Walmart is consolidating its tech office real estate footprint, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, closing hubs in Austin, Carlsbad, Calif., and Portland, Ore.
A company spokesperson told GeekWire that “Seattle remains core to our location strategy.” The retail giant established a tech presence in the Seattle region in 2021 and has an office in Bellevue, Wash. Last year said it would add nearly 200 jobs in the area, home to rival Amazon and more than 100 tech company engineering offices.
Walmart’s decision comes as tech companies lay off thousands of employees and reduce real estate obligations to curb costs amid a broader industry downturn.
“The unique culture and values of Walmart are at the core of who we are — to our customers, members, associates and partners,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “With this in mind, we’ve made the decision to focus our tech team’s presence within select locations. We hope to relocate or allow for remote work for all affected associates.”
Walmart last year said it was expanding its global tech team by more than 5,000 employees and adding offices in Toronto and Atlanta.
The company is also now requiring tech workers to come into the office at least two days per week, the Journal reported.
