Abt Electronics

Abt is a family company in every sense of the word. We’re family-owned and operated, and even if you don’t know anyone when you start here, it won’t be long until you feel like a long-time member of that family. The comfortable work environment that results is one of the main reasons we were again voted Chicago’s Top Workplace in a survey conducted by the Chicago Tribune. Every year, the newspaper sends out thousands of surveys to workers across the Chicagoland area, and those workers anonymously rate their workplace on a variety of factors. We’re proud to announce that Abt has been awarded the honor of Chicagoland’s Top Large Workplace, marking the seventh straight year that we’ve been among the top of the list.

Like any family, our success is thanks to good communication, the willingness to listen and a genuine care for each other. Our customers know that our motto, “The answer is ‘Yes’ to any reasonable request,” means that we’ll do anything reasonable to make their experience the best in the industry. Well, that also applies to all employee requests. Everyone at Abt is encouraged to voice their concerns or offer up suggestions about things that may improve the workplace, and, if they’re reasonable, every effort is made to accommodate those requests. Employee suggestions run the gamut from serious to playful, and some recent ones that have been implemented include: placing more spherical mirrors in the warehouse to improve worker safety around blind spots; the addition of a commercial ice maker to the cafeteria for those who enjoy cold drinks; changes to retirement savings plans; what colors the fountain should display; and using our digital marquee to congratulate the Cubs’ World Series victory instead of displaying our normal promotions.

A work environment where people can be comfortable means that, even while running a serious business, we can have fun and enjoy ourselves. Whether it’s wearing jerseys to support our favorite Chicago sports teams, dressing up for Halloween, or spending a day roaming the store and handing out cupcakes to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to maintain a careful work-play balance. As a result, not only do employees stick around for a long time (the current longest-tenured employee recently celebrated his 49th year!), they cultivate the family feeling outside of work. Whether it’s the dozens of couples who have met at Abt and ended up marrying, or the friends who do things like run 200 miles together, relationships formed at Abt last for life.

As we celebrate our 80th Anniversary, what started as a tiny radio shop in Chicago has grown into something bigger and better than founders Jewel and David Abt could ever have imagined. It couldn’t have happened without continued support from our loyal customers and the dedication of all of our employees.