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An online grocery order needs filling. A shopper in the aisle needs help finding something.<\/p>\n
For a Walmart associate<\/a>, the job can mean moving between those demands. It requires locating products, packing purchases and getting orders to customers, all while answering questions on the sales floor. That is the work Walmart describes in its own recruiting materials<\/a>. The company warns that the pace can become intense on evenings, weekends and holidays.\u00a0<\/p>\n Walmart\u2019s associates don\u2019t stay in those positions for long. According to a new Business Insider report<\/a>, Walmart promotes about 500 employees every day. Staff members have ample opportunities to climb the corporate ladder and advance at the company.\u00a0<\/p>\n Walmart employs about 2.1 million people worldwide, including about 1.6 million in the U.S. and 500,000 internationally, according to its fiscal 2026 annual report<\/a>. Those figures are valid as of January 31.\u00a0<\/p>\n Walmart\u2019s chief people officer, Donna Morris, said in an interview with Business Insider that employees who advance through the ranks quickly happen to share two qualities<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n She said standing out first starts with doing their current job<\/a> well. The employees who get noticed put their energy into delivering strong work and making meaningful contributions.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey are focused as much, if not more, on being exceptional at what they\u2019re doing today,\u201d Morris told Business Insider.<\/p>\n After mastering their current role, these employees look for ways to show that they are ready for a bigger challenge<\/a>. Taking on higher-level work, suggesting improvements and volunteering for new projects can demonstrate readiness for a higher position before a promotion arrives, Morris said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBe the person that asks or provides volunteerism for new ideas or new initiatives,\u201d Morris said.<\/p>\n According to Walmart\u2019s corporate website<\/a>, the company\u2019s U.S. associates receive their first promotion in nine months, on average.<\/p>\n Walmart noted on its website that its average U.S. hourly employee<\/a> earns more than $18.50 an hour. That figure is an average across workers, not a guaranteed offer to a new hire. The company lists a broad hourly range of $14 to $37 for team-associate roles, with pay varying by position and region. Supply-chain employees earn an average of $27.50 an hour, according to Walmart.<\/p>\n \u201cApproximately 75% of our U.S. salaried store, club, and supply-chain management started their careers in hourly positions,\u201d Walmart disclosed. \u201cAssociates in these roles earned an average of more than $123,000<\/a> in FY2025.\u201d<\/p>\n The company also wrote that over the past decade, over 115 former Walmart employees have advanced to become CEOs<\/a> at other firms.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPeople gain exceptional experience and transferable skills by leading here,\u201d Walmart claimed.\u00a0<\/p>\n What does it take to get a foot in the door at Walmart<\/a>? Morris told Business Insider that she looks for evidence that candidates have worked through challenges rather than giving up.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBe the type of person that takes on over and above what\u2019s being expected of you,\u201d Morris said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n An online grocery order needs filling. A shopper in the aisle needs help finding something.<\/p>\n For a Walmart associate<\/a>, the job can mean moving between those demands. It requires locating products, packing purchases and getting orders to customers, all while answering questions on the sales floor. That is the work Walmart describes in its own recruiting materials<\/a>. The company warns that the pace can become intense on evenings, weekends and holidays.\u00a0<\/p>\n Walmart\u2019s associates don\u2019t stay in those positions for long. According to a new Business Insider report<\/a>, Walmart promotes about 500 employees every day. Staff members have ample opportunities to climb the corporate ladder and advance at the company.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nHow much Walmart pays employees<\/h2>\n
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