Do you find the Walmart cheer endearing, creepy or annoying?

[twistedmic]

I was in Walmart earlier today and heard them doing the Walmart cheer

Spoiler: example of Walmart cheer

and got to wondering, what do customers think of the cheer?
IS it cute and endearing? Merely annoying or kind of creepy?

 

[Casual Shinji]

I'd say it's endearing and annoying. I guess it comes from a good place, but if employees started doing this while I was in the supermarket or something, I would quickly head for the exit.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Looks like a cultists ceremony to summon that little smiley face that used to lower prices, but secretly hungered for the souls of the innocent.

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

Creepy. Because it's mandatory.

And if you don't like it, and don't decide to participate, you're punished.

At least, this is what my mother told after working for the company for like 5 years.

Walmart does a lot of stuff like this I've heard. They have mandatory "meetings" where they literally do dances and singing. And not like fun dancing or singing either, it's literally all about how "great" working at Walmart is. But once it's all over with, you're back to being thrown under the bus with 50+ year olds acting like spoiled children when you can't take their coupons.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I've never heard them doing it before, but I have applied to work at Walmart and I read in the application that that is a requirement. I'm kinda glad I didn't ever get the job.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Looks like the modern day creeping death of an employee's soul, if you could repurpose the incremental rubble into a desperate clown face and paint their accompanying noose an assortment of fruity colours, perhaps resembling that of the last packet of skittles they consumed in a final grasp for something sweet in this dreaded uncaring world.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Jesus fucking christ, WHAT is that. I've never heard about that. So glad I've 100% refused the idea of ever working for them for other reasons, now I can add that nonsense to the list

 

[twistedmic]

Mandatory

What is the origin of the Wal-Mart cheer? Our founder, Sam Walton was visiting a tennis ball factory in Korea, where the workers did a company cheer and calisthenics together every morning. He liked the idea and couldn't wait to get back home to try it with his associates. He said, "My feeling is that just because we work so hard, we don't have to go around with long faces all the time - while we're doing all of this work, we like to have a good time. It's sort of a 'whistle while you work' philosophy, and we not only have a heck of a good time with it, we work better because of it."

http://www.wal-martchina.com/english/walmart/rule/wmcheer.htm

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Mandatory

What is the origin of the Wal-Mart cheer? Our founder, Sam Walton was visiting a tennis ball factory in Korea, where the workers did a company cheer and calisthenics together every morning. He liked the idea and couldn't wait to get back home to try it with his associates. He said, "My feeling is that just because we work so hard, we don't have to go around with long faces all the time - while we're doing all of this work, we like to have a good time. It's sort of a 'whistle while you work' philosophy, and we not only have a heck of a good time with it, we work better because of it."

http://www.wal-martchina.com/english/walmart/rule/wmcheer.htm

That's just horrifying if you ask me. I'd rather not come into work than be subjected to that every single shift

 

[Bobular]

Mandatory

What is the origin of the Wal-Mart cheer? Our founder, Sam Walton was visiting a tennis ball factory in Korea, where the workers did a company cheer and calisthenics together every morning. He liked the idea and couldn't wait to get back home to try it with his associates. He said, "My feeling is that just because we work so hard, we don't have to go around with long faces all the time - while we're doing all of this work, we like to have a good time. It's sort of a 'whistle while you work' philosophy, and we not only have a heck of a good time with it, we work better because of it."

http://www.wal-martchina.com/english/walmart/rule/wmcheer.htm

That's just horrifying if you ask me. I'd rather not come into work than be subjected to that every single shift

You WILL be happy & cheerful during all shifts or you WILL be fired.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

This kind of reminds me of the stuff they do at a lot of Japanese companies to improve productivity and morale, like mandatory morning speeches/songs/exercises, mandatory weekend sports activities and mandatory after hours drinking parties.

 

[bluegate]

I'll give them an A for attempting to instill some sense of positivity and comradery, good on them.

There are too many negative nancies in the world.

 

[Kyrian007]

I'm not sure its working as intended. I've never seen them cheering like this; but what I have seen every time I have been to a Walmart is the most miserable looking people, workers and customers alike. I have never in my life seen anyone genuinely happy to be in a Walmart. It seems to be a place people barely tolerate going.

 

[Saelune]

When I found out I did not have to say the Pledge every morning in school, I stopped. I already half-assed it by that point, but I never felt I had to chant cultishly to prove my patriotism.


I would not work at a place that required this, it is creepy, it is manipulative, it is not ok.

