Justine Griffin won first place in the Florida Society of News Editors 2015 Journalism Contest in the multimedia category for The Cost of Life. She also placed third in the beat reporting – consumer issues category and third in the online package category of the 2015 Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine State Awards.
Tag Archives: journalism
Tampa Bay tech entrepreneurs say Amazon workplace is more the norm
By Justine Griffin for the Tampa Bay Times
A recent New York Times report about the workplace culture of online retail giant Amazon sparked intense debate about the Seattle-based company’s cultlike enterprise.
Bonefish Grill struggling as diners’ preferences change
By Justine Griffin for the Tampa Bay Times
Bonefish Grill — intended to be the engine powering the growth of Bloomin’ Brands restaurant portfolio — is in dire need of a tune up.
CEO Liz Smith acknowledged Tuesday an alarming second quarter drop in Bonefish sales, down 4.6 percent, and traffic, down 7.8 percent.
Smith blamed an expanded menu at the seafood restaurant chain that added “too much complexity” and ultimately “compromised the core dining experience and service suffered.”
She said the company plans to focus on what made Bonefish Grill successful in the first place: the chain’s “polished casual heritage,” and its “fish expertise.” And the Bang Bang Shrimp isn’t going anywhere.
Outside experts say Tampa’s homegrown seafood chain faces bigger problems than its menu.
Read more here.
Stores like Bass Pro Shops and Restoration Hardware add restaurants and bars
By Justine Griffin for the Tampa Bay Times
How about a glass of wine to celebrate the $11,230 purchase of a Parisian burnham leather recliner from Restoration Hardware?
Publix among companies challenged to retain millennial workers
By Justine Griffin for the Tampa Bay Times
For years, Publix Super Markets captured accolade after accolade for being one of the best places to work in the United States.
After all, the Lakeland-based grocery chain makes a contribution to each employee’s retirement account in the form of Publix stock every year. With more than 177,000 employees in six states, nearly 10,000 have worked for the company for 20 years or more, which is significant for a company of its size. Publix keeps a running, competitive list of the top 200 employees with at least 40 years logged with the company.
But like many other companies, Publix is struggling to come up with new ways to keep the millennial generation engaged — and employed for the longer term.
“Millennials lived through the economic crisis in 2007 and beyond. They saw their parents and other family members get laid off, so their perception of loyalty is very different,” said Moez Limayem, dean of the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business. “They expect companies to keep them engaged, and if they’re not getting that, they’ll leave.”
Read more here.