Paper Example. Training and Development in Walmart Organization

The following is an interview with a human resource manager of Walmart's organization. This interview is aimed at determining how Walmart implement training and development in their company, the methods they use to ensure that employee's skills and knowledge can attain the organizational changes and goals. Training needs of employees, how to implement practical training and development measures, internal and external resources of learning programs within the organization, and the success of the training programs. The purpose of the research is to determine the development and training methods used by Walmart to ensure that they are updated on the technological and work changes within the company.

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Me: Hello, I am one of your customers and currently researching the need for training and development in an organization, and I choose your company. The reason I preferred Walmart Company is that I read an article that stated that learning and development programs had played a significant part in the success of Walmart at an international level (Rogers, 2016). Well, I hope you will not mind me asking you a few questions concerning the topic since you are the human resource (HR) manager and the person in charge of training and development within the organization.

Walmart's HR manager: Thank you for your compliment about my company. Indeed Walmart is one of the leading stores worldwide, and we have been able to achieve so much due to the training and skills development that we have given to our employees. Training and skills development has played a significant role in the success of our company. Welcome, and feel free to ask any questions you may need to be answered.

Me: Thank you, To start with, what are the training and developmental needs for Walmart's company?

Walmart's HR manager: Walmart organizations are experiencing change management as a result of the social, economic, and technological developments as well as the fast-growing competition. Therefore, Walmart's management should create an environment that supports innovations and changes since it can be challenging to change the attitudes or readiness for change of employees. Implementation of change management is essential for a successful business (Burke, 1997). Walmart's human resource management team should be in charge of establishing a culture for change. The crucial steps that the management should take in the change process are communicating the need for change within the organization. As a result of the fast-developing economic, social, and technological changes, the need for training and skill development arises in Walmart. Due to change management, the need for training and skills development in the different organizational departments, including job-rotation, formal and informal training, internal and external training, and traditional classroom courses. However, Walmart offer training programs to our staff more often to increase morale and satisfaction among employees, increase employees efficiency, increase employees capacity to adopt new technologies and methods, increase employees motivation, increase risk management for employees and customers, increase productivity as well as meet the customer's needs and expectations of the business. In general, the importance of skills development in Walmart is to increase the favorability of staff towards administrative principles, culture, and to achieve our goals and objectives effectively. Learning and skills refreshing play a fundamental role in determining the achievements of Walmart since it increases employees' performance and efficiency, and as a result, help increase productivity, customer care services, and attaining the company's desired goals and targets. Walmart offers sufficient training and development packages to its workforces by concentrating on the 'people come first' approach in the organization.

Me: what are the training methods that are used by Walmart, and what steps has Walmart taken as a business to help new employees get access to the training they may need?

Walmart's HR manager: To stay updated, companies need to assess the employee's competences and offer training regularly. Therefore, on-the-job and of-the-job are the organizational learning techniques that are commonly used by Walmart. The company uses job rotation as one method of on-the-job skills development approach by rotating the organization's trainees within different departments in the corporation. For example, human resource (HR), customer service, and credit control departments during their first two years of the job. Mentoring is another form of on-the-job training that involves existing organizational leaders like the regional vice presidents, store managers, and district managers sharing their experiences, skills, and knowledge with the new employees. Walmart uses off-the-job training such as web-based or online training, workshops, conferences, classroom, and seminars, learning programs to improve the skills, knowledge, and competence of workers. It is essential to increase managerial efficiency especially when we need to train most of our employees due to the development of technology or new safety rules.

Use of External and Internal Resources

Walmart uses internal resources of the organization to help achieve and attain effective results in training new workers such as the machinery, money, men, and materials. Recognized consultants and lectures are used by Walmart to train and develop interpersonal skills and communications of the structural staff to enable them to compete successfully in the globalized period.

