Walmart Associate example essay topic

Walmart is a highly successful discount store based in whole on its founders beliefs and convictions. Sam Walton wanted to make a difference amongst the retail dynasty. A great foundation was implemented for his customers, associates, and community. These beliefs are what today still keeps the store sky rocketing to successful measures.

Walmart first department stores opened in a small lower income town called Rogers, Arkansas on July 2, 1962. Sam Walton had a vision of providing inexpensive goods to small town markets. Walmart went public on October 1, 1970 to the trading public. It started at $16.50 a share which was a good start then. In 1991 Walmart expanded internationally, starting in Mexico City. Currently as of July 2004 Walmart have opened more than 1,409 discount stores in the US, 1,562 super centers, 539 Same clubs, and more than 1,506 international Walmart in various countries.

The industry which Wal marts lie is known as the giant Retail business. The current size is 5,016 total stores in both domestic and internationally. The growth of this company is sky rocketing and leaving any room for competition to keep up. Based on the current sales Walmart is ranked as one of the top retail if not best retail store in the world. It roughly brings in 256,329,000 net sales a year and its net profit is around 10,803,000 a year.

With the turn around rates, an accurate calculation of current employees is not attainable, however there is a documentation of 1.3 million current associates worldwide. This includes stores, clubs and 10 international countries. Walmart has several different departments that I was able to find. The financial department is an extremely important department for Walmart. This is the department that is set up to protect corporate assets throughout their specialties.

There are several sub departments under the main title of Finance Department. One is the account payable group. This group is set up to makes accurate payments to suppliers, and negotiates with these suppliers on conditions and agreements. The next sub department is the accounts receivable group. This group is responsible for the collecting or collections of any source of money or payments due to the number of super centers, discount stores, neighborhood markets, and sam's club. They also manage the payment from royalties.

The last group or sub department is where the taxes are handled. The tax department is in charge of which handling any and all domestic and international taxation laws. Another department in the Walmart corporation is the Communication department. This department handles the media aspect of the company. Some different sub groups under communication are the television broadcasting group, video production team, the publishing team, and lastly the group that sets up meetings to support like organizations.

This department is important when it comes to showcasing or advertising the company. A department that allows Walmart to stay up to date with all technology is the Information system division. The information system division handles mainly all of the technology and its problems. The main goal of this division is to increase efficiency of all systems and provide more information to use them successfully. Human Resource or the Personnel Department is crucial for the proper functioning of the company. This department or group handles the job opportunities available to current associates and new, on the job training and new hire training, handling the filing and handling of the payroll for each associate, and any other issue that may arise for Walmart associate.

The claims / benefit department is an important sub department for the associates. This group helps the associates with any medical and health concerns that may come up. They help with the enrollment of the health plans, filling and handling all claims, and absolutely any healthcare questions. Walmart also runs there own international operations. With this expansion there has been a 47 billion-dollar increase each year in sales.

These expansions have covered such countries as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and The United Kingdom. It also is a leading distributor for the Japanese's retail industry. Walmart embraces the diversity feature and stays true to this. A fairness and respect have and always will be given to all customers, distributors, suppliers, and associates. They value all cultural differences and like everything else they learn from these differences. Based on the given information Walmart has not only strived to be the best in the retail business but has established itself in a cut throat world.

With all the companies known success and great accomplishments on its hand, there still is room for change. A change and growth with new thought out ideas, could help any current / future problems that may arise. Problems such as unequal rights for women that are currently being fought, a high turn over rates in the Personnel Department, and the substantial growth that has given Walmart the upper hand or called a monopoly. A current problem that has taken a toll on the company is the claim for unequal rights for women in the work place. Sam Walton founded this company so that all diversity was equal and respected as equals. Equality is extremely important to Walmart Corporation.

Retail has primarily always been worked by woman and ran by men. In the Walmart corporation itself, there are thousands of the stores not only managed by woman but ran by woman today too. As a former female employee myself, I do not understand this claim. While working there for over a year not only did I have a chance for advancement, but I did advance in the company.

I started at the same pay as all the other new employees. Each associate was given the chance fact to advance, even though who did not work as hard as others. The philosophy of Walmart is there is a place for everyone. A hard-working cashier and a hard-working struggling cashier each will get a promotion. They may both raise up the corporate ladder, but the only difference may be the path they each take. I finished out my last year there as a Human Resource / personal manager.

It is like the old saying one bad egg ruins it for all. In this case I believe that is the truth. Another problem not only for Walmart but in retail all together, is the unnecessary high turn over rates, which can be costly. The issue of lowering the turn over rates can be a key component in the future outcome of the company.

While not ultimately a financial factor in killing a company. Lowering the turn over is a crucial one that may help the company financially succeed in the long haul of things. Having Walmart succeeding not only in lowering a rate but the quality of the associates would help. The pre employment process can be costly. The background checks, the drug tests, and the training add up.

While it may be a few hundred dollars per applicant, it is a few hundred dollars not spent in the right places. On average working months it is estimated that between 10 and 20 associates are hired and 10-20 associates quit. During the high volume times 30-40 associates are hired / quit every other week, if not more. This is roughly 6000.00 a month spent in training and pre- employment on average months and 120,000.00 a month during the high volume and that too can cause a bit of a rift quickly. Having a unnecessary cost, while small, can be cut back with the proper solutions and managing.

