Our Culture

It’s the Way That We Are

The Johnsonville Way is what makes Johnsonville the very special (and successful) company it is. To help you understand, we wrote a brief story booklet about The Johnsonville Way and how it came to be, based on an interview with Johnsonville Owner and Chairman Ralph C. Stayer. Explore below to learn more. Find out whether The Johnsonville Way is a good fit for your ideals, your values … the way you’d like to work and make a difference in the world.

We Work as a Team,
We Win as a Team
We're in this TOGETHER. We help each other SUCCEED and we celebrate great performance, because ultimately that success belongs to all of us. Working as a team and winning as a team are essential to
The Johnsonville Way
We Help Our Customers
Become Great
SERVING others is the way we become great. And it is how we serve customers that sets Johnsonville apart. We GO BEYOND what's expected. We help customers when they need our HELP, even in ways that may not seem to be in our own best interest in the short term, because we put our customers' needs first.
We Learn for Life
Business throws us CHALLENGES that are completely unexpected. Sometimes we must say "I accept this challenge" before we have any idea of how we are going to do it. But those are the kinds of "stretching" challenges that GIVE US the most OPPORTUNITY to grow-and you'll find plenty of them at Johnsonville.
We Coach
Because We Care
A coach will not give you the answers, but will ask questions to HELP YOU DISCOVER the answers. A world-class coach has the ability to help someone become the best they can be. They do this by loving coaching above all the other things they do. They live this so well that people ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE that helping them SUCCEED is the coach's greatest joy.
We Work
to Delight Our Consumers
When consumers choose us, we look for ways to prove to them that they made the right choice. This makes it more likely they’ll come back to choose us again and that other consumers will want to choose us as well.
We Live Up
to Our Promises
At Johnsonville, each of us is PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE to our fellow Members. We set goals and develop plans we share with each other-these are a form of PROMISE WE MAKE to each other.
We Live
The Johnsonville Way
Living The Johnsonville Way requires the absolute best from all of us and we won’t ever fully reach it, but that is The Johnsonville Way. It is a never-ending process of becoming the best that you can be.

Integrity

Doing what is ethical, honest, and "right," even when no one is watching.

Caring

Showing genuine concern, compassion and empathy for others through words and actions; at times going out of your way or your comfort zone to do so.

Ownership

Having such a strong personal commitment to customer success, to keeping your promises, and to taking responsibility for your actions, that you will do what is needed, easy or not.

Appreciation

An action that shows you have noticed or recognized the contribution of another person or team.

Candor

Communication that is frank, open, sincere and respectful; straight talk.

Humility

Being open to your shortcomings, not feeling or acting superior, and seeing others as your teachers—no matter what their role.

Respect

To show consideration for someone else as a person and to treat him or her as you would want to be treated, at all times.

Innovation

Developing new or improved products, services, processes and ideas that make us even more valuable to our customers.

Trust

Knowing that we have each other’s support and best interests at heart, in everything we say and do; being able to count on each other, always.

Our Supporting Values
Download the PDF

The Johnsonville Way

Members and leaders share what The Johnsonville Way means to them. Our culture is what sets us apart and makes Johnsonville a top workplace. 

Community & Camaraderie

The Johnsonville Way is about people – not just the people of our company, but also the people of our communities. Johnsonville Members are eager to help others, to unlock potential, to make this a better world...and to have fun doing it! Look at the great things our Johnsonville Members do!

School Supply Drive

When Johnsonville’s Young Professionals Group organized a school supply drive on our Sheboygan campus, generous Members donated 930 items to local school districts to ensure that children would have the essential supplies needed to start off the school year right.

<p>When Johnsonville&rsquo;s Young Professionals Group organized a school supply drive on our Sheboygan campus, generous Members donated 930 items to local school districts to ensure that children would have the essential supplies needed to start off the school year right.</p><br/>

Watertown’s Community Service

When our Watertown facility was destroyed by a fire, it took a year to rebuild – but the Members who worked there weren’t idle during that time. They spent more than 10,000 hours working in the community (while Johnsonville paid them) like these Member volunteers at Rock River Rescue Foundation.

<p>When our Watertown facility was destroyed by a fire, it took a year to rebuild &ndash; but the Members who worked there weren&rsquo;t idle during that time. They spent more than 10,000 hours working in the community (while Johnsonville paid them) like these Member volunteers at Rock River Rescue Foundation.</p><br/>

Volunteers at Habitat for Humanity

Johnsonville Members built two homes in Sheboygan while volunteering with Habitat for Humanity - Lakeside. Johnsonville’s We Work As a Team, We Give As a Team program gives Members paid Service Time Off to make a difference in the community.

<p>Johnsonville Members built two homes in Sheboygan while volunteering with Habitat for Humanity - Lakeside. Johnsonville&rsquo;s We Work As a Team, We Give As a Team program gives Members paid Service Time Off to make a difference in the community.</p><br/>
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JOHNSONVILLE STORIES

At Johnsonville, you won’t have a “supervisor.” Instead, you’ll have a “coach” whose job is to help you succeed.

We Coach Because We Care

At Johnsonville, you won’t have a “supervisor.” Instead, you’ll have a “coach” whose job is to help you succeed.

We Coach Because We Care

In 2013, Product Development Scientist and Coach Gidget had a high volume of fast-paced projects. She needed to add a Scientist to her team. Rather than create an external posting, she saw the passion and potential of a Johnsonville production Member who, with some coaching, could grow into this role. Gidget created a learning path to get him the training and experience needed. First, he participated in a job shadow, and then transitioned to a blended role where he worked as a Scientist for four hours each week, in addition to working his normal job on the production line. After a few years, Gidget hired him as a full-time Assistant Scientist. She says, “I take more pride in watching the Members on my team succeed than in any personal accomplishment.”    

As a Johnsonville member, you can truly make a difference.

OUR MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING

As a Johnsonville member, you can truly make a difference.

OUR MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING

Who knows Johnsonville products better than the people who make them? So we asked our Members to come up with our TV commercials, and they amazed us with their creativity. After selecting three of the very best (and wildest) suggestions, we put their contributors to work on the filming set, where their inspirations were turned into reality. The results were fantastic. For example, Brett, a line leader at our Riverside plant, riveted us with his action-packed yet very safety-conscious (and hilarious) highway mini-drama, “Regular Speed Chase.”

We put people before profits.

Our Culture in Action

We put people before profits.

Our Culture in Action

When a fire destroyed our facility in Watertown, Wisconsin, it left 120 Johnsonville Members with no regular workplace. Johnsonville came up with a plan: until the Watertown plant was rebuilt, the company would pay these Members. It was the right thing to do. During the down time, members completed 10,000 hours of community service and completed educational coursework. Everyone benefited – Johnsonville, Members and the surrounding community. It was a great example of Johnsonville’s culture in action –taking care of people and communities.