Walmart employees are preparing for job cuts as retailer rolls out its 'Great Workplace' program

[Zorro]

Walmart last spring said it was testing a sweeping overhaul that would make its stores better run and create more opportunities for employees to “do meaningful work.” The “Great Workplace” initiative, the retailer said, would be “the key to winning the future of retail.”

But nearly a year in, workers say the effort, which will reach 1,100 of the company’s 5,300 U.S. stores by year end, has led to widespread confusion.

Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, is telling employees that it is doing away with certain positions — including hourly supervisors and assistant store managers — and replacing them with a smaller set of roles that carry more responsibilities, often for the same pay, according to interviews with current and former store employees, and internal documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Workers say they are being asked to apply, interview and test for new positions, essentially pitting them against their colleagues for a shrinking number of jobs. Some are terrified they will lose their job and insurance.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/walmart-employees-say-theyre-preparing-for-job-cuts-as-retailer-rolls-out-its-great-workplaces-program/2020/02/14/d8f4ea1c-4f63-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html

[Iliyah]

1. Record number of businesses are dropping off like flies. . .

consequences, more layoffs . . .

Part - time jobs at minimum wage, and people need more than one job in order to make ends meet, barely. No healthcare coverage, sick time, et al.

Every time I go to the grocery store, the prices seem to have gone up.

The economy is falling, but alas, per shithole and the Republicans, it is booming (only for the very rich).

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. Walmart still pays SHITTY wages........

For their made in China wares.

The Award Winning Documentary...THE HIGH COST OF LOW WAGES...still rings true today. In some communities, Walmart is the major employer. Thus creating low property values, poor investments in education, pockets of poverty, and more.

[MythosMaster]

3. Because the Walton heirs

are just getting by...

[Turbineguy]

4. If the work becomes "meaningful" enough

maybe they can get the employees to pay for their jobs.

[2naSalit]

11. Sounds like that's what they're working on. ...nt

[EndlessWire]

14. I'll be blunt

While liking Walmart is not generally approved of, sometimes I feel like I can't make it if Walmart isn't there. The Walmart employees are the most well-trained employees I have ever run into. They put up with a lot of crap, have what I think of as not easy jobs, and certainly deserve job security, good wages, etc. I will not cross any picket line they draw, if it comes to that.

How much money is enough to have? Is Walmart going out of business? I want Walmart employees left alone. We are Walmart!

[Maeve]

5. "meaningful work" at Walmart

would mean actually seeing that the shelves are stocked, the prices displayed and re-ordering was done in a timely basis. That would require MORE staff, not less. Part of the failure of the older retail (talking about you, Macy's, Sears and Penney!) was they stopped providing the service the companies were built on. Walmart doesn't have that far to fall, having NEVER provided good service.

Oh and open more registers during peak times. All that out of place merch up by the exits? It's from people who decide they won't wait in lines.

[ooky]

10. Macy's, Sears and Penneys are victims of both their

service cuts and the rise of internet alternatives. There is not much they sell that you can't get on line, and now it's becoming much easier and more efficient to get it on line. Why waste your time and energy and gas driving to brick and mortar stores that don't have what you want or have it in stock if you can go on line and easily find it with two day delivery? Their problem is they aren't competitive.

Walmart's "new" "meaningful work" crap had better start including keeping their shelves stocked or they are going to lose a ton of business too. I've already switched several items I used to buy from my local Walmart to Amazon because Walmart didn't restock their shelves. I don't have time to drive there to find empty shelves. Customers don't return once they change and are getting the service they want. These companies are in a competitive environment and if they want to remain in business they need to start performing like they are in a competitive environment.

[abqtommy]

6. I guess WalMart's plan to boost revenue by charging customers 10 cents for each "new design"

bag at the checkouts isn't generating as much income for the chain as was projected. I still shop there
but go out of the store bagless, as do many others.

[redstatebluegirl]

7. I try really hard to never shop there.

They have never paid their people a living wage and have horrible working conditions.

[OnlinePoker]

8. I've been in Walmart twice in 58 years

They never had what I wanted either time.

[dalton99a]

9. But it will be a Great Shitty Workplace

With Shitty Customer Service

[2naSalit]

12. A lot of what they sell

are products from koch industries too. They are just bad juju for the country.

[Baked Potato]

13. Self checkouts and robots is their model

[Luciferous]

15. Went to Wal-Mart the other day and the one in our area has really gone downhill. Store was a mess,

lots of shelves missing products, price scanners missing. I'll stick to shopping at Target