Retaining top talent is a challenge no retailer is immune to. Turnover for both full and part time sales associates exceeded 100% in 2024, according to the NACS State of the Industry Talent Insights Dashboard.
According to the data, hiring a store manager costs approximately $1,800, with an additional $5,000 required for training—bringing the total investment to nearly $7,000. It takes an average of 112 days for a store manager to become fully productive, suggesting that turnover in the store manager position can significantly impact team productivity and the time it takes for operations to reach full strength.
“The average person who comes in [looking for a job] isn’t aspiring to be a store manager,” said Michael Deal, director, human resources, Moyle Petroleum, which does business as Common Cents, in the August 2025 NACS Magazine article ‘Building Better Managers.’ “Our industry is kind of a transient industry. [Employees] are not looking to build a career in convenience stores.” However, at Moyle Petroleum, Deal said, scores of leaders have risen through the ranks.
That growth, in Deal’s mind, is the most appealing incentive he can dangle for potential employees at any level. And in a business that routinely sees turnover rates of over 100% employers need to view every new worker—regardless of starting position—as a potential store manager and more.
“We truly believe that the success of a manager starts off with people starting at that entry-level position. We 100% promote from within the company,” he said, noting the turnover rate at Common Cents was 92% in 2024.
While store manager positions and assistant managers have lower turnover compared to sales associate positions, retention is still the key to improving productivity and reducing costs, according to the dashboard. During a recent NACS webinar, NACS Research Analyst Chris Wise shared metrics related to the benefits that help with employee retention, stressing the importance of investing in flexible scheduling, robust onboarding and creative benefits to help retain and grow the career path of store employees.
Workforce consultant Bob Phibbs believes much of the turnover in any retail channel is self-fulfilling. “If you’re not going to train [employees] or pay them more, then you’ve got to settle for whatever you’ve got because you don’t give a darn,” said Phibbs, CEO, The Retail Doctor. “Maybe your store isn’t the newest, but you can certainly provide a better experience for the customers, and that starts with the people who are working there.”
Changing that is a matter of deciding what your priorities are. As Phibbs put it, “Start with the end in mind.”
By providing comprehensive benchmarks on various HR metrics—compensation, turnover, benefits and recruitment—the NACS State of the Industry Talent Insights Dashboard can help your HR team strategically plan a data-backed HR strategy for 2026 and beyond. Retailers can participate in the annual Talent Insights survey and receive complimentary access to the aggregate data. Data collection closes on January 30.