Target Calls 150 Remote Workers Back to Minneapolis Headquarters as Part of Turnaround Strategy

Target is requiring approximately 150 remote workers in its merchandising division to relocate to its Minneapolis headquarters as part of a broader turnaround strategy under new leadership.

The relocation mandate, confirmed by a company spokesperson to Business Insider, affects workers within two teams in the merchandising group and represents the retailer’s largest return-to-office directive in recent months.

Target brought on a new CEO earlier this year and has been implementing a turnaround plan focused on revitalizing growth, with merchandise improvement identified as a central pillar of that effort.

The company is providing relocation assistance to employees who choose to move and severance packages to those who opt not to comply with the mandate.

Increased in-person collaboration across a core part of our merchandising team will help us reinforce our merchandising authority, unlocking greater creativity and enabling us to move faster to deliver on our strategy.

Target spokesperson

The decision aligns with a broader trend among major corporations, including Amazon and AT&T, which have also increased in-office requirements for employees in recent years.

Target previously increased in-office expectations for staff already located in Minneapolis over the past year but has not implemented a companywide mandate, leaving specific return-to-office policies to individual team leaders.

The merchandising division, which oversees product selection, pricing, and presentation, is a key focus area as Target seeks to strengthen its competitive position through improved merchandise offerings and faster execution of its strategic initiatives.

Bloomberg first reported the relocation order, which Business Insider later confirmed through direct communication with a Target spokesperson.