BRADENTON, Fla., Oct. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Watch, the leading Daytime Dining restaurant serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, has been named the #1 Most Loved Workplace® in America by Newsweek and the Best Practice Institute. This is the third consecutive year First Watch has been recognized on the list—a demonstration of the company’s focus on championing its “You First” culture for its more than 14,000 employees.
“To be named the ‘Most Loved Workplace’ in America is an incredible honor, because it’s all about our employees, and they mean the world to us,” said Laura Sorensen, Chief People Officer. “At First Watch, our people are our purpose, which is why we continue to invest in their quality of life with important benefits and programs. Our ‘You First’ vision is to create amazing opportunities for our people, and we take that seriously.”
On this year’s list, First Watch was specifically recognized for its benefits, including back up child and elder care, made available to all employees earlier this year and inspired by First Watch’s W.H.Y. (We Hear You) Tours. Each year, Sorensen, as well as CEO and President Chris Tomasso and COO Dan Jones, host video conversations with servers, cooks, dishwashers and bussers from across the company to listen and act upon their candid feedback. As a result, tangible and meaningful enhancements have been made to the menu, operating systems, and employee compensation and benefit offerings. In 2024 alone, First Watch leadership participated in 24 tours with 359 team members, totaling more than 2,100 minutes.
The restaurant company also offers all employees free Calm app memberships and telemedicine services with no-out-of-pocket expenses, plus high school diploma and tuition reimbursement programs. In addition, the company has established a training facility at its corporate headquarters—the First Watch Academy of Restaurant Management, known as F.A.R.M.—to which new leaders are invited for a week-long brand experience to learn everything from the company’s history and cultural pillars to leadership and management tools.
For more than 40 years, First Watch has fostered a “You First” culture of putting its employees first, so they feel empowered to put their customers first. The restaurant’s one-shift “No Nights Ever” model across its more than 535 restaurants in 29 states allows teams to build deeper connections with each other and enjoy evenings with loved ones.
Newsweek’s annual Most Loved Workplaces® list is determined by surveying more than 2.6 million employees from businesses with workforces varying in size from less than 50 to more than 10,000. The coveted list recognizes companies based on employee response around satisfaction and sentiment including the level of respect, collaboration, support and sense of belonging they feel at work.
For more information about First Watch and its career opportunities, visit careers.firstwatch.com.
About First Watch
First Watch is the leading Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients. A recipient of hundreds of local “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch’s chef-driven menu rotates five times a year and includes elevated executions of classic favorites alongside specialties such as its Quinoa Power Bowl, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Chickichanga, Morning Meditation fresh juice and signature Million Dollar Bacon. After first appearing on the list in 2022 and 2023, First Watch was named 2024’s #1 Most Loved Workplace® in America by Newsweek and the Best Practice Institute. In 2023, First Watch was named the top restaurant brand in Yelp’s inaugural list of the top 50 most-loved brands in the U.S. In 2022, First Watch was awarded a sought-after MenuMasters honor by Nation’s Restaurant News for its seasonal Braised Short Rib Omelet. First Watch operates more than 535 First Watch restaurants in 29 states. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com.
About Newsweek
Newsweek is the modern global digital news organization built around the iconic, over 90-year-old American magazine. Newsweek reaches 100 million people each month with its thought-provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video delivered across a dozen print and digital platforms. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia.
About Best Practice Institute
Best Practice Institute is an award-winning leadership and organization development center, benchmark research company, think tank, and solutions provider. BPI is the only certifying body for Most Loved Workplace® and conducted the original research to create the model and criteria for becoming a Most Loved Workplace®. BPI’s research proves that Most Loved Workplaces® produce 3-4 times better customer service, employee performance, and retention than companies not loved by their employees.
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