What’s Shwell in Attracting Hourly Workers?
No, that’s not a typo. MULO (multi-location) convenience store (C-store) brand Sheetz is opening a massive “Shwellness Center” across the street from one of its major locations in Pennsylvania. This center will offer some of the lifestyle benefits of its current Shwellness center (see below), as well as routine medical appointments, physical therapy, and behavior consultations.
Sheetz is an innovator in providing benefits to its employees. Education assistance and pet insurance are already among the brand’s offerings.
Sheetz opened its first Shwellness center in 2012 in Claysburg, Pennsylvania, adjacent to a Sheetz Distribution Center. In addition to an outdoor track, the facility had a full gym, a learning center, and health screenings and treatments. Therefore, employees can be healthier without leaving the area where they work. They also have a center in North Carolina.
As the battle for labor continues, C-stores, retailers, and restaurants compete for qualified workers. Offering these lifestyle perks is a great way to attract and retain hourly team members. Keeping them healthy through exercise and regular medical care not only saves workers money but also reduces absences.
Love’s (another MULO c-store) is known for its comprehensive benefits options.
MULO operators have virtually no control over minimum wage, so they are looking to other ways to attract and retain the best workers. Among the other options they offer are:
- Competitive Pay relative to their competitors
- Flexible Scheduling like shift-swapping, part-time options, and flexible start times
- Healthcare access via affordable insurance (and facilities like the ones Sheetz has)
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Career development opportunities, manager training, and education incentives
- Employee recognition programs, ranging from simple internal acknowledgment for a job well done to lavish trips to exotic locations for an entire family
- Premiums for working undesirable shifts
- Early pay access
- Technology that makes scheduling, communication, and benefits management easier
The U.S. has about 80 million hourly workers who earn an average of $27. According to the NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores), about 2.4 million people work in C-stores. The stores average six full-time employees, ten part-time employees, and a support staff person.
Although often considered the unsung heroes of the MULO world, we will continue to examine them, along with all other types of businesses, to share best practices and innovations with different retail, restaurant, and service businesses.
Watch for Street Fight LIVE 2025 where we’ll have a panel entitled “For the People! Competing for Talent in the MULO Ecosystem.” No other curated conference brings together ALL industries to share insights across the brick-and-mortar landscape.
