In this articleTGTFollow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTTarget said Monday that it’s stepping up store staffing, but eliminating about 500 jobs at distribution centers and regional offices as it tries to win back shoppers who have complained about sloppier shelves, out-of-stock items and longer checkout lines.In an internal employee memo obtained by CNBC, the big-box retailer said it’s making changes to the way it runs and oversees stores to improve the customer experience, a top goal of new CEO Michael Fiddelke. To do that, Target said it will reduce the number of store districts — the geographic areas that its nearly 2,000 stores are broken into, which have dedicated staffing — and put money toward more hours for front-line store employees.As part of the changes, Target is laying off around 500 people, including about 100 at the store district level and about 400 across its supply chain sites, the internal email said.”This change also fuels our ability to put significantly more payroll in our stores — primarily in additional labor and hours where needed most, but also in new guest experience training for every team member at every store,” the email said. The email was written by Adrienne Costanzo, chief stores officer, and Gretchen McCarthy, chief supply chain and logistics officer, and sent to Target employees across its headquarters and store field teams on Monday afternoon.A Target spokesperson declined to specify the amount of additional investment planned for Target stores, but said the announcement will not change starting wages for store workers, which range from $15 to $24 per hour depending on the location. Read more’Lost their identity’: Why Target is struggling to win over shoppers and investorsAs Target chases a comeback, its new CEO must take on skeptical investors and customersTarget cuts 1,800 corporate jobs in its first major layoffs in a decadeInside Target’s plan to get back its fashion sense — and its shoppersTarget’s sloppier stores are wearing on shoppers, and its turnaround could hinge on cleaning them upFor Target, the organizational shift marks one of the first changes under Fiddelke, formerly the company’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer, who stepped into the top job on Feb. 1. Fiddelke took the helm as the company aims to get back to growth. Its annual sales have been roughly flat for four years, and it cut 1,800 corporate roles last year in its first major layoff in a decade. Customers, vendors and investors say the company had gotten weaker in some of the key areas where it used to stand out. For example, some shoppers said Target had lost its edge with attentive customer service and trendy, fashion-forward merchandise that earned the company its “Tarzhay” nickname.[embedded content]The company has also faced backlash and boycotts from customers over a string of political and social stances over the past few years, including its decision to sell and then pull some Pride Month m …
