The article ‘Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® 2025’ contains a list of as you would predict, the best 100 companies to work for across different industries. As someone who has worked in a large retail store, I wanted to take a closer look into what was making these retail chains stand out as one of the best. Despite retail being such a large industry, with thousands of stores across the globe, only 7 retail chains made this list, which leads me to believe it is difficult to create positive retail work environments.
Wegmans is the first retail store mentioned on this list, and employees describe this as a family like environment to be a part of. There are opportunities for people to grow their careers their, and work their way up. Their slogan ‘Every Day You Get Our Best’ is not just a facade for the customers, it is something the employees stand behind, and this authenticity can be felt by their customers.
Similarly to Wegmans, Sheetz is a retail company where the vision and goals of the company are felt throughout by the employees. Employees praise how ‘real’ the company feels. The employee interviewed for this article also seemed to have access to talk to people at various ‘levels’ within the company, and having this communication between upper level management and employees on the floor leads to increased understanding throughout.
Trek bicycle is an example of a retail company where their employees feel heard. Employees feel valued and like an important part of the team. They also feel that management is fair to them, which is something that all companies should be striving to make employees feel.
Across the board, it is evident that authenticity is very important to retail workers, and one of the most direct ways to show employees this is by having a strong vision. When the whole company has an understanding of the direction they are heading in, it promotes conversation and openness as they collaborate and work to achieve their goals. The type of manager I would like to be is someone who sets clear goals for my team, and does not lose sight of these. I would like to be accessible to my team, as there is often a lot to learn from them.
Managers often struggle with losing communication with their team. They focus so much on leading and telling rather than listening and being open learn from their employees. There can often be disconnect between managers and what is actually happening in their company if they are not willing to listen to those below them.