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REPORT ON EDI IMPROVEMENT IN WALMART
Walmart Inc., a leading retail giant, has embarked on a strategic journey to fortify its global business through innovative initiatives, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. At its 2023 Investment Community Meeting, Walmart's leadership highlighted investments in its people and a next-generation supply chain network.
These efforts are integral to driving global growth opportunities across its omnichannel ecosystem. Walmart’s approach includes reengineering its supply chain to enhance customer and associate experiences through data-driven and automated processes.
By the end of Fiscal Year 2026, Walmart anticipates that automation will service approximately 65% of its stores, aiming to improve productivity and create roles that are less physically demanding but offer higher pay (Walmart, 2023). This transition underscores Walmart's commitment to its associates, where opportunities are created to transform jobs into careers, underscoring the dignity of work and the importance of teamwork.
The retail sector, particularly towards the end of 2023, faced accelerating trends and economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Retailers, including Walmart, had to adopt innovative approaches to engage customers amid economic headwinds.
Consumers became more cautious with their spending, leading to an increase in bargain hunting. This shift required retailers to adapt their strategies, balancing cost management with customer satisfaction and loyalty. The emergence of social media trends also prompted retailers to establish closer connections with consumers, particularly the younger generation, to remain relevant and competitive (Stephens and Chafetz, 2023).
The objective of this report is to improve Walmart's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the aftermath of the pandemic by tackling the obstacles and seizing the possibilities that have emerged. The emphasis is on offering doable suggestions to improve Walmart's workforce diversity and foster an inclusive atmosphere.
Equality: According to Dworkin (2018), all workers should get fair treatment and equal opportunity, regardless of their personal attributes or history.
Diversity: Respect and acknowledgement of individual diversity, such as those related to sexual orientation, education, religion, national origin, race, gender, age, and handicap (Kirby et al., 2023).
Inclusion: Establishing a workplace where people from all backgrounds are respected, included, and given the freedom to fully participate (Qvortrup and Qvortrup, 2018).
The business case for diversity, intersectionality, and systemic approaches to EDI will all be theoretical frameworks for examination. These frameworks offer a thorough grasp of the complex nature of EDI in the workplace and direct the development of strategies to deal with the possibilities and problems that Walmart has identified.
In exploring the relevant theories and approaches to workplace diversity, particularly in the context of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), one must delve into various conceptual frameworks that shape our understanding and implementation of these principles. A fundamental theory is Intersectionality, which posits that individuals are often subjected to multiple, overlapping social identities and related systems of oppression or discrimination (Al-Faham et al., 2019).
This theory, originating from the legal scholarship of Kimberlé Crenshaw, underscores the complexity of the experiences of individuals who belong to multiple marginalized groups (Runyan, 2018). For instance, a black woman's experience in the workplace cannot be fully understood by looking solely at gender or racial discrimination but rather through the lens of both and their interplay (Crenshaw, 2017).
Inclusive Leadership, another pivotal approach, focuses on the role leaders play in fostering an inclusive workplace (Ashikali et al., 2021). Inclusive leaders are characterised by their awareness of their own biases, active encouragement of diverse perspectives, and commitment to equality (Randel et al., 2018). They empower individuals by valuing each member's unique contributions and creating an environment where all employees feel respected and able to participate fully (Choi et al., 2017).
Furthermore, Systemic Approaches to EDI emphasize that diversity and inclusion must be ingrained in every aspect of an organization, from its policies and practices to its culture and day-to-day operations (Leach et al., 2018). This approach recognises that isolated initiatives are insufficient; instead, systemic change is required to create truly inclusive environments. Another important concept is the Business Case for Diversity, which argues that a diverse workforce can lead to better decision-making, increased creativity, and greater innovation, thereby enhancing an organisation's performance and competitiveness (Gomez and Bernet, 2019).
The goal of unconscious bias training is to educate people about their own prejudices and how they may influence interactions and decision-making at work (Atewologun et al., 2018). According to Emerson (2017), this training is crucial to fostering an inclusive workplace where choices are made fairly. All things considered, these ideas and methods offer a multifaceted perspective of EDI and emphasise the necessity of an all-encompassing and integrated approach to fostering inclusion, equality, and diversity in the workplace.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted EDI practices, with notable disparities in how different groups experienced these changes. Academic research highlights that the pandemic's disruptions were not uniformly felt across the workforce. Marginalized and minoritized groups, including those based on race, disability status, and sexual identity, reported more negative outcomes due to COVID-19.
The pandemic exacerbated existing socio-demographic inequalities, leading to concerns about long-term underrepresentation of marginalized groups in academia (White et al., 2022). Women, primary caregivers, underrepresented racial minorities, and sexual minorities experienced increased disruptions due to physical health issues and caretaking responsibilities, resulting in more negative work outcomes (Mckinsey & Company et al., 2020). Assistant professors, often at a crucial career stage, reported substantial declines in research progress and increased workload, feeling insufficient support and fearing for their tenure prospects (Douglas et al., 2022).
