Copyright Star Tribune
Target workers couldn’t even hear the audio of the HR call outlining important information to those being laid off. By Carson Hartzog The Minnesota Star Tribune October 28, 2025 at 3:36PM Target employees said they first learned from media reports that 1,000 colleagues would be laid off and 800 positions closed, raising questions about how mass layoffs should be communicated. (Renée Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune) “Organizations are under more pressure than ever to move quickly because of heavier workloads and constant change,” Wanberg said. She added that email notices allow everyone to find out at once, but the tone can come across as “matter-of-fact” and “uncaring.” That approach, Diehn said, can deepen survivor’s guilt among employees who remain. “It’s a factor of psychological well-being and it causes stress,” Diehn said. “It often leads to job insecurity and mistrust of managerial or organizational decision-making,” adding that transparency and timely communication can reduce the impact. Those concerns surfaced last week when Target announced its latest corporate cuts. Incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke’s email to staff offered few details beyond instructing U.S. headquarters staff to work from home, fueling speculation that U.S. workers could be more affected than those in India. It was later reported that about 80% of the cuts would come from the U.S. workforce. Employees expressed frustration online about waiting nearly a week to learn their fate. The Tuesday 9 a.m. meeting was led by Chief Human Resources Officer Melissa Kremer, according to people familiar with the matter. The audio issues created more confusion after the few details shared by Fiddelke on Thursday. Carson Hartzog Retail reporter Carson Hartzog is a business reporter covering Target, Best Buy and the various malls. See More
