Jaewon Kang
(Bloomberg) — Walmart Inc.’s new chief executive officer, John Furner, wants employees to share what’s holding them back.
In his first companywide memo since taking over on Feb. 1, Furner said he had a “simple ask: Tell me one thing that slows you down or makes it harder to do your job.”
The 51-year-old Walmart lifer will spend his first weeks visiting stores, supply-chain facilities and support offices around the world, according to the memo, which was viewed by Bloomberg. He said he’ll talk directly with workers to understand what improvements are needed.
Other CEOs have taken similar approaches in recent years. Amazon.com Inc. CEO Andy Jassy and JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon have both asked their staffers to send them examples of the red tape so it can be rooted out.
Walmart has about 2.1 million employees, including 1.6 million in the US, where it is the biggest private employer.
Furner is looking to define his agenda as the company reaches a high point: Walmart just hit $1 trillion in market valuation, and strides in e-commerce have allowed it to broaden its customer base to newer, wealthier customers. The company is now looking to integrate artificial intelligence across its operations.
“I’ve had the privilege of learning this business from the ground up,” Furner said in the memo, adding that the experiences have shaped his leadership style. He said AI is simplifying decision-making, freeing up employees so they can spend more time with customers and each other.
–With assistance from Matthew Boyle.