The retail industry saw similar trends arise. Compared to other industries, a greater number of employees in consumer goods and retail companies—34%—reported feeling burned out during the epidemic, according to the McKinsey 2020 Women in the Workplace research. Specifically, women working in these fields, who frequently take on more caring responsibilities, reported significantly greater rates of burnout.
As a result, there was a greater chance that many retail businesses would postpone their D&I projects, increasing the likelihood that they would lose diverse talent. The survey also showed that employee stress was greater in consumer goods and retail organisations, where workers felt pressured to be accessible all the time and considered quitting their jobs or making a career move as a result of burnout.
The prevalence of this was higher among women, particularly Black women. Retail businesses were concerned about these developments because they suggested that the pandemic would result in a decline in the proportion of women and people of colour working there (Coggins et al., 2021).
The epidemic has highlighted the value of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. According to McKinsey's 2020 Diversity Wins report, businesses with diverse leadership have a higher chance of achieving financial success. As a critical ability in the post-pandemic recovery, diverse teams are better able to predict customer trends and make wise judgements (Coggins et al., 2021).
Effective product development and marketing for consumer products and retail firms are contingent upon having a varied workforce that can relate to their customers. For these reasons, it is essential that these firms refocus their EDI operations.
In the context of Walmart, the relevance of EDI theories and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can be distinctly observed. Walmart, with its extensive global presence and diverse workforce, exemplifies a complex ecosystem where the principles of intersectionality and inclusive leadership are paramount.
The pandemic's disproportionate impact on marginalized and minoritized groups mirrors the challenges Walmart faces in maintaining an equitable and inclusive environment (Wang et al., 2023). Women, primary caregivers, and underrepresented minorities, integral to Walmart's workforce, have experienced heightened levels of stress and burnout, necessitating a more nuanced approach to employee welfare and support.
The systemic approach to EDI, advocating for a comprehensive integration of diversity and inclusion in all organisational aspects, aligns with Walmart's need to embed these values deeply within its corporate culture (Gomez and Bernet, 2019).
Given the increased workload and the necessity for flexibility highlighted by the pandemic, Walmart's leadership is tasked with fostering an environment that not only recognizes but actively supports the varied needs of its diverse workforce.
Furthermore, the business case for diversity, underlined by studies showing a correlation between diverse leadership and financial performance, is particularly relevant for Walmart (Hunt et al., 2018). As a retail giant, Walmart's ability to understand and cater to a diverse customer base is crucial for its continued success.
The pandemic has underscored the need for Walmart to not only maintain but enhance its focus on EDI, ensuring that its workforce reflects the diversity of its customer base, thereby enhancing its market relevance and operational efficiency.
In summary, Walmart's approach to EDI in the post-pandemic era should incorporate an understanding of the unique challenges faced by different employee groups, an unwavering commitment to inclusive leadership, and a systemic integration of EDI principles.
This approach will not only support Walmart's moral and ethical responsibilities but will also contribute to its strategic objectives and financial sustainability.
Defining Walmart's EDI goals involves establishing clear, measurable objectives that align with the company's broader mission and values. Walmart's vision of "Everyone Included" encapsulates its commitment to fostering a workplace culture where every associate feels valued and heard.
This vision aligns with the overarching goal of creating an environment of belonging, where individuals are empowered to bring their authentic selves to work, which in turn enhances service delivery to customers and members (Walmart, 2023b).
The company's EDI objectives are structured around several key areas of focus:
1. Global Representation: Walmart aims for an increased global representation of women in officer positions. This objective is supported by recent trends showing a steady increase in such representation, with officer representation in the U.S. for women and People of Color reaching its highest level since at least 2021 (Walmart, 2023c).
2. Promotion and Career Advancement: Another major goal is to increase the rate of hourly-to-management and management-to-management promotions for People of Color in the U.S. This initiative reflects Walmart's commitment to fostering career advancement opportunities for underrepresented groups within its workforce (Walmart, 2023c).
3. Diversity in Leadership: Walmart has made increasing the diversity of its executive team a top priority. In an effort to reflect the varied demographics of its clientele and the areas it serves, this encompasses both gender diversity and ethnic diversity (Walmart, 2023c).
4. Inclusive Culture and Practices: Walmart places a strong emphasis on fostering an inclusive culture and putting policies in place that uphold fairness and diversity. This includes inclusive hiring procedures, training initiatives, and employee resource groups that serve a variety of worker demographics (Walmart, 2023c).
5. Monitoring and Accountability: Walmart prioritises measurement and governance, keeping track of and disclosing advancements made in the direction of establishing a culture of belonging for all employees. As part of this, diversity measures must be regularly reported on, and leadership must be held responsible for advancements in these areas (Walmart, 2023c).
Walmart's current EDI initiatives cover a wide range of policies and programmes, all aimed at promoting an inclusive, diverse, and belonging culture inside its massive organisational structure. These programmes are organised around three main areas of concentration:
1. Belonging Experience: Walmart is committed to fostering an atmosphere where each employee feels heard and respected. By ensuring that every person connected to Walmart, whether as an employee or a customer, feels included and respected, this strategy is essential to enhancing both the associate and customer experience (Walmart, 2023b).
