Long-time family friend Ingrid Etzold, Designer Manager, Nordstrom Waterside Shops, has been part of the Nordstrom Naples team for almost a decade. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and its debilitating destruction to Florida, Ingrid explained to us the generous and supportive policy of Nordstrom.
Here are two things that highlight why Nordstrom has been ranked one of the top 100 places to work by Fortune magazine year after year:
- Nordstrom has a Store Closure Pay Policy. This policy pays all employees–full time, part time, support, selling–who were scheduled to work during a forced closure. If an employee was scheduled to work, that employee still gets paid. Typically the policy is for up to 5 days of a forced closure. During Irma, however, Naples Nordstrom extended the 5 days to 8 days.
- Nordstrom has Employee Relief Funds. Each store has its own, and the company has one as well. After hurricane Harvey, for example, Nordstrom set up a special code so other employees, former employees etc., could go into any store and donate to Nordstrom Texas relief funds. To date these funds have raised $140,547, helping 236 employees.
Nordstrom has also set up a specific fund for Hurricane Irma. Anyone can donate at any Nordstrom store by asking to pay to the following fee codes:
- Harvey 6180
- Irma 7650
Furthermore, Nordstrom employees from Florida’s east coast have been driving daily food, ice, batteries and supplies gratis to Nordstrom Naples team members.
Ingrid describes Nordstrom as a family company that treats employees like family members. In Fortune’s 100 Best Companies, one employee is quoted as feeling “trusted and respected” at Nordstrom, adding that Nordstrom is “the most supportive company that I have ever worked for.”
