Column: The Walmart problem is bigger than Walmart

I'll fully admit, my trips to Walmart are becoming far too frequent lately. The close proximity of the store along with the ability to get pretty much anything I need, when I need it, results in multiple trips per week on average. No doubt a Walmart executive would be giddy with excitement at reading this.

What may prove less exciting would be my observations of employee morale and behavior. What's astounding about a store like Walmart, aside from the sheer size of it, are the number of employees it takes to keep the place humming. Even more astonishing are the number of workers that appear to be doing very little if anything for the small wage they're being paid.

Those who are working are almost always on their phone, either busily scrolling or enjoying a conversation while throwing items into a basket for in-store pickup.

Trust me, I'm not here to judge. People do what they need to get by and I fully understand that, but it did get me to thinking. Why are most of the employees at Walmart and stores like it miserable? Is it the low pay and limited benefits or something else entirely?

This is purely my opinion, but I tend to think it's a bit more deep-rooted than just money, although that certainly does have a lot to do with it. Having a job with limited to no upward mobility that takes little real skill results in zero self-worth or purpose.

Therein lies the "Walmart problem" of our society, but how do we fix it?

One solution that has been the fix for generations is going to college and earning a degree so you can secure a good-paying job upon graduation. This still works; however, it's been tainted by the high cost of college and crippling student loan debt. Rather than simply signing up for tens of thousands in loans to be paid back later, taking a smart approach in utilizing a community college for core curriculum prior to attending a four-year university makes sense depending on the degree you choose.

Another solution that's become more viable (and quite frankly more broadly accepted) is to learn a trade. I'm constantly walking around Walmart or any number of retail stores wondering to myself why someone who's young, healthy and smart enough to use a phone isn't utilizing an opportunity to become an electrician, HVAC repair person or plumber. The benefits and salary from these jobs far outweighs what you'd be paid at a major retail store, plus, these jobs provide a career with purpose.

On my recent Walmart trip, I spotted something else I thought was interesting, a self-driving floor polisher. A machine that once required a human being to act as pilot was now meandering around the store all on its own. This may not have been a high-paying job at one time; however, there are plenty of people who made a career out of being a janitor. A low-skilled career for sure but one that may have provided purpose in their lives.

Similar to the kiosks at fast-food chains, we're continually seeing low-wage and low-skilled jobs fall by the wayside. This isn't a bad thing necessarily; after all, most of these jobs barely pay a living wage. What is challenging to consider is the amount of people who are employed in these jobs. What will become of them when they're all gone?

The zombie employee at Walmart, glassy-eyed and busy looking at their phone, may as well be a living dinosaur walking among us, waiting for the meteor to hit and wipe them all out.

Perhaps the real challenge isn't finding jobs for people, but finding ways to ensure the work that remains gives them a reason to put down the phone and a reason to care about what they do.

Patrick Byrne lives in Tega Cay with his wife and two daughters. After 25 years working for a Big 4 bank where he held multiple marketing/communication roles, he retired from the corporate world to pursue his passion for writing. An opportunity to develop a local paper proved too enticing to turn down. Patrick is a graduate of Winthrop University where he majored in Communications. Patrick can be reached at patrickbyrne@tegacaysun.com and patrickbyrnecreative.com.