16 September, 2017
The Arkansas-retailer is planning to build a new, central headquarters in its hometown of Bentonville.
Bartlett said the buildings the current offices have been in use a long time, and just like investing in their associates in the stores with wage increases, they also want to invest in associates in Bentonville. "I think this can be a little bit of a stake in the ground to say, 'This is a company that's going to be around in 50 years time or more and we want to put ourselves in a position where we're customer focused, agile, moving fast, collaborative, and in an environment that's conducive to that'". The company said one goal for building a new headquarters is to consolidate more of those operations on one campus to improve collaboration and efficiency.
The new home office, centered on 350 acres, will be better suited to a more "digitally native work force", he said.
"This has been contemplated for a number of years", Hargrove said. The new space will encourage "greater collaboration and speed". "The combined changes will help us get the most out of our existing team, while helping us attract high-quality talent in the future". The discount giant revealed the news in a note by CEO Doug McMillion on the company's website.
Construction will be completed in phases and Hargrove said the costs associated with the project will be part of the company's annual budgeting process.
"You'll see improved parking, meal services, fitness, and natural light-yes, natural light", he said.
The new campus would replace a sprawling collection of more than 20 buildings that have grown up around 8th Street and Walton Boulevard in Bentonville, where Walmart established a home office in 1971.
"We know how important it is to engage from a public affairs standpoint", Wal-Mart spokesman Greg Hitt said. "We'll be working and in dialogue with city and state officials and with other stakeholders across the state and Northwest Arkansas".
