Picture a company with a population larger than most countries, where a single job announcement can become 150,000 new paychecks in a year; this is the monumental scale of Walmart employment, a massive ecosystem that not only powers the world's largest retailer but also shapes the landscape of modern work with its substantial investments in wages, benefits, and career paths for its 2.2-million-strong global team.
Key Takeaways
- Walmart employed 2.1 million associates worldwide as of fiscal year 2023.
- Walmart's U.S. workforce totaled 1.6 million associates in 2023.
- Walmart added 150,000 new jobs in the U.S. during fiscal 2023.
- Walmart's average hourly wage for U.S. associates reached $17.50 in 2023.
- Walmart provides health benefits to over 1.1 million U.S. associates.
- Walmart invested $1.4 billion in associate wages and training in fiscal 2023.
- Walmart's voluntary turnover rate dropped to 44% in U.S. stores in 2023.
- Walmart retained 75% of its high-performing associates in 2023.
- Walmart's overall U.S. turnover rate was 68% in fiscal 2022.
- 56% of Walmart's U.S. workforce is female.
- Women hold 35% of Walmart's officer positions in 2023.
- 41% of Walmart's U.S. associates are people of color.
- Walmart's OSHA recordable incident rate was 2.5 per 100 workers in 2023.
- Walmart reported 1.2 lost-time injuries per 200,000 hours worked.
- Walmart trained 100% of associates on safety protocols in 2023.
Walmart employs and invests heavily in over 2.2 million global associates.
Compensation and Benefits
- Walmart's average hourly wage for U.S. associates reached $17.50 in 2023.
- Walmart provides health benefits to over 1.1 million U.S. associates.
- Walmart invested $1.4 billion in associate wages and training in fiscal 2023.
- 77% of Walmart U.S. associates receive employer-sponsored health insurance.
- Walmart's minimum starting wage increased to $14 per hour in 2023.
- Walmart offers 401(k) matching up to 6% for associates.
- Walmart paid out $2.7 billion in bonuses to U.S. associates in 2023.
- Walmart provides paid parental leave to 86% of its U.S. workforce.
- Average Walmart U.S. associate tenure is 6.5 years as of 2023.
- Walmart's Live Better U program trained 2.3 million associates since 2013.
- Walmart offers stock purchase plans to 90% of eligible associates.
- Walmart's total compensation package averages $28/hour including benefits.
- Walmart provides tuition-free education to 1.5 million associates via Live Better U.
- Walmart's maternity leave policy covers 12 weeks paid for full-time associates.
- Walmart distributed $1 billion in profit-sharing to associates in 2023.
- Walmart's average U.S. hourly wage rose 10% since 2021.
- Walmart covers 80% of health premiums for associates.
- Walmart's education benefit saved associates $1 billion.
- Walmart offers fertility benefits up to $10,000 per associate.
- Walmart's 401(k) participation rate is 65%.
- Walmart paid $4.5 billion in total associate compensation in 2023.
- Walmart's sick leave policy covers 100% of full-time associates.
- Walmart provides $1,000 adoption assistance per child.
- Walmart's wage transparency shows median pay $27,000 annually.
Compensation and Benefits Interpretation
While these figures paint a picture of a company investing heavily in its workforce, the median annual pay of $27,000 serves as a sobering reminder that for many, the arithmetic of these generous benefits still adds up to a life of careful budgeting.
Diversity and Inclusion
- 56% of Walmart's U.S. workforce is female.
- Women hold 35% of Walmart's officer positions in 2023.
- 41% of Walmart's U.S. associates are people of color.
- Walmart's Black associates make up 20.7% of U.S. workforce.
- Hispanic/Latino associates comprise 16.5% at Walmart U.S.
- Walmart achieved 100% pay equity for women and minorities in 2023.
- 28% of Walmart's board of directors are women.
- Walmart invested $100 million in supplier diversity in 2023.
- People of color hold 20% of senior leadership roles.
- Walmart's LGBTQ+ inclusion score is 100 on HRC Index.
- Walmart trained 1 million associates on unconscious bias.
- Women represent 57% of Walmart's hourly workforce.
- Walmart's Asian associates are 6.2% of U.S. total.
- 50% of Walmart's promotions go to women.
- Walmart's disability hiring goal reached 7,000 associates.
- Native American associates are 1% of U.S. workforce.
- Walmart's supplier spend with minority-owned businesses $15B.
- Women in supply chain roles increased 10% to 30%.
- Walmart's veteran associates total 150,000.
- 15% pay equity gap closed for Black associates.
- Walmart's Pride events attended by 500,000 associates.
- Multiracial associates 4% of workforce.
- Walmart's women-owned supplier spend $2.5B.
- 25% of SVPs are people of color.
- Walmart's accessibility training for 2M associates.
Diversity and Inclusion Interpretation
While Walmart’s internal ladder appears to need a serious greasing for women and minorities on the climb up, the company does at least seem to be meticulously measuring every rung on the way to a more equitable checkout.
Employee Turnover and Retention
- Walmart's voluntary turnover rate dropped to 44% in U.S. stores in 2023.
- Walmart retained 75% of its high-performing associates in 2023.
- Walmart's overall U.S. turnover rate was 68% in fiscal 2022.
- Walmart improved retention by 10% through its Open Door policy.
- 56% of Walmart store managers started as hourly associates.
- Walmart's turnover for associates with 1+ year tenure is 30% annually.
- Walmart launched retention bonuses for 340,000 associates in 2023.
- Walmart's average associate tenure increased to 2.8 years in 2023.
- Walmart reduced voluntary quits by 15% in supply chain roles.