 

[DeadProxy]

As a walmart employee, I hate it and it's dumb and I'm glad that my shift/store basically gave up on the idea of actually doing the cheer a few weeks after they tried to enforce it. Now the best you'll get out of us is an unenthusiastic "yay walmart."

Also, just some things I've noticed happening up here in canada, but I totally believe Walmart is slowly trying to eliminate the need for actual employees, and just contract the labour work out to other companies. In a couple years, I wont be surprised if the only possible job at a walmart is a manager kind of position, as everything else would be done through other companies, thus ensuring Walmarts profits only go up.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Americans... they're just a little bit weird, that's all.

 

[Xprimentyl]

It?s annoying. Annoying as PISS. It?s an insult to and ASSAult on the intelligence and dignity of all those involved. I work in corporate America, and this kind of lock-step, pep rally bullshit is one of the worst examples of it. You cannot mandate fun, enthusiasm, camaraderie, etc. all those things this kind of nonsense tries to cultivate, yet all the ?How to Business? books sell something to this extent. The problem is, it?s always the people on top of the pecking order who think this stuff works and is a good idea, and why wouldn?t they when their position has created beneath them a bunch of Yes Men/Women who wouldn?t DARE challenge them? Point in case: just yesterday, my job kicked off ?Spirit Week,? and it started with the members of the Office of the CEO literally hooting, hollering and blowing horns in the faces of everyone as we walked through the door. All the sheep smiled, laughed and played along, and as soon as everyone got to their respective desks, EVERYONE bitched about how obnoxious it was, how of all the ways to kick off a Monday morning, THAT was worst. But I guaran-fucking-tee you, that feedback never made it back to the CEOs who are probably still patting themselves on the dick for being such ?great motivators.? Even now, as I sit at my desk, my ears are being bombarded by loud pop music from our rotunda and some corporate shill screaming into a microphone (day 2 of 5 for Spirit Week,) and it?s having the exact OPPOSITE effect.

 

[CaitSeith]

This kind of reminds me of the stuff they do at a lot of Japanese companies to improve productivity and morale, like mandatory morning speeches/songs/exercises, mandatory weekend sports activities and mandatory after hours drinking parties.

Seeing the high rate of death related to work stress in Japan, I'm not surprised.

 

[CaitSeith]

It?s annoying. Annoying as PISS. It?s an insult to and ASSAult on the intelligence and dignity of all those involved. I work in corporate America, and this kind of lock-step, pep rally bullshit is one of the worst examples of it. You cannot mandate fun, enthusiasm, camaraderie, etc. all those things this kind of nonsense tries to cultivate, yet all the ?How to Business? books sell something to this extent. The problem is, it?s always the people on top of the pecking order who think this stuff works and is a good idea, and why wouldn?t they when their position has created beneath them a bunch of Yes Men/Women who wouldn?t DARE challenge them? Point in case: just yesterday, my job kicked off ?Spirit Week,? and it started with the members of the Office of the CEO literally hooting, hollering and blowing horns in the faces of everyone as we walked through the door. All the sheep smiled, laughed and played along, and as soon as everyone got to their respective desks, EVERYONE bitched about how obnoxious it was, how of all the ways to kick off a Monday morning, THAT was worst. But I guaran-fucking-tee you, that feedback never made it back to the CEOs who are probably still patting themselves on the dick for being such ?great motivators.? Even now, as I sit at my desk, my ears are being bombarded by loud pop music from our rotunda and some corporate shill screaming into a microphone (day 2 of 5 for Spirit Week,) and it?s having the exact OPPOSITE effect.

 

[TrulyBritish]

Mandatory

What is the origin of the Wal-Mart cheer? Our founder, Sam Walton was visiting a tennis ball factory in Korea, where the workers did a company cheer and calisthenics together every morning. He liked the idea and couldn't wait to get back home to try it with his associates. He said, "My feeling is that just because we work so hard, we don't have to go around with long faces all the time - while we're doing all of this work, we like to have a good time. It's sort of a 'whistle while you work' philosophy, and we not only have a heck of a good time with it, we work better because of it."

http://www.wal-martchina.com/english/walmart/rule/wmcheer.htm

That's just horrifying if you ask me. I'd rather not come into work than be subjected to that every single shift

You WILL be happy & cheerful during all shifts or you WILL be fired.

This type of sentiment is just banal if you ask me, I get the idea of wanting cheerful, motivated workers, but maybe companies could try doing that by respecting their workers and giving them decent pay instead of going on about how we're "totes a family group guys, a big happy family that sing and chant together".