KALAMAZOO, Mich., Oct. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/
-- According to a Glassdoor Economic Research study released
Thursday, October 21, 2021, Zeigler
Auto Group ranked among the review site's Top 20 Highest-Rated
Companies for Work-Life Balance During the COVID-19 Pandemic,
coming in at number 14 nationwide. The study–which gathered
Glassdoor.com reviews from current and former U.S.-based full-time
employees between March 15, 2020, and
September 28, 2021– also gave Zeigler
Auto Group the top spot for new and used auto dealership
groups.
"Zeigler is proud to be leading the way for work-life balance in
our industry. After nearly 50 years, we continue to be a family
owned and operated business; and to us that means taking care of
our people in good and bad times. It also means continuing to adapt
to a rapidly evolving world by listening to our team's needs so
that they can be the best they can be," said Aaron J. Zeigler, Zeigler Auto Group's president
and owner, who also holds a 98% CEO approval rating on
Glassdoor.
The top 20 companies spanned a number of different industries
including tech, finance, nonprofit, retail, real estate,
accounting, education, and government. Zeigler Auto Group fell
within the retail industry, representing the best of the best among
auto dealer groups that offer new and used vehicles. The average
work-life balance ratings for the study were measured on a 5.0
scale with Zeigler Auto Group averaging 4.7.
"We are honored to be recognized as a top company in Glassdoor's
study on work-life-balance! This is a tribute to our culture at
Zeigler Auto Group and the way our teams take care of one another.
We strongly believe that taking care of our people gives our team
the best environment to deliver an amazing experience for our
customers," said Mike Van Ryn,
director of talent development at Zeigler Auto Group.
According to the Glassdoor Economic Research Work-Life Balance
study, the proportion of all reviews on Glassdoor.com discussing
burnout surged 100 percent, from 0.20 percent in February of 2020,
before the pandemic in the U.S., to 0.40 percent in September 2021. While the proportion of employees
mentioning mental health on Glassdoor increased by 143 percent,
from 0.23 percent in February 2020 to
0.56 percent in September 2021.
In order to arrive at those numbers, the study looked at the
percentage of reviews each month, during the stated time period,
that mentioned the keywords: "mental health" or "burnout". Then
designated reviews that mention those keywords in the "Pros"
section as having positive sentiment, and conversely, designated
those reviews using those keywords in the "Cons" section as
negative. The study only included companies with over 75 work-life
balance ratings between March 15,
2020 and September 28,
2021.
"Glassdoor's Work Life Balance ranking recognizes something
we've long known at Zeigler, when you do what you love, with people
who care about your wellbeing and your success, work-life balance
will always be effortless. It reminds me of a quote by Simon Sinek
"Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress.
Working hard for something we love is called passion. It is a
right, not a privilege, that we should love where we work." At
Zeigler we make it a priority to give our people the tools they
need to love where they work. This philosophy has driven us through
COVID challenges, economic ebbs and flow, and propelled us to
massive growth over the years," said Sam D'Arc, Zeigler's chief
operating officer.
In response to the pandemic, Zeigler Auto Group introduced an
internal Employee Stimulus Plan last April that offered free health
insurance for the month of May and June to all employees that were
currently working or back to work by Friday,
May 1, 2020. Aside from the free health care initiative,
Zeigler also announced that all hourly employees would receive a
$10 per hour increase in pay for the
next eight weeks. Before the increase, the dealer group's average
hourly employee was around $15 per
hour. Additionally, all flat rate techs throughout the organization
were guaranteed 40 hours per week for the next eight weeks.
Another key takeaway from the study was the difference between
the recorded "average work-life balance rating" for each category
and companies' ratings within that category. For example, while the
retail category averaged a 3.1, Zeigler was listed at an impressive
4.7 rating.
Zeigler's chief of staff, Matt
Thomas says the organization's high score is a product of
Zeigler's ongoing investment in internal development and engagement
programs. "We offer our team members the tools they need to
effectively maintain a healthy work-life balance while enhancing
their overall employee experience. We have leadership, personal
development, and wellness programs available to our entire staff.
This all helps create an environment where everyone can perform at
their very best and ensures that our team is actively taking part
in shaping a culture that they are proud to be a part of."
During 2020, Zeigler hosted over 20 guest speakers, as part of
its highly successful Zeigler University Guest Speaker Series
compared to its usual 5 to 7 speakers per year. Although most
sessions were held virtually, Zeigler organized a small number in
person sessions to keep its team motivated and inspired through the
year's most difficult times.
More recently, Zeigler partnered with Athletic Mentors to offer
employees a free wellness program especially built for the
organization. The company's fully digital platform includes an on
demand educational library, one-on-one live coaching, wellness
programs, monthly challenges with prizes, and more.
Zeigler also has an ongoing scholarship program that awards over
$100,000 a year to company employees
and their families. Other leadership and development programs
include Zeigler's Aspiring Leadership and Development Course,
performance groups, and various department-specific talent
development programs.
The company also invests heavily in recognition programs that
center around its company's values and mission through the
P.R.I.D.E. acronym that stands for Passion, Reputation, Integrity,
Drive, and Execution. Among the recognition programs is its highly
coveted P.R.I.D.E. Award, with honorees receiving nominations from
peers rather than management–which helps foster a sense of
community that supports others being praised for their hard work.
Customer reviews on the employee nominated are also taken into
consideration.
Besides its high ranking on the Glassdoor Economic Review
Work-Life Balance study, Zeigler also holds a 4.8-star rating and a
91% Recommend to a Friend rating, with nearly 200 reviews to date
on the review site. The organization is also consistently
recognized for its focus on talent, winning three consecutive Best
and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation awards.
About Glassdoor
Built on the foundation of increasing workplace transparency,
Glassdoor offers insights into the employee experience powered by
millions of company ratings and reviews, CEO approval ratings,
salary reports, interview reviews and questions, benefits reviews,
office photos and more, combined with the latest jobs.
About Glassdoor Economic Research
Glassdoor Economic Research provides the latest insights and
research on today's labor market. The company's economists and data
scientists work to unearth important trends in hiring, pay and the
broader economy– all based on Glassdoor's unique data on jobs,
salaries, benefits, company reviews and more.
About Zeigler Auto Group
Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned
dealer groups in the U.S. with 78 franchises across 35 locations in
Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include
all of the domestic and the majority of the imported
manufacturers.
Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization
owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot
motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different
powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar
& Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate
Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training
company.
The Kalamazoo-based dealer
group also owns and operates Zeigler Pre-Owned of Chicago, a Carquest Auto Parts store, three
Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance
firms, and a leasing firm.
Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,300 people,
ranking among the top 1% of automotive dealers in the nation with
estimated annual sales of $2.2
billion for 2022. The family-owned and operated company is
well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee
satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best
and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning
similar accolades in Chicago and
Michigan.
Media Contact
Francis Mariela, Zeigler Auto
Group, 407.278.0621, fm@zeigler.com
SOURCE Zeigler Auto Group