• In a memo released Friday, Walmart urged all of its employees to return to the office.

• The retailer did not disclose whether this change is mandatory.

• According to Walmart’s human resources director Donna Morris, the transition will begin on November 8.

Walmart urged its employees to return to offices next month, saying in a note to workers: “There is no substitute for being in the office together.”

The notice posted on the company’s website said employees working in the company’s campus offices will return on November 8 as part of a “new, more flexible way of working” after working from home during most of the coronavirus pandemic. The company’s Global Tech team will continue to work from home, the notice said.

Walmart’s return to in-person work will vary by region, a company spokesperson told Insider in an email. Walmart’s Global Tech team will continue to work remotely, while expectations for other employees will vary.

“With all campus employees fully vaccinated or having approved accommodations in November, we will transition to working together more regularly in our campus offices beginning the week of November 8,” Chief People Officer Donna Morris said in the release. “There is no substitute for being in the offices together,” she added.

The move comes as many companies grapple with whether to mandate a return to the office for employees who switched to remote work about 18 months ago in the early days of pandemic lockdowns. Many workers have said they would refuse to return to the office full-time. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent Alphabet Inc., said this week the company would adopt a hybrid model. Amazon said this month it would allow its employees to work from home indefinitely.

In July, Walmart required its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees had until October 4 to get vaccinated, Insider reported. Walmart was the first major retailer to require certain employees to get vaccinated.

“We continue to prioritize the health and safety of Walmart associates during the ongoing pandemic and know that vaccinations are key to defeating the virus,” the Walmart spokesperson told Insider. “Going forward, we will focus our energy on serving our customers and members and supporting our associates – not on where the work gets done.”

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