Exclusive: Walmart to discusses new remote workforce strategies during SPECS
Managing a remote workforce may be business as usual for Walmart, but that isn’t stopping the company from integrating new processes to improve virtual collaboration and efficiency.
As an international company, the retail giant has been managing teams remotely in various capacities for decades, Amber Hoyt, Walmart’s senior manager, digital product, told Chain Store Age.
“Over time technology has made the task easier, however, challenges still exist,” she added. (Hoyt will discuss Walmart’s remote workforce strategies during Chain Store Age’s SPECS conference Aug. 22-24, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.)
Hoyt has been managing remote teams for about 10 years in various roles, including collaborating with architects domestically and managing international technology teams. But the retail industry’s sudden shift to remote work — especially across lines of business that were not typically remote — forced Walmart started to rethink the best ways to engage teams virtually.
Hoyt talked more about how she manages remote teams with Chain Store Age’s Deena Amato-McCoy:
What does it take to effectively manage both domestic and international teams remotely?
When working with international teams, you must be more conscious of work schedules and local time zones. Additionally, there could be different vernaculars so something that seems like a universal term might mean something different elsewhere. For example, the term “barcode” could be used interchangeably with “UPC” domestically, whereas internationally it could mean QR code, EAN, UPC, GTIN barcodes, and so on. Specificity matters.
What lessons did you learn when more lines of business were forced to work virtually?
Similar to a lot of companies, there was a learning curve for [our] teams and individuals who weren’t used to working from various locations. One specific learning curve was how to connect and work within Walmart’s secure network (our VPN). Walmart’s tech teams did a great job providing step-by-step videos and guides to help those who had never logged in this way. They also provided tips on how to speed up your connection while connected to VPN.
How do you manage and encourage accountability?
I maintain accountability through to-do lists. Each Monday, I review my calendar to see which meetings have a specific deliverable and I add these tasks to my to-do list. Next, I block times for focus sessions where I work through my to-do list. This also ensures that I don’t lose focus of what I am supposed to be working on. I name these time blocks based on the objective and/or task I am currently or will be working on.
Looking ahead, what new projects will further support your remote workforce strategy?
There are many companies working to define what flexibility and accountability will look like coming out of the pandemic. With that being said, I am sure there will be advances in technology that will future streamline our abilities to collaborate in a more efficient manner.
Want to hear more about how Walmart, ULTA Beauty and JC Penny are managing their remote teams and driving a healthy work-life balance? Join us at this year’s SPECS Show, August 22-24, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Md. (Click here to register for the conference.)