Scale Meijer family values through leadership transition and company growth

The Opportunity

• Create a shift in leadership away from a more traditional management approach towards caring for people, in alignment with established Meijer values and commitment to culture
• Improve retention of both front-line team members as well as leaders
• Align leadership development programs with Meijer's critical focus on customer service, focusing on key skills to include listening, behavior tendencies, and emotional intelligence

Our Approach

Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute first conducted senior leader interviews and participated in ride-alongs with Meijer Market Directors each responsible for specific geographic terrorities. Leveraging knowledge and insights from the business, the first event was a two-day Inspire course for 45 Regional Vice Presidents and Market Directors that directly serve 70,000 team members. After the success of the first event, Meijer implemented:

• Three-course leadership curricula for all executive leaders (Vice President through Director level) across the organization. Each course - Inspire, Relate, and Connect - is two days in length.
• Two-day Relate course for front-line leaders - Team and Line Leaders, Managers, and Supervisors - across the organization.
• Sustainment programs and practical application for each of the courses delivered
• Employee Focus Groups with key team members to pulse-check progress
• Train the Trainer for Meijer Talent Development team members to scale impact

The Result

• 25% decrease in total store turnover since 2017
• Deeper leadership bench to support company growth in existing and new markets
• Culture Sustainable Engagement Survey Results:
  • 6% increase: “I see leaders across Meijer as caring about the well-being of team members”
  • 4% increase: “Meijer supports and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment”