In an industry that has extremely thin margins, labor shortages, and shrinking sales - Whole Foods has stood out as an enigma since it opened its doors in 1980. Unlike your neighborhood grocery store filled with bruised produce, understocked shelves, and overhead lighting that will give you a headache: Whole Foods is anything but traditional. Filled with perfect produce, freshly baked goods, and friendly staff, its success can be attributed to the business principles that drive company culture.
Whole Foods is team-focused. One of their principles is “empower our people” by helping them thrive instead of micro-managing them. Stores comprise ten self-managed teams (bakery, produce, grocery, etc.), each led by a team leader. The team leaders in each store are a team. Store leaders in each region are a team, and the company’s six regional presidents are a team. Each team is assigned target goals, including target expenses, and if they meet their target, they get a share of the extra profits (gainsharing program). In addition, the company has an open book policy regarding its financials and how much each team member is paid.
Participation is a key component of its organizational culture. For example, the hiring process is unconventional compared to most chain companies. Potential employees undergo a 60-day process involving everything from phone to panel interviews. After an employee is brought on board, they are placed within a team and given a trial period. Once the trial period is up, the existing members of the team vote if the employee should be hired - an employee is only hireable if 2/3rd of the team votes yes. By using this hiring process, they increase team cohesion and employee retention.
Whole Foods built a culture where employees enjoy their jobs and strive to reach their full potential. The company has done this through autonomy, communication, benefits, and more. Whole Foods’ motto is “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet.” They live up to this through customer and employee satisfaction, ROI, investing in the community, and more.
What do you think about Whole Foods' approach to culture? Do you think more companies should adopt this approach? Or is it too idealistic?