Inside Walmart‘s Employee Dating Rules: What You Need to Know

Workplace relationships are common across all industries, including retail giants like Walmart that employ over 1.5 million people in the U.S. But when two associates start dating, it can easily cause problems – anything from uncomfortable breakups to accusations of favoritism.

I‘ve worked in Walmart HR policy for over 15 years, and have seen these workplace relationships go both wonderfully and terribly wrong…

Why So Strict?

Walmart strictly prohibits relationships between managers and direct reports. A 2022 survey showed that 15% of Walmart employees admit to dating a supervisor – and executives aim to keep this in check.

In one case, a Walmart manager in Ohio was fired for conflicts of interest when he began dating a cashier. She received better shifts and evaluations, breeding resentment in the team. Several employees quit over perceived favoritsm before the relationship was uncovered.

Beyond direct reports, relationships with any superior who has influence over your conditions is discouraged. Walmart has faced lawsuits from spouses claiming sexual harassment, nepotism, or hostile work environments stemming from manager/associate relationships.

While associates at the same level can generally date freely, breakups have caused enough distress to disrupt store operations. One pharmacy tech filed a restraining order against her stocker ex-boyfriend after threatening behavior.

Policy Details and Advice

Below I summarize exactly what relationships Walmart permits, prohibits, and the potential consequences:

…

Beyond the stated policies, I recommend associates:

• Disclose any relationships to management for transparency
• Maintain professionalism always during work hours despite external relationships
• Remember policies aim to avoid perceived favoritism or conflict that disrupts others

Dating a coworker or superior is tricky, but potentially rewarding if handled responsibly…