Walmart to Add Hundreds of New Roles in US and India Amid Global Restructuring
- Following a global layoff of 1,500 employees, Walmart will create several hundred new roles in the US and India, open to affected staff.
- The company is simplifying its structure and accelerating decision-making through AI tools like 'Wally', aiming to boost efficiency and innovation across operations.
In a strategic move to reshape its workforce and enhance operational efficiency, Walmart the world’s largest retailer is set to introduce 'several hundred new roles' across its operations in the United States and India. This decision comes on the heels of recent global layoffs, impacting nearly 1,500 employees, as part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at streamlining operations and accelerating decision-making.
A senior company executive confirmed to Moneycontrol that the new roles will be accessible to employees affected by the recent layoffs, signaling a path for internal redeployment. “Within each country that is, the United States and India several hundred new roles are going to be introduced as the company reshapes teams. Employees who were affected by last week's changes are eligible to apply for any of these roles,” the executive stated on condition of anonymity.
In India, Walmart’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in Bengaluru and Chennai bore the brunt of the layoffs. Although Walmart globally employs around 1.6 million people, the majority work in its retail stores, while a relatively small fraction are based in corporate and tech roles.
On May 21, Walmart announced the termination of approximately 1,500 roles globally, in a move that reflects its commitment to a leaner, more agile organizational structure. The internal memo, co-authored by two top Walmart executives, emphasized the importance of adaptability in a fast-changing retail environment. “Shaping our organisation enables us to drive faster how we deliver and keep pace with the evolving world around us”, the memo read.
According to the executive, these layoffs are part of a broader industry-wide trend where businesses are rapidly adopting emerging technologies, resulting in changing workforce dynamics and a shift in required skill sets. “This isn’t unique to Walmart. Companies across both retail and technology sectors are going through similar transformations”, the executive added.
This year alone, over 61,000 tech employees have lost their jobs across more than 130 companies, according to data from Layoffs.fyi. Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and CrowdStrike are among the tech giants undergoing massive restructuring. Microsoft, for instance, laid off around 6,000 employees—its largest reduction since 2023.
A key driver behind these changes is the increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While AI has been cited as a reason behind recent job losses, industry leaders remain optimistic about its long-term impact. Experts like Infosys Founder NR Narayana Murthy, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, and GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke have emphasized that AI will ultimately create more jobs than it replaces.
Chandrasekaran, speaking at a recent forum, stated, “Gen AI adoption wholeheartedly serves as and proves to be a net job creator for India. Let’s face the reality, certain routine jobs will go”. This sentiment reflects a growing consensus among leaders that AI will lead to job transformation rather than pure elimination.
Walmart has been increasingly integrating AI into its operations to improve efficiency and agility. With more than 240 million weekly footfalls at its 10,500+ stores worldwide, the retail giant is using AI to enhance inventory management, forecast product demand, and optimize supply chain logistics.
In April, the company revealed that it had significantly reduced its 'Trend-to-Product' production timeline by 18 weeks, enabling it to deliver fashion items to shelves while trends are still hot. This initiative reflects Walmart’s broader objective to remain nimble and competitive in a dynamic retail market.
Furthermore, the company has introduced a Generative AI tool called 'Wally', designed to automate tasks such as data entry, product performance analysis, customer support queries, and complex predictive modeling. These AI deployments are part of a larger effort to simplify organizational layers, increase speed, and boost innovation.
“After last week's changes, what I can say is that Walmart has fewer layers in the company, which means less complexity and ultimately faster decision making”, the executive noted.
As part of its evolving structure, Walmart aims to ensure faster team collaboration and better customer service. The company is prioritizing a future-facing approach that constantly assesses customer expectations and proactively retools its workforce and strategies accordingly.
“With the speed of technological change, we must continue to evolve. Sometimes that means reshaping teams to ensure we are well-positioned to deliver exceptional experiences now and in the future”, the executive explained.
Meanwhile, the retail and tech sectors are seeing similar patterns. Earlier this month, Wells Fargo announced plans to close its Chennai-based Global Capability Center by FY27, urging employees to relocate to either Bengaluru or Hyderabad. Such consolidations reflect a global shift toward centralization and efficiency as businesses prepare for the next wave of digital disruption.
As Walmart reimagines its workforce, the company’s focus on internal mobility, AI integration, and leaner operations paints a clear picture: staying ahead in retail’s future means moving fast, thinking smarter, and reshaping now to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
