Walmart restructure comes with cuts to corporate jobs

Walmart is restructuring its corporate staff and eliminating jobs at its offices. The company said the move is part of an effort to evolve with changing consumer needs: it plans to bolster staff in higher-demand areas of the business, including eCommerce, tech, supply chain and advertising sales.

The move comes a little more than a week after Walmart lowered its profit outlook for the second quarter as well as the fiscal year 2023. 

"We’re updating our structure and evolving select roles to provide clarity and better position the company for a strong future," Jimmy Carter, Walmart spokesperson, told The Produce News. "At the same time, we’re further investing in key areas like eCommerce, technology, health and wellness, supply chain and advertising sales, and creating new roles to support our growing number of services for our customers, suppliers and the business community."

As of the end of FY2022, the company employed approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide, with roughly 1.7 million associates in the U.S. Approximately 75 percent of its U.S. salaried store, club and supply chain management started their careers in hourly positions.

Last month Walmart released a statement addressing jobs and advancement at the company, suggesting it has strengthened its workforce through investments in providing career paths for associates: "As customer demands and technology change the nature of work, we are focused on attracting, developing and retaining people of all backgrounds who can thrive in an ever-changing retail environment."