Walmart is the largest U.S. private employer with about 1.6 million employees.
WASHINGTON — The nation’s largest retailer is cutting about 1,000 corporate jobs as it looks to simplify operations, according to multiple media reports.
Business Insider, CNBC and Reuters reported Wednesday that Walmart announced the changes to employees with a memo on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the job cuts.
“We’ve made changes to simplify how the work is organized, make ownership clearer, and better align roles to the work and skills we need going forward,” Walmart executives Suresh Kumar and Daniel Danker said in the memo, as reported by Business Insider.
Walmart employs about 2.1 million people around the world, according to the latest data from its annual filing. It is the largest U.S. private employer with about 1.6 million employees.
“These changes also involve difficult decisions. Some work has been consolidated, and some roles have been eliminated, and we know that has a real impact on people and teams,” the memo continued. “We’re supporting those affected with care, including helping them explore other opportunities within Walmart where possible.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, most of the affected staff have been asked to relocate to Walmart’s Bentonville, Arkansas or Northern California offices.
The job cuts come as Walmart announced its plan to remodel over 650 Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets this year.
In a press release on April 16, Walmart said customers can expect these scheduled remodels to include wider aisles and updated store layouts, expanded pickup and delivery services, updated Vision Centers and pharmacies, and new digital touchpoints.
Some select Neighborhood Markets are already undergoing a rapid, four-week remodel program, designed to deliver quicker results. For Neighborhood Markets, the remodels include expanded deli and hot bar selections and upgraded areas for fulfilling online grocery orders.
Walmart said the investment is intended to create more jobs, help strengthen the local economy and make shopping more convenient, according to the news release.
Andrew Weil and Emma Hutchinson contributed to this report.