Walmart said Wednesday it plans to convert most of its U.S. hourly jobs to full-time jobs by the end of fiscal year 2021 as part of its efforts to promote job stability and retain workers.
Drew Holler, senior vice president of Walmart’s US People Operations, outlined the plans in a blog post, writing that two-thirds of Walmart roles currently hourly will eventually be “ full-time with consistent week-to-week schedules.
“We are uniquely positioned to provide a combination of stability and room for growth that few others can match,” Holler wrote. “We prioritize consistent schedules, skills training and new growth opportunities so that all jobs at Walmart can lead to careers.”
He went on to say that Walmart knows that “providing more full-time opportunities, along with skills, training and equipping employees with tools to make work easier, will help us continue to attract and retain top talent.”
Walmart, which has 1.6 million employees in the US., about 53 percent of hourly wages in 2016 were in full-time jobs, Holler said.
The CEO added that the new target announced Wednesday follows in line with Walmart’s distribution and fulfillment centers, which employ more than 80 percent of their employees full-time.
“If we hit the two-thirds mark by the end of the year, we will have about 100,000 more full-time positions than five years ago – which is a meaningful investment in the pay, hours and stability of our employees,” said Holler .
Walmart, one of the few retailers to see its business grow amid the coronavirus pandemic with the boost of online sales, has continued to make operational changes over the past year in hopes of maintaining a stable workforce to meet consumer demand. comply.
The retail giant arrived in February announced it would increase his hourly wages in front of 425,000 employees nationwide at up to between $ 13 and $ 19 an hour, depending on location.
Walmart CEO and President John Furner said the company has also introduced special COVID-19 bonuses over the past year, increased pay for 165,000 executive positions and restructured a “team-based model of working in our stores.”
“Whatever your role, know that we will continue to support and invest in you,” Furner said in a February statement to employees.