Examples of Teamwork in a Convenience Store

A job description for a position in a convenience store is likely to be based on the concept of teamwork. Much of a convenience store’s success depends on how well employees can work together. There are plenty of opportunities for promoting an atmosphere focusing on teamwork and examples to get your business started in the right direction.

Cross-training can increase job satisfaction, promote an atmosphere of teamwork and offer a variety of additional benefits to convenience store owners. Making sure every employee can operate a cash register, fill vending machines and create end-of-aisle displays ensures there’s always someone who can jump in and help out during busy times or when the team is short-handed. Cross-training increases an employee’s feelings of self-worth and builds a sense of accomplishment. The more each employee knows, the more willing and able they are to work as a team, which is good for both the team and the business.

Every retail store has at least a few unpleasant tasks and a convenience store is no exception. Dusting and facing shelf items, sweeping and mopping floors and making sure restrooms are kept sparkling clean are critical to presenting a good image. Employees can take advantage of slow periods throughout the day and work as one big team at the end of each day to ensure the store looks presentable. As employees finish in one area, the team can move on to help co-workers in other areas to ensure everyone gets to leave the store at a reasonable time.

Shift managers who communicate and work well with employees can empower and increase the level of team spirit of the employees working on their shift. Pre-shift meetings in which managers review sales goals, set expectations for the day and address issues of importance helps the team feel they’re working to achieve a common goal. Another example is an occasional company-wide meeting that, for example, brings employees together to review year-end sales data and set goals for the coming year. If the convenience store has more than one location, friendly competition between the stores can increase inter-store team spirit.

Specialized teams can be good examples of how convenience store employees work toward a common goal. Safety teams can ensure the business complies with in-house controls and government regulations and provides everyone with a safe working environment. A hiring team with rotating members can conduct group interview sessions and later provide valuable feedback that increase the chance the new hire will be a both a technical and personal good fit.