RaceTrac Makes Several Enhancements to Its People Programs

ATLANTA — RaceTrac Petroleum Inc. is boosting benefits and salaries for its employees in an effort to increase loyalty and engagement.

According to the Marietta Daily Journal, the convenience store chain implemented multiple changes after surveying more than 7,000 employees in 2014. 

"More than 80 percent of our team members provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about our unique, fun culture," said CEO Allison Moran. "However, some opportunities also came to light. Our Store Support Center (SSC) team members expressed a desire for revised leave policies, while our retail teams shared insights on compensation, dress code, staffing structure and on-the-job perks." 

RaceTrac took action and created an internal human resources task force to drive policy changes that addressed the feedback specific to each group. This task force spent the past year conducting research, before introducing a variety of upgraded benefits for both the SSC and retail teams.

The enhanced benefits reflect each group's feedback, including parental and bereavement leave for SSC team members; and increased compensation, an updated dress code policy, revised staffing structure and food discount program for retail team members, according to the news report.

The enhanced SSC team benefits, which RaceTrac implemented on May 16, include:

• Parental Leave: SSC team members will have access to paid parental leave after one year of service. Primary caregivers are eligible for eight weeks of paid leave at 100 percent. Secondary caregivers are eligible for two weeks of paid leave at 100 percent.
• Bereavement Leave: All SSC team members will receive one to three days of 100-percent paid bereavement leave following the death of a family member.

The enhanced retail team benefits include:

• Increased Compensation: As of March 15, retail associates became eligible to earn between $9.50 and $10.25 an hour. This represents a 50-cent to $1.25 per-hour increase across RaceTrac's entry-level associates. 
• Updated Dress Policy: Also in March, RaceTrac launched an updated dress policy that allows body art, as long as it is not explicit or visible on the face or neck. Plus, khaki-colored bottoms can now be pants, capris or shorts.
• Staffing Restructure: In December, RaceTrac revised its store scheduling structure. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, store managers now have the discretion to staff their stores reflective of their location's guest traffic and sales trends. This new structure has resulted in RaceTrac adding more full-time associate positions.
• Discounted Meals: Also in the fourth quarter, the company rolled out a food discount program that gives retail team members a 40-percent discount on RaceTrac-branded items.
• Bereavement Leave: A bereavement leave solution for RaceTrac's retail team members is currently in the works, with a launch expected in the third quarter of 2016.

These enhanced policies are in addition to the many benefits already available to RaceTrac team members, including scholarship programs, wellness events and free drinks in RaceTrac stores, the news outlet noted.

"RaceTrac's goal is to be an employer of choice that identifies, develops and retains strong, well-trained, servant leaders," said Whitney Woodward, vice president of human resources at RaceTrac. "These enhanced, unique benefits align with our mission of making people's lives simpler and more enjoyable as we reward our team members for their hard work via more work and life flexibility, updated compensation and staffing structures, food discounts and opportunities to express their individuality."

Atlanta-based RaceTrac operates more than 400 convenience store locations in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas.