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Target Orders Relocation to HQ for Merchandising Teams
Employees Can Move to Minneapolis With Aid of Relocation Assistance or Leave Company and Receive Separation Benefits
Target Corp. is requiring that some remote workers relocate to the retailer’s headquarters in Minneapolis in what is the company’s largest return-to-office mandate in recent months.
The change applies to a few teams within Target’s merchandising division, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. About 150 remote staff will be affected, one of the people said, and those accepting the move will be eligible for relocation assistance. Those leaving the company will get separation benefits.
A Target spokesman said increased in-person collaboration across a core part of its merchandising team will help the company sharpen focus on style and accelerate its work. Target is committed to supporting the team through the transition, he said.
Minneapolis-based Target has said it’s seeking to reverse its yearslong slump by improving merchandise and the customer experience and using technology more effectively. Since taking over in February, CEO Michael Fiddelke has reshuffled management, eliminated some roles and implemented various changes across stores such as tighter dress codes.
RELATED: Stolen Target Trailer Leads Police to Huge Retail Crime Cache
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Fiddelke
Target has been calling staff back to headquarters in recent years. Rather than a companywide mandate, the retailer has taken the approach of letting individual teams set their own guidance for in-office requirements. Competitors have been more aggressive in mandating in-person work. Home Depot Inc. and Kroger Co. recently called back corporate employees to offices five days a week.
RELATED: Target Slashes 400 Supply Chain Roles in Overhaul
Minneapolis has been slower to bounce back from the pandemic following unrest after the murder of George Floyd. More recently the city was targeted in a violent immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to the deaths of two Americans: Alex Pretti and Renée Good.
Home Depot and Kroger rank Nos. 54 and 31, respectively, on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America.
