Newsroom resources for the news media
Nugget Markets Named One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for 16th Consecutive Year
Davis, CA (April 12, 2021) – Nugget Markets earned a place on FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the 16th year in a row, ranking #24 in the nation. This comes on the heels of the local, family-owned company adding their 16th store in March, making the news doubly sweet. Known for its dynamic culture and work-life balance, Nugget Markets has been a leader in safeguarding the health and safety of its associates, guests and communities through the pandemic, which is part of what earned them a spot on this year’s list.
“Trust is everything,” explained Eric Stille, President and CEO of Nugget Markets. “Though 2020 has been a very trying year in so many ways, we at Nugget Markets continue to rally through it together, finding—and often fighting for—the silver lining through every new challenge. When times are at their toughest, it provides us with an even greater opportunity to make a positive impact, and we are humbled to be a leader not just in our industry, but in our communities and for our associates, as well.”
Taking care of their team has always been a priority at Nugget Markets, which offers industry-leading wages, benefits, flexible work schedules and zero healthcare premiums for full and part-time associates. In regards to COVID-19, they were early adopters of rigorous cleaning and mask protocols. Nugget Markets was also one of the first companies in the nation to offer additional “thank you” bonus pay for associates, which has continued, uninterrupted, since March of last year, while many retailers quickly curtailed their bonus pay.
As an essential business, Nugget Markets attributes its success through these difficult times to its world-class team and unwavering culture of positivity, camaraderie and fun. Not only did the company maintain its record of never having a lay-off in its 95-year history, it also went on a hiring spree when the pandemic first started to help those who lost their jobs elsewhere. As a trendsetting grocer with gourmet and organic offerings created in-house and a new store in the family, Nugget Markets is consistently hiring a variety of positions ranging from entry level roles to experienced chefs, bakers, butchers, and more.
“Our associates inspire us every day with their can-do spirit, positivity and fun-loving mindset that is the essence of our family culture,” said Mary Muller, Director of Human Resources at Nugget Markets. “From new hires to veterans, our Nugget family is a unique blend of talent and diversity, and we are proud to have faced the challenges of the past year together, growing and strengthening the bonds that make our culture so special.”
Family owned and operated since 1926, Nugget Markets is a full-line grocery store in Northern California that provides high-quality perishables and organics, chef-prepared foods, specialty grocery items and conventional goods in a European marketplace setting. The Nugget Market, Inc. family of stores includes 13 Nugget Markets in Northern California, Fork Lift by Nugget Markets in Cameron Park, Food 4 Less Woodland and Sonoma Market in Sonoma. For more information about Nugget Markets’ ranking, read the Great Place to Work® review and FORTUNE review.
METHODOLOGY:
People analytics firm Great Place to Work® surveyed over half a million employees on issues including how trustworthy, caring and fair the company is in times of crises; employees’ physical, emotional and financial health; and the company’s broader community impact. Analysis revealed strong links between positive employee opinions and how employees witnessed their senior leaders and direct managers during the crisis. Seventy-one percent of winning workplaces scored better than in pre-pandemic times, increasing employees’ experiences of workplace trust an average of three percentage points.
Particular attention was paid to how employees’ experiences varied depending on their job role, gender, race/ethnicity, payroll status, and other characteristics to ensure that the company is creating a great workplace for all.
In a typical year, 75 percent of each company’s score is based on confidential employee feedback and 25 percent is based on our analysis of company’s essay questions describing their programs and practices. This year, we changed the essay question to focus on actions taken specifically in response to the challenges of 2020. We collected over 100 data points regarding each company’s employee demographics and HR programs and practices. We weighted 40 percent of this year’s score on how each company stepped up to support their people and communities, taking into account how significantly they were impacted by the pandemic; and 60 percent on employees’ confidential survey responses.
Companies need to employ at least 1,000 US employees to be considered for the 100 Best Companies list, and at least 100,000 employees globally to be considered for the Best Big Companies to Work For list. Government agencies are not eligible.