MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AutoNews–Walser Automotive Group’s Chief Human Resources Officer Sherry Schultz has a simple business philosophy. People over product. That mentality is a key driver behind a recent award given to Schultz. This week, Schultz was named a 2021 Automotive News Notable Champion of Diversity in Automotive. Schultz is featured in a special section in the December 27 Yearbook Edition issue of Automotive News.
The Notable Champions of Diversity in Automotive program recognizes individuals striving for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the automotive industry.
Schultz, who joined Walser in 2018, says her perspectives surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion center around a people-first strategy.
“I think you have to have a very engaging human capital strategy to compete from a diversity perspective,” Schultz told Automotive News.
Throughout her four years at Walser, Schultz has cultivated a values-based culture that focuses on what employees want and, subsequently, the monetary and non-monetary benefits that match it.
Schultz points to one of the company’s top core values—family.
“We know family is the number one value at Walser. We know because we’ve asked employees through hundreds of core values exercises with our employees,” Schultz said.
As a result, the company will implement its latest family-focused benefit of fertility and adoption assistance starting in January 2022. The company began offering four weeks of paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave in 2019 and a flexible open PTO policy. The company also hosts an annual Bring Your Child to Work Day event and a snow day policy allowing parents to bring children to work during school snow day closures.
“Recognizing your employees as people who have personal lives and families and interests outside of work is real diversity in action. Putting people first supports that dynamic difference of perspectives, lifestyles, and beliefs,” she said.
Automotive News journalists chose the 2021 class of Automotive News Notable Champions of Diversity in Automotive from scores of nominees. Profiles of this first class of Notable Champions of Diversity are available at www.autonews.com/notablechampions.
Walser Automotive Group is based in Edina, Minnesota. Walser operates 27 new and preowned dealerships featuring major domestic and luxury brands throughout Minnesota, Kansas, and Illinois.
Contacts
Dayna Landgrebe
dlandgrebe@walser.com
952-345-0806
