Walmart Announces Layoffs

Walmart Stores Inc. (Bentonville, Ark.) announced it will lay off roughly 300 employees at its Arkansas headquarters, an effort said to align its staffing with changes announced earlier this week regarding its operating divisions.

A memo to employees stated the cuts were the last major strategic piece of an effort to drive growth. The cuts are expected to be in its legal, finance, corporate affairs, human resources and information systems departments. More than 11,000 people are employed at the company headquarters.

The news follows the announcement this week that the company is introducing a new field reporting structure that includes three geographic business units in the west, the south and the north. This shift has resulted in several personal moves, including Walmart.com president and ceo Raul Vasquez given the role of an operator with oversight of the Walmart West area; Rosalind Brewer named president of Walmart South, after previously serving as president of Walmart’s southeast division; Hank Mullany, previously president of the Northeast division, now president of Walmart North; Mike Moore and Michael Lewis, serving new roles in the merchandising group; and Andrea Thomas serving as senior vp brand merchandising for home, hardlines and entertainment reporting directly to chief merchant John Fleming.