Abstract

Wegmans was consistently voted as one of the best companies to work for in the US by several independent sources. It was also one of the rare companies in the retail sector that had a relatively low voluntary attrition rate (seven percent for full time employees). This case examines the elements of Wegmans’work culture, and how they contributed to making Wegmans a great place to work. It discusses the steps that the company took to ensure that employee engagement remained high and the culture stayed strong. The case concludes with a commentary on Wegmans’future prospects, and whether there is any danger of the culture becoming diluted in the future.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Study the organizational culture of a retail company that was consistently voted as one of the Best Companies to Work For in the US
• Examine the various elements of the company’s culture, and to understand how they contributed to keeping employees happy and attrition low
• Analyze the factors that contribute to creating and sustaining a strong organizational culture
• Understand the importance of keeping employee engagement high, and to study the steps taken to that end by the company in focus
• and Study the issues related to the continuity of organizational culture and the steps that companies can take to ensure that their culture remains constant as they grow.

Keywords

Wegmans, Retail industry, Organizational culture, Voluntary attrition, Employee engagement, Employees first, Customers second, Meeting in a Box, Employee empowerment, Shared vision, Employee Benefits, Storytelling