In a memo released on Friday, Walmart asked all of its corporate associates to return to the office. For the retailer ‘’there’s no substitution for being in the offices together.” The note posted on their website details that those who work in the company’s campus offices will start gradually returning on November 8th as part of their new ‘’flexible way of working.” For the moment, only the global tech team will be able to work remotely.
After almost two years of working remotely because of the pandemic, companies are starting to trace their upcoming place. Lately, many industries have shown their preference for hybrid models but still want to strongly encourage onsite collaboration. Such is the case of Walmart, which created their new ‘’flexible model’’ but still wants corporate associates back in the office campus.
Walmart Corporate Associates WIll Return to the Office
Now that most employees are vaccinated, Walmart wants to gradually start calling all its corporate associates back to the office. However, the company’s return to in-person working will depend on the area employees are working for. For instance, Walmart’s Global Tech team will continue working remotely.
In the note, Donna Morris, Chief People Officer, mentions how working onsite is fundamental:
Given all campus associates will be fully vaccinated or have an approved accommodation in November, we will transition to working together in our campus offices on a more regular basis starting the week of November 8th. There is no substitution for being in the offices together.
In July, the company mandated corporate employees to receive the vaccine to accelerate returning to the office. Employees had until October 4th to get vaccinated, which made the company one of the first major retailers to require employees to get vaccinated.
A spokesperson told Business Insider that the company prioritizes the health and safety of all associates during the pandemic and believes that vaccines are the best way to continue fighting against the virus.
