Target to cut about 1,800 corporate roles in reorganization

Target said on Thursday it will eliminate about 1,800 corporate positions, primarily affecting its U.S. workforce, as part of a reorganization intended to simplify operations and speed decisionmaking. The reduction amounts to roughly 8 percent of the company's approximately 22,000 corporate employees and will include about 1,000 layoffs and the elimination of roughly 800 open roles, the company said. Details will be provided to employees next Tuesday, and all U.S. corporate staff were asked to work remotely next week while the changes are finalized.

Incoming chief executive Michael Fiddelke, who will assume the CEO role in February, framed the move as part of an initiative to make Target more agile. "The truth is, the complexity we've created over time has been holding us back," he wrote in a memo to staff. "Too many layers and overlapping work have slowed decisions, making it harder to bring ideas to life." Company officials said the changes were intended to streamline overlapping roles and accelerate decisionmaking rather than primarily to reduce costs.

Target said leadership positions will be affected at about three times the rate of other corporate jobs. The company also...