Walmart employs approximately 1 percent of the working population in the United States, about 1.4 million people. Some are there to make extra money , while others are working full-time.
So when there are numerous reports of unsafe working conditions, understaffing, and other problems, there are plenty of data points to back them up. These issues have led to widespread criticism and dissatisfaction among both current and former employees.
Plenty of people love to hate on Walmart as a store, but here are some of the most common reasons current and former employees detest the corporate behemoth as an employer.
Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially 1. They’re often understaffed
Long-time employees note that shifts are often understaffed. Sometimes shifts are staffed by only a single person. This can be lonely at best and dangerous at worst, especially when dealing with large pallets or heavy equipment.
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2. The managers
Managers can make or break a job. Employees' complaints about Walmart’s management range from them not allowing full breaks to favoritism and gossip. Obviously, not every manager is awful, but many of the leaders at Walmart seem to be lacking in leadership skills.
3. You get comfortable
For most people, stocking shelves or running the register at a supermarket is just a job, not a long-term career. However, Walmart pays the bills enough to get you by, so you can get in a rut just showing up to work and not upping your skills or pursuing higher ambitions.
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From not showing up to work to petty competitions, co-workers can make a mediocre Walmart job far worse. Tattle tales and impatient colleagues are sadly a common, pervasive problem. This trend varies based on your store and what department you work in, but many employees have noted this issue.
5. Rude customers
Cranky customers make for long shifts, and at Walmart, there are plenty of them. Customers can be problematic for all sorts of reasons: not finding what they want on shelves, verbally and physically harassing workers, or insisting on buying products that the store doesn’t sell.
6. No sick time
Some of the laws protecting sick leave don’t always apply. Workers report being fired for taking sick time (even with a doctor’s note). Walmart has a points system, and you accrue points for taking sick time. Rumor has it you get too many, and you lose your job.
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The hourly rate might be fine, but sometimes management makes it difficult to get all the hours you need to make ends meet. They tend to schedule you whenever they want to, regardless of your availability — even when you’re considered full-time staff. Former employees also learned their pay wasn’t as competitive as other local stores.
8. Physically and emotionally draining
Employees note that the long hours can be exhausting — both mentally and physically. Part of it’s the hard labor (stacking heavy pallets and the like), and part of it can be the environment. Money is all well and good, but the work can take a toll on your mental health.
9. You have to work weekends and holidays
When the store is open every day of the year, that means the workers have to staff it every day — that means a lot of weekends and holidays for the rank and file. And when the store tends to understaff, that leaves everyone working just about every weekend.
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If raises are issued, everyone supposedly gets the same paltry increase, so there’s little incentive for excellent performance. One employee noted that they hadn’t received a raise in 12 years of working there. If you don’t get promoted to a higher-level position, your odds of getting a meaningful raise are low.
11. Having to do other people’s jobs
When your store is perpetually understaffed, employees end up having to do the jobs others should be doing. You may have to pick up the skills for mixing paint, roasting rotisserie chickens, stocking pallets, and checking inventory on the fly without much training — all while putting on a good face for the customer. You might think that cross-training and extra effort would result in a raise, or at least more time off — but it typically doesn’t.
12. The complaining
Sometimes, it comes from the managers, and sometimes from customers. But in either case, the complaining at Walmart can be a real drag. No one wants to hear whining all the time, but a few of the customer grievances (like that Walmart doesn’t sell Christmas trees in March or that the deli clerk forgot to put paper between cheese slices) are worthy of a chuckle, at least.
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Slippery floors, hot rotisserie chickens, tipsy pallets stacked high —there are a number of hazards for a Walmart worker. And one worker noted that if you get hurt on the job, the management may try to pin the blame on you. The conditions aren’t the imaginations of the workers — Walmart has had citations for OSHA violations in the past.
Bottom line
From the physical demands of the job to the emotional toll of dealing with rude customers and unsupportive management, the environment at Walmart can be tough. Your mileage may vary based on your store, department, and the particular manager, but if you’re looking for ways to boost your bank account , it might be a good idea to check elsewhere.
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