Walmart quietly sends a harsh message to employees

Groceries are already pricey, forcing many to cut back on purchasing unnecessary snacks to afford more essential food items.

But if stretching your budget at the supermarket wasn't hard enough, imagine getting laid off by the biggest one.

Suddenly, skipping the Twinkies doesn't make much of a difference when struggling to afford rent.

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In today's unpredictable economy amid stubborn inflation, taking a week-long vacation without paid time off feels almost impossible.

But losing your job — now that's a far more troubling reality.

The morning of July 16 became a real-life nightmare for Walmart employees, who received a polite email with a harsh message that changed their lives forever, even creating panic for some.

Walmart sends a harsh message to its workforce.

Image source: Getty Images

Walmart downsizes its workforce multiple times

Walmart (WMT) has one of the largest workforces in the U.S., with around 1.6 million employees nationwide.

Although it might seem like a lot for just one retailer, Walmart is the world's largest company. With over 10,500 namesake stores globally and 600 Sam's Clubs nationwide, it boasted a yearly revenue of around $681 billion for the full year of 2024.

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This year, the company has made multiple changes in its workforce to restructure and consolidate its corporate footprint.

The retailer made massive job cuts and asked its employees to relocate to its principal offices in Arkansas or California in February 2025. Only two months later, it cut around 1,500 jobs on its global technology team.

Now, the company is putting even more corporate jobs on the chopping block, creating what seems to be a pattern of layoffs.

Walmart sends a concerning email to its corporate employees

Walmart sent a memo to its corporate team stating that hundreds of store-support roles would be eliminated to simplify the company's structure, as first reported by Bloomberg.

The affected positions are reported to be market coordinators, who support market managers and their assigned stores.

“We’re simplifying our market support structure, reducing touchpoints and friction for our store associates,” Walmart U.S. Executive VP of Store Operations Cedric Clark wrote in the memo.

But these positions won't be the only ones getting cut.

Walmart is also eliminating the jobs of some coaches and coordinators, who train staff and managers at Walmart Academy, as it aims to rearrange this sector based on its specific needs.

However, there's a positive side to the devastating news. This change will open new coaching roles, offering an alternative option for those impacted.

This significant corporate restructuring may be one way Walmart is bracing for the potential negative impact of upcoming tariffs, as it has warned that it may raise prices to mitigate the effects.