Automotive News Canada - November 2020 - 19

* N O V E M B E R 2 020

Morale gets a sporting chance
To cope with the
effects of COVID-19,
dealership staff can
meet with a chaplain
or a psychologist
By STEPHANIE WALLCRAFT
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS CANADA

VOLVO OF EDMONTON'S MENTAL
health assistance programs preceded
the coronavirus pandemic that hit in
March, but they've since become critical to staff in an
overwhelming
day-to-day
reality.
Dealer
Principal Mike
Norris brings a
sports psychologist and a nondenominational
chaplain to meet
with employees
Norris: The
on an ongoing
" vast majority "
basis, with the
of staff at Volvo
dealership covof Edmonton
ering the costs.
use the services
" It's probof the chaplain
ably the best
and the sports
thing I've done
psychologist
in 25 years in
provided by the
the car busidealership.
ness, " Norris
P H O T O : V O LV O
told Automotive
OF EDMONTON
News Canada.
" The vast majority of the team are
seeing them on a regular basis. "
Appointments with the psychologist are up 100 per cent, and one-onone visits with the chaplain are up 50
per cent since March, he said.
The psychologist who works with his
staff, Mat de Moissac, practises sports
psychology, which comes with a different approach that Norris said increases
acceptance and uptake among his staff.
" People are very comfortable going
to him. I think if I had just hired a
psychologist, the take rate would have
been very small. Because he's a sports

Volvo of Edmonton treated staff to
music and Mexican food as part of
its sponsorship of Kids Up Front's
Music on the Move campaign.
P H O T O : V O LV O O F E D M O N T O N

psychologist, there seems to be a
much higher interest. "
What makes sports psychology
unique is that its purpose is to help
people enhance their daily performance rather than just help them
keep their heads above water, de
Moissac said.
" It really is about, how can we
optimize who
you are as
a person in
your relationships, in your
work and in
the things
that you're
passionate
about. It's
about learning
how to thrive
regardless of
what's happening in your life. "
De Moissac spends most of his
time working with professional
and amateur athletes and high-profile businesspeople, and Volvo of
Edmonton is his only automotive
client. Norris has fostered a culture
that's receptive to programs such as
mental health support, de Moissac
said, and doing so reaps tangible
operational benefits.
" A lot of the work that I do as a
sports psychologist is trying to convince organizations that by changing their approach, by changing their
culture, by focusing on building up
the individual, they will increase the
retention rates
of staff, of clients, " he said.
" The work that
Mike does is
reflective of
that reality. "
While this
is all done with
a people-first
mentality, the
success of the
initiative is
A sports
reflected in
psychologist in
the numbers,
a dealership?
Norris said.
Mat de Moissac
" We're havsays, " It's about
ing some of
learning how to
the best [sales]
thrive regardless
months we've
of what's
ever had, " he
happening in
said. " We've
your life. "
got no product
PHOTO VIA
from Volvo, and M AT D E M O I S S A C
it's a pandemic,
and it's the worst economy in the history of Alberta. "
Volvo of Edmonton remains No.
1 in Canada for Volvo new- and certified-used-car sales for the year
through September, Norris said, " so
the team is doing an amazing job. "
The dealership's charitable works
also play a role in boosting staff
morale, said Event Coordinator
Lianne Shiagec.
As part of its sponsorship of Kids
Up Front's Music on the Move campaign, Volvo of Edmonton hosted a
physically distant concert on Sept. 16.
Staff enjoyed a meal from a Mexicanthemed food truck and took in live
music while helping to raise funds
for Edmonton-based Kids Up Front,
an organization dedicated to delivering enriching cultural experiences to children in the community. The
25-concert series raised $30,000 for
the organization and offered " lots of
laughs and socializing, which is fantastic for morale and team building, "
said Shiagec. - ANC

MORALE IS THE STORY
Some of the initiatives that dealerships across Canada have undertaken to lift employee spirits through
COVID-19:
* British Columbia-based Kot Auto
Group has kept up its employee of
the month programs but has taken its
announcements virtual, said Jessica
Vallee, the dealership's director of
internal operations. Each store's general manager is recorded presenting
the award each month, and the video
is distributed internally to employees
and online via social media. Winning
employees receive a $50 gift card.
* McManes Auto Group, with dealerships in Alberta, B.C. and Manitoba,
has several stores that have been
hosting regular physically distant barbecue lunches for staff, with individual packaging and condiments. Volvo of
Edmonton has also been offering complimentary weekly lunches to its staff.
* Key West Ford in New Westminster,
B.C. - just east of downtown
Vancouver - held two weekends of
complimentary drive-in movies for staff
and the community in June. The movies were screened in the empty parking lot of a casino that had been shut

Employees at McManes
Auto Group have been treated
to barbecue lunches during the
pandemic.
PHOTO: MCMANES AUTO GROUP

down because of the pandemic, and
the logistics were handled by an event
production company. Admission was
by donation to the Greater Vancouver
Food Bank, and more than 300 cars
participated each weekend. " Because
the local drive-in theatre demonstrated such a pent-up demand for public entertainment, we worked with the
city to make this event happen, " said
Adam Isfeld, general manager and
partner. - ANC

More than 300 cars participated each weekend of the complimentary
drive-in theatre, organized by Key West Ford. P H O T O : K E Y W E S T F O R D

Automotive News Canada - November 2020

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