Employees want to know they matter. When leaders acknowledge “wins” it triggers a subconscious surge of confidence and belonging, which dramatically increases loyalty and boosts morale.
Andrea Schnepf is the managing Director at nepf LLC, a management consulting firm in Santa Monica, CA. Schnepf has spent more than 20 years helping global executives lead with confidence through transformation, including improving overall employee morale.
Schnepf says that in the past, positive employee morale was often treated as a “nice-to-have” human resources project. That’s changed. Today, leaders see morale and loyalty as business priorities because they directly affect performance, customer service, and retention.
“Research and real-world examples keep proving that trust and psychological safety drive results, teams that feel supported stay longer, and work better together,” Schnepf says. “This translates directly into a better customer experience and higher revenue. Across industries, including fuel and convenience retail, leaders now recognize that strong morale isn’t a bonus. It’s a key part of keeping operations running smoothly and staying competitive.”
It should go without saying that employee morale matters no matter the size of a business, whether you run one c-store or a whole chain. When employees feel valued and supported, they’re far more likely to stay, and that alone saves time and money. But, as Schnepf explains, it goes further: Morale affects performance, customer service, and the overall energy inside a store.“Engaged employees deliver better experiences and contribute more ideas, which shows up directly in the bottom line,” Schnepf says. “High-trust workplaces consistently outperform others. Even small teams see better results when morale is strong – they work more efficiently, handle customers better, and create fewer costly errors.”
The pandemic also had a permanent impact on how people view work and their role in organizations, which ultimately impacts morale. “It showed us that everything can change in an instant, tomorrow is unpredictable, and no job is guaranteed,” says Erika Migliaccio, founder and principal consultant at Upstream HR Strategies. “For employees, this translated into a realization that job security no longer feels “real.” An employer can decide – at any moment – that they no longer need you. And if employees don’t believe that their employers are loyal to them, they’re far less likely to be loyal in return. Instead of trying to keep employees forever, smart companies have shifted their focus to employee engagement – inspiring their employees to give their best at work, while they’re there.”
Engaged employees are willing to give extra, discretionary effort. Migliaccio says they don’t just do the bare minimum – they’re proactive, they make suggestions, they problem-solve, and they bring positivity into their interactions with coworkers and customers.
She points to a 2022 Gallup study that found that organizations with highly engaged employees report lower absenteeism, lower attrition, fewer safety incidents, fewer mistakes and higher customer loyalty.
“All of that translates into 18% higher sales and 23% higher profit,” Migliaccio says. “As it turns out, engagement is much more than ‘nice to have’ – it’s actually an untapped strategic advantage.
Ulrika Gustafson, executive coach and strategic advisor, says that from what she’s seen, morale doesn’t drop because employees are “unmotivated.”
“It drops when leaders ignore the realities people are carrying, give unclear direction, or create environments where effort isn’t really seen and the good work that’s being done disappears into a void,” Gustafson says. “Training and development only matter when they solve real problems and signal that, ‘we see your potential, and we’re investing in it.’ Recognition only works when it’s specific, timely, and tied to actual contribution – not generic applause.”
Gustafson says loyalty grows when people trust the leadership. Morale grows when people trust the system. Both collapse the moment either one loses credibility.
As a former COO, as well as in her own business which focuses on creating great teams, Margaret Ricci, founder and CEO of Cultural Strategies, has found that employees will respond well when they are heard.
“More than any other thing that we can offer an employee, the possibility to be heard, especially as it impacts their own work for the company, is key to creating lasting loyalty and increasing morale,” Ricci says.
But this can’t happen unless the culture of the organization is fitted for this. As Ricci explains, the repercussions of an organizational culture that doesn’t listen to its employees creates dysfunction and disconnection.
“It is only through valuing your employees for what they bring to your company that the company and its employee relationships can thrive,” Ricci says. “No amount of recognition, training, or development can compensate for the dearth created when organizations don’t first and foremost listen to what their employees need, what they want to do during their career with the organization, or what capabilities they might want to add in the near future to broaden their ability to serve the organization. Listen first. Then the next steps become clear.”
So what are some key ways gasoline marketers can boost employee morale?
Schnepf says several practical approaches consistently make a big impact in employee morale:
Regular recognition: People want to know their work matters. Simple, sincere appreciation – whether in team meetings, during a shift, or through peer shout-outs – goes a long way. Small recognition habits build a culture where effort is seen and celebrated.
Training, coaching, and development: Employees stay longer when they see a future with the company. Offering training, mentorship, cross-training, or leadership development – at any role level – signals that you’re invested in them. Even structured check-ins about goals can make a big difference.
Involvement and empowerment: Employees feel more loyal when they have a voice. Some organizations use idea-sharing platforms where anyone can submit suggestions and vote on them. Others bring high-potential employees into planning meetings or rotate team members to lead huddles. These simple actions build ownership and trust.
