Ocampo, Gabriel P.

CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

I. Case Summary

What started small, with a single discount store and a simple concept of selling more
for less, has evolved to become the world's largest retailer in the last 50 years. Walmart has
more than 2.2 million employees worldwide and continues to be a pioneer in sustainability,
corporate philanthropy and job opportunities. It is all part of its unwavering dedication to
creating opportunities and adding value to consumers and communities around the world.
However, there are several problems surrounding its labor practices. It is said to have low pay
even though the job is difficult and the way it handles its workers is controversial. One of the
allegations of unfair treatment is that certain workers are being forced to work on a pay-free
clock. It forces managers to do more work even if the number of workers is limited. Walmart
also said to have undocumented immigrants which are considered illegal. Walmart also
claimed to have been charged with discrimination on grounds of sexual discrimination against
women.

II. Case Analysis

Viewpoint

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will be the person ideally suited to solve this
issue. The Chief Executive Officer is ideal for dealing with these kinds of obstacles
because he/she sets the company's vision and mission. He is the one who sees well into
the future with the great strategic plan. The Chief Executive Officer better knows why the
company has been established, what its key purpose is and what its long-term strategic
objectives are.

Significant Case Facts

After reading this case, it can be seen that Walmart is one of the biggest employers
in the world, hiring 2.2 million employees, despite being accused of providing low wages
and little benefits. It is also said that Walmart's corporate headquarters are pressuring their
managers to do more work than they can do with the number of employees allowed. In
Ocampo, Gabriel P.
CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

response, store managers are placing pressure on workers to work hours without pay. In
addition, the company also faced allegations of gender discrimination against women, in
which presumably, they were paid less even for the same work completed, refused fair
promotions and subjected to gender-based acts and stereotyping.

Problem/s

Many conflicts can occur in the workplace, particularly in a large company similar
to Walmart. One of the challenges that workers are facing is low pay and inadequate
benefits. Women often face gender inequality because they are viewed in a different
way. Finally, Walmart workers work hours without pay.

Alternative Courses of Action (ACA’s)

1. Keep communication open.

2. Promote gender equality.

Analysis of ACA’s

1. Conflict between individuals who work together is inevitable. It's difficult to

be unable to say what your real thoughts are. Communication is a means of
transmitting information and making oneself understood by another or others
(Sanchez & Guo, 2005). According to (Bennebroek-Gravenhorst, Elving, &
Werkman, 2006, et al.), contact is central to the success of most organisations.
In line with this, when there is change in an organization, communication is
much more important to the successful implementation of that change. Studies
have shown that different aspects of effective organizational communication,
such as high frequency, openness and accuracy, performance feedback, and
adequacy of information about organizational policies and procedures are
positively related to employees’ feelings of happiness in the workplace and job
performance (Kacmar, Witt, Zivnuska & Gulley, 2003; et al.). If the employees
Ocampo, Gabriel P.
CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

can publicly voice their concerns, they can address these problems by
communication.

2. Fostering gender equality is a great way to handle gender discrimination

particularly against women. The workplace has sometimes been referred to as
an inhospitable place for women due to the multiple forms of gender
inequalities present (e.g., Abrams, 1991). Some examples of how workplace
discrimination negatively affects women’s earnings and opportunities are the
gender wage compare gaps (e.g., Peterson and Morgan, 1995), the dearth of
women in leadership (Eagly and Carli, 2007). With women becoming an
integral part of the workforce, managers must examine their reliance on
stereotypical views concerning women (Kaushik, N., Sharma, A. and Kumar
Kaushik, V. 2014). All workers in a company have to be equal, since they all
do the same job.

Recommendation

I recommend open communication, in order to provide a healthy working

environment. As an employee, being able to voice out your opinions is a positive thing to
practice. Also, being able to provide an open conversation with you and your boss can
lower the burden while working, you can easily tell your manager if you know you were
working off the clock and ask if he/she can pay you while in accordance with your total
working hours. If you believe your salary is smaller than the job you 're doing, you can
ask for a pay increase. Open communication is the secret to maintaining a successful
manager-employee relationship.

