BJ’s Wholesale Club is giving more than 30,000 hourly team members awards totaling more than $25 million, the largest recognition award in the company’s history, marking 42 years of serving members.
The awards, based on tenure, were distributed Oct. 13 through surprise celebrations at clubs and distribution centers throughout the retailer’s footprint, with team members receiving BJ’s gift cards ranging from $250 to $2,000.
“BJ’s Wholesale Club is driven by a powerful purpose: we take care of the families who depend on us,” said Bob Eddy, chairman and CEO. “We’re living that purpose by taking care of our team members across our clubs and distribution centers. Our team members are essential to delivering unbeatable value and service every day. They are the foundation of our success, and these awards are a way to thank them for their commitment to our company and our members.”
The investment aligns with research on frontline retention. A Gallup-Workhuman study tracking nearly 3,500 U.S. employees over a two-year period found that well-recognized workers were 45 percent less likely to have left their organization two years later, while Gallup estimates replacing a frontline worker costs about 40 percent of that worker’s salary.
BJ’s opened its first club in Medford, Massachusetts, in 1984, pioneering the warehouse club model in New England. Today the Marlborough, Massachusetts-based company serves more than 8.5 million members at 268 clubs and 209 gas stations in 22 states, offering fresh food and produce, a full-service deli and bakery, household essentials and general merchandise.