Although we do not take extra steps to attract female employees, we do not refrain from hiring female employees and encourage everyone to apply. 

Walker on the unusual methods developed to reward employees and show them they are valued: Eastside Dodge will take the extra step to reward employees for personal accomplishments. If they win or complete a large goal of theirs, the team gets together and acknowledges it and buys a cake or gift of some sort. We feel that accomplishments outside of work should be recognized as well. These are activities that are very important to our staff and therefore important to the team.