Walmart HR head says 'nobody' will want to hire employees who 'bring the problem, never the...'

Donna Morris, executive vice president and HR head at Walmart, has issued a blunt warning to job seekers: negativity in the workplace is a major red flag.

In an interview with CNBC Make It, Morris said that employees who consistently bring problems without offering solutions—commonly referred to as “Debbie Downers”—are unlikely to thrive professionally. “Nobody wants [to hire] a Debbie Downer,” she said. “They’re constantly negative… they bring the problem, never the solution.”

Morris, 57, has overseen the employee experience of over 2 million Walmart workers since 2020. Prior to joining the retail giant, she spent nearly two decades at Adobe in senior leadership roles. Her comments reflect a broader shift in corporate culture that values proactive problem-solving and collaborative thinking.

A “Debbie Downer,” she explained, is not just pessimistic but often obstructive—dismissing ideas, resisting change, and discouraging colleagues from pursuing new opportunities. This behaviour can erode trust and limit career growth.