Retail Titans Compared: Amazon vs. Walmart

Amazon.com and Walmart Inc., two of the largest retail giants globally, have transformed the way people shop and consume. Despite their shared dominance in the retail industry, their workplace cultures reveal striking differences in employee experiences and organizational priorities. This analysis examines key cultural behaviors and employee value drivers, comparing the strengths and challenges each company faces as an employer.

Amazon: More Supportive, Progressive, Empowered, Agile, Pay & Reward, Workplace Tech, Learning & Development, Purpose , D&I

Walmart: More Career Progression, Work-life Balance

Culture Analysis

Cultural Behaviors

1. Purpose
   Amazon scores +1.5%, while Walmart scores -66.6%. Amazon employees report a neutral alignment with the company’s mission, while Walmart employees show a significant disconnect. Improving purpose alignment at Walmart could foster greater engagement and motivation among employees.
2. Work-Life Balance
   Walmart scores -6.6%, outperforming Amazon’s -29.6%. While both companies report negative scores, Walmart employees experience a slightly better work-life balance. This reflects the intense demands at Amazon, known for its fast-paced and high-pressure work environment.
3. Learning & Development
   Amazon scores +54.6%, significantly higher than Walmart’s +22.3%. Amazon’s emphasis on upskilling and career growth positions it as a leader in employee development, while Walmart could enhance its investment in this area to attract and retain top talent.
4. Career Progression
   Walmart scores +4.4%, slightly outperforming Amazon’s -5%. Walmart employees perceive slightly better career advancement opportunities, though both companies have room for improvement in offering clearer and more accessible pathways to growth.
5. Pay & Rewards
   Amazon scores +50.2%, outperforming Walmart’s +37.5%. Both companies report positive scores, but Amazon’s higher score reflects stronger satisfaction with compensation and benefits. Competitive pay is critical for talent retention in the retail industry, and Walmart may need to close this gap.
6. Tech in Workplace
   Amazon scores +29.8%, while Walmart scores -6.6%. Amazon employees report satisfaction with workplace technology, reflecting the company’s investment in digital tools to streamline operations. Walmart’s negative score suggests dissatisfaction, highlighting an area for potential improvement.
7. Agility & Bureaucracy
   Amazon scores -16.2%, outperforming Walmart’s -42.3%. Both companies face challenges in agility, with Walmart experiencing more bureaucratic constraints. Streamlining processes could enhance responsiveness and operational efficiency at both organizations.
8. Empowered
   Amazon scores +13.5%, while Walmart scores -32.5%. Amazon employees feel more empowered in their roles, reflecting a culture that encourages initiative and ownership. Walmart could benefit from fostering a similar environment to enhance employee engagement.
9. Progressive
   Amazon scores -8.1%, while Walmart scores -61.1%. Both companies report negative scores, but Amazon is perceived as more progressive than Walmart. Emphasizing innovation and future-focused practices could help Walmart better align with employee expectations.
10. Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)
    Amazon scores +18.4%, while Walmart scores -11.4%. Amazon employees perceive greater inclusivity, highlighting its efforts to foster a diverse workplace. Walmart could address this gap by strengthening its D&I initiatives to create a more equitable environment.
11. Collaborative
    Amazon scores +30.2%, slightly higher than Walmart’s +27.4%. Both companies demonstrate positive scores, indicating strong teamwork and collaboration. Enhancing collaborative efforts could further support productivity and innovation.
12. Supportive
    Walmart scores -47.5%, lower than Amazon’s -18.4%. Both companies report negative scores, indicating a perceived lack of support, with Walmart showing a more significant gap. Strengthening leadership accessibility and mentorship programs could help address this issue.

Culture Insights

Amazon and Walmart each exhibit unique strengths and challenges in their workplace cultures. Amazon excels in learning and development (+54.6%), pay and rewards (+50.2%), and technology in the workplace (+29.8%), reflecting its focus on innovation and employee growth. Walmart, on the other hand, performs better in work-life balance (-6.6%) and career progression (+4.4%), demonstrating a more stable work environment in certain areas.

However, both companies face challenges in agility, support, and purpose alignment, which could hinder employee satisfaction and retention. For Amazon, addressing work-life balance and career progression could complement its strengths in innovation and rewards. For Walmart, fostering empowerment, inclusivity, and improving workplace technology could position it as a more attractive employer.

By addressing these cultural gaps, both Amazon and Walmart can enhance their employee value propositions, further solidifying their status as leaders in the retail industry.

Ready to benchmark Culture?

Interested in Culture Intelligence and key questions like:

• What makes one Culture more effective than another?
• Does one Cultural personality have more success in the long run and short run? Is a company personality like the signature of the management?

In this series, we explore different Company personalities and how they compare.

Follow us on Linkedin