When Marcy Benton walked into Publix for what she thought would be a summer job while in graduate school, she didn’t expect to find a lifelong career.
After all, it seemed as though her entire hometown of Lakeland, Florida, worked for the company, and she wanted to escape the familiar for a bigger city.
“They worked around the school schedule, which is very accommodating. And then after I finished graduate school, I decided I’d stay one more year, because they were really nice to me. See how this works?” Benton asked with a laugh.
Then, on what she thought was her last day with Publix, she was called into a meeting with two executives.
“They sat me down for 45 minutes and did nothing but talk to me about their careers at Publix and all of the opportunities … They were there to ask me to change my mind and just give it a chance,” Benton said.
She moved from accounting into human resources at that point, and after nearly 33 years with the company, she now serves as VP of associate experience. Much like her own journey, Benton said many associates who come to Publix for a temporary job find a career instead.
“I think there’s so many people like myself that think Publix is going to be this place that we stop by, and then what happens is we run into people that invest in us,” she said. “We end up being able to open our eyes and see what a magnificent company Publix is,” she said.
Purpose-driven culture
That sense of investment – people pouring into people – has been the company’s hallmark for nearly a century. From recruiting high school students to promoting store clerks into leadership, Publix has built a culture centered on careers, mentorship and belonging.
That culture inside its stores has led to the company’s success throughout the years.
Publix, founded in 1930 as a single Florida grocery store, has grown into the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States, with more than 1,400 stores across eight states and over 260,000 associates.
That strong company culture is what allowed Publix to be a source of stability for communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Benton, whose team was tasked with leading Publix through the pandemic, said it was an eye-opening experience.
Giving people some sense of normalcy during such an uncertain time “really kind of defined that we’re more than a grocery store,” she said. “We’re part of that community.”
Benton noted that she always knew Publix was “an amazing company,” but the pandemic was “a huge, eye-opening experience when we think about purpose … It’s being there for your community. It’s being there when others aren’t.”
Publix associates are the heart of that purpose and are what make the company stand out.
Maria Brous, director of communications, said the company’s reputation as a secure and stable employer is what draws people in, adding that Publix has never had a layoff.
“It’s the job security, it’s the ability to purchase stock, the ability to have a flexible schedule, the ability to grow, the ability to move and learn new skill sets, the ability to try different – it’s all of those things,” Brous said.
She went on to note that the focus on associates is “ingrained” in the company culture.
“We want our associates to know that … we are one Publix with one purpose, that we care about them, and we always say we’re the largest family you’ll ever belong to,” she said.
According to Brous, the phrase “One Publix, One purpose” was introduced by Executive Chairman Todd Jones at a retail operations conference.
“It’s doing consistently what others aren’t willing to do … It’s the pride and ownership. We’re all rowing in the same direction … we’re all focusing on the same thing,” she said.
Benton said this commitment by Publix to its associates began with its founder, George W. Jenkins, known as “Mr. George.”
“One of the biggest things that I’m always reminded of is this company started because Mr. George had a bad experience with an employer, and that was the whole premise of him opening up Publix,” she said.
Jenkins was a store manager for Piggly Wiggly in the 1920s when he traveled to Georgia to pitch ideas to the new owners. He was told they were “too busy” to see him, but he overheard them discussing their golf game while he waited.
“He drove back to Florida and opened up Publix and vowed that we’d never be too busy for our associates,” Benton said.
This vow continues today through several programs, including an open-door policy, associate appreciation visits and “Be There Day,” where corporate leaders work in a store or distribution facility.
“We go and we’re going to work in the deli, we’re going to work in the bakery,” Benton said. “We’re going to do all of those things because we never want to lose sight of the work that’s going on. We want to make sure that we are there and connected throughout the company.”
To ensure the company continues to meet the needs of its associates, Publix conducts an annual “associate voice survey.”
“We really focus on listening to our associates,” Benton said. “And when you talk about a survey with over 90 something percent response rate, it’s unheard of … but it means that much to us.”
The survey gauges overall associate satisfaction along with a “mentoring index for recognition and coaching and advancement,” she said.
The most recent survey results showed improvements in all areas, including overall satisfaction with the work environment, management and advancement opportunities.
“We just got them yesterday, and we’re super excited,” Benton said. “Everything is going up, so we’re continuing to lean in. That’s important to us, that we never lose sight and that we’re hearing from all 260,000 associates about their experience here at Publix.”
She recalled a survey comment from a deli associate who wrote, “If somebody had told me four years ago that I’d be thinking about this deli team as my family, I wouldn’t have believed them.”
“It’s a matter of what our objective is but also … we’re continuing to check the pulse to make sure that we’re delivering on what Mr. George intended, and we never lose sight of what this company was founded on,” Benton said.
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Recruitment, opportunity 
Publix has been on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list since its inception and was ranked No. 42 in 2024. Benton said while being on the list is wonderful, a positive work environment is more important.
Publix emphasizes building careers from within. The company recruits in high schools, colleges and local communities, encouraging young people to see Publix as more than just a first job.
“One of the best things we know is if we can get people early, then we can get them engaged, and we can find that great talent,” Benton said. “You can grow right here with Publix because we have a lot of training and development pieces.”
