By Chrissy Blasinsky, digital and content strategist at NACS
In November 2025, the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest it has been in more than four years, reported The Wall Street Journal. The number is up from 4% in January 2025.
The pressure is on for retailers to hire the right people the first time and implement a strategy for recruiting, retaining and growing top performing employees. According to data from the NACS State of the Industry Talent Insights Dashboard, store employee turnover typically exceeds 100%, costing retailers time and money to fill positions.
Making Data-Driven Decisions
Although there are ample tools available to human resources professionals within the c-store industry, data-driven solutions take away the guesswork and help HR professionals make informed decisions that are based on data rather than a gut feeling.
By providing comprehensive analytics on various HR metrics—compensation, turnover, benefits and recruitment—the Talent Insights Dashboard can help HR teams benchmark against their peers in the industry, measure the effectiveness of their strategies and signal whether adjustments are needed.
For example, providing competitive compensation is a critical component of retention. In 2024, full-time sales associates made on average $14.72/hour, while part-time sales associates made $14.08/hour, according to the dashboard.
In the Talent Insights Dashboard, HR professionals can find c-store industry benchmarks on salaries—from the executive to store level—as well as salary projections, bonuses and job titles. Benchmarks are also specific to benefits offers: standard plans, medical, dental and life insurance, retirement, paid time off and any additional wellness benefits.
By investing in their existing workforce, organizations can build a pipeline of future leaders—an approach that enhances employee loyalty and reduces the costs associated with external hiring and turnover.
Retailers can participate in the annual Talent Insights survey and receive complimentary access to the aggregate data. Data collection closes on January 30. Learn more here.