Wal-Mart’s Women

Group Members
Karan Saxena (01)
Shubham Phugat(02)
Sakshi hora(03)
Krishna Prakash Mishra(06)
Introduction

• Wal-Mart Overview:
• Size:
• Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer by revenue and
the largest private employer globally.
• it owns more than 8,400 stores in 15 countries.
• The company operates a variety of store formats,
including discount stores, supercenters, and warehouse
clubs.
• Global Presence:
• Corporate Culture:
• Ethical Considerations:
 Use of child labor and
illegal immigrants

Unethical Failure to pay

Labor overtime and provide
Practices meal breaks

Discrimination against
female employees in
various aspects
Lawsuit Details

• Overview of the lawsuit launched by six

American women
• Nature of the Lawsuit
• Allegations
• Promotion Disparities
• Scope of Lawsuit
• Timeframe
• Representation
• Legal Objectives
 • Promotion Criteria:
• Salaried management positions required
geographical relocation, a factor perceived as a
disadvantage for women.
• Relocation Challenges:
• The company's assumption that women were less
willing to relocate contributed to gender disparities
in promotions.
• Word-of-Mouth Promotions:
• Available promoted positions were informally
communicated through word of mouth.
• Unequal Distribution:
• Cultural practices within the organization
perpetuated gender-based biases.
Factors • Male-Centric Cultural Practices:

Contributing to • The company's cultural practices were described as

male-oriented, indicating a workplace environment
that may have favored traditional male roles and
Discrimination expectations.
 • Pay Disparities:
• Wal-Mart's actions contributed to a significant gender pay gap.
• Female employees were paid less than their male counterparts in comparable
positions, despite having higher performance ratings and greater seniority.
• Promotion Inequities:
• Unequal distribution of management training and promotions reinforced gender
disparities.

Impact on • Despite equal qualifications, women faced obstacles in career advancement, as male-
oriented cultural practices favored male employees in managerial roles.

Female • Geographic Relocation Requirement:

• The requirement for geographic relocation for managerial positions became a barrier

Employees for female employees.

• Cultural Practices:
• The overall culture at Wal-Mart, described as male-oriented, reinforced traditional
gender roles and expectations.
• Discrimination Based on Gender:
• Actions such as unequal pay, promotion disparities, and relocation requirements
were discriminatory and based on gender rather than merit.
 • Wal-Mart's Defense and Adjustments in Response to the Lawsuit:
• Individual Managerial Decisions:
• Wal-Mart defended itself by asserting that pay and promotion decisions were independently
determined by individual managers at the store level.
• Equal Opportunity Programs:
• Wal-Mart highlighted its existing equal opportunity programs that were extended to all
employees regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity.

Company's •
•
Antidiscrimination Policy Posters:
The posting of antidiscrimination policy posters throughout the company was emphasized as
evidence of efforts to promote a fair and equitable work environment.

Defence and •
•
Setting Realistic Goals:
Managers implemented a program to set realistic and achievable goals that made sense for
employees.

Adjustments •
•
Gender-Neutral Management Positions:
Wal-Mart introduced a program allowing women to enter salaried management jobs without
having to relocate their homes.
• Cultural Shift:
• The company acknowledged the need for a cultural shift and recognized that adjustments were
required to address the ways in which female employees were treated.
 • Managerial Autonomy:
• Wal-Mart asserted that pay and promotion decisions were
independently determined by individual store managers.
• Localized Decision-Making:
Arguments • The defense argued that decisions regarding pay and promotions were

that pay and made at the store level, taking into account local factors and store-
specific circumstances.

promotion • Tailored to Store Needs:

• This approach aimed to reflect the diversity of the workforce and
decisions market conditions.
• Flexibility in Decision-Making:
were • The decentralized structure provided flexibility for managers to adapt
to the needs of their specific teams and respond to local market
decentralized dynamics.
• Performance-Based Criteria:
• Wal-Mart argued that pay and promotion decisions were primarily
based on individual employee performance, skills, and contributions.
 Wal-Mart denied the
This individualized
existence of a uniform
assessment aimed to support
Individual Employee Avoidance of Uniform company policy that
the argument for
Assessment: Company Policy: systematically led to gender-
decentralized decision-
based discrimination in pay
making.
and promotions.

Decentralized decisions
allowed managers to respond This could be presented as a
Response to Local Labor
to the specific demands and Reducing Bureaucracy: way to enhance operational
Markets:
conditions of the local labor efficiency.
markets.

This accountability was

positioned as a positive
Employee Accountability:
aspect of the company's
approach.
Implementation of new programs to address
gender-related issues
• Equal Opportunity Initiatives:
• Wal-Mart introduced enhanced equal opportunity programs that aimed to address gender disparities.
• Revision of Geographic Relocation Requirements:
• This adjustment aimed to eliminate a barrier that disproportionately affected female employees.
• Goal-Setting Program:
• Wal-Mart introduced a goal-setting program designed to set realistic and achievable targets for employees.
• Transparent Promotional Processes:
• The company may have implemented measures to make promotional processes more transparent and inclusive.
• Inclusive Management Training:
• The focus was on creating a more inclusive environment for career growth.
 • The Importance of Setting
Up Suitable Culture and
Policies:
 Organizational Identity
 Employee Morale and
Engagement
 Retention and Recruitment
 Productivity and Innovation
 Legal and Ethical
Compliance
 Diversity and Inclusion
 Mitigating Risks
 Employee Well-Being

Lessons learned  Customer Trust and

Reputation
Conclusion and call to action
• In conclusion, the Wal-Mart case underscores the imperative for a profound cultural shift
and policy overhaul to rectify gender-based discrimination within the organization. The
acknowledgment of past mistakes is a crucial step, emphasizing the need for transparency
and accountability. To forge a more equitable future, Wal-Mart must prioritize
comprehensive reforms in policies and practices, fostering diversity and inclusion.
Ongoing education, regular monitoring, and stakeholder engagement are vital components
of this transformation.
• The company should publicly commit to change, positioning itself as an industry leader in
eliminating gender-related disparities. Empowerment programs for women and a
commitment to regular review and adaptation will contribute to a workplace culture that
values equality and celebrates the contributions of all employees. Only through sustained
effort and genuine commitment can Wal-Mart usher in a new era of inclusivity, fairness,
and justice.