Image courtesy of Fred Beans Automotive Group
When you’ve been in the auto sales business for nearly five decades, you must learn a thing or two about how to treat your employees. Marking 49 years this August, Fred Beans Automotive Group announced a new title to its accolades.
For its six consecutive years, the Group, based in Doylestown, has earned a top ranking among the “Best Places to Work in the Greater Philadelphia Region.” The company has made the list every year it entered the contest. This year, Fred Beans placed second out of only six “extra-large” organizations (those with 500+ employees) named.
“As a ‘best place to work,’ we receive validation that our efforts to maintain a strong team are effective,” said Beth Beans Gilbert, vice president of Fred Beans Automotive Group.
Fred Bean got into the industry in 1959 when he purchased a service station in Yardley. He was only 21 years old and needed his mother to help cosign for the loan. And the rest, they say, is history.
Today, the same dealership that got him started is just one of 27 bearing his name. Fred still works directly with his daughter, Beth, and son-in-law, Chris, to “ensure the family’s values influence both big-picture and day-to-day operations, especially customer interactions.”
Employee feedback solely determines “Best Places to Work” honorees, making the repeat title all the more valuable. Each year, the Philadelphia Business Journal and Quantum Workplace, a “provider of employee engagement software,” partner to compile the list based on findings from an employee survey. The survey is distributed to contest participants’ employees. The survey’s questions cover a range of topics, according to the PBJ, including the work environment, support of personal growth, available benefits, and trust in senior leadership.
“We have built a unique culture in the automotive world where we support each employee’s personal and professional growth,” said Gilbert. “We don’t want people to come to us for a job; we want them to join us to build a career.”
Included in that culture are opportunities for employees to participate in a Healthy Living Program at varying levels based on their own goals.
“We offer programs and resources to help employees with mental and physical health, including 24-hour access to licensed clinicians through our partner, SupportLinc, and appointments with me to build individualized fitness and nutrition plans,” said Fred Beans Wellness Coordinator Andrea Volm.
Additional features, according to a press release on the award, that define Fred Beans Automotive Group’s workplace culture include:
Opportunities for promotion and growth, ranging from tuition reimbursement to onsite Dale Carnegie leadership training and the Fred Beans Leadership Academy for employees moving into roles with increased responsibilities, generous parental leave and paid time off, which includes paid time off for volunteering; perks from employee discounts to inclusion in the top Performers Club for those who meet defined yearly goals; club members earn a group trip with company management; and “genuine commitment to building a diverse team to bring new ideas and energy into the workplace.”
The team posted to the Fred Beans Family of Dealerships’ Facebook page to celebrate the news.
“We cannot be more grateful for all of our employees for making Fred Beans a great work environment,” said the company’s social post.
Even Fred Beans himself chimed in online.
“Thanks for making me so grateful and thankful,” said Fred Beans in the comments.
To learn more about careers with the Fred Beans Automotive Group, visit www.fredbeans.com/careers.