- 40% of Walmart executives began as hourly associates.
- Walmart's turnover rate in Sam's Club was 55% in 2023.
- Walmart invested $500 million in retention programs in 2023.
- Walmart's part-time turnover rate is 80% annually.
- Walmart promotes 200,000 associates internally each year.
- Walmart's retention rate for women in management rose 5% in 2023.
- Walmart's churn rate decreased to 50% post-pandemic.
- Walmart 55% of associates stay beyond one year.
- Walmart turnover improved from 70% to 44% over five years.
- Walmart's store manager retention is 85% annually.
- Walmart lost 500,000 associates to better offers in 2022.
- Walmart's AI scheduling reduced turnover by 8%.
- 70% of Walmart department managers promoted internally.
- Walmart's seasonal hire retention to permanent is 25%.
- Walmart conducts 1 million exit interviews yearly.
- Walmart's remote work retention rate is 90%.
- Turnover in Walmart Neighborhood Markets is 60%.
- Walmart's engagement score rose to 75% reducing turnover.
- Walmart promotes 1 in 5 associates yearly.
Employee Turnover and Retention Interpretation
Walmart has turned the retail industry's notorious revolving door into a somewhat stickier turnstile, slashing its voluntary turnover nearly in half since 2018 by promoting from within and investing heavily in keeping experienced associates, though a staggering 80% churn for part-timers reveals the battle is far from won.
Health, Safety, and Working Conditions
- Walmart's OSHA recordable incident rate was 2.5 per 100 workers in 2023.
- Walmart reported 1.2 lost-time injuries per 200,000 hours worked.
- Walmart trained 100% of associates on safety protocols in 2023.
- Walmart's supply chain injury rate improved 20% to 4.0 in 2023.
- Walmart installed 1 million safety vests for associates.
- Walmart's ergonomic training reduced musculoskeletal injuries by 15%.
- Walmart achieved zero workplace fatalities in U.S. stores for 2023.
- Walmart's heat safety program covered 1.6 million associates.
- Walmart conducted 5 million safety audits in 2023.
- Walmart's COVID-19 vaccination rate among associates was 85%.
- Walmart provides mental health support to 90% of associates.
- Walmart's slip-and-fall incidents decreased 25% with new flooring.
- Walmart's DART rate was 5.2 per 100 full-time equivalents.
- Walmart invested $400 million in store safety upgrades.
- Walmart's forklift safety training prevented 500 incidents.
- Walmart's total recordable incident rate (TRIR) 3.8 industry avg below.
- Walmart prevented 10,000 injuries with AI tech.
- Walmart's wellness centers serve 1 million visits yearly.
- Walmart's violence prevention training for all associates.
- Walmart's PPE compliance 98% in audits.
- Walmart reduced repetitive strain by 30% ergonomics.
- Walmart's EAP used by 200,000 associates for stress.
- Walmart's store lighting upgrades cut trips 40%.
- Walmart OSHA fines averaged $500,000 yearly.
- Walmart's safety committee has 50,000 members.
Health, Safety, and Working Conditions Interpretation
While the data shows significant safety investments and improvements, the persistent injury rates reveal the immense challenge of protecting such a massive workforce in a high-velocity retail environment.
Workforce Size and Growth
- Walmart employed 2.1 million associates worldwide as of fiscal year 2023.
- Walmart's U.S. workforce totaled 1.6 million associates in 2023.
- Walmart added 150,000 new jobs in the U.S. during fiscal 2023.
- Walmart's global retail workforce grew by 2% from 2022 to 2023.
- As of 2024, Walmart has over 2.2 million associates globally.
- Walmart's U.S. store associates number approximately 1.5 million in 2024.
- Walmart employed 1.9 million people worldwide in 2022.
- Walmart's workforce in Mexico and Central America reached 750,000 in 2023.
- Walmart Canada employs over 90,000 associates as of 2023.
- Walmart's U.K. division (Asda) had 145,000 employees in 2023.
- Walmart India employs 120,000 associates in 2024.
- Walmart's Sam's Club division employs 110,000 in the U.S.
- Walmart hired 240,000 veterans and military spouses since 2013.
- Walmart's e-commerce workforce expanded by 20% in 2023.
- Walmart's supply chain associates total 200,000 globally.
- Walmart employed 2.3 million associates globally in early 2024 estimates.
- Walmart's U.S. workforce contracted by 1% in 2020 due to pandemic.
- Walmart's international workforce is 500,000 outside top markets.
- Walmart hired 20,000 for new fulfillment centers in 2023.
- Walmart's pharmacy workforce is 150,000 U.S. associates.
Workforce Size and Growth Interpretation
If you gathered every person working for Walmart into a single nation, its population of roughly 2.2 million citizens would not only make it the 149th most populous country on Earth, but it would also be a nation perpetually stocking its own shelves.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CORPORATEcorporate.walmart.comVisit source
- Reference 2WALMARTwalmart.comVisit source
- Reference 3STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 4ONEone.walmart.comVisit source
- Reference 5BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 6MACROTRENDSmacrotrends.netVisit source
- Reference 7WALMARTCANADAwalmartcanada.caVisit source
- Reference 8ASDAasda.comVisit source
- Reference 9WALMARTINDIAwalmartindia.inVisit source
- Reference 10GLASSDOORglassdoor.comVisit source
- Reference 11BLOOMBERGbloomberg.comVisit source
- Reference 12RETAILDIVEretaildive.comVisit source
- Reference 13FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 14HRChrc.orgVisit source
- Reference 15OSHAosha.govVisit source
- Reference 16REUTERSreuters.comVisit source
- Reference 17WSJwsj.comVisit source