Some possible solutions to eliminate the turn over rates takes place over a period of time. However, there are steps the company can take in managing the money allocated to the personnel better. While the company pays above the minimum wage, it is not enough to keep a family afloat. The company needs to either have a wage increase for starting salaries, or a bonus plan in place to accommodate each associate. This will ensure that each and every associate can make not just money, but enough money to have less stress.

Increasing wages does not mean to higher them so that it hinders the company more than helping, it means to adjust its wages to its surroundings. While the government has set a minimum wage, receiving this wage cannot even ensure you that an associate can meet there own financial responsibilities. Roughly being paid at a minimum wage for a full time job leaves an associate less than $350.00 a month after taxes are taken out. Adjusting the wage to $8.00 an hour will give an associate a better chance of meeting the needs of there families. By doing this, the associates tend to be less stressed, happy, and the job attracts a higher quality person to work for the company and do a better job. If an associate is treated like they are wanted and needed, it will make up for the lower end of the wage scale.

Why not hire the quality applicant up front, an applicant that will not be out the door quicker than in. An employee that will add not only new ideas but help achieve a higher quality of success in the company. After reading the mission statement for Walmart it is in need for a little bit of change. A company that is successful would not be so successful without the help of its associates, customers, and shareholders. The mission statement currently written, although modified from the original Sam Walton, focuses only on the shareholders and the Global market.

What about the rest of the groups needing to be listed in the statement? What are the responsibilities of the associates and the customers? This should be in the mission somewhere. The current mission statement can keep the focus it has as well as expanding on a few other points. One point that should have more focus is the associates.

In the mission it needs to state how the associates will play a part in the success of the company as well as the role and image they will set for the company. The second point that needs to be expanded on is the customers. The role as a customer and how we as the company will meet the needs and expectations of each and every customer. As the definition of mission statement says: A summary describing the aims, value, and an overall plan of the organization and individuals. This means the mission needs to focus on all aspects of their specific company and put in words how each department, person, or group will be in this company. The Strengths of Wal Mart is why today they are so successful.

It meets their customers' needs. It meets its needs with its discount stores, the super centers, the neighborhood markets, and the sam's clubs. Its diversification has lead for growth both in financial and growth in making jobs. Career opportunities have opened up from the professional seeking job's point of view to the building on a current job opportunity. They offer on the job training and necessary skills are taught to be successful in any setting.

When it comes to the threats that the company will face, they are their competitors. With Target super centers now and other stores expanding and taking on the discounted concept they in time will be giving Walmart a run for their money. A competitor, that Walmart will have to keep their eyes on over the next five years is the new K-Mart / Sears Super center. Sears has a name for itself and now expanding into the discount side as well as the department store side they may have a slight advantage over the Walmart store.

Some weaknesses they too may run into is the also there competition with the roll back guaranteed will this cause them to roll back to much. An example is if the grocery store next door is selling milk for 2.00 a gallon then Wal mart will sell it for 1.97 gallon will they start losing money? I do not have this answer but it will be interesting to watch the outcome and the responses Wal mart will have with there new flourishing competitors. The Wal mart will need to set up certain strategies to keep there edge over the other competitors, as well as not allowing there weaknesses and threats to take over the success. Going back to the founders beliefs is the way to keep this company successful.

Not losing what Sam Walton set up for them is a key ingredient in the successful future for this company. Wal mart is founded on these three famous beliefs: 1. Respect for the individual 2. Service to our customers 3.

Strive for excellence Respecting individuals was set up because it was the hard working ordinary people that made Wal mart. Avery diverse background with different race, religion, and convictions. Servicing the customers is allowing the customers to trust in our pricing and always able to be that lowest price possible to make it easier for them. Lastly, the strive for excellence was set up to further new idea, goals and push boundaries to constantly improve the stores for the customers. Ethical Principles will also keep the company going. By being honest and fair to each and every customer you gain trust and loyalty.

With loyalty a customer will always come back even if you may not have the bast price for them. They way you treat a person, equally to yourself, gives a store more creditability at times than pricing. By not manipulating and misrepresenting yourself you also gain loyalty. Associates will play a big part in this by exceeding the customers expectations. The customer is always right. Wal mart associates do not only need to show gratefulness but they need to demonstrate gratitude to each and every customer to bring them back.

Always offering a smile, a welcome to our store, or can I help you with anything shows the customer we care. Treat your co workers and manager like they are partners with you Sam Walton always said. Motivating them keeps them working hard and offering them awards or benefits for your appreciation helps keep them around too. Controlling the expenses of Wal mart better than there competitors is another key in keeping the business flourishing. There are always ways you can find to give you that extra advantage over your competitor. A true sign of greatness is when you make a mistake being, you are able to turn it around and recover effectively with little financial or emotional change.

Swimming upstream and avoiding the conventional way is another way to do this. If competitors are going one way, try another route it might be the correct and most efficient way. Be head strong a lot of people will not understand why you want to be different. Wal mart believes in contributing and taking care of the needs of the associates, the customers, communities, and the shareholders. Supporting issues and causes that are important to associates and customers is a main interest in our company. We empower them to determine the success of all actions that surround them We encourage involvement and programs to make the difference in all aspects of the business.

Over the next few years the company needs to grow with the surrounding changes. Changes will always happen especially in retail, however with the founders beliefs set in stone a company can always prevail. With each cork in the road implementing the set in stone guidelines will help over come each and every obstacle. I believe with this the company will always be around and growing.