Retail companies that invest in people management are reaping rewards directly in their cash flow. A survey by Great Place To Work () with the Best Companies to Work for in Retail in 2025 shows that the companies recognized in the ranking registered an average growth of 16% in revenue, a performance almost five times higher than the 3.4% expansion of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the same period.
The data, according to the ranking, reinforces a relevant structural change in retail, a sector historically marked by high turnover, operational pressure and intense competition for labor. Structured retention policies, a healthy organizational environment and investment in leadership begin to translate into measurable competitive advantage.
The 12th edition of the Ranking of the Best Companies to Work for in Retail brought together 294 companies, impacting more than 555 thousand employees across the country. In the end, 60 organizations were recognized for consistent good people management practices, distributed among small, medium, large and super large companies.
Study abroad
Upgrade your career!
Also read:
São Paulo leads the list with 15 award-winning companies, followed by Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, with seven each.
Best retail companies to work for, according to:
Continues after advertising
- gas
- Magazine Luiza S/A
- Golden Arches/McDonald’s
- C&A
- Assaí Atacadista
- Casas Bahia Group
- DPSP Group
- GPA
- Riachuelo
- Pharmacies Pay Less
The challenge of high turnover
Despite robust financial performance, the research shows that retail continues to face one of its most persistent structural challenges: talent retention. Almost half (49%) of the employees of the award-winning companies have been with the company for up to two years, a percentage five points higher than that recorded in 2024. Another 24% remain with the organization for between two and five years.
Professionals with longer careers remain in the minority. Only 3% are concentrated in groups over 16 years with the company. The numbers reflect the dynamic nature of the sector, but they also expose the historical difficulty of building lasting bonds with the workforce.
The survey also shows a more feminine retail. Women are advancing and now represent 53% of the staff of recognized companies, placing the sector among the sectoral rankings with the highest female presence.
Advancement also appears in command positions. In senior leadership, female participation has risen from 23% to 28% since 2023. In middle leadership, the rate reached 43%, while in other management positions, female presence reached 49%. Despite the evolution, the numbers still indicate room for advancement in the most strategic decision-making positions.
Read more:
Young people still dominate
The age composition reveals gradual changes in the profile of the workforce. Professionals aged up to 25 continue to be the largest group, representing 30% of employees. The group between 26 and 34 years old, previously the majority, lost share and fell to 29%. At the same time, the presence of more experienced professionals is growing. The group between 45 and 54 years old now represents 12%, while workers aged 55 and over increased their participation. The movement may indicate a more receptive environment to generational diversity in a sector traditionally associated with youth.
Continues after advertising
Innovation advances at an uneven pace
Another relevant piece of data from the study shows that innovation is no longer a peripheral differentiator but has become part of the operational agenda of companies in the sector. Today, 42% of the awarded companies operate in the functional innovation stage, an improvement compared to previous years. Still, 44% remain in the attrition stage, indicating difficulties in consolidating a culture of adaptation and transformation.
What makes the employee stay
When it comes to retention, professional growth continues to be the main factor in retention, cited by 36% of employees, although this index has lost strength compared to the previous year, according to the survey. On the other hand, remuneration gained relevance, as did quality of life and stability. The change suggests a more pragmatic worker who is attentive not only to career progression, but also to the sustainability of the professional routine.
