Walmart rejects associate growth and discourages innovation. What is the alternative?

Walmart rejects associate growth and discourages innovation:

What is the alternative?

During my time as a Walmart associate, I had countless conversations with coworkers about how Walmart was doing retail the wrong way. I can't begin to tell you how many times I openly agreed with a customer's complaint about the company. All I could respond with was, "I'm sorry, that's way beyond even my store manager's pay grade." In the grand scheme of things, a stores management team really is just as helpless if not more so than it's associates. If you have been an associate at one time or another, you have probably seen how the really good managers always find better jobs. I'm a people person, I personally would have a hard time making a decision that could affect someone's ability to make ends meet. Walmart hardly gives anyone full-time hours anymore. I remember even being on full-time status, my hours would alternate between 40 and 36 hours a week.

What stood out to me the most is how everyone kept complaining about the same thing, over and over again and would do nothing about it. After awhile this started getting very discouraging, so I decided to start applying for jobs with other companies to see what I could get, if anything. Sure enough, I finally got a phone call from a company who appreciated not only my skills, but also my personality and how my mind processed information. I found a company that encouraged innovation and challenged me to improve.

My advice to any and every Walmart associate: (and I don't care what your situation is) If you don't like Walmart, don't settle, don't let a company bring you down, do everything you can to get a better job. Don't let them make you feel like you are in chains, trust me I know the feeling. Just start applying everywhere, don't worry about what the prerequisites are for a particular job. Learn how to write a resume, learn how to write a professional email. My final bit of advice, and I cannot stress this enough; Never be afraid to learn something new. If you are reading this, you have the internet, utilize it as a tool. READ!!! Read anything and everything you can about the skill you want to learn. Never stop trying to improve yourself.

Resources: Here is a list of several resources I use quite frequently. I know I have had my fair share of typos in my blogs; however, I still recommend learning proper spelling. While texting, try to use proper spelling and grammar. Get into the habit of writing professionally. Also, don't just use a word, know completely, the meaning of a word before you make it a part of your vocabulary. Possessing a broad vocabulary is essential to the growth of your career. It would be a very good idea to do research on a company that you are about to interview for. That company will be very impressed with the knowledge you have of them.

Here some of my most valuable resources:

1. Dictionary.com- I use this website to look up the true meaning of a word. Definitions are your friend, always ask for everything to be defined. Instead of memorizing, seek to understand.
2. Reference.com- I use this website to read up on the history of corporations, people, products, and anything really. This is a great tool for learning and seeking to grow your mind's library. Put it to the test.
3. WolframAlpha- I can't truly describe this amazing website completely, because it pretty much does everything you can think of. Just for fun, go to the website and try entering "Walmart" and check out the company's "Fundamentals and and financials" box. Your mind may be blown.

I hope these resources will help you in with whatever you hope to achieve. Remember, never pass up the opportunity to learn or grow.

If you are interested in reading more from me, I have several blogs here on blogger.com.

Thanks for reading!



-Alec Terrance

Walmart The Aftermath: The opinion of a former employee

             

 Walmart The Aftermath: 

The opinion of a former employee

It has been almost a month since I left Walmart for a better company. I have found it almost impossible to set foot in another Walmart store, unless absolutely necessary. I can’t shake the feeling I had while working there, how I was treated by customers, how many times I got pulled to work in an area I knew nothing about, then getting yelled at by customers because I lacked the knowledge of that area.

            It’s hard seeing the faces of employees that work there. They work so hard to put food on the table and barely make enough to pay bills. I will never forget being coached (the second time for the same reason) by a member of management for having to call off work because my car couldn’t drive in the snow. I tried for hours that night to at least arrive late. No matter what I did, my car wouldn’t move. When I gave my reason, the assistant manager simply told me that I needed to get a better car so I could make it to work. $9.75/hour is not enough money to pay for a better car. The manager’s comment was not appropriate. I always worked hard and completed my work in a timely manner; yet, I was punished for something that was out of my hands.

