Walmart’s New Manager Academy Offers Leadership, Culture Training

Retailer expects more than 2,000 store managers to complete course this year

4/28/2023

Walmart's latest training program aims to equip store managers with the skills they need to lead associates.

As part of its $1 billion investment to provide U.S. associates with career-driven training and development through 2026, Walmart Inc. has launched a new Manager Academy to equip store managers with the skills and knowledge to lead their associates. More than 2,000 managers are expected to complete the training this year.

The retailer found that the training was so beneficial to new store managers that it decided to bring all current managers through the program. Manager Academy lasts one week and is located at Walmart’s Home Office in Bentonville, Ark.

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The training program includes:

Understanding the company’s values and how to be a culture champion.
Leading with empathy and focusing on associate well-being.
How to further engage with customers and communities.
Embracing change and leading with a change mindset.

“With more than 75% of our managers promoted from within, we know many have the retail knowledge and customer service skills to do the job of a store manager successfully,” wrote Lorraine Stomski, SVP, learning and leadership, in a company blog post. “What they’re seeking is additional training around leadership and managing teams.”

Training also includes a 360-degree feedback survey from fellow associates and managers, as well as a six-month mentorship following the program with managers who have completed the class and have longer tenures with strong track records.

Last month, Walmart announced a partnership with online learning platform Springboard to bring tailored upskilling and reskilling programs to its Live Better U offerings. The companies are aiming to equip Walmart and Sam’s Club employees with the necessary skills to excel in data and tech careers.

Each week, approximately 230 million customers and members visit Walmart’s more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.