Fortune has released its annual list of the "100 Best Companies To Work For" and Wegmans, The Container Store, QuikTrip and eight other usual suspects have been recognized as employers of choice.
There's no surprise that companies including Nugget Market and REI are on the list. They're on it every year. But why is it that no new companies ever seem able to crack Fortune's list or others published by other sources? Does this mean that strong employers aren't successful in making the case for their companies or they simply choose not to get involved? Could it also mean that companies don't see the need to go from being good to great employers since that often equates to investing more money in their human assets?
Walmart's recent announcement that it is raising base wages for hourly workers and improving scheduling practices and training programs serves as an indicator that the retailer wants to be seen as a more attractive employer to both its current employees as well as prospects. So why aren't more retailers publicly competing for talent?
A common excuse for not being able to do better by employees has been company size but, as the Nugget Market experience shows, that should not be an impediment. Nugget, a family-owned operator of supermarkets with 15 stores, is the smallest of the retailer's on Fortune's list. It has made the magazine's Top 100 for 10 straight years.
The company attributes its success to the working environment created for employees, proving the adage that "people don't quit jobs, they quit bosses." Nugget lists the turnover of its full-time staff at nine percent. The other retailer's on Fortune's list report full-timer turnover rates between three percent (L.L. Bean) and 16 percent (Build-A-Bear).
"Each associate's attitude and eagerness to have fun on the job translates into a unique shopping experience for our guests," Eric Stille, CEO and president of Nugget, told the Daily Democrat. "Encouraging our extended family to enjoy their time at work naturally creates a win-win for everyone; associates and guests alike."