CARY, N.C. -

As part of Auto Remarketing's 2020 Best Auto Auctions to Work For program, we are featuring Q&As with leaders from some of the honorees. 

First up is John Kett, who is president and chief executive officer at IAA, which had four of its locations make the list. 

That Q&A, available to CMG Premium subscribers, can be found below.

Auto Remarketing: Workplace safety has been a big topic in the auto auction industry, particularly for the traditional brick-and-mortar auctions where cars are running through the lanes. How does an adherence to workplace safety manifest itself at IAA, which has a more unique business model?

John Kett: While our business model has shifted to a fully digital platform, safety at our branches for our customers, partners and employees remains a top focus.  We have an entire in-house safety training curriculum. It includes modules spanning from basic everyday safety such as slips, trips and falls to more complex safety such as handling hazardous chemicals. 

Our staff is assigned and required to complete our entire curriculum each month throughout the year. In addition, we have a structure in-branch safety protocol covering our over 200 branches including limiting the areas where customers or partners can enter, and the mandate of wearing safety (high-visibility) vests at all times when in a branch facility or inventory yard.

AR: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your safety strategy?

JK: As with many businesses, COVID has created the need for additional safety and communication. When COVID hit, we immediately shifted our safety protocol and implemented a daily COVID safety check-point. Within a matter of days, we provided all 200 plus IAA facilities across the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with safety equipment and protocol in alignment with both the CDC and the World Health Organization. We have maintained a regular cadence of weekly check-points, staff communication, and external information to buyers and sellers. 

During this uncertainty, the IAA team has worked diligently to ensure the continuity of our business across our family of companies. Our continued hope is that our focused attention and swift actions continue to be part of a positive nationwide effort to greatly slow the spread of the virus.

AR: Training and development are key in any organization, but I imagine it’s especially challenging this year. What have been some effective approaches you have taken when it comes to training and developing employees?

JK: We have continued to train and develop our employees during this challenging time. Given our workforce is located in 200 plus locations and across the globe, our training and development resources are largely online. This benefitted us with COVID, as training remained uninterrupted. 

We are also focused on employee engagement and community because we know this is benefitting our employees during this difficult time. With COVID, employees need and benefit from the IAA family and community. We’ve enjoyed Fun Friday events such as Wear Your Favorite Super Hero T-Shirt to a Recipe Sharing section on our intranet to additional employee resources focused on child/dependent care. 

AR: In terms of recruitment, what have been some effective strategies for IAA?

JK: We’ve leverage several tools including the following:

  • Automated candidate scheduling tool, allows applicants access to recruiters’ calendars to select and schedule interviews when it’s most convenient for them.
  • Mobile-friendly application, interview and onboarding process.
  • Continued focus on equity and fairness in hiring practices, including recent partnership with Textio for inclusive language augmentation and predictive analytics
  • Networking with internal employees to gain referrals or candidates for current or future roles
  • Highlighting growth opportunities and Career Mapping to entry-level candidates (focused on a career vs. job mentality)
  • Showcasing accomplishments of IAA in our job postings
  • Utilizing social media and other related resources to attract talent on multiple platforms
  • Manager Self Service: Providing Hiring Managers with quick and efficient interview tools and resources through intranet platform (Manager’s Corner).

AR: This year’s program had some particularly strong scores with supervisor relationship and overall employee engagement. What are some ways your organization foster positive professional relationships between supervisors and employees?  Likewise, what are some ways your organization engages employees?

JK: A great example of how we are fostering positive professional relationships between supervisors and employees is our IAA Ambassador Program. This program fosters growth, development and engagement of IAA yard attendants, customer service representatives and title specialists. We pair a seasoned peer with a new hire for a minimum of 90 days. We’ve seen great success and improved traction with our new employees. It provides them with support and guidance as they get familiar with IAA and their new role.