The company’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic garnered a prestigious ranking.
ATLANTA, GA (StLouisRestaurantReview) Church’s Chicken, one of the largest quick-service restaurant chicken chains in the world, was named a Top Workplace for 2021. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution presents this list that spotlights top-ranking businesses across the greater metro area. This marks the 11th year of the annual recognition program. A virtual awards ceremony is slated for March 18, 2021.
“We are incredibly honored to be listed on Top Workplaces 2021. The Church’s culture centers on putting our people first locally and globally while creating a supportive work environment,” said Karen Viera, SVP and Global Chief People Officer for Church’s Chicken. “In the wake of the pandemic, we drove more focus on our People First HR Strategy to ensure that we were providing adequate assistance for our teams across the system, from restaurant crew to those in the field to corporate employees. COVID-19 called for special adaptations, and we wanted to meet the moment for our teams, as we would under any other circumstances.”
In response to the pandemic, the Church’s People First HR Strategy transitioned to People First/Safety Always. The company considered employees throughout the organization and how to safely and smartly continue operations for employees and guests. At the restaurant level, Church’s provided sufficient supplies of personal protective gear for employees, as well as their families and households, and focused on the employee’s well-being. Elevated cleaning procedures, social distancing, and other critical measures were also incorporated. The company supported corporate employees by offering work-at-home options, expanded health and wellness programs, limiting travel, and utilizing online tools and technology to streamline workflow and communication.
“The strategies that we developed through this past year were multi-layered, putting considerable thought on how to serve our employees and guests best,” added Viera. “These changes were also developed to have sustainability for our employees today and beyond.”
In addition to the safety elements, Church’s is also focused on engaging more with employees. By expanding interactions with team members via our digital workplace, know as Team Church’s, pursuing their feedback, and assessing this data, the company reduced turnover during this challenging time and will continue to focus on attracting and maintaining top talent. Through these efforts, our goal is to continue to be rated as a top workplace by our employees.