Northern California grocery store chain Nugget Markets is offering $1,000 bonuses to new hires in an effort to draw more workers amid an increasingly competitive job market, according to a report from KTVU.
With the pandemic stretching the labor force thin, businesses have been forced to find creative ways to recruit job seekers – and Nugget Markets is hoping their new incentive program will do just that.
"It's more than the money, it's really making an investment for more great people on our team," Chaunte Chastang, store director at the store's Novato location, told the news outlet.
The bonus applies to most positions at the upscale grocery store, even entry level jobs that do not require experience. The extra cash is awarded after the employee completes the 90-day probation period.
The family owned grocery store was founded in Woodland in 1926.
It currently has 16 stores spread throughout the Sacramento area and across Solano, Sonoma and Marin Counties.
The business has perennially been named to Fortune’s list of 100 best companies to work for, including in 2021 where it ranked 24th.
Chang also told the station that one of the main goals of the program is to attract chefs and bakers, where competition is most heavy in the job market.
"We are competing with the restaurants for those specific roles but with time, we will see if this makes a difference," she said.
The station reported that the business has made "a handful of hires to each store" so far under the new program.
In addition, current employees who refer a successful candidate to the store will earn a $500 reward.
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