Published 11:18 AM EDT Sep 5, 2019
![Edward jones benefits wellness Edward jones benefits wellness](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125734916/925192604.png)
Director of Benefits at Edward Jones. Location: Greater St. Employee Benefits & Human Resources| Employer Health & Wellness, Insurance, Well-being.
For Hilary Renno, a financial adviser for Edward Jones working at a Clarkston branch, time away from the office is often spent attending special events that she has been invited to by clients including baby showers, graduations, retirement parties, birthday parties and more. Renno also has become accustomed to receiving the same kind of invites from coworkers and she says it never gets old.
“I treat my clients like family and ‘family’ is a word we use often in our workplace,” Renno said. “It all just provides a tremendous atmosphere.”
By staying true to a family approach to business, as Renno described, Edward Jones has repeatedly received high marks from respected evaluators as a top place to work. This year was no exception, as the financial services company earned the top spot in the Free Press Top Workplaces large company category.
A partnership-owned, Fortune 500-firm headquartered in St. Louis, Edward Jones employs nearly 1,200 people in Michigan. Some of the benefits offered include dental and vision plans; adoption assistance up to $5,000 per child; domestic partner benefits; paid parental leave for full-time staff; tuition reimbursement; annual profit sharing, and 401(k) and Roth accounts with firm matching.
The company self-funds medical care so it can override provider decisions, order coverage or pay for expensive treatments. And wellness care discounts also are provided for getting good results on health screenings and for documenting healthy activities.
Renno said reading off an extensive listing of benefits still does not fully describe the true benefits felt by Edward Jones staff because of the company’s culture.
“To understand you really have to be inside and experience it,” said Renno, who has been with Edward Jones for a decade and was attracted to the firm because she saw Edward Jones listed at the top of a best-places-to-work list.
Renno speaks of an inside culture where veteran financial advisers and branch office administrators voluntarily train new hires. She also describes an environment in which staff members feel empowered to impact their communities because they can request company donations for charities for which they have volunteered as part of Edward Jones’ overall community support.
When asked whether Edward Jones’ culture gives the firm a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent, Renno answered ‘absolutely’ without hesitation and added that she helps the company accomplish that objective in ways that go beyond her service to clients.
This includes being a recruiting leader for much of metro Detroit, matching staff members with appropriate trainers, organizing a women’s conference and always being at the ready to ensure everyone in her work orbit is well served.
“I do what I do because someone did it for me,” Renno explained. “We truly have a pay-it forward culture.”
Edward Jones
Industry: Financial services
Top leadership: Jim Weddle, managing partner (Will be succeeded by Penny Pennington on Jan. 1, 2019)
Home: St. Louis
Employees: 1,179 (Michigan); 42,505 (United States); 44,625 (Global)
![Wellness Wellness](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125734916/125527673.jpg)
Revenue: $7,300,000,000 (U.S.); $7,500,000,000 (Global)
Website: www.edwardjones.com
Popular employee benefits: Free wellness care plus premium discounts if an employee takes health screenings, gets good results or documents healthy activities; vision and dental plans; adoption assistance up to $5,000 per child; domestic partner benefits; $5,000 in annual tuition reimbursement; annual profit sharing; 401(k) and Roth accounts with firm matching; paid parental leave for full-timers; compressed workweek options for branch associates; telecommuting; job sharing; and voluntary unpaid leave and sick leave to care for ill family members. The company self-funds medical care to override provider decisions, order coverage or pay for expensive treatments. And all associates are eligible to become limited partners and share in firm profits.
Published 11:18 AM EDT Sep 5, 2019