2. Inclusive Communities: The corporation strives to make the communities it serves feel included by extending its EDI efforts beyond its local personnel. This entails outreach programmes to diverse community groups to make Walmart's presence in these areas perceived as inclusive and friendly (Walmart, 2023b).
3. Governance and Measurement: Monitoring and communicating the steps taken to create a culture of belonging for everyone is a critical component of Walmart's EDI strategy. This entails consistent evaluation of the success of its diversity and inclusion programmes, guaranteeing openness and responsibility in its EDI endeavours (Walmart, 2023b).
In addition, Walmart also focuses on:
• Creating Associate Opportunity: This involves providing opportunities for professional growth and development to its associates, enabling them to advance their careers within the organization (Johnson, 2021).
• Enabling Supplier Inclusion: Walmart is committed to including diverse suppliers in its supply chain, which helps to promote diversity beyond its immediate workforce (Mirvis, 2020).
• Investing in Communities: Through Walmart.org, the company invests in community initiatives, contributing to the development and support of the communities where it operates (Neebe, 2020).
• Advancing Racial Equity: This includes targeted efforts to address and reduce racial disparities within the company and in the communities it serves, ensuring that its workforce and operations are reflective of the diverse society in which it operates (Walmart, 2023b).
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Adjusting to New Operational Norms: The pandemic necessitated changes in operational practices, such as limiting shopping hours and enhancing cleaning measures. Maintaining these practices, while balancing the need for normal operations, presents a challenge (Smith, 2021).
Health and Safety Concerns: Continuing health screenings for associates and suppliers remains a critical challenge. Ensuring the safety and health of a diverse workforce in the evolving pandemic landscape is crucial (Smith, 2021).
Managing Workforce Stability: Walmart offered a COVID-19 emergency leave policy and incentives for vaccination. Managing these policies while ensuring workforce stability and addressing concerns of associates from diverse backgrounds is challenging (Sulaiman et al., 2020).
Diversity in Leadership: Despite progress, Walmart acknowledges a slight decrease in the representation of women in its global workforce, indicating a need for sustained efforts to improve gender diversity, particularly at leadership levels (Nilufer, 2020).
1. Leveraging Technology for Inclusion: The shift towards no-touch shopping options like pickup and delivery offers Walmart an opportunity to leverage technology in ways that can enhance accessibility and inclusion for both customers and associates (Wang, 2021).
2. Strengthening EDI Policies: The pandemic's effects present a chance to improve and reexamine EDI policies, especially those pertaining to hiring and career development, in order to better meet the requirements of a diverse workforce (Fitzsimmons et al., 2023).
3. Enhancement of Employee Well-being: An inclusive and encouraging work atmosphere can result from putting an emphasis on employee well-being and mental health, particularly for those who have been disproportionately impacted by the epidemic (Malinen et al., 2020).
Walmart is urged to employ a combination of short-term actions and long-term efforts, together with tactics to attract new people, in order to handle the EDI difficulties in the post-pandemic era.
Flexible Working Schedules: Employee demands vary, and remote work arrangements and flexible work schedules can assist meet those needs—especially for individuals who have health issues or caregiving duties.
Better Mental Health Support: Providing employees with all-encompassing mental health assistance, such as access to counselling services and wellness initiatives, will help them manage the stress and worry that come with the epidemic.
Leadership Training: At all organisational levels, funding diversity, equality, and inclusion-focused leadership development programmes may contribute to the establishment of a more welcoming workplace environment.
Inclusive Recruitment Policies: Increasing the diversity of the workforce may be achieved by reviewing and updating recruiting rules to make sure they are impartial and inclusive. This covers tactics such as blind hiring procedures and collaborations with various professional associations.
Outreach to Diverse Talent Pools: Developing relationships with academic institutions and neighbourhood associations can aid in drawing in a varied pool of recent graduates and entry-level employees.
Inclusive Employer Branding: Targeted marketing and branding initiatives that position Walmart as an inclusive workplace can attract a wider range of prospective workers.
Internship and Mentorship Programs: Creating initiatives for underrepresented groups may help develop a pipeline of diverse talent and offer invaluable experience.
Finally, this report has looked at the potential and problems Walmart has in improving its Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the wake of COVID-19. Together with long-term projects like inclusive hiring practises and leadership development programmes, the recommendations also include short-term measures like mental health counselling and flexible work schedules. Additionally, it is critical to draw in diverse new talent through outreach and inclusive workplace branding.
Importantly, these programmes have constraints and difficulties, such as possible opposition to change, the difficulty of enforcing inclusive policies throughout a multinational company, and the continuous requirement to strike a balance between commercial goals and EDI objectives. Looking ahead, Walmart's EDI progress might be greatly aided by the effective execution of these ideas.
Walmart can boost its reputation as a leader in corporate diversity and inclusion, improve employee happiness and productivity, and improve workplace culture by tackling present issues and seizing chances for development and innovation. Walmart's dedication to EDI not only fits with moral and social norms, but it also puts the company in a strong position to succeed over the long term in a varied and dynamic global market.
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