Implementation Plan

i. Targets
Ocampo, Gabriel P.
CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

a. To have a strong communication.

b. To enable employees to trust and respect their
peers and managers.

ii. Program, project, activities

Team Building Activities

1. Team birthday line up

The participants will be asked to fall in line side
by side and arrange themselves in the order of their
birthdays considering only the month and the date.
Now, here’s the twist – the team members are not
allowed to talk to each other. That means they will have
to use the sign language to determine each other’s
birthday. To make this activity a bit more fun, you can
give teams a cozy platform. And if anyone falls, the
team will have to start the whole process again. This
activity will help in problem solving, communication
and cooperation in the workplace.

2. Cross-cultural experience

Experiences with a different culture provide

new, potentially uncomfortable situations and help
develop communication skills that may not be learned
elsewhere. Overseas travel, or working with a different
cultural group within your community can provide an
opportunity to learn new skills, or may involve barriers
that must be overcome – all teaching leadership (Flavin,
2018).
Ocampo, Gabriel P.
CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

3. Zoom

A set of randomly provided sequential pictures

are given to the participants. The task requires
participants to put the pictures in the correct order to
recreate the story, without knowing which pictures the
other participants have. This activity can be an effective
way to improve communication, patience, and
tolerance (Stepshift, 2016).

iii. Time frame

Date Activity
1st week Team birthday
line up
2nd week Cross-cultural
experience
3rd week Zoom

iv. Manpower requirements

• Employees
• Managers
• Staffs

v. Progress accomplishment
We will track the progress through observation wherein we will conduct a survey a
week after the activity has been done. We will make sure that everyone will participate
in every activity so that no one is left behind. We’ll go back to our normal operation
after we finish the last activity, and we will compare the progress from before we start
the activity up to the present. If the result is good as expected, we will continue to have
a series of team building activities every month and continue to observe and improve.
Ocampo, Gabriel P.
CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

Fallback Position (what if)

If promoting gender equality and keeping communication open does not work, we
will be utilizing different options. We can use other course of actions like doing an open
forum in the workplace where employees can say if they have a problem with other
employees or if they feel that they have been mistreated so that the higher ups will know
what the employees actually feel. If they are afraid to talk face-to-face, we will make a
suggestion box wherein employees can voice out their opinions anonymously.

References

Adu-Oppong, Akua. (2014). COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE: GUIDELINES FOR

IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS. Global Journal of Commerce & Management Perspectives.
G.J.C.M.P. 208-213.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304782482_COMMUNICATION_IN_THE_WORKP
LACE_GUIDELINES_FOR_IMPROVING_EFFECTIVENESS

Harp, Amy Lynn, "Effective Change Communication in the Workplace. " Master's Thesis,
University of Tennessee, 2011.

https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1
&article=2111&context=utk_gradthes

Harvell, L. A., Ph.D, Barthon, M. H., Ph.D, & Smith, J., Ph.D. (n.d.). Effective
Organizational Communication Affects Employee Attitude, Happiness, and Job Satisfaction.
Retrieved 2014, from https://www.suu.edu/hss/comm/masters/capstone/thesis/proctor-c.pdf

Isaacs, Ellen. (1995). Gender Discrimination in the Workplace: A Literature Review. Commun.
ACM. 38. 58-59. 10.1145/204865.384262.
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CE – 304
Prelim Examination
Walmart’s Labor Practices

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220425437_Gender_Discrimination_in_the_Workpla
ce_A_Literature_Review

Kaushik, N., Sharma, A., & Kaushik, V. (2014, February 04). Equality in the workplace: A
study of gender issues in Indian organisations. Retrieved September 09, 2020, from
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JMD-11-2013-0140/full/html

Stamarski, C., & Son Hing, L. (2015, September 02). Gender inequalities in the workplace:
The effects of organizational structures, processes, practices, and decision makers' sexism.
Retrieved September 09, 2020, from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01400/full

Wu, R., & Cheng, X. (2016). Gender equality in the workplace: The effect of gender equality
on productivity growth among the Chilean manufacturers. The Journal of Developing Areas,
50(1), 257-274. doi:10.1353/jda.2016.0001

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294576596_Gender_equality_in_the_workplace_The
_effect_of_gender_equality_on_productivity_growth_among_the_Chilean_manufacturers