Walmart to lay off hundreds of corporate staff and relocate others including in Toronto

American multinational retail corporation Walmart Inc. is gearing up to cut hundreds of corporate jobs and is asking the majority of remote workers to move to offices, according to a Wall Street Journal report released on Monday. 

Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report reveals that workers of the retail giant's smaller offices in Dallas, Atlanta, and Toronto are being asked to move to other central hubs in the U.S., including Walmart's corporate base in Bentonville, Hoboken, and the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Walmart is cutting hundreds of corporate jobs and asking most remote workers to move to offices https://t.co/AhDAMKBDiG https://t.co/AhDAMKBDiG

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 14, 2024

The Canadian branch of the U.S.-based retail conglomerate was first established in 1994 and is headquartered in Mississauga. According to Walmart Canada's LinkedIn page, the branch employs more than 100,000 associates, making it one of the country's largest employers. 

However, a source at Walmart Canada told the Star that affected employees aren't connected to the company's headquarters in Mississauga. 

Instead, the retail giant is only closing its global tech hub in Toronto, which offers technology, innovation, and omnichannel solutions to help businesses transform and grow their operations. 

According to the anonymous source, the tech hub in Toronto will be closing as part of a plan to bring staff closer together in just a few offices to optimize collaboration. 

Walmart announces new tech hub in Toronto with plans to hire more than 5000 people https://t.co/eF6BCS8q7Y #Toronto #Walmart

— blogTO (@blogTO) March 15, 2022

Although the layoffs won't affect operations at Walmart Canada's Mississauga headquarters, it is currently unknown how many staff at the Toronto tech hub will be cut or required to relocate. 

In addition to the new changes, the company is also allowing a hybrid work schedule, where employees can work part-time remotely, as long as they are in the office for the majority of their work week. 

Last year, the Arkansas-based retailer said that it expects about 65 per cent of its stores to be serviced by automation by the end of its fiscal year in 2026. 

Walmart is set to report its first-quarter results on Thursday.