Top Workplaces 2026: At The Morton Arboretum, nurturing employees is key

During the workweek, Jill Koski walks the winding trails and paths of The Morton Arboretum almost every single day.

She takes inspiration from the landscape — a diverse range of plants, trees and gardens that stretch over 1,700 acres — and finds joy in greeting guests and interacting with employees along the way.

Most people haven’t heard of an arboretum, says Koski, who serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit, which ranks No. 8 among midsize companies on the Chicago Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces. The rankings are determined by Energage, an employee experience consultancy in Exton, Pennsylvania.

Koski describes the arboretum as the intersection of a cultural institution, a science and research organization and a nature conservancy.

“It’s an outdoor living museum of trees,” she explains.

The Morton Arboretum was founded by Joy Morton, of Morton Salt Co. fame, in 1922. Seeking an escape from the rapid urbanization unfolding across Chicago, the eminent industrialist purchased a rolling rural estate in Lisle. He later expanded the property’s borders, eventually establishing a trust rooting his legacy in the Morton family motto: “Plant trees.”

Today, the arboretum attracts more than 1 million visitors annually who visit the grounds to stroll among its living collections, including more than 100,000 plant specimens. The grounds contain almost 16 miles of trails, a children’s garden, a library and research labs.

“It’s sort of like, ‘Choose your own adventure,’” jokes Koski. “The most challenging part of my job is when someone asks for a tour, and I have to say ‘How much time do you have?”

The mission of the organization extends beyond building an appreciation for tree science or providing space for public enjoyment, Koski says. That’s where people get The Morton Arboretum wrong.

“The work that we do, it [demonstrates] how plants and trees sustain life,” she adds. “But caring about the trees around us is also about caring for us. Community is really key.”

After more than a century, maintaining The Morton Arboretum’s connection with the community remains a central theme for the nonprofit’s work. Koski says ensuring positive community experiences starts when visitors arrive at the gate.

It’s why the nonprofit has cultivated an internal culture focused on nurturing the people who help steer its enduring legacy.

“Our culture is first and foremost built by our employees,” Koski adds. “We support our employees as professionals, but we’re also caring and supporting them as people. The value of every position here, and every single person, is essential to our ability to fulfill our mission.”

Norissa Bailey first learned about The Morton Arboretum as a casual visitor, but says she wasn’t aware of the breadth of research and conservation work employees provided behind the scenes until she arrived to serve as the organization’s vice president of people and culture in 2024.

She says finding ways to invest in staff has become an essential part of preserving the arboretum’s talent pipeline and ensuring that its roughly 400 employees enjoy an inclusive and fulfilling work environment. It’s critical for every employee to feel valued and heard, she says.

“We really think about how we’re connecting our staff to the mission of the organization, and how we’re setting [employees] up for success. What’s working, what’s not working? We have a culture of continuous feedback.”

The organization maintains an open-door policy to keep those ideas flowing and encourage unfiltered conversations.

It’s an ongoing, intentional practice. At the start of every new year, The Morton Arboretum launches a “listening and learning tour,” hosts office hours and deploys an annual engagement survey to collect employee feedback. The responses are used to refine its learning and development programs, improve its performance management process and pulse check everyday employee experiences.

“We want to be a place where people can bring their full perspectives to work; it’s part of being something bigger than yourself,” Bailey says. “It has to show up in our everyday decisions.”

Recently, the organization used employee feedback to implement a paid-time-off policy allowing team members to volunteer for organizations or causes close to their hearts.

Employees have shown appreciation for the gesture, while the organization has been able to prove that its values — Mission First, Be Curious, Lead From Where You Are, Diversity Makes Us Stronger — mean more than just words posted on the company website.

“I don’t have to look at our values, to me they are felt, they are tangible,” Bailey explained. “Ultimately, they just shape how we connect to our work and are woven into our culture. It really is about how we support each other and how our employees feel they are equipped in their work.”

The organization also launched a mentoring program, giving employees the opportunity to branch out their skills. The initiative is less about sending its employees to another training session and more about creating opportunities to lead from any role. One of the most rewarding parts of her role is helping employees learn and grow, Bailey says.

“Leadership doesn’t have to come from a certain title,” she adds. “Every role dials up to our mission. We’re creating conditions for our employees to do meaningful work and really thrive. ”

Spencer Campbell has been working for The Morton Arboretum since 2014, rising through four positions over his tenure. Today, he serves as senior manager of natural areas, where he collaborates with colleagues across the arboretum to manage its living collections and host community workshops showcasing plants and horticulture.

He enjoys looking back on his early days overseeing volunteers pulling weeds and appreciates his own career progression, which has contributed to making The Morton Arboretum a more beautiful place for the public.

“Each of those roles allowed me to build my capacity,” he says. “I’ve been able to learn from colleagues, take on big challenges, and learn by doing. I can see how my work in caring for this land impacts the larger mission.”

Campbell’s interest in conservation began as a preteen, when a nature preserve that once served as his respite was abruptly opened for commercial use. He wrote letters to the mayor in protest, but the town proceeded with the development. The disappointment ultimately prompted his vow to make a change, and set him on a career toward motivating others to do the same.

“I love advocacy, but what I really love to do is interact with people from all stripes of life,” he says. “It is not lost on me that I work at a place where we can showcase to the public the beauty and splendor of plants.”

How The Morton Arboretum inspires belonging among employees and the surrounding community really comes down to building strong relationships, Koski says. On her daily walks, she tries to learn as much from employees and visitors as they might learn from her.

“It’s important to listen to all the different voices and maintain a positive and engaged culture,” she says. “It’s a significant investment of time, but the ROI is extraordinary. It has added so much value to what we do.”

S. Sorrina Beecher is a freelance writer.