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Target’s return-to-office policy is unsettling employees, with some questioning leadership decisions and others leaving the retailer altogether.
The company’s largest corporate division began a three-day office schedule on September 2. Workers say communication has been inconsistent, exemptions have been denied, and confidence in leadership is faltering.
Employee survey reveals weak morale
In June, Target started recalling staff to its Minneapolis headquarters. That same month, a company survey captured growing dissatisfaction. Of the 260,000 employees who responded, about 40% said they lacked confidence in Target’s future. Sentiment was even lower among headquarters staff, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The results coincided with leadership changes, including the arrival of a new CEO, and came after several quarters of sluggish sales. In an internal video, Chief Commercial Officer Rick Gomez admitted the company needed “to do a better job of empowering you to do your best work.”
A Target spokesperson pointed out, however, that around 80% of headquarters staff intend to remain with the company.
Personal impact of rigid policy
While the retailer has framed the new rules as part of its corporate direction, the fallout for individual workers has been significant.
One former employee said she was informed just three weeks before the start date that she would have to relocate to Minnesota. Another left after being denied an exemption related to caregiving needs.
Haley Saunders, a former software engineer, joined Target in September 2022 on a local contract in Minneapolis but worked remotely under the company’s flexible policy. After moving to Pittsburgh in 2024 to care for her mother, she repeatedly asked to convert to a remote contract.
Her appeals were rejected, despite what she described as a continued ability to meet business needs.
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In an email to a company vice president, Saunders wrote: “I’m not asking to avoid returning to the office indefinitely. I’m not asking to avoid in-person weeks when remote folks join. I’m simply requesting flexibility to continue working remotely during this extraordinary circumstance. I believe this approach aligns with Target’s values of care and empathy for its team members, while still ensuring I meet business needs.”
With staff expressing frustration at the company’s handling of the policy and skepticism over its direction as a company, Target now has the dual challenge of restoring confidence while encouraging workers back to the office, or face losing them.
