“You can’t make it a great place to shop, if you don’t first make it a great place to work,” says Stew Leonard Jr., president and CEO of the market that bears his family’s name.
“It’s a day-to-day effort to try to improve the environment where people work. We try to do better all the time, to communicate better, to listen to people better. We want to help people out… so they can have better lives for their families.”
It’s a task that takes many hands.
“We all strategize and look at benefits and ways we can appreciate our people,” explains Jill Tavello, vice president of culture and communications. “We survey all employees every year. One employee said our bagging video wasn’t up-to-date; she redid the video and felt empowered.”
Benefits and appreciations abound: ‘Moo Notes,’ five or six-line statements describing how an employee did something special or above the job description, are awarded and placed in the employee’s file, and come with a free lunch coupon; Mom’s Program allows moms to work after the school bus leaves and return home before the kids, plus have summers and school vacations off; free on-site health screenings, yoga, cardio checkups, wellness fairs, and regular blood pressure screening all focus on creating a healthy lifestyle; all vending machine funds go to sponsor trips and events like skiing, raffles, bowling night, movie night, Great Adventure trip, rock climbing and paint ball; a profit sharing program that can net up to two weeks of pay annually; and a scholarship program awards up to $4,000; $52,000 was awarded in 2010, and $500,000 since its inception.
It’s also a business with an emphasis on family — “31 percent of team members have a family member working here and 82 percent of management is promoted from within the company,” says Karen Mazako, vice president of human resources. “Team members have careers and grow with the company.”
In 1984 when Mazako interviewed with Leonard and two vice presidents, she says she was so ‘wowed,’ she came out of saying, “Oh my god. I have to work at Stew Leonard’s.”
The reality hasn’t disappointed. She says the overall company culture is focused on team members with the mantra ‘TEAM 1’:
T — Trust and respect — it’s earned every day;
E — Empowering our teams;
A — Appreciating and recognizing team members for what they do;
M — Movement and growth;
1 — Being # 1 with benefits and pay.
Leonard’s is running an in-company ten pound weight loss challenge. Members sign up in teams or individually and those who succeed are entered in a raffle for prizes.
CEO Leonard is entered and is the head cheerleader offering regular progress reports, healthy recipes and exercise classes.
There had always been a big Christmas party, but with busy holiday schedules only 60 percent of employees could attend. Employees were asked if they preferred a $50 gift card. The gift card won.
But that didn’t eliminate the need to party.
After a busy week or a holiday, the staff is served luncheon by management as a thank you. It’s a favorite with staff and management alike.
Team Member Appreciation Day is another big hit, with a ‘bagging competition,’ food, balloons, confetti, and prizes for the winners. The summer picnic at Lake Compounce offers families and team members a chance to kick back, enjoy the amenities and eat togetherâ
