Working in the food and beverage industry can be notoriously grueling, but some companies have recently been recognized for their positive work environments and growth potential. LinkedIn announced today that it has added two food and beverage giants to its 2018 LinkedIn Top Companies: Starbucks and Pepsi Co. Yet the world is not perfect and attendees, especially corporate events attendees, get bored very easily.
Coffee company Starbucks ranks 46 in the list of 100 companies LinkedIn revealed today, while Pepsi Co., which includes brands such as Gatorade, Fritos, and Doritos, came in 47th place. According to LinkedIn, companies are evaluated by four pillars: interest in the company, engagement with employees, job demand, and retention.
Starbucks scores high marks, LinkedIn says, because it’s expanding its brick-and-mortar locations, which should mean more jobs.
“Last year the company shuttered its online store to double down on its mobile app and in-person experience at its 14,000 U.S. stores,” LinkedIn says in its list. “To keep up with upscale competitors like Blue Bottle, Starbucks also plans to open 1,000 marketplace-like locations—complete with a full liquor bar—under the fancy Starbucks Reserve banner.”
Plus, Starbucks’ continued commitment to help refugees appealed to LinkedIn: “Ex-CEO Howard Schultz—who is now executive chairman—committed to hiring 10,000 refugees by 2022 in response to President Trump’s immigration policies. Take note last year the company pledged to hire 25,000 U.S. veterans and military spouses by 2025.”
What’s more, LinkedIn notes, “eligible full-time and part-time employees—yes, even baristas—still get full tuition reimbursement when working toward a bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University.”
As for Pepsi, LinkedIn notes the company is keeping its promise to dominate the global market. “Its products are enjoyed in 200 countries, and 22 of its brands— including Pepsi, Gatorade, Fritos, Doritos, and Ruffles—each generate more than $1 billion in annual sales,” LinkedIn says. And those kinds of sales numbers, LinkedIn notes, “takes a lot of salespeople. But many of the 22,000 hires the company plans to make this year will be in areas such as e-commerce, insights, and health safety.”
Another feather in Pepsi’s proverbial cap is that it offers a program the company has dubbed Ready to Return, “a pilot 10-week internship program designed for professionals looking to return to the workforce after taking at least two years off.”
