Walmart to Cut Jobs at Headquarters, Relocate Others
Walmart is laying off hundreds of corporate workers across the country as it relocates many employees to its Arkansas headquarters. The big-box retailer confirmed the layoffs and relocations in a memo sent to employees Tuesday. In the memo, Chief People Officer Donna Morris said the move is meant to bring more of its employees back to the office after the COVID-19 pandemic. Walmart brought corporate employees back to its Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters in February 2022. The majority of employees working remotely and in offices in Dallas, Atlanta and Toronto have been asked to relocate. Most will be moved to the company’s Arkansas headquarters, but some will also relocate to offices in the San Francisco Bay Area or Hoboken, NJ, Morris said.
Total Retail's Take: Many organizations, including within the retail industry, are enacting plans to bring workers back into corporate offices on a part- or full-time basis. Among the reasons why is the perceived loss of innovation and collaboration that comes with employees not being in the same location — the idea being that in-office workers are more apt to connect with their colleagues for brainstorming sessions, quick pop-ins, etc. Furthermore, Walmart has an added incentive to want to bring more of its corporate staff to Bentonville. The retail giant is in the midst of building a nearly 350-acre campus there. The development includes 12 office buildings, along with parking lots, a hotel and other amenities. The campus’ first few buildings have already opened, including a fitness center and a day care. With the capital investment required to build this new corporate campus, no one should be surprised, including Walmart employees, that the retailer wants to get its money worth and have those buildings filled.
