Walmart corporate workers to return to office

Walmart is bringing its corporate staff back to campus.

The retail giant and nation’s largest private employer announced that its corporate employees will return to the office starting the week of Nov. 8 as part of a "new, more flexible way of working.” Walmart's global tech team of about 10,000 will continue to work primarily virtually.

“We are a company whose success is attributed to our people,” said Donna Morris, chief people officer, Walmart, in a memo to employees. “While technology has enabled us to succeed while working virtually throughout the pandemic, there is no substitution for being in the offices together — it helps shape our culture, collaborate, innovate, build relationships and move faster.”

Morris noted that all campus associates will be "fully vaccinated or have an approved accommodation in November. In July, Walmart said that all its U.S.-based campus office associates should be vaccinated by Oct. 4 unless they have an approved exception.

Walmart’s return-to-office move comes as Amazon is offering its employees greater flexibility about coming back to the office.

In a memo to employees in October, CEO Andy Jassy said that it would be up to individual team directors to decide how often their employees work in the office.

In the memo, Morris said company leaders will notify employees about expectations for return to office, based on their area of the business.

“The next few months will be an adjustment for all of us as we create our new ways of working together, decreasing our time in virtual meetings and increasing the time spent in person,” she said. “I look forward to the halls and conference rooms buzzing with energy. It will be exciting to officially welcome new associates hired during the pandemic and congratulate associates in person who have been promoted to new roles or transitioned to new teams.”

Walmart’s headquarters is located in Bentonville, Ark. The company also has offices in Hoboken, N.J., and San Bruno and Sunnyvale, Calif.

[Read More: Walmart gives first look at its new digs]