Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has awarded more than $24.5 million in cash bonuses to its 103,500 hourly associates in Texas, the retail giant announced on Monday.
The bonuses, based on store performances from May through July of this year, are part of an overall incentive plan designed to reward associates whose stores have met performance and customer service goals. Eligible associates can earn the bonuses four times a year.
“Wal-Mart is a place of opportunity,” said Greg Harden, a Wal-Mart store manager, commenting in a news release.
“We knew our performance and customer service goals, and it was up to the associates in my store to take advantage of this opportunity,” Harden said.
The bonuses follow the firm’s 2015 announced $2.7 billion investment in its associates. The commitment includes investments in education, training and higher wages. As a result, more than 1.2 million Wal-Mart U.S. and Sam’s Club associates received pay increases on the same day earlier this year, according to the company.
Wal-Mart considers associate training a key component of its associate investment strategy. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to open 200 academies nationwide to teach advanced retail skills to department managers and hourly supervisors. More than 140,000 associates are expected to complete the training program each year.
In February, the company rolled out its Pathways training program for all entry-level workers, providing training, education and opportunities for associates, offering them what the company calls a clearer career path from entry level positions to jobs with more responsibility and higher pay.
Wal-Mart operates 11,504 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. It employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. More information is available at http://corporate.walmart.com or http://www.walmart.com.