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The Takeover of Technology: Walmart Employee, Willie HansburgBy Sydney ParrUniversity of Arkansas Student Friday, September 20, 2019Nearly approaching six years of sitting at a desk, clanking keys on a keyboard, skimming the computer screen looking at data, and rambling through meeting after meeting about inventory strategies, Willie Hansburg is Walmart’s Home Office Senior Replenishment Manager. The role he plays for Walmart today is Less physical stress and all mental stress he stated while sipping on his coffee. Though, from the time Hansburg started with Walmart to now times have changed. Technology plays an effective part for workers in stores across the country as well as the Home Office. As Americans see it almost every business is being taken over by technology. Specifically industry’s like retail, car, food, construction, and much more. It’s better for consumers but for some job types those have been or will soon be eliminated. Hansburg isn’t the only employee that could potentially be effected by the usage of technology, there are hundreds of thousands of other workers too. “ The home office is also affected by technology. We also reduce head count. Because of technology we are more efficient with less people. For some of the roles being eliminated from our stores that we can do without, it allows associates to explore other options if they have the skill set,” Hansburg said. Locally, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce President, Steve Clark has implemented a robotics course for individuals to learn robotic skills so they can be successful in the work force. Technology is growing businesses and industry’s but on the flip side is effecting workers skill sets. For residents of North West Arkansas, attending the week long session to learn robotics and the programming of technology only adds to he or she’s skill set. “Robots and other technological devices can get the job done in seconds, while also doing it perfectly. Hands down it can do more than a human,” Steve Clark said. As for Hansburg, he didn’t start out close to the top of the totem pole. For thirteen months he worked twelve and half hour night shifts at a Neighborhood Walmart in Springdale, Arkansas. While working four nights on and four nights off Hansburg described a typical night to be putting the store back together, replenishing, and cleaning. During his time working in store, he expressed it being challenging.Standing on his feet for twelve hours being the only manager with the keys in the entire store was rough. Putting the store back together for the next day, unloading general merchandise out of trucks, and placing the items on the right isle and section was the least of Hansburgs’ worries. His biggest feat was continuously finding ways to make the staff more efficient and find a solid routine the ensures everyone is doing their job properly. “Truth be told I hated working in the stores. It was harder than being a collegiate athlete. I only did it because I was early in my career and I knew it would pay dividends. That experience in the store honestly set me up for success,” Hansburg said. November will make his sixth year working within the Walmart Industry, and Hansburg has seen an enormous difference in the way Walmart stores operate. Within recent years, Walmart has not had near the technology to unload and load trucks, stock the shelves, self- check-out, or devices to pinpoint exactly where an item is. Less and less associates are used in stores today and the customer service checkouts are dwindling. “As we have more technology we can focus on consumers more. Walmart’s priority is to make the shopping experience as convenient as possible for the shopper. We always ask two questions how has it impacted the customer and how has it impacted the associates. As long as the customers are put first and workers second we will continue to be successful as an industry,” Hansburg said.Consumers are a lot happier with the implement of technology and how easily accessible items are. Consumers do not have to wait in long check-out lines no more. Self-checkout is now the fastest and easiest route. “I love self-checkout it’s so easy and fast. Doing it myself is efficient and I’m able to shop under thirty minutes now,” said an anonymous source at the Walmart on MLK.“I get off of work at five thirty after an eight hour work shift and need to get home fast to make my kids dinner every night. I pick up what I need and fly threw the self-check-out line. It’s great because my kids eat earlier and I’m happier,” said an anonymous source at the Neighborhood Walmart on Weddington. The usage of technology allows industry’s to grow, receive data faster, and cut cost. Employees either lose jobs or are forced to learn new skills. For those at the lower end of the spectrum they hardly ever get the befit of the doubt. Hansburg made a strong point that Walmart is respectful of their former employees that have been laid off. Paying them their salary for sixty days while allowing them to search for another job within the company. If they do not find a job, they get a payout of one paycheck for every year of service. Fortunately Hansburg has worked his way up into a top position and is thriving today. From his point of view he now knows how much technology matters.“It has changed a lot because as we invest more in technology it makes us more efficient workers whether it is at the Home Office or in stores making a lot of decisions and being able to gather data a lot faster it decreases the number of employees we need to do jobs,” Hansburg said. For Steve Clark his robotics program has been a huge success for those needing to obtain greater skills to adapt to the new world of technology. In Hansburgs mind, he sees Walmart continuously investing in technology and robotics because the employees are a reflection of the consumers served. Walmart is solid when it comes to future investments in technology. Coming full circle today, Hansburg is emotionally attached to the in store workers because he was once in their shoes. Knowing the workers laid off and the changes coming in the near future are tough for him. He is appreciative of the experiences he has had throughout his time working for one of the most dominant industry’s and the life it has created for him. Even knowing the future is never promised. “As my first job working in store it was extremely challenging and by far the hardest I have ever had but I learned a lot and grew a lot. It was a great leadership role the first one I had and being young at 23 at the time. Honestly has made me a better manager in the Home Office because I think about what I did instore and my experience before pushing certain buttons,” Hansburg said. -1001097548200Pictured: Willie Hansburg (2013)Pictured: Willie Hansburg (2017) ................
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