Wegmans honored as No. 1 best place to work

NEW YORK — For the second straight year, Wegmans Food Markets Inc. tops a Fortune magazine list of the 20 best places to work in retail.

Publix Super Markets was rated the third-best workplace in the magazine’s latest list, which was assembled in partnership with Great Place to Work, a company that aims to help clients create workplaces that outpace peers on metrics such as growth, retention and profitability.

Two other grocery store operators made the list: Nugget Market, at No. 6, and Whole Foods Market, at No. 20.

Each of the companies on the list received “rave reviews” from employees, Fortune noted.

At Wegmans, for instance, employees said the supermarket chain is “genuinely welcoming to a diverse population of employees” and makes a “concerted effort” to employ older workers.

Publix’s employees praised the company for promoting from within and giving workers the training needed to succeed, according to the magazine. “I would say the most unique thing about working at Publix is all the possible career paths you can take,” Fortune quoted one employee as saying.

Similarly, Whole Foods’ workers expressed appreciation for the opportunities extended by their employer. “I know I’m going to learn something new every day,” one Whole Foods employee said. “Whole Foods creates an upbeat environment, leaving its employees gratified when they go home at the end of the day.”

In compiling the ranking, the partners said they considered survey responses from 38,000 retail sector workers. The survey solicited their views on 50 factors that shape their workplace experiences.

Wegmans is no stranger to Fortune rankings of exemplary companies. The 95-store chain of grocery stores in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia has appeared on the magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in each of the past 20 years, coming in at No. 2 in 2017.

“Our people demonstrate our values with every action they take,” said Colleen Wegman, president and chief executive officer of the Rochester, N.Y.-based company. “They help one another, help our customers and make Wegmans a happy place to work and shop. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Publix president and CEO Todd Jones also expressed pride in the recognition. “Being ranked as a best workplace in retail is an honor,” he said. “This recognition makes me especially proud since it’s based on associate feedback.”

The top 20 on this year’s list are: