WEX Does It Again: Company Named ‘Great Place to Work’ in the U.S.

For the third year in a row, WEX has been certified as a Great Place to Work in the U.S.—an achievement that recognizes high-performing companies with workplace cultures that employees value and trust.

The certification is one we take pride in because it means our employees—82 percent of whom said in the performance-measurement survey that WEX is a great place to work—are truly benefiting from the initiatives we’ve put in place. 

From our global sabbatical program to our paid time off for volunteer work, WEX puts a lot of effort into creating a positive workplace culture that supports employees in all areas of their life. 

So what exactly makes a company a Great Place to Work? Here’s a look at what our employees said.

What Makes WEX Great (and Why)

Paid Time Off: 88 percent of WEX employees say they are able to take time off from work when they think it’s necessary. We believe employees who feel supported at work and at home are better equipped to bring their best selves to both. 

Expedition, our global sabbatical program, offers WEXers who have been with us for six or more consecutive years the opportunity to apply for four weeks of paid leave to do anything they choose—travel, volunteer, enroll in a class or pursue a passion. Our paid parental leave, which provides up to six weeks of paid time off for new mothers and fathers, was introduced globally in 2016. And every WEXer can take 16 hours of paid volunteer time off each year.

WEXer Karl Busse spent his sabbatical readying his 19-acre hobby farm for winter.

Helping the Community: 89 percent of WEXers feel good about the ways we contribute to the community. Not only does WEX offer each employee paid time off to volunteer (see above), but giving back is part of our DNA. 

Community is one of WEX’s core values, and we believe community engagement should go beyond monetary support. Each May, employees at our offices around the globe participate in our “Month of Caring.” This year, about 350 WEXers logged more than 1,800 volunteer hours from our headquarters in Portland, Maine, to as far as Melbourne, Australia. The company also supports a number of organizations in the Portland area—in part, filling “Owie Boxes” with toys for Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, hosting a coding clinic with kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine and raising more than $40,000 for the nonprofit WinterKids through its 24-hour ski race on Sugarloaf Mountain.

Being Part of a Team: 89 percent of WEX employees agreed with the statement “When you join the company, you are made to feel welcome.”

We invest in our employees’ growth and development from day one. We offer a thorough onboarding experience tailored to the employee peppered with “nesting periods,” during which participants can go back and practice what they’ve learned with a mentor or coach. And our Global Mentor Program matches employees with a mentor within the company, enabling WEXers to connect across geographies and lines of business. 

“Having someone in my corner who can offer another perspective has been invaluable to me,” says WEXer Melissa Theriault of her mentorship with Lisa O’Brien.

Ethics, Honesty & Pride: 87 percent of WEX employees view management as honest and ethical in their business practices, and 88 percent say they are proud to tell others where they work.

A particular point of pride is how we celebrate the differences that make us unique. Recently, WEX established five new employee resource groups: Women@WEX, WEXPats (for multinational employees), WEXVets, WEXPride (our LGBTQ+ group) and NexGen (for early career professionals). These groups help communicate that no matter your background or identity, there is a place for you at WEX. 

The Path Forward

We continue to add initiatives and programs and tweak policies and procedures to not only make our company successful but to make sure our employees feel valued and that they’ve chosen the best place to work.

It’s that energy and drive that has kept us on the list three years running—and what will carry us into the future.

If you’re interested in working for a growing and global organization, please visit WEX’s career page.