Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S., is cutting jobs and shutting one of its offices in North Carolina, asking many of its office-based workers to relocate to its main hubs in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Sunnyvale, California.
According to an internal memo obtained by FOX Business, Walmart Chief People Officer Donna Morris said these changes are being made to bring key teams together. She said this will enable employees to work faster and better understand each other. The retail giant is also cutting some jobs as part of the process. The company said the changes will help streamline operations and create a more efficient work environment.
The company would not say how many of its employees would be impacted, but those who have been asked to relocate have at least a month to decide whether to move. Employees at the Hoboken, New Jersey facility, among other smaller offices, also have been asked to relocate. Walmart has made comments to reassure employees it will support them through the transition process.
The giant retailer is also investing in the main offices and accommodating employees being moved. Spaces are to be created where collaboration among workers in developing new ideas can be enhanced. This will be part of the broader company operational shift as Walmart positions for long-term success.
A larger plan to bring workers back to the office
The decision was first announced by Walmart in May 2024, asking employees from offices in Dallas, Atlanta, and Toronto to move to its headquarters in Bentonville or its offices in Hoboken and California. Walmart also requested all its remote workers to come back to the office. Working in person creates better collaboration and efficiency, said the company, which bases its decision on such beliefs.
In February 2022, Walmart started calling workers back into the office, citing improved teamwork, creativity, and speed. The company says putting employees in the same location strengthens its culture. The moves are among many that have pulled workers back into offices after the pandemic shifted much of the workforce to remote jobs.
To support this move, Walmart recently opened a new 350-acre campus in Bentonville, Arkansas, housing 12 office buildings, parking decks, and other facilities. The new headquarters of Walmart has been designed keeping employees in mind: modern workspaces, amenities for better collaboration ways to have teams together that will make employees more productive.
It’s also expanding its office in Hoboken, building out new offices in Sunnyvale, California, and Bellevue, Washington, in addition to its growing fashion office in New York City. Those expansions signal the investment Walmart is making in the workforce and the workplace that houses them.
Walmart Shakeup: Massive Layoffs & Corporate Restructuring!
Being together in person fuels this mission and helps us grow stronger as a company,” Morris wrote in the memo. She added that teams already working in the office have already seen positive results. Now, Walmart is taking another step to increase that momentum. The company feels bringing the team together will facilitate faster decision-making and better communication.
Walmart says it will help the affected workers with relocation opportunities or severance packages for those who decide not to relocate. The company realizes that relocation may be a hard decision for its employees and their families. As such, the company is offering various forms of support to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
These changes are hard for some associates, but the company feels they are necessary steps toward building a stronger, better-connected workforce. It has kept a steady gaze on building an environment where associates can succeed and continue to help Walmart grow.
