A New Chapter in the Cannabis Workforce

As the cannabis industry continues to grapple with a global pandemic and a suite of economic pressures up and down the supply chain, the labor force may be the single most impacted sector. Workers across all industries are quitting jobs en masse, and some of them are seeking refuge in growth-oriented businesses like cannabis or tech. More than 4.5 million U.S. employees quit their jobs in November 2021, the highest quit rate in a multi-month trend that has seen monthly quit rates of more than 4 million, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But as David Belsky, CEO of cannabis recruitment firm FlowerHire, told Cannabis Business Times in January, “I think there are a lot of contributing factors to the great resignation. I think it's a real thing. I just don't think it's as relevant for cannabis.”

The picture is not exactly rosy: A number of cannabis business owners have reported anecdotally that it’s harder than ever to fill new jobs. The industry is becoming more sophisticated, and job requirements are becoming more nuanced and specific. This makes employee retention even more vital for cannabis businesses in 2022.

Employee retention can take many shapes, but the core of the idea is a productive, uplifting, healthy company culture.

In an industry that can be challenging and wear on even the most passionate and determined, companies creating positive and motivating work environments are worth recognizing. In this special feature, Cannabis Dispensary highlights 11 dispensaries that ranked on the Best Cannabis Companies To Work For – Dispensary list this year. This is the program’s third year (done annually in partnership with The Best Companies Group, which specializes in identifying and ranking great places to work), and we’re thrilled to be able to share some top-line perspectives and data from the companies that keep their employees top of mind.