For many of our 2012 Best Companies for Hourly Workers, an entry-level job really can open doors all the way to the executive suite.

That’s because these companies see the value of promoting from within. Last year, the Best Companies hired more than 300,000 employees, but—even better—they promoted more than 5,000 hourly workers into management (more than half of whom were women). (Download the full Best Companies for Hourly Workers Executive Summary here. Read about the winners here.)

Many women come to hourly jobs as a way to earn a part-time paycheck, but what they find at the Best Companies can be a roadmap to a fulfilling career. Says Kim Strong, vice president of diversity and inclusion of Target Stores Inc., one of this year’s winning companies: “Talent development is a core part of Target’s culture that runs very deep. There is tremendous pride in being seen as a person, team or store that’s recognized for growing talent.”

That pride translates into real power for these employers. Indeed, experts say that managers who start in hourly jobs are more likely to be a diverse group, understand front-line business challenges and have credibility managing change across all of the company’s stakeholders — all of which remain essential in a slowly recovering economy. (Read “Grow Your Own Leadership” here.) 

To support their hourly employees, all Best Companies offer leadership training, along with opportunities for stretch assignments and mentoring. But even more important, the Best Companies also offer flexibility — a key benefit so many working mothers are looking for.

In the end, these employers say that leadership isn’t defined by having a salary, office or dedicated parking spot. Instead, says Target’s Kim Strong, “as soon as a team member starts in our stores, we look at them as a leader. We want to know where their interests lie. We talk a lot about what steps we can take to develop them.”

Jennifer Owens is Editorial Director of Working Mother magazine and Director of the Working Mother Research Institute.