A general view of the front of a Walmart store on Springfield Road on March 22, 2020 in Union, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) NEW YORK - Walmart has started giving approximately 165,000 hourly workers a raise, as the company seeks to introduce new leadership roles and “cross-training opportunities.”In October, the retail giant is implementing a “team-based operating model” in Supercenters that includes new roles and skills training to serve customers and encourage career and pay growth for associates.Walmart said that the pay increases are taking the place of the usual annual increase that comes in February or April.“This new structure is built around higher-skilled jobs of the future, and the compensation for.