It’s the big business behemoth, the profit powerhouse, the ruler of riveting rollbacks!

It’s Walmart – the biggest retailer in the world – and it has a divisive reputation. The mega-chain didn’t get to be on top without a few controversial choices. 

In the latest chapter of Walmart’s reign, there comes a plot twist. The company announced last month an increase in their minimum wage to $9/hr, starting in April.

That’s more than the minimum in many states.

What’s behind this unusual decision? Rather than a big-business betrayal, it seems Walmart might be trying to clean up its act in order to stay on top.

“What’s driving us is we want to create a great store experience for customers and do that by investing in our own people” – Doug McMillan, Walmart CEO

A higher wage, which is expected to rise to $10/hr next year, is certainly a start for an investment in workers. The change doesn’t make Walmart a beacon of business ethics by any means, but the company may finally be getting it. It’s not always smart to put profits over people.