Recognizing effort – not just results: Rewarding behaviors that align with the company’s values helps build the right culture. Celebrating how someone handled a tough customer, even if it didn’t result in a sale, reinforces the behaviors that strengthen teams.
Continuous feedback and listening: Regular pulse surveys, open Q&A sessions, or suggestion channels help leaders stay connected to employee sentiment. Acting on feedback builds trust and shows employees their voices matter. These methods aren’t complicated, but when used consistently, they create workplaces where people want to stay and contribute.
“Employee engagement is often misunderstood. It’s not happiness (some employees could be very happy doing nothing all day). It’s not loyalty,” Migliaccio says. “And it’s not pay either – research suggest that it takes a 20% - 30% pay increase to ‘steal’ an engaged employee away from the job and company they love. Engagement is more emotionally-driven than most leaders realize.”
Migliaccio says truly engaged employees with a solid morale will answer, “yes” to these four questions:
My manager is transparent and honest with me
I have opportunities to grow and develop
My manager cares about me as a human … not just a headcount
My manager acknowledges by contributions and listens to my ideas
Companies that want to drive engagement and boost morale will train and equip their managers to do these things well.
Migliaccio also suggests the following to boost employee morale and drive engagement in every day action.
Don’t just assign a task – explain why it matters.
Share information about the business openly, including good and bad news.
Give clear and kind feedback so employees know where they stand.
Offer helpful suggestions and paint a clear picture of what “great” looks like.
Let employees contribute to projects they enjoy, like inviting creative employees into marketing brainstorms.
Get to know the whole person (to the extent the employee is comfortable).
Celebrate their personal milestones, like a birthday or buying a new car.
Offer flexibility, when possible, to accommodate family and personal needs.
Ensure that workloads are realistic, and help to prioritize when things get busy.
Give very specific praise tied to accomplishments or behaviors, not just “thanks for all you do.”
Ask employees for their suggestions on solving business challenges.
When making a decision, ask “what would you decide if you were me?”
When it comes to boosting employee morale, Schnepf says there are a few pitfalls that come up often:
Treating morale as a one-time fix: A single event or perk doesn’t change culture. Morale is built through ongoing habits, communication, recognition, development – not quick hits.
Staying silent or communicating poorly: Lack of communication creates uncertainty. Employees fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios. Transparent, frequent communication is essential.
Focusing only on pay: Compensation matters, but loyalty comes from trust, respect, growth, and feeling valued. You can’t “buy” morale if the environment is unhealthy.
Neglecting store managers: Store managers directly shape the daily experience. If they’re not trained or supported, even strong company initiatives fall flat in individual stores or locations.
Creating a culture of fear: Punishing mistakes kills morale. Employees stop speaking up or taking initiative. Treating mistakes as learning opportunities encourages growth and keeps engagement high.
One-size-fits-all solutions: Different teams ha3ve different needs. What works in one location might not work for a different location with much higher traffic. Tailoring morale efforts to the audience is crucial.
“People want to be heard more than anything else, even if their thoughts are not acted upon.They want to make a difference. Listening is a game-changer,” Ricci says. She also adds that intrinsic rewards are the best motivators for company morale and loyalty.
“Knowing that their company values them through listening to them creates an ‘employee magnet’ and changes the culture of the organization for the better,” Ricci says. “It also gets rid of some of the worst dysfunctional levels. Imagine an organization without dysfunction.”
Experts agree that all industries, gasoline marketing included, are moving toward employee morale being a true strategic priority, not something separate from business operations.
“Companies are beginning to hold leaders accountable for engagement and retention, right alongside financial metrics,” Schnepf says. “Technology will also play a bigger role. Real-time pulse surveys, mobile recognition tools, and AI-supported feedback systems will help leaders understand what teams need and respond faster.”
Schnepf expects that the gasoline marketing industry will also see managers take on a stronger coaching role. As more tasks become automated, leaders will spend more time developing people, building trust, and shaping culture.“Purpose and values will continue to matter, especially to younger generations. Employees want to work for organizations that stand for something and make them feel part of a bigger mission,” Schnepf says. “And finally, morale will become more holistic – incorporating well-being, flexibility, mental health, and long-term development. Employees stay loyal when they feel supported as whole people, not just workers.”
Ricci says that when leaders engage at a singular level with employees, you create a living, thriving culture where physical perks aren’t needed for loyalty.
“Employees can see right through recognition and rewards to the fact that the organization doesn’t really care about them if this isn’t one of the values the company lives within,” Ricci says. “It’s time to change this narrative and really seek to become good leaders, teammates, and partners for the good of organizations – from the top teams on down. When this is done, everyone wins: the organization, the leaders, the employees, the customers.”
