3 Ways the CEO of Costco, Craig Jelinek, Puts His People First

Costco warehouses are for more than just bulk goods and samples—they’re also home to happy employees. Costco is regularly ranked a top place to work and a company with the happiest employees, largely due to a culture that values employees and treats them fairly with good benefits and wages. Setting the tone for that culture is CEO Craig Jelinek. Craig follows in the footsteps of previous Costco leaders to put his people first and continue a legacy of engaged employees.

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Here are three ways the CEO of Costco Craig Jelinek, puts his people first:

Treats Employees Fairly

One of the biggest hallmarks of Costco is the high wages and benefits it gives employees. Costco expects its employees to work hard and be dedicated, and in return receive industry-leading wages and benefits like health insurance, stocks, and life insurance. Craig is a firm believer in paying people a living wage and providing quality benefits. Even as he strives for low overhead at Costco, he won’t cut employee pay, which shows that he values employees and helping them provide for their families more than he prioritizes revenue. During times of economic struggle, Craig has implemented wage increases and refused to cut healthcare benefits.

Leads with respect

This quote from Craig summarizes his attitude towards his employees: “If you treat employees with respect, good things are going to happen to you.” One of the easiest and most effective ways to put people first is to respect them. For Craig, that means being nice to them, listening to them, and valuing their opinion. His goal is to retain happy employees, which starts by creating an environment and culture where they feel respected and valued.

Practices Empathy

Craig knows the importance of treating his employees well because he’s been in their shoes. His entire career was spent in grocery stores, and he joined Costco just months after the first warehouse opened in 1984. Craig has worked in numerous positions at Costco and has a deep love for the company and its employees. Because Craig knows what it’s like to work at Costco without being the CEO, he is empathetic to the needs of his employees and can connect with them on a different level. He builds personal relationships with everyone from cashiers to managers.

Craig Jelinek’s approach to putting his employees first is simple: treat people fairly and value them for their work, and they’ll stick around. Craig’s humble and kind attitude prioritizes employees over every other group at Costco—even customers. By putting employees first, Craig has built a powerful company that keeps growing and improving with every happy employee.

Hope to see you next week for my masterclass on the 5 Behind-the-Scenes Key Steps to Putting People First as a Leader.

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