Even when unemployment figures are high, finding good team members can be challenging. That’s why NACS last fall brought together experts to share best practices in “Moments that Matter: Recruiting, Onboarding and Retaining Employees,” a three-part Crack the Code Experience session.

Kim Lazerus, vice president of human resources for Maverik stores, moderated the session that covered tips for creating “moments that matter” in attracting applicants and engaging employees.

Panelists included Aaron Rolka, recruitment evangelist, employer insights, at Indeed, the global job-listing website; Bob Huebner, president of 200Mark C, a career consultancy; Kevin Engle, director of people processes, Maverik; Matthew Stephenson, director of learning and development, Casey’s General Stores, and Renzo Bassanini, executive director of field HR, RaceTrac Petroleum.

Professional recruiting and interviewing processes are important first steps in developing a long-time employee, said Lazerus. “Creating the right experiences helps drive their engagement up and increase their tenure with the company.”

Recruiting

Recruiters at Indeed have surveyed applicants to determine what engages them or turns them off during the job-hunting process.

“Finding a new job is hard and time consuming,” said Rolka. “But once applicants make that decision, they’re energized. So, the quicker you get back to job seekers—especially good candidates—the more likely they’re going to keep that excitement going. Often, they apply and wait and wait [to hear back]. That’s demoralizing.”

Casey’s formally assessed its hiring process by interviewing store managers, team members and new hires and discovered that contacting a candidate within 72 hours of receiving the application is essential. “Everyone is competing for those top candidates, and from the time they apply to the time they disappear is about 72 hours,” said Stephenson.

We want any mistakes to be made in a safe environment so they can learn without stress.

Before the interview, be sure the applicant knows when and where to arrive, who they’ll meet with, how long the interview will last and where to park. “It sounds silly, but have you ever shown up for an interview and didn’t know where to park?” Engle of Maverik asked. “Candidates also need to know what’s next. Will they hear from you tomorrow or in a month?”

Stephenson noted that store managers often follow an interview checklist, asking applicants identical questions in the same order. “That’s not a very personal process,” he said. 

At Maverik, hiring managers communicate with new employees using talk tracks, including email and phone conversation templates that are personalized for the individual. They also follow interview guidelines with questions that are both standardized and aimed at specific competencies. 

Rolka suggests personalizing the interview. “Use their name, and mention something interesting from their resume, such as their school,” he said. “Set the relationship off on the right foot.”

When it comes to settling on a candidate, “If you extend a verbal offer, get the offer letter out quickly,” Engle said. “Turn-down letters should be personalized, timely and invite the applicant to apply again in the future.”

Internal candidates at Maverik receive feedback forms. “We want to give them the power to apply for other positions so they can move their career forward,” Engle said.

“Whether we like it or not, job seekers aren’t applying for just one job. They’re applying for two or three jobs, and they’ll compare the process between companies,” said Bassanini.

As soon as possible, let candidates know if they weren’t selected, advised Rolka. “Most organizations never poll candidates for feedback after the interview process—especially those who aren’t offered the job. You can learn a lot from those individuals. They’ve spent hours with you going through this process. Give them the opportunity to provide feedback. It will help you fine-tune your process.”

And remember, “our applicants are also our guests,” said Stephenson. “And we should treat them as such.”

Onboarding

All hiring managers must be equipped with effective tools for successful onboarding, and new employees need appropriate tools to help them navigate that experience. For example, new hires should receive a timeline. “What does the first week look like? The second week?” Engle said. “You don’t want the candidate wondering.”

Casey’s newbies receive a welcome email telling them everything about their first day on the job: where to go, where to park, who they’ll meet. It also details their wages, the company’s pay cycle and what to expect in the first weeks. When they arrive on their first day, they’re also greeted with their own welcome sign and teamed up with a “learning buddy.”

“People are often uncomfortable asking questions of the boss, so we assign them a peer,” said Stephenson. “They think they’re supposed to learn everything the first day, but day one is getting them processed into the system. Learning job skills doesn’t start until day two.”

RaceTrac employees visit a training lab on their second workday.

“We tell them they aren’t expected to be an expert,” said Bassanini. “We just want them to touch and feel the technology they’ll deal with. We want any mistakes to be made in a safe environment so they can learn without stress. Onboarding is an extension of the interview. You are trying to see if the candidate is a good fit for you, and the candidate wants to see if you are a good fit for them.”

Retaining

All convenience store operations share the same common enemy: employee turnover. More than one in three full-time store associates leaves their positions in less than 30 days, according to the NACS State of the Industry Compensation Report of 2019 Data. The turnover rate for full-time store associates was 81.3% in 2019, while the rate for part-time store associates was 160.2%, NACS data show. The total average store associate turnover rate was 121% in 2019, slightly up from 2018’s 118%. The manager turnover rate in 2019 was 22%.

If employees are engaged in their work, however, they’re more likely to stay. Research finds that those who stay and perform best have a vested interest in what’s going on.

“There’s clear connection to purpose,” Huebner, of 200Mark C said. “Employees are happiest when working alongside people who have the same commitment to quality that they have and when they get the opportunity to use their strengths on the job every day.”

Huebner is a strong proponent of what he calls the “Keep Them Check In,” an informal discussion that the manager initiates with the employee. “Some organizations do exit interviews after an employee decides to leave, but that’s too late,” he said. “The Keep Them Check In catches them before they make that decision.”

By striking up a friendly, but informal conversation with the employee and asking about their personal needs and goals, the manager also gets to discuss the employee’s current job performance and opportunities for the future. “You have a chance to hear what matters to them—to get a sense of who they are,” Huebner said. “And it’s a great opportunity to tell them how they can get what they want from your business.”

The panelists agreed that giving an employee new challenges sets them up for success and helps build their confidence. Stephenson suggests assigning a 60-day store employee a key task, such as the cigarette audit. “The store manager is still engaged in it, which provides a safety net, and it helps to develop individual responsibility [in the employee],” he said.

“We make it safe for employees to make a mistake and grow from it,” Bassanini said. “It creates a whole different level of buy in.”

Exiting employees often say they are leaving for more money, but “that’s a cop out,” said Huebner. “Usually, the person doesn’t see an opportunity to grow. Provide that safety net and throw challenges to people to help them learn. You spend a lot of time, money and effort on recruiting, hiring and onboarding the right people. You must build on that investment to continue to grow your business.”