Yes, Being Nice Is a Thing at Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has long put its employees front and center in more ways than one, from promoting fun work attire to setting the tone for team members to enthusiastically engage with shoppers at checkout. The latest episode of the Inside Trader Joe's podcast delved into its talent culture and how the retailer's brick-and-mortar expansions are as much about widening the pool of people as they are about building physical stores.
As co-host and TVP of Marketing Matt Sloan put it: “What really matters is the development and the growth of the people in them, the crew, because they are what make those stores feel like a Trader Joe's.”
After a trio of crew members chimed in about the pleasant work environment at Trader Joe’s, co-host and fellow Marketing VP Tara Miller emphasized the power of pleasantries. “I love these stories because you can't make that up. You hire nice people and you give them permission to just be nice people. It's just human kindness,” she said.
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Trader Joe's builds and sustains that culture of pleasantry in a variety of ways. The “Trader Joe’s University” training program, for example, promotes building interpersonal relationships at stores. The grocer also offers a mobile app that provides inspiration and information to leaders to bolster mentorship; more than 1,000 “captains and mates” (managers and assistant managers) have taken part in that program over the last three years.
Guests and hosts on this podcast also discussed the grocer’s community outreach efforts, including the Neighborhood Shares program, and how that sets the bar for the overall notion of generosity.
Beyond niceties, team members shared some insights on the operations side of the business and how processes also fuel both internal culture and customer service. One crew member, for example, talked about how Trader Joe’s works without planograms, which gives stores freedom to create displays that meet the needs of its local shoppers. “You can take something from one department and cross merchandise it in another department, and I think that's great that everyone can have creativity,” noted one of the interviewees.
Added another team member: “You know your customers best. I've loved that aspect of working at Trader Joe's.”
The viral popularity of Trader Joe’s mini totes also came up in the conversation, as crew members laughed about how they are regularly approached by shoppers looking to find one. On that note, the bags are back in the news and on social media feeds, after the retailer debuted two new reusable plastic bags priced at $0.79 apiece. Earlier this summer, colorful insulated mini totes sold out quickly at Trader Joe’s stores around the United States.
With more than 500 stores in 40-plus states, Trader Joe’s is No. 33 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century.