Walmart uses programs such as Total Talent Management and Computer-based Learning as a way of bringing together the organization's workforce while operating the business branches in different parts worldwide. The company also uses customer services orientation program where the new employees act the role of customers and give their opinions and to identify customers' expectations. Walmart also protects its customers from harassment, and every employee is protected under the Equal Employment Opportunity Training.

Walmart also uses unique training programs such as Business Leadership Series (BLS) in its system to develop management skills and professional knowledge of administrative managers.

Me: Wow! Based on all the efforts you have made as a company, I would say that you deserve all the success, your efforts to develop employee's skills and competence as well as implement changes due to the developing and fast-changing business sector. However, how do you measure the training effectiveness here at Walmart?

Walmart's HR manager: The business measures the success of a training program by assessing different characteristics of persons who went through the training program. After completing the learning programs, the development in job-related competence, knowledge, and skills of personnel is recognized by the association. To measure the effectiveness of the training, Walmart compares the workers' past performance with the current production of individuals. Also, we evaluate the success of the practice by analyzing the improvements in interpersonal communication, expertise, customer services, and productivity in the business after the training. Therefore, as the industry develops, so do the needs for specific abilities, skills, and knowledge for an accurately international labor force. Walmart's training programs are planned to certify the efficiency and effectiveness of employees to handle their daily tasks and the ability to adjust to developing environments in the industry.

Me: what are the importance of Walmart's employee training and development in HR management?

Walmart's HR manager: Walmart's staff performance, principles, and values management are the primary factors of the firm's human resource executive ability in supporting an overall business growth. Therefore, as Walmart expands, so do its management needs for particular skills, expertise, and knowledge for a real global labor force (Gong, 2013). In the recent years, Walmart introduced a training program for their employees where most of them have graduated and being promoted to higher levels. The company's productivity of the business and stores have increased and registered sales growth than the rest of the company after they were promoted and assigned to the various markets. Therefore, Walmart has developed as more than just a program for advancement due to its ability to recognize and the promise of a more fulfilling career. The employees who have gone through the training programs have also testified to their personal and professional transformation. Successful training and development of employees help the business by developing returning customers and also increase revenue and sales. The training that was implemented was a smart move in the right direction because the training starts as soon as the employees start the job. Throughout their careers in the company, there is ongoing training and constant improvement that helps the development of employees and deliver customer satisfaction.

Me: based on your opinions as a manager of a foundation for international retail business, what are the opportunities and challenges you experience when implementing training and skill development programs in Walmart in the digital age?

Walmart's HR manager: well, I must say that as the nature of work keeps changing, the changes in the technology happens so fast such that it becomes challenging to keep up with the changes. For example, the job description, they have evolved with new responsibilities, new tasks, and new roles, and if the changes are implemented within the organization, then their work becomes relevant (World Bank, 2019). As a result, employees require and need for training and career development to equip them with the necessary required skills and knowledge to perform in their jobs. Management leadership style and their decisions have a significant impact on their employees. Therefore, it is essential for training managers to understand how to engage and inspire employees. Management training programs will help managers to learn how to deal with employees, and ways to invest in them without making them feel harassed. Most of the challenges experienced during the implementation of learning and skills developments are usually a result of the technological changes as well as the customer's need for services (Neufeind, O'Reilly, & Ranft, 2018). Therefore, as a company, we put our customers' needs and priorities first, and once we notice that a change affects our customers, and then we educate and implement new changes that will favor the clients. For example, due to the technological changes, the company had to change how the customers used to receive the receipts. However, the new changes were inconveniencing the customers, and there were delays in our stores and we had to change the way of paying for the goods and make it easier for the customers.

Me: Due to the fast-developing world, it appears that even new working positions are exposed to technology in different and changing ways. Can you say that what is happening is a universal sensation?

Walmart's HR manager: This digital change generate new professions, and as well it modifies even the new entry-levels nature of employment. Due to the changes in technology that happens now and then thus increasing the need for training and skills development is an international sensation.