Target Mandates Relocation of 150 Remote Employees to Minneapolis as Merchandising Team Centralizes Operations in Twin Cities

Target Orders 150 Remote Workers to Relocate or Leave In a significant shift in workplace policy, Target has directed approximately 150 remote employees in its merchandising division to either relocate to the Twin Cities or leave the company. The directive, communicated in April 2026, applies specifically to two teams within merchandising and is not a company-wide mandate. According to a Target spokesperson, the decision aims to strengthen in-person collaboration to enhance focus and accelerate work. “As we enter a fresh chapter for Target, increased in-person collaboration across a core part of our merchandising team will support us reinforce our merchandising authority, unlocking greater creativity and enabling us to move faster to deliver on our strategy,” the spokesperson stated in a statement to KARE 11. The company emphasized its commitment to supporting affected employees through the transition, offering relocation assistance to those who choose to move and severance packages to those who do not. The move reflects broader trends in retail as companies reassess remote work arrangements adopted during the pandemic. Target, headquartered in Minneapolis, has long maintained a strong presence in the Twin Cities, where it has been a major employer and community partner for over a century. In 2024, Target and the Target Foundation contributed more than $32 million in product and cash donations to the Twin Cities, with team members volunteering over 74,000 hours locally. Although the company frames the policy as a strategy to improve operational efficiency and team cohesion, it underscores the ongoing tension between corporate priorities and employee preferences for flexible work arrangements. The impacted employees now face a choice between uprooting their lives to comply with the directive or accepting separation from the company. As of the announcement date, Target has not indicated whether similar requirements will extend to other departments or locations. The company continues to evaluate its workforce strategy amid evolving expectations around work location and collaboration.