5 Reasons Women Love Working at This Iconic Employer

While many of us may associate Nationwide with their catchy jingle (who hasn’t heard “Nationwide is on your side”?), there’s another layer to the insurance and financial services company that deserves to be celebrated. Nationwide is nationally recognized as an amazing place to work. Between resources dedicated to ensuring diversity, benefits that far exceed industry standard, and growth opportunities that allow employees to remain in the company for decades without floundering their career opportunities, there’s no question why it stands above its competitors in recruiting and retaining diverse talent. 

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Women on Fairygodboss rank Nationwide very highly, with over 70 percent of reviewers giving the company highest marks. One thing that stands out while reading the reviews? Women who work at Nationwide stay at Nationwide. 

"Nationwide is a great place to work for [continued] opportunities and flexibility. I have chosen to stay here for 21 years and have progressed from middle management to senior management,” one anonymous woman said. "Our culture has continued to improve, with many new flexible workplace programs being instituted. We have been recognized on Fortune's ‘Great Places to Work’ list for 3 years in a row — and I agree!”

To learn more about why Nationwide is such a great place for women to work — and what makes employees stick with it — check out these five perks of working with the financial services and insurance company. 

1. Nationwide has an award-winning company culture that values diversity and inclusion.

There’s a reason that Nationwide has been voted one of Fortune’s “100 Best Places to Work” list for the fifth year in a row and has received Gallup’s “Great Workplace Award” every year since 2012. 

The company has a real dedication to creating a culture where everyone is appreciated and respected. One of most impactful ways it drives its diversity and inclusion strategy forward? Encouraging employees to participate in Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) and Business Unit Councils (BUCs). ARGs allow associates to network and be a part of a group that matters to them. There are a wide variety of groups that any associate can be part of based on their individual interests. These groups develop leadership skills, volunteer at community events, and recommend ideas to enhance business performance. 

Nationwide’s All-Women ARG meets to discuss women’s progress at Nationwide and to offer a supportive environment for women at every level of the organization. The Pride ARG promotes Nationwide’s participation in LGBT Pride activities and contributed over $10,000 to AIDS walks last year. The Military ARG members serve as recruiters and host hiring events for veterans, and the company is hoping to hire 1,000 veterans by 2020. The Latino Alliance ARG sponsored a countrywide week of community projects during Hispanic Heritage Month, including a support project for local food pantries that helped pack 22,464 meals for children. 

Likewise, Nationwide’s 16 Business Unit Councils are structured across many locations to ensure that the company’s diversity and inclusion goals have a broad geographical reach.

“Nationwide encourages involvement in work teams, Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), and as volunteers in the community to a great degree,” one employee said. “Whether it’s participating in decisions affecting work or finding fellow associates with the same interests or backgrounds, Nationwide celebrates diversity of thought and being like very few places I have seen.”  

These efforts have earned the company a laundry list of awards, including: 

• a spot on Fortune’s 50 Best Workplaces for Diversity list, 

• A Best Companies for Diversity award from Black Enterprise Magazine, 

• a Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality award from the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, 

• a LATINO 100 award from Latino Magazine,

• and a Catalyst award, which recognizes companies’ exceptional efforts to advance women in business through recruitment, development, and advancement initiatives. 

A previous Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Nationwide, Mia Hairston, put it best when she said, “At Nationwide, diversity and inclusion are a way of life, and core to who we are.” 

2. Nationwide cares about its employees' continued education and career development.

Nationwide believes in investing in its associates so they can be at their best for Nationwide members and partners. One of the ways they do that is by offering a competitive benefits package called Total Rewards. These benefits are designed to help Nationwide associates live and work better. 

One of the ways Total Rewards ensures Nationwide associates are living better is by helping them manage their career through continued education and leadership development opportunities. 

A Training Top 125 Company, Nationwide stands apart from its competitors by offering an entire Leadership & Development department, which provides training and career planning support. The company also offers a groundbreaking Educational Assistance Program, which covers 100 percent of tuition and 50 percent of books for undergraduate and graduate courses. The program also supports technical insurance courses, professional designation courses (if required for role) and general certification courses, up to $5,250 per calendar year. 

“[Nationwide is] an inclusive company that values women and their career progression,” one anonymous reviewer wrote. 

3. Nationwide supports its employees' financial goals.

Nationwide understands that reaching financial goals starts with being compensated fairly. That’s why the company works to ensure that all people — regardless of gender, race or other factors — make fair and equal pay. 

Additionally, Nationwide’s comprehensive Total Rewards program offers above industry standard retirement benefits. Working at Nationwide means automatic enrollment in a 401(k) savings plan — with a company match of 50 percent on the first 8 percent you contribute, and full ownership of the company matching contributions after only 5 years. Together with its 100-percent company-paid pension plan, that’s 7 to nearly 11 percent or more of an associate’s compensation that Nationwide contributes toward their retirement while they’re employed. 

On top of helping its employees save for retirement, Nationwide provides employees with plenty of tools to take control of their financial health. The company offers life insurance, supplemental accident coverage, group legal coverage, long-term disability insurance, family medical flexible spending accounts, and dependent day care flexible spending accounts.

4. Nationwide values wellness and work-life balance — just ask the women on Fairygodboss.

Nationwide understands that a person’s career and financial wellness are only one aspect of their personal well-being. That’s why they offer generous comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits. Beyond insurance policies, employees also receive a free health and wellness program called My Health, emotional wellbeing resources and mindfulness resources, and onsite fitness centers in select locations. 

Nationwide also recognizes that wellness is more than being physically healthy. People need time to pursue personal goals, to unwind from work and to take care of themselves. Nationwide employees benefit from a variety of paid time off options, and they receive up to 10 paid company holidays a year. Additionally, employees are offered flexible work options to fit their everyday lives.

“At [Nationwide], there is flexibility and support for working moms. Managers understand and promote work and life balance here,” one anonymous reviewer wrote. 

“It’s a family-friendly and family-focused work environment,” another wrote. “There’s flexibility to adjust hours as needed.” 

5. Nationwide is a family-friendly employer that understands the needs of working parents. 

Nationwide offers a wealth of parental benefits that allow its employees to properly care for their families and make time for their personal and family-related goals. 

Sometimes, caring for family members — new and old — means taking time away from work. New moms at Nationwide receive up to 12 weeks off following the birth of a child, while new fathers, domestic partners and adoptive parents receive 20 days of parental leave (in addition to their other paid time off benefits). 

Associates can also access up to 10 days of paid emergency leave each calendar year for an unexpected critical illness or injury of a family member. This time off can be used after normal paid time off is exhausted. 

In addition to paid time off,  associates receive up to seven days annually of subsidized child care or elder-care through Bright Horizons, a leading national provider of care for children and adults. Moreover,  adoptive parents are eligible to receive up to $6,000 per adopted child per family to help with adoption-related expenses. 

On top of these financial benefits, Nationwide offers parental resources on their myPLACE website, and webcasts on specific parenting topics throughout the year. Plus, the company fosters a supportive community of mothers with the MOMs of Nationwide group. 

One of the most unique family benefits that Nationwide  offers is a Maternity Assistance Services program. Through the program, associates receive one-on-one counseling with one of Nationwide’s in-house registered nurses. The nurses guide expectant mothers through each trimester and provide post-delivery support to ensure they’re taking full advantage of Nationwide’s maternity benefits and resources. This guidance might include registering them for maternity-specific resources, explaining enhanced break policies and time-off benefits, answering questions about Nationwide’s Lactation Program and facilities, and providing Nationwide’s baby care kit, nursery safety kit and baby gift. 

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