In a recent article, a former Walmart employee recounts his positive experience working with the company on more than one occasion. In what is commonly seen as a dead-end 'job', Travis Okulski highlights the experience and skills he had gleaned from working at the retail giant, including what to do when confronting co-workers, being in close proximity to customers and what to do about theft. He also mentions that there was an emphasis on training properly and room for advancement in the company.
To be fair, he admits that the pay was $9.00/hr and that the work day was 9 hours with a one hour lunch that went unpaid. Travis also goes on to say that:
"Some fellow associates seemed content to do the bare minimum and didn't
go anywhere in the company because of it. In fact, they are still at the
same level.
In my opinion, these are also the employees that you hear speaking negatively of Walmart's employment practices. They want something for nothing from the company and they aren't getting it."
In my opinion, these are also the employees that you hear speaking negatively of Walmart's employment practices. They want something for nothing from the company and they aren't getting it."
The bottom line is this - what you choose to do for a living, either permanently or temporarily, will greatly affect your well-being depending on how you perceive your position. Work is work, a job is a job, they all have good stuff and bad, there will always be glory and ugly little details no matter what you do or how much you get paid to do it. The fact is that everybody has a choice of what to do for a living and how to perceive it. Sometimes choosing to be successful can take a while to realize and, likewise, choosing to do the bare minimum can take a while to realize in retrospect.
If most of us are going to work for a third or more of our day, why not get on a path of fulfillment rather than that of anger, self-pity and resentment. This is not about a retail giant, it's about perception of vocational success.
As a contrast, and for what it's worth, here are is the link to the article and some of the reactions to it (bear in mind I did not come across anything but negative comments, which is a bit of a distortion of perception):
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/i-worked-at-walmart-for-two-years-and-i-actually-really-liked-it.html
"The training is great if the staff would only apply it. Unfortunately at my walmart on hwy 42 in garner nc they do not. I have even been snubbed by a manager there. I was trying to buy an IPOD for my grand daughter and you would have thought that I was asking them to run a marathon for me."
"I really enjoyed this commercial. Thank you."
"What bull.......even the "Greeter" at my local Walmart (Fishkill, NY) never greeted me. Also, try to find someone in a department.....what a joke. Fifty cash registers with four opened, all cashiers having frowns on their face. What planet was this Walmart on?"
"Well, this guy did find filling out the Wal-Mart application difficult. Perhaps he's just deficient."
"Now I am convinced Walmart owns Yahoo"
"I wonder how many employees like seeing 75% of thier paycheck gone on rent lol"
" My wife works at Walmart and she is treated like crap. It is ridiculous that she comes home and cries all day because of the crap she has to take from the bosses and the manager will do nothing about it."
