Former Wal-Mart Employee - "I really liked it!"

[Sleepy]

A guy wrote an article stating how pleasant it was for him to work at Wal-Mart. Take a look.

Walmart works to make each associate feel like an owner. Each is given a scanning gun that could check stock levels. If something is out, the average employee on the floor orders goods to be in the department. This really encourages associates to know what sells in their departments, since it's up to them to make sure the hottest sellers are in stock.

The company also wanted us to know what was going on from a broader perspective. Every evening I would go to a meeting with the store manager, who would tell us the stock price, how much we had sold that day, and if there were other expectations before we left for the night.

The best thing that I learned at Walmart was that hard work was recognized and rewarded. I worked hard and came back during a break from college to be promoted to work in the photo lab (more responsibility, higher rate of pay). I also saw many full-time employees that I worked with move up to become department managers, assistant store managers, and even move on to the corporate office.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/i-worked-at-walmart-for-two-years-and-i-actually-really-liked-it.html

While I haven't worked at Wal-Mart, I know at least a few forumites have. I find a lot of this pretty damn hard to believe, though it could maybe, maybe just be his particular store that has better management and therefore better practices. What do you guys think? I call complete bullshit that Wal-Mart fits that positive image as a whole, especially right here:

However, I also saw the opposite end of the spectrum. Some fellow associates seemed content to do the bare minimum and didn't go anywhere in the company because of it. In fact, they are still at the same level.

In my opinion, these are also the employees that you hear speaking negatively of Walmart's employment practices. They want something for nothing from the company and they aren't getting it.

[Distind]

Either the people I knew who worked at walmart were the least motivated individuals in history, or at best this guy was dealing with a local difference in management style.

Though he was full time, I've never actually known someone who managed to get full time from walmart.

[Kit Walker]

Based on my experiences working at another store in the same retail vein (a slightly "classier" store with color scheme that would suit the GOP),  he might have a point in the broadest sense. I got hired about a week before an acquaintance of mine from high school, both of us as cart pushers. Three years later, he's a front end supervisor at a different store and I still push carts for just over minimum wage. He worked hard to get where he is - worked as many hours as he could, got as much training in different areas as he could, and he was qualified to be a supervisor within about a year. However, his only commitment beyond work was community college. To my knowledge, he didn't even have a girlfriend at the time. So yeah, he was capable of putting in a level of work that someone who had kids who lived in a home that they themselves had to pay for probably wouldn't be able to.

That said, that ain't Walmart, but since Walmart has 8,970 stores I'm inclined to believe that at least tens of them work like this guy says, if not hundreds.

[Mechtaur]

A large part of the "Hard work is recognized" is actually getting into a position where work does get recognized. Since I've started working as an IMS/ICS (Inventory Management/Control Supervisor) instead of cart pushing (This causes me to interact with the managers a lot more often), I've noticed managers becoming more accommodating, friendly, and noting of my work.

Although, some people will think they are actually doing a "spectacular" job when in reality they aren't doing anything special at best.

But, individual management temperament is important too.

Oh, and being full time is pleasant too.

[nickiknack]

Funny, the top people at the store I worked at, told me I was one of their "best workers" not so good that they still fired me and decided to take this one girl's word over mine.

[Osama bin Bambi]

Wal-Mart's such a huge-ass chain that there's going to be huge differences between management styles between the stores. So he might be telling the truth about his (limited) experience.

Either that or he's a paid disinfo shill. (Hey, that sounds like something my dad would say!)

[ThunderWulf]

Though, like some have said, it could be the management at that particular store, I'm still dubious with the last part where he talks about other employees.  I know a couple people that would like to wholeheartedly disagree with him on that part.

[Kit Walker]

Either that or he's a paid disinfo shill. (Hey, that sounds like something my dad would say!)

I'm pretty sure you were kidding, but there will undoubtedly be a lot of people around the web who honestly think that. So to them I say:

Why? Walmart is just about the most successful retail chain in the country, bad press and all. If they got caught hiring a faker, and they would get caught, they'd have a burst of bad press and public embarrassment far greater than the possible number of brownie points this guy's account could ever win them. They're already a juggernaut, they don't need anyone shilling for them! Its far more likely that this one guy had a really positive experience and based on that sample (I.E, his anecdotal experiences), he's making blanket assumptions. Because people do that, a lot.

[ironbite]

Probably a difference in store management.  Also he's full time.  Full timers get treated so differently it's not even funny.

Ironbite-they're the future of the store...if you're part-time you're just fodder.

[Osama bin Bambi]

It's already been shown that they employed bribery in Mexico.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iK4sB0brAjxaRXoctAFVxLiqlEgQ?docId=70dc148ef9294134a89c6e69d9740e52

[Kit Walker]

It's already been shown that they employed bribery in Mexico.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iK4sB0brAjxaRXoctAFVxLiqlEgQ?docId=70dc148ef9294134a89c6e69d9740e52

Different situation - they were trying to rapidly expand their operations in Mexico. One third of the U.S. population shops at Walmart...in a week. For the moment, their position in this country is almost unassailable. Almost nothing short of it coming out that every store is annually consecrated with the blood of a murdered orphan as an offering to Elder Gods could knock them off their perch. And even then, I'd have my doubts.

[ThunderWulf]

The only way they got that powerful though was by screwing the little guy, trying to force companies to sell their products too them at or below cost, using "bait and switch" pricing tactics, and much more.  Walmart is one of the few stores that I flat out refuse to shop at.

[Osama bin Bambi]

Like it or not they are able to provide very low prices, which is a boon for financially-strapped consumers.

[chad sexington]

Either that or he's a paid disinfo shill. (Hey, that sounds like something my dad would say!)

Going by the writing style, I'd be inclined to agree.

[Fpqxz]

It's already been shown that they employed bribery in Mexico.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iK4sB0brAjxaRXoctAFVxLiqlEgQ?docId=70dc148ef9294134a89c6e69d9740e52

Sounds like a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violation, not that the U.S. Dept. of Justice will actually prosecute or even investigate the mighty Wal-Mart.