More than 30,000 hourly team members received awards worth $250 to $2,000 in honor of a key milestone.
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One warehouse club is giving its workers the biggest thank-you in its 42-year history.
Last week, BJ’s Wholesale Club gave more than 30,000 hourly team members gift cards worth more a total of more than $25 million.
The gift cards range in value from $250 to $2,000 and are based on the employee’s tenure. The company said it surprised workers with celebrations at clubs and distribution centers.
The retailer framed the awards as an extension of its mission to support the families who rely on it. “At BJ’s, we’re driven by a powerful purpose: we take care of the families who depend on us,” a company spokesperson told Inc. “We’re thrilled to live that purpose by investing in our hourly team members and thanking them for 42 years of unbeatable customer service.”
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The move comes at a time when some large employers have drawn public criticism for failing to recognize workers. This month, a photo of a longtime Walmart associate in Kentucky holding flowers for her 44th work anniversary last year drew criticism online.
“It’s a shame they didn’t do more to honor someone who worked there 44 years,” one user said. “I’m pissed for her,” another said. “Walmart is no easy job, and to be given flowers after all that just feels like a cheap kick in the face.”
Part of larger push
Since opening its first club in Medford, Massachusetts in 1984, BJ’s has grown to 268 clubs and 209 gas stations across 22 states, serving more than 8.5 million members. The business is currently valued at approximately $13 billion.