TO 2022, AND BEYOND!

Well, folks, another year for the history books. It may not have been the most stellar year on record, but we certainly made the best of it.

One thing we can undoubtedly be happy about is the resurgence of industry trade shows. Oh, how we missed thee.

Being back on the Las Vegas strip for SEMA was a feeling like no other. The grand excitement from all 100,000+ people present made this year’s show all the more memorable—not to mention the fact that the Collision Repair mag booth always offered a party, and SEMA guests knew it. At our booth, we handed out 100 snazzily branded Bodyworx Professional beanies to celebrate both the feverishly dedicated body persons in this field as well as the exciting content featured in Collision Repair mag’s sister publication, Bodyworx Professional.

How often do you tell your team you appreciate them? Daily? Monthly? Yearly? No matter your answer, there’s a real chance you aren’t celebrating their efforts nearly as often as you should be. Heck, these are the people keeping cars moving through the production floor—let’s show a little gratitude!

It was for this reason—and countless others, but that’s a story for another day—that we at Media Matters opted to create Bodyworx Professional in 2014; to celebrate the pride, passion and skill of autobody technicians, apprentices, painters and the entire behind-the-scenes crew that makes the collision business what it is today. Where Collision Repair magazine celebrates collision repair centre owners and general managers, insurers, OEMs and the big-picture side of the collision industry, Bodyworx caters to the behind-the-scenes magicians of the collision repair process. The ones taking a near-writtenoff sedan and transforming it back into a vision of beauty; those wielding the spray gun like a sword, laser-matching the trickiest of hues; the ones with enough guts to step into the world of collision repair without an arsenal of knowledge and experience to back them up, wide-eyed and ready to learn.

You deserve to be celebrated—there’s no arguing that—but so do your staff.

In the wake of such stressful times, workplace culture should be of the utmost importance in 2022. COVID-19 hasn’t only taken a toll on business, but on personal mental health, too. If you feel drained, there’s a significant chance your team feels the same way. Remember that next time you shake your fist through the production bay window: nine times out of ten, there’s a better way to handle conflict.

Plus, remember we’re in a skills shortage; can you really afford to lose people over minor disagreements?

So, if you know a technician, painter, apprentice or just all-around automotive enthusiast, gift them a Bodyworx Professional subscription this holiday season. The best part? It’s 100 percent free, earning you the title of best gift-giver without any of the cost.

And, hey, they might just end up working for you.

Happy Holidays and New Year to all!