Walmart Canada announced its investment of $53 million to increase hourly wages for approximately 40,000 store associates. This wage hike, implemented earlier this month, aligns with the retailer’s recent trend of increasing investments in its workforce to retain employees.
“We’re on a journey of developing our talent, simplifying and modernizing how we work, investing in our teams, and strengthening our culture,” said AnnMarie Mercer, Chief People Officer, Walmart Canada.
In recent months, Walmart has been focusing on enhancing the compensation of its U.S. store workers, Reuters news report said. Effective from February 1, the company raised the annual average salary and bonus for its U.S. store managers.
In June, Walmart also announced bonuses for its U.S. hourly store workers, including those at its pharmacy and Vision Center stores, a move expected to benefit 700,000 front-line staff.
Despite the easing of inflation in Canada, the country has seen its unemployment rate rise to a 29-month high, indicating potential job losses as the labor market grapples with a rapidly growing population.
Walmart Canada, which operates over 400 stores serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada employs more than 100,000 associates.
Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. Walmart Canada is also investing in digital handheld devices for store associates to help them look up items more efficiently.
Joe Schrauder, Chief Operations Officer, Walmart Canada. “These devices play a critical role in helping our store associates perform their day-to-day tasks more efficiently and better serve our customers.”
Walmart has prioritized investments in careers and technology. Over 3,000 associates have participated in Walmart’s Live Better U (LBU) educational program, which marks a $50 million investment over the next five years in associate career-driven learning and development.
