The NACS Human Resources Forum is designed solely for HR leaders in the convenience industry. It allows participants to meet with other HR leaders in the convenience and retailing industry to exchange ideas and insights into the top-of-mind issues in convenience retailing.

One topic this year: How c-store HR professionals can avoid burning out. According to a study conducted by Sage, a United Kingdom-based provider of integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems, 81% of human resource professionals said that they were burned out.

The survey also showed that while 57% of HR professionals love their profession, 62% are considering leaving it. Of the more than 1,000 HR leaders surveyed, 91% said that the last few years had been challenging.

The NACS HR Forum allows HR leaders in the industry to build relationships and bond over similar experiences, as well as share ideas and techniques that have made life easier for them.

“HR leaders get to learn that they are not by themselves in their role. They learn new techniques that can help them professionally, and they can get excited about their jobs again,” said Jenna Collard, director of education engagement at NACS.

The forum will conclude with a session from Julie Jackowski, retired chief legal officer at Casey’s and 2020-2021 NACS chair. Jackowski will discuss the current burnout epidemic facing the HR industry and offer tips on how HR professionals can avoid experiencing burnout.

“Human resources in the convenience store world is often much different than what many HR professionals experience in a stereotypical corporate setting,” said Jackowski. “While some of our HR departments have the luxury of having specialists in specific areas of HR or assigning HR business partners to various parts of the business, most have smaller HR staffs with generalists who must stay abreast of changing regulations and employments norms and remain competitive to hire and retain the best people.”

Last year was Jackowski’s first time attending and hosting the NACS HR Forum. Over the course of the event, she witnessed the attendees go through a transformative experience.

“By the final day, I saw those who had come in stressed and merely seeking information transform into excited HR professionals who were eager to take ideas back to their teams with the knowledge that they had joined a supportive convenience industry HR network that would become a resource whenever needed,” she said.

This year, for the first time ever, there will be optional focused breakfast meetups designed to discuss relevant trends and common experiences. The first breakfast is designed for HR leaders who are new to the c-store industry. The second breakfast is for senior HR leaders to learn how to keep processes and attitudes fresh.

Additionally, there will be three different breakout sessions during the event, allowing attendees to gather in groups to discuss the industry hot topics that they are most interested in.

The NACS Human Resources Forum will take place in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 18 through 20. Learn more about the forum and register here.