Target announced Thursday it will be eliminating 1,800 positions from its corporate staff.
In an email sent to employees, Target said it will be restructuring and will cut about 1,000 employees and 800 open positions will be closed.
Target’s corporate staff has been asked to work from home next week, and employees will not find out their fate until Tuesday.
A Target spokesperson stated that the cuts represent around 8% of Target’s global workforce, but the majority of employees affected work at the headquarters in Minneapolis.
Target’s comparable sales dropped 1.9% in its second quarter, and its net income dropped 21%.
The retailer said in the email that the layoffs were not to cut costs but to streamline operations and bring forth “progress and growth.”
Those affected by layoffs will receive pay and benefits through January 3, and will get severance packages and support services.
In-store associates will not be affected by the restructuring.
Multiple Target workers believe making employees wait throughout a long weekend to know their fate is cruel.
In 2015, Target laid off 1,700 of its corporate workers.
The 1,800 position elimination splitting between 1,000 layoffs and 800 unfilled position closures reflects corporate strategy to soften immediate job loss numbers by including vacancies that would have created future employment opportunities.
The 8% global workforce cut concentrated at Minneapolis headquarters disproportionately impacts Minnesota’s economy where Target employs thousands of corporate staff in finance, merchandising, technology, and administrative roles supporting nationwide retail operations.
The work-from-home directive for the following week with Tuesday fate notification creates anxiety-filled waiting period where employees spend days uncertain about employment status, unable to focus on work while contemplating potential job loss.
The 1.9% comparable sales drop and 21% net income decline demonstrate financial pressures driving restructuring, contradicting Target’s characterization of layoffs as strategic “streamlining” rather than cost-cutting when revenue and profitability clearly deteriorated.
The “progress and growth” framing for layoffs represents corporate messaging attempting to position job eliminations positively, though affected employees likely view terminations as anything but progressive regardless of stated strategic rationale.
The January 3 pay and benefits extension through the holidays provides terminated employees income security during Christmas season, a humanitarian gesture that also prevents public relations damage from holiday-season layoffs appearing heartless.
The severance packages and support services likely include outplacement assistance, resume writing, and job search resources that ease transitions but cannot replace lost income or career disruption for 1,000 families facing unemployment.
The protection of in-store associates from restructuring recognizes that frontline retail workers remain essential for customer service while corporate functions can be consolidated, outsourced, or eliminated through technology automation.
The cruel characterization of the long weekend waiting period reflects employee perspective that Thursday announcements forcing staff to spend three days in limbo before Tuesday notifications seems deliberately callous or poorly planned.
The 2015 precedent of 1,700 corporate layoffs suggests Target periodically undergoes restructuring cycles when business conditions deteriorate, with corporate staff bearing recurring brunt of efficiency initiatives while store operations continue.
Target’s national presence includes significant operations in Washington state where the retailer operates dozens of stores throughout the Seattle metropolitan area, Spokane, and other population centers, making corporate restructuring decisions relevant to local retail employment ecosystems.
The restructuring announcement’s timing during October positions Target to complete layoffs before the critical holiday shopping season fully begins, allowing remaining staff to stabilize operations before Black Friday and December demand peaks.
Washington state Target stores will continue operating normally despite corporate cuts, as in-store associate protection means local retail workers stocking shelves, running registers, and assisting customers face no immediate employment threats from Minneapolis headquarters decisions.
The comparable sales decline reflects broader retail challenges where e-commerce competition from Amazon, Walmart, and specialty retailers erodes Target’s market share despite the company’s investments in same-day delivery, curbside pickup, and digital shopping experiences.
Corporate employees affected by Target layoffs may seek opportunities with Seattle-area retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom, Costco, or REI, potentially bringing merchandising and operations expertise to Pacific Northwest companies competing in overlapping market segments.
