Fortune Recognizes Best Workplaces in Retail
Fortune has released its 2022 Best Workplaces in Retail list with a strong showing from food retailers in the large company category. Family-owned Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. nabbed the No. 1 spot, with an impressive 90% of employees saying Wegmans is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.
Minneapolis-based Target Corp. landed Fortune’s No. 2 spot. At the beginning of the year, the giant retailer received praise for setting a new starting wage range from $15 to $24. This move is part of Target's $300 million investment in benefits for 2022 that includes expanded access to health care for its team members and their families.
Meanwhile, employee-owned and -operated Publix Super Markets ranked No. 5 on the Best Workplaces in Retail list. Publix associates say the company’s dedication to service, welcoming culture, desire to give back and support for associates to take time off when they need it are some of the reasons they enjoy working for the company.
“We’ve made an effort to stay true to the philosophies Publix was founded on 92 years ago,” said Maria Brous, director of communication of Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix. “It’s gratifying to be recognized on this list because the results are directly from the feedback and experiences of our associates.”
Publix also offers paid parental leave for eligible full- and part-time associates to take time off with pay within the first year after the birth or adoption of a child. Additionally, Publix supports its associates in furthering their education with tuition reimbursement benefits and offers a variety of career paths and opportunities for advancement.
Woodland, Calif.-based Nugget Markets landed at No. 6 on Fortune’s list. The company touts it support for associates with everything from industry-leading benefits and no lay-offs ever to whitewater rafting trips and other fun adventures.
Rounding out the top 20 best large retail workplaces are Batavia, Ill.-based Aldi Inc. at No. 16 and Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers at No. 20. Southeastern Grocers recently announced that it awarded $70,000 in college scholarships to 28 associates as part of its SEG Scholarship Program. The program has doled out more than $125,000 in college monies since its launch in 2020.
The data science behind Fortune's list is from Great Place to Work, which analyzed survey feedback representing more than 1 million employees working in the retail industry in the United States. Questions focused on their experiences with their companies, including innovation, company values and effectiveness of leaders.
Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans operates over 100 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. The company is No. 34 on The PG100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. With nearly 2,000 locations, Target Corp. is No. 6 on The PG 100. No. 12 Publix has close to 1,300 supermarkets in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. Operating in 38 states, Aldi U.S. is No. 24 on The PG 100. And Southeastern Grocers, one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the United States with grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serving communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, is No. 39 on PG’s list.
