OCTOBER 29, 2024 — 256 SUPPORT EMPLOYEES TARGETED
In the third round of layoffs in 2024, the company is laying off 256 corporate support center employees, primarily in Chicago, Illinois, and eliminating another 215 open roles.
According to a company spokesperson, "While we continue to make progress as part of our turnaround efforts, this process will take more time. While decisions like these are always difficult, we believe this action is necessary to position us to rapidly respond to the changing external environment so we can best serve the millions of patients and customers who depend on us every day for their healthcare needs. We are grateful for the many contributions by team members who will be leaving, and we are committed to supporting them as much as possible during this transition."
MARCH 17, 2024 — 345 EMPLOYEES IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA; 322 EMPLOYEES IN DAYVILLE, CONNECTICUT
The company has announced the closure of its Orlando, Florida, distribution center, which will impact 324 employees by May 17, 2024.
The company also is closing its distribution center in Dayville, Connecticut, which will impact 322 employees.
According to a company spokesperson, "We are focused on aligning our operational structure to best serve our patients and customers. This includes an evaluation of our distribution center operations in order to streamline capacities to best support our stores."
JANUARY 31, 2024 — 145 CORPORATE WORKERS TARGETED
"While Walgreens continues to progress on reducing costs and delivering on our commitments to be the independent healthcare provider of choice, we still have significant cost savings and growth goals to deliver. To help us achieve these goals we have made the difficult but necessary decision to layoff 145 team members primarily from our corporate workforce. We are committed to supporting them with severance and outplacement services during this difficult time. The roles impacted are across a range of departments."
NOVEMBER 15, 2023 — 267 CORPORATE EMPLOYEES IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Walgreens is laying off 267 employees, or 5% of its Chicago-based corporate workforce.
A company spokesperson noted that the layoffs were intended to streamline operations and focus on critical priorities. “We are grateful for the many contributions by the team members who will be leaving our company, and we are committed to supporting them as much as possible during this transition.”
JULY 8, 2023 — 339 LAYOFFS IN EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS
Walgreens announced its plans to lay off 393 employees and close its e-commerce distribution center in Edwardsville, Illinois. Layoffs will be effective August 28, 2023.
According to a company spokesperson, “The layoffs are part of efforts to transform our business into a consumer-centric healthcare company, including by reexamining how we use our network of stores to ship orders to our patients’ and customers’ homes.”
“As a result, we have made the difficult decision to close our e-commerce distribution center in Edwardsville, Ill., later this summer, resulting in the elimination of approximately 400 roles. We are grateful for the many contributions our team members at this facility have made, and we are committed to supporting them during this transition.”
MAY 28, 2023 — 10% REDUCTION IN FORCE AT CORPORATE HQ
The company has announced a 10% reduction in force, mostly at the Deerfield headquarters or its Chicago office.
The reduction will impact 504 employees from its corporate workforce as the drugstore chain moves more deeply into patient care.
According to a company spokesperson, “None of these roles are based at our stores, microfulfillment centers, or call centers. We’re grateful for the many contributions by the team members who will be leaving our organization, and are committed to supporting them as much as possible during this transition.”
CEO Rosalind Brewer…
U.S. support center team members,
As we continue our transformation to become a consumer-centric healthcare company. I want to thank you for your unwavering commitment to enabling more joyful lives through better health. We've been laser-focused on delivering our operational goals. Additionally. we've taken proactive measures to drive sustainable cost savings to help fuel investments for future growth. This included decisions like consolidating our Deerfield building space. reducing consultant and contractor spending. eliminate non-essential projects, minimize travel, and cancel some events. We need to continue to align our structure to achieve our objectives and streamline the organization to invest where it matters most and support our stores. With this in mind. I am writing to share that we are making some organizational changes.
Over the next few days. we will be completing the reduction of 504 roles. which account for 10 percent of our corporate workforce. None of these roles are based at our stores. distribution centers. microfulfillment centers or call centers. Every center. microfulfillment centers or call centers. Every team member who is affected by the changes is a valued colleague, and we did not make these decisions lightly. We're doing everything we can to support our impacted team members to explore other opportunities and treat them with the utmost respect and care. We also thank them for all of their contributions. which have been critical to our success so far. We want to ensure all team members know there are mental health resources available to you through Life 365. These include counseling services on-site in Deerfield as well as off-site and virtual options for team members and their families.
Once meetings with impacted team members are completed. your leaders will be communicating about any changes and the path forward.
While difficult. these changes are necessary to streamline our business. unlock value and support our long-term goals. Together. we will continue driving toward our vision to be the leading partner in reimagining local healthcare and well-being for all.
Thank you for everything you do. I am so proud of our accomplishments. but most of all for your commitment to the company.
NOVEMBER 6, 2019 — PUBLISHED REPORTS INDICATE WALGREENS MAY BE SEEKING TO “GO PRIVATE” IN A LEVERAGED BUY-OUT.
This could be the underlying reason that Walgreens is shedding unprofitable stores and reducing its headcount.
According to Reuters …
“Walgreens has tasked investment bank Evercore Partners with exploring whether a transaction can be put together, the sources said, cautioning that a deal is far from certain.”
A leveraged buyout of Walgreens would likely require the participation of several private equity firms, each writing large checks, at a time when many of them have lost their appetite for teaming together on so-called club deals. Walgreens Chief Executive Stefano Pessina, who is the company’s largest shareholder with a 16% stake, could roll his equity into the deal to help finance the transaction, one of the sources said.
Walgreens has also contemplated divesting some of its assets, such as its 27% stake in drug wholesaler AmerisourceBergen Corp (ABC.N), to provide more funding, one of the sources added. The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Walgreens and Evercore declined to comment.”
NOVEMBER 1, 2019 — CLOSING STORE CLINICS
Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens, one of the largest retail pharmacy store chains in the United States, has announced that it will be closing approximately 40% of its in-store clinics and laying off hundreds of employees. The decision appears to be driven by the cost-cutting initiatives of Walgreen’s parent holding company known as Walgreens Boots Alliance.
According to a company spokesman who acknowledged that the company has executed “select reductions” in its Deerfield headquarters and noted, “The additional restructuring is underway in our retail pharmacy international, and pharmaceutical wholesale divisions are also working hard to define our new vision. The company has completed a review of its real estate footprint. Walgreens is shrinking and reorganizing its global digital and IT teams under a new chief information officer. The company is “modifying our corporate support office structure to drive organizational efficiencies and reduce our cost base while promoting investment in truly differentiating capabilities.” Earlier this year, the company announced it would shutter 200 Walgreens stores.
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?