05/23/2023

Walmart Ups Mental Wellness Offerings

Retailer increases free counseling sessions, training for leaders, outreach and access to tools

Managing Editor

Walmart is increasing the number of free therapy and mental health coaching sessions available to all part- and full-time associates and their families from 10 to 20 sessions per person, per year.

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Walmart is showing its commitment to associates’ well-being by taking a comprehensive approach to mental health

“Walmart and Sam’s Club are able to help provide access to quality mental health support for millions of associates and their families across the country and help set the standard for how employers can address mental health in the workplace, noted Kim Lupo, SVP, Global Total Rewards, in a recent blog post.

Lupo went on to lay out the retailer’s mental health strategy in four key areas:

Free Counseling: The company is increasing the number of free therapy and mental health coaching sessions available to all part- and full-time associates and their families from 10 to 20 sessions per person, per year. The confidential mental health services are provided by licensed mental health professionals, with no medical plan enrollment required.
Leadership Training: Walmart recently launched a major initiative to educate front-line and campus office leaders on how to help someone struggling with a behavioral health issue. In the first four weeks, more than 10,000 associates have completed Walmart and Sam’s Club’s new Workplace Mental Health course.
Proactive Outreach: A program enabling mental health professionals to reach out and call associates to provide support and an early connection to care has engaged with more than 50,500 associate households and offered emotional and mental health support to more than 24,000 U.S. Walmart and Sam’s Club families to date.
Resources: Associates have unlimited access to easy-to-use web and app-based tools, including videos, articles, exercises and meditations, to find the support that best fits their lives.

“It’s not enough to just tell people you’re here if they need anything,” added Lupo. “You have to actually show up for them. We’re proud to show up for our associates and their families whenever they need us, just like they show up for our customers and members every day.”

Each week, approximately 230 million customers and members visit Walmart’s more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.