A chain of Texas convenience stores with a cult-like following chooses to display pay, vacation time, and its 401K plan on big signs, and it doesn't plan to stop any time soon
- Buc-ee's is a Texas-based chain of convenience stores that's acquired a cult-following in Texas.
- All 33 of the company's locations have signs advertising its salaries, benefits, and vacation policies.
- Buc-ee's general counsel Jeff Nadalo told Business Insider that the transparency is meant to attract top job candidates.
- He said the company also hopes to demonstrate to current employees that there's room for advancement within Buc-ee's.
Buc-ee's puts it all out there when it comes to its salaries, benefits, and vacation policies.
Of course, in the era of job sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed, employees around the world are shining a light on previously obscure and touchy workplace subjects like pay and benefits. Nowadays, people increasingly want transparency when it comes to pay.
Buc-ee's is one company that bucks the trend by preempting questions surrounding compensation.
All 33 locations of the Texas-based convenience store chain have signs displaying information about pay for entry-level and managerial roles, company-wide vacation policies, and other benefits.
Buc-ee's general counsel Jeff Nadalo told Business Insider that the signs have been around as long as he can recall - and he's worked at the company for seven years.
The salaries listed on the Buc-ee's signs are, for the most part, above industry standards.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2017, food service workers make an hourly wage of $9.81, cashiers make a median hourly wage of $10.11, vehicle cleaners make a median hourly wage of $12.39, hand laborers make an hourly wage of $12.44, and retail workers make an hourly wage of $13.20.
That's something Buc-ee's understandably wants to advertise to prospective job candidates. But the company's signage also has another effect.
"Our customers expect and look forward to a very unique experience," Nadalo told Business Insider. "We have to attract the best talent.
"And so we work very hard at not just providing a transparent wage schedule to those potential future team members, but also to remind those who are currently there of some opportunities that are there at the store, as well," he said.
According to Nadalo, the signs have had the desired effect.
"We've had folks who started out as cashiers and now they're at fairly senior levels within the home office," he said.
The signage should come in especially handy now that Nadalo said the chain is looking to hire more employees as the company prepares to open a new location in Baldwin, Alabama. This foray into the Yellowhammer State represents the first ever Buc-ee's store that will be built outside of Texas. Nadalo added that the company's ideal employee is friendly and hard-working.
"You're on your feet most of the day and you're customer-facing," Nadalo said. "Not only are you having to work hard, but you're having to do it in a manner that makes the customer feel like they're important."
Are you a current or former Buc-ee's employee with a story to share? Email acain@businessinsider.com.