Home Depot announced Wednesday it is eliminating about 800 corporate jobs tied to its Vinings headquarters and requiring all corporate workers to return to the office five days a week starting April 6.
What’s Happening: The home improvement retailer notified employees Wednesday about the workforce reduction and new in-office policy. Many of the affected employees are in technology positions and were working in remote or hybrid roles, according to Home Depot spokesperson Sara Gorman.
What’s Important: Ted Decker, chair, president and CEO of Home Depot, said in a letter to employees that the changes are “designed to increase our speed and agility” and to “position the company to move faster and stay even more closely connected to our customers and frontline associates.” Home Depot has said in recent earnings calls that a slow housing market and increased consumer uncertainty have weighed on the retailer.
The Broader Context: The cuts come as Amazon announced plans to cut 14,000 corporate jobs and as Sandy Springs-based UPS said it would cut 30,000 positions this year.
What Affected Workers Get: Affected workers will receive separation packages, transitional benefits and job placement support.
The Office Policy: Corporate workers must now be in the office Monday through Friday. Early last year, Home Depot announced that some workers would have to come to the office four days a week. Decker said in-office associates would still have the flexibility to “manage life events” in coordination with their team and leader.
The Headquarters Expansion: Last September, Home Depot announced a $140 million project to expand its Vinings headquarters and renovate two other corporate campuses in the area. The Development Authority of Cobb County gave final approval for a roughly $7 million tax break for the campus overhaul in December. The project was supposed to create about 250 full-time jobs, some tied to an expansion of Home Depot’s child care center Little Apron Academy, and 150 jobs across departments including management positions. Gorman said Wednesday those hiring plans are still on track.
The Profit Picture: In November, Home Depot reported a $1.1 billion increase in profits over the third quarter of 2024.
“If your ‘principle’ requires someone else to be collateral damage, it might not be a principle. It might be marketing.”
