Associate development
Promoting and developing our associates is a key success factor within Walmart Culture. Our efforts begin by attracting the right talent to strengthen the business; our diversity policies allow us to focus on the best candidates, whether they are or not local residents. The hiring process consists of interviews, selection processes, psychometric tests, interviews with the business committee, economic offer, document submittal, candidate file integration, entry into the work force, welcome, and the on boarding process.
The most important talent pool initiatives, used to identify future leaders are:
- Trainees: contributes to the acquisition of high-potential undergraduate students. As students complete their studies they work in different areas of the Company.
- MBAs: supports the integration of Mexicans who study an MBA abroad, inviting them to lead a strategic project for 3 months during the summer; after completing their studies the most outstanding students are integrated to different areas of the Company.
Our talent development programs are focused on the following areas:
- Training that targets our Operations and Staff associates throughout all levels of the Company, aimed at developing their leadership, team work, negotiation and technical knowledge skills. We have the Walmart Training Center offering live or on-site training; the Comprehensive On-line Learning Management System, which includes individual and group development plans; and Walmart TV, our internal TV channel covering the entire operation.
- Scholarship programs for undergraduate and graduate students, supporting the development of executives that are identified as Top Talent, enabling them to begin or complete their professional studies through these scholarships for up to 4 years or Diploma courses for up to 2 years.
- Coaching and mentorship programs are aimed at boosting high-potential associate development through an internal or outside expert.
- Compensation and performance evaluation system, especially designed to encourage and acknowledge development of critical competencies for our business, in line with job requirements, and always result-oriented. The evaluation covers annual and six-month individual development; in addition, 360° multidimensional performance evaluations and executive calibrations are carried out, thus being able to identify real talent and design development plans.
In Mexico, we have consolidated the Merchandising Academy to help achieve talent specialization devoted to the knowledge of our business and customers, based on Walmart Culture principles. This year we conducted:
- Courses for more than 1,300 buyers on leader training, operation compliance, and training for basic merchandising programs, among others. We implemented a new course called “Category Assortment Training” for more than 220 buyers to provide them with tools needed to create appealing merchandise assortments for our customers; and
- Training for 38 Merchandising trainees, who graduated as assistants in Merchandising and in Replenishment, therefore meeting the commitment of generating new talent with high potential and guaranteeing continued availability.
The Operations Academy, on the other hand, seeks to develop operators acknowledged for their leadership and professionalism in process execution; customer-satisfaction focus; adherence to business results; and commitment to their comprehensive development and that of their teams. In 2014, new educational models and learning paths were created, as well as the integration of current and new programs, which will be implemented in 2015.
The first generation of Merchandising trainees graduated this year, and the first Operations generation will graduate in 2015 in Central America. In addition, we incorporated 78 talented associates from the Business, Operations, and Replenishment areas to our 2014–2015 trainee programs.
We trained 11,374 associates from Operations and other critical business areas, through our Operations and Business Academy and our Business Foundation program, thus providing them with the necessary abilities to boost their merchant spirit and align processes, roles, and ways of operating.
The figures presented in this chapter include Banco Walmart.
