Talent acquisition, management, and development are linked, says this Walmart HR pro

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Allison Joyce began working at Walmart two years ago. She has been an exec in the talent space at companies including Comcast, Yum! Brands, and PepsiCo. Joyce told HR Brew she’s working at the world’s largest private employer to “create a self-sustaining talent ecosystem.”

Joyce is in “lockstep” with the company’s learning and leadership organization, aligning Walmart’s talent acquisition strategy with succession planning, skills management, and training to “move toward a skills-based talent identification.”

“How do we develop effective pipelines internally or externally to bring the folks in,” she said, and with the learning and leadership team, she’s figuring out the right pathways and opportunities to train employees and move them into parts of the organization that best meet their skills. It’s a daunting task, considering Walmart employs more than 2 million people worldwide. But to Joyce, that’s part of the draw.

What’s the best change you’ve made at work?

My biggest passion is the talent movement—to me, it’s important to create a talent system that enables and encourages employees to learn and grow in the company. As much as my job is about networking and finding great people to hire, it’s also about how we’re opening pathways and opportunities once we hire those people.

One of the most significant changes that I have made is helping Walmart create those pathways and prospects to help people move across the business and feel empowered to do so.

The business benefits when employees bring their knowledge, skills, and passion into new roles. Employees benefit from feeling empowered, valued, and appreciated for learning and growing at the company. At the other end of the spectrum, [while at Comcast] I also helped to create a “gig” program.

After hearing a lot of conversations about gig work and side hustles, I wondered why we couldn’t create a network within the organization. We had a lot of people who had additional skills but didn’t want to leave their day job. So, we posted project-based opportunities on the foundation of enabling and encouraging learning and growth.

What’s the biggest misconception people might have about your job?

A prominent misconception is that hiring people is easy! This job takes a tremendous amount of work, and it’s most definitely not easy. People often think working at a large company, like Walmart, means it’s easier to get the job done with more resources. Having more resources can be a blessing. Still, it also can present unique opportunities. We exercise every resource to ensure we’re not just connecting with people, but connecting with the right people and placing them in the right places.

What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your job?

What drives me is creating talent systems that enable and encourage learning and growth. I was drawn to Walmart because of their commitment to having a path for everyone. We have countless stories of associates who started working in the stores and have transitioned to several other roles within the company.

We take the idea of career opportunities very seriously. I’m always trying to think of ways we can provide additional exposure and create new ways that enable talent to reach their full potential. And the opportunities at Walmart are growing—over the last few years, we added tech-powered positions to the company, creating new jobs for pickup and delivery. We can help so many people at Walmart find their passion and path.

What trend in HR are you most optimistic about? Why?

Over the past few years, especially during the pandemic when we were working from home, a trend emerged that emphasized purpose and personal values. People put a finer focus on how and where they spend their time at work.

I’m optimistic about this industry focusing on purpose and values—I think people do their best work when they’re feeling connected to the company’s values. I think we’ll start to see more people find their way with this renewed sense of purpose and priority.

What trend in HR are you least optimistic about? Why?

While I’m excited about all the emerging technologies, we need to be mindful that what makes “human resources” successful is the “human” element. Empathy, strategy, and decision-making are elements that people bring to the role. We need to keep that at the forefront as we continue to innovate and improve technologies that help us do our roles even better and faster. I’m thrilled about the possibilities of using gen AI at Walmart as a people-led and tech-powered company.