H-E-B, Wegmans, Costco Earn Glassdoor Employee Choice Award

H-E-B, Wegmans Food Markets and Costco have each added another feather to their well-decorated caps.

The three leading retail chains are among 50 companies that have been recognized with a 2016 Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award.

At No. 17, San Antonio, Texas-based H-E-B earned the top spot on the list among food retailers, followed next by Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans Food Markets, which placed at No. 29.  

Snagging the 40th rung is Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco Wholesale Corp., while convenience store operator Quick Trip landed at No. 24.

At No. 48, another food industry player – Total Quality Logistics (TQL) – which is one of the largest freight brokerage firms in the nation, also landed a Glassdoor Employee's Choice nod.

Unlike many workplace-related awards that require companies to self-nominate, Glassdoor's Employees' Choice Awards rely solely on employee feedback.

The handful of food retailers are in good company with some of the most prestigious organizations in the world, almost half of which are tech companies.

When sharing a company review on Glassdoor, current and former employees are asked to rate their overall satisfaction along with key workplace factors such as career opportunities, compensation, benefits, work/life balance, senior management, culture and values. The list is determined using company reviews shared by U.S.-based employees between November 2014 and November 2015, and takes into account quantity, quality and consistency of reviews.

Award winners are determined using feedback employees have shared on Glassdoor throughout the past year. Employees complete an anonymous company review that captures their overall job and company satisfaction, as well as qualitative insights into the best reasons to work at their company, along with what needs improvement.

The lodging rental company Airbnb topped Glassdoor’s Employee Choice Awards, while Google, which was the reigning top workplace, dropped to eighth. Facebook, which was number one from 2011-2013, landed in fifth place.

The complete list can be found here.