(NewsNation) — Walmart is laying off hundreds of corporate workers and asking most remote employees to move to offices.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the news Monday, and the big-box retailer confirmed the layoffs and relocations in a memo sent to employees Tuesday.
“We believe that being together, in person, makes us better and helps us to collaborate, innovate and move even faster,” Walmart Chief People Officer Donna Morris said in the memo, which NewsNation local affiliate KNWA published in full.
Morris said the majority of those working remotely and in offices in Dallas, Atlanta and Toronto have been asked to relocate. Most will be moved to the company’s headquarters in Arkansas.
The memo said the decision would strengthen the company’s culture and help further develop associates. It also said “several hundred campus roles” would be eliminated, though it’s unclear exactly how many people are being let go.
“While the overall numbers are small in percentage, we are focused on supporting each of our associates affected by these changes,” Morris said.
The company did not respond to NewsNation’s request for comment.
On a “business update” call with employees Monday, remote workers were given until July 1 to make a decision about relocating or to quit with severance, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The source said that those who decide to leave will receive two weeks’ pay for every year they worked at the company as severance.
With its latest announcement, the retail giant joins a growing list of companies that are moving away from remote work policies, which became popular during the pandemic.
The decision also comes as the company continues work on a new 350-acre campus in northwest Arkansas. The new “Home Office” is scheduled to open in phases in 2025.
Walmart is the largest private employer in the U.S., with 1.6 million workers, most of whom work in stores across the country.