Walmart Increases Wages: Here’s What It Means for 165,000 Workers
Katie Abel
Executive Editor
After distributing $1.1 billion in bonuses amid the pandemic, Walmart is increasing wages for about 165,000 hourly workers and reorganizing its structure at Supercenter stores.
The move comes as Walmart and rivals Target and Amazon continue to see strong sales spikes as consumers demand necessities and other value-priced items.
“Our associates have done an incredible job serving customers and making a difference in their communities. They’ve gone above and beyond to make sure customers have access to the items they need while making health and safety a top priority,” said Dacona Smith, COO of Walmart U.S. in a blog post.
Smith revealed that a new team-based operating model is rolling out in Supercenter stores, mirroring a similar strategy the retail giant has used at Sam’s Club and in its Neighborhood Market stores. “We’re investing in new roles and skills training to give us the flexibility to serve customers anytime and anywhere. In turn, associates will have more room for career and pay growth,” Smith noted.
New teams will be be trained to oversee specific areas of stores — from stocking to pricing standards to visuals. A revamped structure will see specific roles like store lead, coach and team lead replace “manager” title roles.
The new wage ranges for the hourly team lead roles start at between $18 and $21 an hour, and can go up to $30 an hour in Supercenters, Walmart said.
Separately, front-line hourly employees in Supercenters, specifically those who work in the bakery and auto center departments, will see their pay rise.
The increases will take hold in October, taking place of annual adjustments that had previously been implemented in February or April. (At the same time, quarterly bonuses will be scrapped next year for the impacted employees, in favor of the base pay hikes, which Walmart said was in response to employees emphasizing the importance of hourly wages.)
