Walmart is laying off around 1,500 corporate employees across various departments within its home office in Bentonville, Arkansas, multiple reports say.
In a memo shared with associates on May 21, Walmart executives said the company is “reshaping” some of its teams in an effort to modernize its business and enhance “associate, customer and member experiences.”
“We are eliminating roles as well as opening some new roles aligned with our business priorities and growth strategy,” U.S. Walmart CEO and President John Furner and Walmart Global CTO and Chief Development Officer Suresh Kumar said in the memo, obtained by USA TODAY.
The layoffs come less than a week after Walmart informed customers it could be raising its prices due to tariffs incited by President Donald Trump’s administration. However, the recent company changes are not related to tariffs. Rather, they reflect a focus on “business priorities and our growth strategy,” Nick DeMoss with Walmart Global Communications told USA TODAY.
Walmart did not wish to comment further on the layoffs when contacted by USA TODAY on Thursday, May 22.
Here’s what to know.
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How many Walmart employees are being laid off?
About 1,500 Walmart employees are affected by the layoffs, according to multiple reports.
The memo sent to associates outlines that roles within Walmart’s Global Tech and Walmart Connect, the company’s in-house advertising arms, will be affected.
“These changes are mainly focused on driving efficiency in the End-to-End Operations teams, ensuring we’re serving them so they can best serve our customers,” Kumar and Furner said in the memo.
Where are Walmart employees being laid off?
Employees at the Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas and a few other locations will be affected by the layoffs, reports state.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add new information.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Walmart layoffs: 1,500 corporate employees to be cut, reports say
