Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • login
  • HOME
  • News
    • News by Brand
    • Auto Shows
    • Canadians Abroad
    • Photo Galleries
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • Retail
    • Dealer Best Practices
    • Government Relations
    • Trade and Tariffs
    • Technology
    • Labour
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ferrari
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Fiat Chrysler
      • Jeep
      • Fiat
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Ram
    • Subaru
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
    • Volvo
    • VinFast
    • Toronto Auto Show
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • 2021 Auto News Canada All Stars
    • 2021 Canadians To Watch
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • Canada Congress
    • Retail Forum: Dealer Discussions
    • Leading Women Roundtables
    • Embracing Diversity Roundtable
  • Jobs & Classifieds
  • +MORE
    • IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
    • NEWSLETTERS
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CLASSIFIEDS
    • PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
    • COMPANIES ON THE MOVE
    • WEBINARS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • CONTACT US
    • DIGITAL EDITION
    • PUBLISHING PARTNERS
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Retail
November 26, 2021 12:01 AM

A diverse staff makes a stronger dealership ‘family’ that builds the business

'Our culture and work family have become stronger because of our differences'

Harry Pegg
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Birchwood Lexus Staff
    BIRCHWOOD LEXUS

    Birchwood Automotive Group also reaches out to Indigenous groups as part of its recruitment efforts.

    Cultural diversity and gender equality are playing key roles in hiring practices among dealers who want their workforces to more accurately reflect their customer base.

    “[The] strategy is constantly revised to build cultural capacity in our workplace and promote inclusion for all our team members and our customers,” said Darryl Tuck, general manager of Birchwood Lexus in Winnipeg.

    The store provides employees training such as communication and cultural-competency workshops, and it offers opportunities to “celebrate and share our team members’ stories and backgrounds, offering a personal glimpse into our rich backgrounds of culture, language, celebrations and so on,” Tuck said.

    “With Lexus and all our dealerships, we highlight various team members by video,” said MaryAnn Kempe, chief human resources officer for the 23-store Birchwood Automotive Group. “They share their cultures, language and heritage with all team members.

    “This has had an amazing impact. We call them our ‘influencers,’ very powerful when shared in a story.”

    The company also reaches out to Indigenous groups as part of its recruitment efforts, Kempe said.

    INDIGENOUS IMMERSION

    “As business leaders, we want to create a sense of community by forging partnerships with Indigenous organizations within Winnipeg,” she said. “Birchwood engages with the University of Manitoba Indigenous Commerce Students, a student group for those who identify with or have a common interest in enhancing Indigenous culture.

    “We are members of a joint working consortium representing nine Winnipeg corporations . . . the focus is to employ Indigenous youth in a meaningful way by engaging in educational activities and experiences for mutual learning.”

    Related Article
    The 2021 Automotive News Canada Leading Women Roundtable

    Visible minorities — with eight languages represented — make up nearly half of the staff at Birchwood dealerships, Kempe said. The group has about 1,100 employees.

    Aidan Thevenot, parts manager at Birchwood Kia on Regent in Winnipeg, said the dealership employs people from China, Italy, Poland and Venezuela.

    “Our culture and work family have become stronger because of our differences.”

    A WOMAN’S PLACE? EVERYWHERE

    Volvo of Edmonton dealer principal Michael Norris makes it a priority to seek out female job candidates. The industry, he said, has to do a better job of recruiting women for key leadership roles, such as general manager, controller and finance manager.

    “We think this is especially important in the automotive industry, which has traditionally been male-dominated.”

    To achieve gender equity, managers ensure that both male and female candidates are interviewed for all positions, Norris said.

    “We want our workforce to be reflective of our customer base...we feel having both male and female workers strengthens our team.”

    At Birchwood Automotive Group, women make up nearly 30 per cent of employees, filling roles such as general manager, sales associate and technician.

    In its search for female staff, the group attends Skills Manitoba events — trade-related competitions — that focus on young women in grades 7 to 12, Kempe said.

    “Our female technicians, sales consultants and managers offer mentoring to young women to discuss automotive career opportunities.”

    LISTENING AND INSPIRING

    In 2019, the group launched a maternity/parental/adoption-leave program, which tops up team members’ wages by 45 per cent — to 100 per cent — for 15 weeks and offers the option to extend their leave to an unpaid leave of absence.

    Birchwood also has an internal group named Women In Automotive Leadership, designed to “help develop, inspire and support the present and future women of Birchwood,” Kempe said.

    “We offer seminars and sessions to highlight the fact that the automotive industry offers many opportunities. We also bring in keynote speakers and have developed a mentorship program.”

    While Bruce Hyundai in New Minas, N.S., 100 kilometres northwest of Halifax, does not have a formal program to boost the number of women, it does take steps to recruit prospective female employees, said JP Martel, vice president of people and culture.

    “In a situation where we had two equally qualified candidates, one male, one female, we would most likely select the female candidate as a way to counter the previously male-driven industry. In our experience, female employees have become some of the [highest performing employees] and loyal managers and leaders.”

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    New clean fuel regulations to raise gas prices, affect low income Canadians the most
    Recommended for You
    Gas bar sign
    New clean fuel regulations to raise gas prices, affect low income Canadians the most
    AutoCanada.jpg
    AutoCanada plans to buy back up to $100M in shares from investors
    Canada Drives
    Financing firm Goeasy Ltd. buys $40M stake in used-vehicle giant Canada Drives
    Left to right: Farid Ahmad, John Chisholm 7
    Sponsored Content: Expert insights: The keys to successful dealership succession planning
    Digital Edition
    June 2022 Cover
    View latest issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up today for our Weekly Newsletter, Daily Newsletter and Breaking News Alerts. We'll deliver the news you need to know straight to your inbox.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Subscribe Now

    An Automotive News Canada subscription includes 12 monthly issues – delivered in print to your doorstep, and digitally to your inbox – plus unlimited, 24/7 access to our website.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Our Mission

    The Automotive News Canada mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in Canada.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Ave
    Detroit MI 48207

    1-877-812-1257

    Email Us

    ISSN 2475-5001 (print)
    ISSN 2475-501X (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • Advertise with Us
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Canada
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • News
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ferrari
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Fiat Chrysler
          • Jeep
          • Fiat
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Ram
        • Subaru
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
        • Volvo
        • VinFast
      • Auto Shows
        • Toronto Auto Show
      • Canadians Abroad
      • Photo Galleries
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • Retail
      • Dealer Best Practices
      • Government Relations
      • Trade and Tariffs
      • Technology
      • Labour
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • 2021 Auto News Canada All Stars
      • 2021 Canadians To Watch
      • Best Dealerships To Work For
      • Canada Congress
      • Retail Forum: Dealer Discussions
      • Leading Women Roundtables
      • Embracing Diversity Roundtable
    • Jobs & Classifieds
    • +MORE
      • IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
      • NEWSLETTERS
      • SUBSCRIBE
      • CLASSIFIEDS
      • PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
      • COMPANIES ON THE MOVE
      • WEBINARS
      • ADVERTISE WITH US
      • CONTACT US
      • DIGITAL EDITION
      • PUBLISHING PARTNERS