Retail giants Walmart and Macy's alter their store operations due to the ongoing pandemic
In the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, retail giants Macy's and Walmart have had to adapt their operations to navigate the surge of the Omicron variant in 2022.
Macy's, in a bid to meet the requirements set by the Biden administration, is in the process of documenting the vaccine status of all its U.S. employees. The department store chain is also encouraging CDC-recommended protocols like mask wearing and social distancing. To accommodate operational adjustments, Macy's stores are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday for the rest of the month, with unchanged hours the rest of the week.
Walmart, too, has been affected by the Omicron variant. The retail giant has been temporarily closing some stores for cleaning, a measure it has taken since the beginning of the pandemic. The closures typically last a day and a half, and the program will remain in place for as long as it's needed.
The labor shortage in retail is a challenge, and closing stores or shortening hours could be a way of dealing with it. Retail consultant Brian Kelly suggests that the operational adjustments at Macy's and Walmart could reflect a shortage of workers or a spike in shoplifting at those locations.
The National Retail Federation predicts that the Omicron variant will bring uncertainty to the economy in 2022, potentially contributing to inflation, but is unlikely to cause widespread shutdowns or slowdowns. However, in some regions, local mandates or voluntary business decisions led to changes in store operating hours to reduce in-person contact and help curb transmission.
The Omicron variant caused a significant increase in COVID-19 cases worldwide in 2022, with case numbers reportedly tripling compared to 2020. This higher incidence likely led to staffing shortages and operational challenges across many industries, including retail. To combat this, retailers accelerated adoption of contactless services, enhanced sanitation protocols, and expanded e-commerce offerings to adapt to ongoing COVID-19 disruptions during the Omicron period.
Vaccination and booster efforts—including Omicron-specific vaccines developed by 2025—have since helped mitigate severe impacts on business operations. A vaccine mandate is the best way to achieve the necessary level of immunization, according to public health experts, as boosting vaccination rates would reduce the likelihood that further variants proliferate and increase the chance of curtailing the pandemic.
In a positive development, Walmart is expanding home delivery in the U.S. from 6 million households to 30 million by the end of the year. The Supreme Court will also take up the issue of vaccine mandates this week.
As the pandemic continues to evolve, retail businesses will undoubtedly continue to adapt and find new ways to serve their customers while ensuring the safety of their employees and patrons.
[1] World Health Organization. (2022). Weekly Epidemiological Update on COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---2022-week-42
[3] National Institutes of Health. (2022). Omicron-Specific Vaccines in Development. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/omicron-specific-vaccines-development
- The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with the surge of the Omicron variant in 2022, has necessitated retail giants like Macy's and Walmart to adjust their operations for survival.
- Macy's is implementing vaccine documentation for all its U.S. employees, following the Biden administration's guidelines, and adhering to CDC-recommended protocols.
- Walmart, too, has faced challenges due to the Omicron variant, temporarily closing some stores for cleaning and upholding this practice since the pandemic's onset.
- The labor shortage in retail has been a significant concern, with operational adjustments at Macy's and Walmart potentially reflecting a shortage of workers or increased shoplifting.
- The National Retail Federation predicts that the Omicron variant could lead to inflation in the economy, but widespread shutdowns or slowdowns are unlikely.
- The Omicron variant led to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases worldwide, reportedly tripling compared to 2020, causing staffing shortages across various industries, including retail.
- Retailers have responded to the ongoing COVID-19 disruptions during the Omicron period by accelerating the adoption of contactless services, enhanced sanitation protocols, and expanded e-commerce offerings.
- Vaccination and booster efforts, including Omicron-specific vaccines by 2025, have helped mitigate severe impacts on business operations. Public health experts advocate for vaccine mandates to achieve high vaccination rates.
- Walmart is expanding home delivery in the U.S., and the Supreme Court is set to take up the issue of vaccine mandates this week, as the pandemic continues to evolve, necessitating constant adaptation by retail businesses.