            Upon receiving a second coaching, Walmart associates receive a 1-year probation period. During that time they are unable to promote or transfer stores. Most companies probation periods last no longer than six months. Associates have to deal with stress from two sources:

• Customers: Customers offer no sympathy to the associate. Any given associate is more than likely responsible for several departments, while exercising the responsibilities of a department manager and being on part-time status. Most Walmart associates make little more than $9.00 an hour.

• Management: From management is the constant threat of being coached. I have the heard stories of former coworkers who have been coached simply for forgetting a name tag at home. The internet is filled with stories of associates being coached for trivial things such as name tags or not completing tasks due to customer service. The thing that drives me crazy is that there is no liaison that is able to speak to management on behalf of the associates. This would be a good position for Walmart to consider for its stores.

I have found other stores that have been extremely helpful for all of my shopping needs. It’s so relaxing to be able to shop at a Kroger or a Target. The employees never seem stressed and always have smiles on their faces. Walmart is in need of a revolution. I recommend Walmart pay more attention to its associates; they know the customer better than anyone else. Solutions come from associates, not spreadsheets.

Walmart Coachings: There is hope!

Walmart’s “Coaching” Policy

    If you are a Walmart employee, odds are you have come across Walmart’s coaching policy, or maybe you have been coached yourself. You might have questions about how the coaching policy actually works. Hopefully, this will help fill in the blanks.

Here are some questions that you need to be asking yourself:

1. What is a coaching?
2. How does it affect me as a Walmart employee?
3. Can I bounce back after a coaching?
4. How does Walmart’s disciplinary policy differ from other major retailers?

If you have further questions, please check out this link: http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Walmart-RVW153121.htm

Now, since this is a blog I am going to be moving on to my personal opinion. After your second coaching, the company freezes you in your current position for a year. This means you can't promote, you can't transfer stores, or switch your job in your current store (from my understanding you can switch jobs at this point, only if it is a pay grade below your current position). You aren't even aloud to get a copy of your own coaching, detailing why management issued your coaching in the first place; however, management does inform you what you are being coached for, you just don't have access to their comments and your own discipline records. If you do try to acknowledge your interest in another position of a higher pay grade on the Career Preference Dashboard, located on the Walmart Wire, (Even if you have already passed the leadership assessment) the in-store website will inform you that you have an active coaching and will not allow you to continue. This can be quite heartbreaking, especially if a member of management has already come to you personally, to ask if you were interested in the position in the first place.

A coaching can be a very aggravating event, especially after #2. Though you do have to stick it out for a whole year; once that year is over, you get a fresh start and those coachings are not held over your head for the rest of your career. I suppose that Corporate Walmart theorizes that if an employee can stick with it for a whole year, that employee should be motivated not to repeat his actions that got him coached in the first place. I do believe that coachings should last only 6 months. A year is unheard of with most other companies. I wonder if corporate employees are held to the same standards, or if they get a clean pass for knowing the right people. It's hard to say, but I have placed it upon myself to grow with this company and help others do the same. I love the challenge retail work provides; not many people can stick with it before moving to another company. I don't agree with everything Walmart does; however, if you come to work on time, do your best and learn the system, it's pretty easy to move up the ladder. If Walmart is reading this, I hope they consider moving the time employees are frozen from one year, to six months, or maybe find another way for an employee to break out of that coaching if that employee works for it. I enjoy and take pride in my work, but I also care for the people I work with. I want this blog to be helpful for all Walmart employees.

Take your first verbal coaching as a time to reflect on what you need to improve and fix it. Try not to dwell on if your manager was right or wrong. A good manager will never punish a good employee for doing his job the right way. Just do your best to be at work and be there on time. Give 110% and everything will be okay.

Thank you for reading!

Update:

If you are interested in looking for a new job and you are not at all happy with the company that you are working for, you can get a better job. I recently read this book that really speaks volumes to how you not only deserve a decent job, but its within your reach. Check out this book on Amazon below:

A Brief Guide to the Modern Job Market

Let me know if you got anything out of it too. It's good for discussion.