Where Walmart Stands On Robots And Employment -- And What You Can Learn From That - Forbes

Walmart's Fast Unloader

Walmart Corporation

Walmart has just publicized a quartet of “automated assistants”—robots—to make their stores more smoothly. Moreover, they claim that the robots will “minimize the time an associate spends on the more mundane and repetitive tasks” and give associates “more of an opportunity to do what they’re uniquely qualified for”—to serve customers on the sales floor. In what may be seen as a new round of reckoning with the robots, the publicity raises fresh questions about future career opportunities at Walmart. How different will new career opportunities be, and for whom, and at what price in terms of layoffs?

The robots are described as an auto-cleaner that cleans and polishes floors; an auto-scanner, that scans  store shelves to check item availability, location, and price; a fast unloader that scans and sorts items unloaded from trucks based on priority and department; and a pickup tower or “giant vending machine” from which customers can pick previously ordered items. Taken together, they seem likely to maintain Walmart’s leadership in cost-effective store management. How much, though, has Walmart thought about the implications for its workers’ careers?

I reached out to Walmart and heard back from Ragan Dickens, their director of corporate communications. He enthused about the robots and the customer experience they would bring. The robots are already in 800 stores and Walmart is going for 1,700 more stores by the end of the year. The value proposition is to provide an easier and faster customer experience. That experience will end with three ways to purchase, at a regular or automated checkout, or with a sales associate inside the store.

What about the effects on employees’ careers? The robots will work alongside Walmarts associates, and also broaden the scope of the work. The idea is to invest in multi-skilling, make the associates’ jobs more interesting, and develop long-term career relationships. Time saved in doing automated tasks will now be spent on the shop floor helping customers locate and select products. There is no intention that the new round of automation will lead to layoffs, on the contrary all time saved will be re-invested in customer service. The company now offers an enhanced “ladder of opportunities” in performing necessary floor tasks and going on to higher positions leading to store manager and beyond. There will be a better future for all.

Dickens emphasized that Walmart’s “live better”’ slogan applies to both customers and employees, and is reflected in the training opportunities available. A fundamental opportunity is through on-the-job training in the stores, but that is complemented by widespread training programs with systematic wage increases on completion. These include classes in customer relations and empathy to help associates grow into more demanding communications roles. Where equipment isn’t directly available, the company offers virtual reality training modules to provide a more realistic experience. There is also Walmart’s innovative “dollar a day” scholarship program for its workers to attend university.

What happened to the greeters? I was told Walmart still has a customer host at the door ready to help. However, that host was now expected to play a wider role in assisting customers with inquiries, and getting them to the right part of the store. What about employees with special needs? Walmart will work with them to find an appropriate position. How does the use of automatic checkouts help the customer experience? It's just one option of three if a customer is in a hurry.

What about contemporary workers looking for career mobility rather than a Walmart career? People were welcome to “grow out” of Walmart if they wished. They could take their 401K accounts with them, including accumulations from Walmart’s contributions. However, the company’s hope is that many associates will want to stay, and become part of a better future for all.

In summary, as far as Walmart is concerned, there is no rise of the robots in the sense of technology taking jobs away. There is only mutual benefit, for both workers and customers, in their shared participation in a more rewarding shopping experience. What is a career owner to make of this situation, and situations like it in other technology-driven companies?

It appears that Walmart has thought through the implications of the current round of automation, and genuinely wants to give its associates more career opportunities. Moreover, associates with an interest in operations, sales or store management may be well advised to stay with the company as long as they see learning and promotion prospects. Where the problems are likely to come is in three to five years when Walmart’s new technology becomes commonplace among competitors. At that point, the company may want to introduce a further round of technology, or squeeze the number of shop floor workers, to reclaim its cost advantage. The good news is that career owners can think in terms of three to five year episodes as well. In that way, both the employer and the employee can keep their options open for the longer term.

The scenario above applies to all jobs subject to technological change, as well as to all jobs that have a project-based employment system. Employment relationships can be mutually beneficial in the short term, but need to regularly re-negotiated as technology advances and company and individual agendas change. Career owners who anticipate a longer employment arrangement are looking into the unknown, and setting themselves up for disappointment.

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