Walmart associates raise alarm over confusing 2026 pay increase system

Walmart associates on an internal community thread detailed a new, tiered approach to 2026 raises and expressed growing confusion and frustration about how corporate policy will translate into actual pay increases. The posts described a system in which a base raise percentage is set by tenure and then modified by three components: an additional tenure adjustment, attendance or points, and store performance. A fourth, more subjective element labeled "Everyday Actions" or manager feedback can move the final raise amount up or down.

Commenters said evaluations and attendance points will be measured as of January 31, and they pointed to past cycles when approved increases typically appeared in March or April paychecks. Many associates noted that even when starting pay for new hires was raised, tenured workers often saw only modest net gains after the adjustments and reconciling of points. Several posts warned that attendance points, which are tied to time-off and no-call no-show rules, can erode otherwise expected raises.

The thread captured frontline anxiety about discretion and consistency. Associates said the Everyday Actions component gives managers latitude to boost or reduce raises based on subjective feedback, a dynamic that can produce uneven outcomes across stores. Concerns focused on perceived fairness: when new hires receive larger base increases while long-standing associates see smaller overall changes, morale can suffer and retention becomes more difficult at a time when many stores are competing for experienced hourly talent.

Store performance adjustments add another layer of complexity. Associates reported uncertainty about which performance metrics will be used and how corporate targets translate into raise multipliers. That ambiguity feeds questions about whether store-level results will reward teams that have been hit hardest by turnover or staffing shortages. The combined effect of tenure tiers, attendance penalties, store performance, and manager discretion is a system that employees described as difficult to predict and hard to plan around financially.

For hourly workers, the immediate impacts could include strained relations between managers and associates as staff seek explanations for their individual outcomes, altered attendance behavior as employees try to avoid points, and increased skepticism about corporate communications. The ambiguity may also put pressure on managers, who must balance enforcing attendance policies with maintaining morale while applying subjective Everyday Actions evaluations.

What comes next for associates is clearer communication and transparency from leadership. Expect questions at store meetings and requests for written explanations of how the four components were applied to individual raises. Historically, associates watch March and April paychecks for changes; this cycle’s timing and the new layered formula mean workers will be closely checking those stubs and raising concerns if outcomes do not match expectations.