Wegmans Again Near Top of Fortune Best Companies List
It’s official: Wegmans Food Markets is one of very best places to work. That’s the determination of Fortune magazine’s 2018 edition of the 100 Best Companies to Work For list, on which the beloved Rochester, N.Y.-based grocer is ranked second, as it was last year. Wegmans has been included among the 100 Best Companies to Work For every year since the list began 21 years ago.
The annual ranking is based on survey responses from more than 310,000 employees rating their workplace culture on 50-plus elements of the workplace, among them trust in managers, compensation, fairness, camaraderie and workplace traits linked to innovation. A company’s place on the list takes into account the experiences of all employees across all demographics.
“Company loyalty runs deep at this more than century-old grocery chain, which spent $50 million on employee development last year (plus $5 million in scholarships) and filled half of its open positions internally,” Fortune observed in its write-up of the supermarket chain. “Staffers say ‘fulfilling’ work gives them a ‘sense of purpose,’ thanks to Wegmans’ mission of ‘helping people live healthier, better lives through food.’ The civic spirit helps. too: The chain reclaims millions of pounds of food every year to feed the hungry.”
“When we see our company near the top of this list we feel pride, but also tremendous gratitude for our people who make Wegmans a special place to work and shop for all,” said President and CEO Colleen Wegman, the fourth generation of her family to lead the company. “Customers often say how much they appreciate our employees for making Wegmans such a happy place. We thank each of our employees for this honor and celebrate with them and our customers.”
Indeed, Wegmans will mark the occasion by serving cake at every one of its 95 stores across six states on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 11 a.m., with the option of mini apples for customers who prefer healthier fare.
“The 2018 100 Best are true leaders,” said Michael C. Bush, CEO of New York- and San Francisco-based Great Place to Work, which collaborates with Fortune on compiling various lists based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. “In the face of competition, change, and financial constraints, they consistently prioritize building the trust, pride, and camaraderie that fuels business performance. And they’re doing it at scale for everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the organization.”
Wegmans additionally ranked as a Best Workplace for Diversity, Women, Parents and Millennials and came in first on the list of Best Workplaces in Retail by Great Place to Work and Fortune.
The 100 Best Companies to Work For ranking also included repeat appearances from Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets, at No. 47 (21st last year), and Woodland, Calif.-based Nugget Markets, at No. 70 (30th last year), as well as Altoona, Pa.-based convenience store operator Sheetz, at No. 66.