She added that customers who love the brand and the experience they have in the stores also provide a pool of potential employees. “It’s a big driver for us,” Benton said. “The flexible schedule is another one and the opportunities for growth.”
The company hosts summer internships at its corporate office with free housing and paid positions. The program, which started about 20 years ago with 12 interns, now hosts 72 students each summer. Brous said the internships expose students to all aspects of the grocery business, from purchasing to supply chain and beyond.
Many of those interns eventually take on roles as managers, directors and leaders across the company.
“It’s really turned out to be a very fruitful program for us,” Benton said.
Brous noted that the interns get to experience the family atmosphere and sense of community engagement at Publix.
“They’re getting to know us, and that is really important,” Brous said. “They’re finding purpose and understanding that commitment of giving back.”
The company also has started a program in its newer markets that brings high school teachers from the local area to tour stores and distribution facilities during the summer.
“We talk to them about all the career opportunities at Publix … And they’re able to talk to their students about this new community partner, Publix,” Benton said.
She added that for high school students who are Publix associates, they have an event called “A Night To Soar,” where they celebrate 11th and 12th graders and invite their parents to discuss tuition reimbursement and career opportunities.
Benton said they always are trying to make people aware of the opportunities and benefits of a career with Publix.
“I always call it the gift of Publix,” she said. “We were given this gift, but we’re always thinking about what else can we do to make sure that we’re continuing to put more in this gift, so when we pass it on for that next generation, it’s better than it was even given to us … We’re always thinking about different ways we can expand the brand so people will know more about Publix.”
The company’s focus on its associates extends to its fleet of drivers. Benton said Publix trains and develops its own drivers and has avoided the labor shortages that have affected other companies. The company also has a system in place to ensure drivers are home at night.
“We’re very careful and watch, making sure they’re home at night,” Benton said. “And that’s a big, big deal to drivers.”
She said while there may be an occasional long-haul trip, most are day trips. They also have drop yards where a driver from Lakeland can meet a driver from Atlanta to swap so that both are back home for the night.
“We want to make sure that our drivers understand that we appreciate everything that they do,” Benton said.
Commitment to diversity, inclusion
Benton, who previously served as Publix’s diversity manager for more than 11 years, said the company has been “very intentional” about its efforts to support female and minority associates.
“We have contender programs where we’re looking for talent, we identify that talent, and we start training and developing and making sure that females and minorities are represented in every one of those stages as we’re going through the process,” she said.
“It’s nice to look around now and see the journey and where we are. We are still very committed to it. I think the beauty of it for us, unlike some other companies, is our message … that we need everybody. In order for us to grow and continue to be successful, we need everybody dialed in to Publix and being part of this family.”
Publix also has worked to ensure the stores reflect the communities they are in.
“When we do our store openings, and when we look at our warehousing and distribution centers, we’re reflective of the community … we’re intentional about those things,” Brous said. “We want the store team to also reflect the community and for them to find the similarities and to be able to build.”
The company also has a mentoring program. While it’s open to all associates, it was designed with women and minorities in mind.
“We’re a believer in everybody having equal access to opportunity, and so we certainly wanted to make sure that we were mentoring and developing. So we led with females and minorities, but it’s open to everybody,” Benton said. “It’s proven to be hugely successful.”
Benton recalled how during her career, “I had so many white males that invested in me. It really made a difference. When we were talking about creating mentoring programs, for me it was about making sure you had access to those who had the knowledge, who had the experience.
“My thought was all of those who took time in me that didn’t look like me, but they saw something in me and invested in me,” she said.
Establishing that program was important for Publix, Benton added. “It’s nice to see where we are. We’re not done yet … but I’m proud of where we are as an organization. Super proud when I look back and see all of the intentional efforts – processes and systems – we put into place that have really continued to pay dividends. It’s really about making sure people know that they have access to all of the opportunities here with Publix and can grow with us.” 
Brous said Publix is a place for everyone, noting their commitment to hiring older adults and associates who participate in Special Olympics as athletes. She said they have a range of associates from 14-95 years old.
“I think Publix is a place for everyone,” Brous said. “I think it’s one of those things where, for so many, it creates family, belonging, opportunity that they may not have otherwise and really a place where there’s community.”
She said they don’t track how many of their associates are Special Olympics athletes, but Special Olympics estimates the number is close to 900.
Brous recalled one story from a parent who expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
“Thank you for the opportunity to provide this for my child,” Brous shared. “At the end of the day, you want to know that your child will be able to find sense of purpose and belonging, and after we’re gone, we want them to be able to know that they’re going to still have family.”
As for their senior associates, Benton said one of the first things you notice about older store associates is their smile.
“It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing,” she said. “It’s not something that we mandate at all. It just happens. The environment is the cause of that – people wanting to be part of something special and something that’s bigger than themselves at that point.”
She added with such a wide range of ages employed, they are always thinking about how to continue to engage with each of those groups, “which is always interesting.”
Benton said she loves to think about having an environment where a grandparent and grandchild can work in the same store.
“It’s always interesting to be able to get that group together, and you want to talk about just being the light of so many of our stores,” she said. “You walk in, and those smiles are so big. They’re certainly happy, and it’s a matter of coming to hang out with family and friends.”