Top 7 Retail Companies To Work For

Working in retail gets a bad wrap, especially around the holidays, but these retailers have found a way to make employees happy in the midst of making sales. These retail companies have employees who report high satisfaction with their jobs based on any number of reasons (primarily benefits). More specifics about working for these top retail companies follow.

H-E-B
This grocery store giant can be seen under the names H-E-B or Central Market. Employees have an extremely high view of the CEO and enjoy 401k benefits as well as an employee discount.

In-n-Out
The fast food hamburger establishment based out of California offers employees flexible and generous paid time off in addition to life insurance, free meals, and gym memberships (likely for the purpose of working off the free meals).

Costco
Costco is the only warehouse store to make the top retailers’ lists. Employees enjoy fair salaries and benefits. Most recently, the members only retailers remained closed on Thanksgiving Day so employees could spend time with their families.

Wegmans
If you do an Internet search looking for the top retail companies to work for, Wegmans will be on the list. At this supermarket in the northeastern United States, the average employee wage is well above minimum wage. (It’s even above the proposed new minimum wage.) Since so many of the employees are college students, the company offers scholarships as well as tuition reimbursement. An online scheduling system allows employees to enjoy a more flexible work schedule of their own choosing.

Zappos
Zappos is the online shoe retailer known for its social consciousness. Employees experience the compassion first-hand with access to on-sight laundry services and car washes, lunch and learn training seminars, and pet adoption assistance. Pets aren’t the only adoptions Zappos supports. The company also reimburses up to $6,000 in child adoption related expenses and provides those families with leave time.

Whole Foods
This Austin-based health food grocer creates a true sense of team by having employees give approval of their future co-workers. As part of the approval process, current employees can provide written feedback to applicants. Employees also have full access to the books of the company, including numbers from other stores. Add employee discounts, insurance benefits and money to use on co-pays to complete the circle of trust and top retail work environment.

REI
Recreational Equipment, Inc. serves as a co-op for employees, complete with a profit sharing plan. The company also subsidizes public transportation costs and encourages bike commuters by providing showers, towels, lockers, and bike storage. Once they’re at work, they can work toward incentives like challenge grants of up to $300 that can be used to buy company merchandise or to enjoy company outings like running a marathon in Thailand or hiking.

Top Retail Companies Have These Things In Common
These and other top retail employers, like The Container Store, have the luxury of being very selective in who comes to work for them. The benefits and perks they offer draw more applicants so they can choose the cream of the crop. For example, The Container Store only hires 3% of the applicants they see. The benefits make the employees happy and the quality employees make the company happy. It’s a win-win situation.