Recruiting and Retention

[Simon]

In my eye's the problem is two fold. One, you have to get people to the track. Two, once they are there you have to make sure they have a good time and so will keep coming back.

I don't have any brilliant idea's for the first problem and the second one is very, very touchy. The longer I have worked for MARRC, the more responsible positions I keep getting. Every position is absolutely crucial to the way the Safety Crew is run from the pick up people and Flaggers, Corner Captains, Associate Safety Directors (ASD's) and Safety Director.
Once you get to ASD or higher is when things get really tricky, because you have a great deal of influence on how the crew's expiriance is on any given day. The Safety Crew is ultimatly responsible to the sanctioning body for the way track safety is managed. Consequently, among a ton of other things, you have to make sure that everyone is doing their job and if there is a problem or conflict you have to straighten it out as diplomatically as possible so that the affected parties don't feel slighted. Every one has to feel they are valued (which they are) and you have to balance the needs of the crew with the demands of the sanctioning body, which I can tell you can be a real SOB to get right.

I personally dislike the ASD position, (fortunately we get to rotate, so I don't have to do it all the time) it takes a lot of the fun out of what I got into Cornerworking for, but someone has to do it because of the effect it has on the cornerworkers having a good time.

Don't even get me started on the Safety Director position. It is THE most miserable job. In this position you have to worry about the entire crew, including the ASD's and Control, the Sanctioning Body and the Track Management. It is without doubt the most mentally exhausting task at the track, before, during and after the racing.

Ok, after this ranting I guess my point is that retention is very difficult to get right and an absolute killer if you get it wrong, so you'd better have excellent structure throughout your organization to make peoples expiriance exciting and worthwhile, if you want them to keep coming back.

[TheHiriser]

     So remind me again why I said yes to becoming an ASD???   

[Simon]

Because you have "the sickness"

[TheHiriser]

Because you have "the sickness"

That is Simon's nice way of saying I'm crazy too.             

[Simon]

Exactly right.

[TheHiriser]

Most people I talk to think we are all mental  anyway when I explain exactly what we do and exactly where we do it.

I'm always met with a headshake and a "No way I'd do that."

[Simon]

I don't have to think about it.....I know I'm mental. To much Jager when I was a child.

[TheHiriser]

According to the Army I'm fine (mental evalutation when I got out).  I know there are at least a couple few people who would beg to differ big time!!!

[251am]

MARRC has a distinct disadvantage right off the bat, we don't pay people to work. 

So, maybe we can learn from other organizations.  How do they get and more importantly retain workers??

  Yeah, I'd dare to guess that if you started paying some money and added a benefit or 2 beyond that money retention would be improved.

  I know that is stating the obvious, but I guess it NEEDS to be said. MW Safety Crew has some great benefits as well as being paid, but those are creative things that have to be decided upon by your local crew.

  For A LOT of folks the weekend is a mini-vacation nowadays as we/they work a regular job 30-80 hrs a week and may have children to boot. So, the weekend is a time to kick back and relax, not take on more responsibility. That being said it has to be made a fun experience.

  What does MARCC stand for anyway?   

[Simon]

Mid Atlantic Road Racing Club.

Madly Addicted Road Racing Cornerworkers

[Simon]

Although we don't get paid we do get some good benefits. Hats, Shirts, Jackets, Food and we get looked after on the turns with drinks and breaks if we need them. Occasionally we have raffles for stuff donated by racers and vendors.

[fox]

Maybe put a small ad on the weekend race schedule or hand out cards in the spectator area & paddock.

Paying workers may increase turnout, but then you'd get some people who'd just be there for the money.  I've been to some tracks where I could tell that some of the crew couldn't wait til quitting time.  No passion or sense of urgency.