Tyson Foods closes offices, hundreds of employees reportedly leaving

Tyson Foods Inc. is reportedly closing two of its biggest business units and this move is due to its plan to merge its corporate offices and set it up in Arkansas next year. As a result, hundreds of employees from the affected units are leaving the company.

Tyson Foods is the second-largest processor in the world and a known leading marketer of chicken, beef, and pork. It is the largest meat supplier in the United States in terms of sales but in October, it already revealed its plans to shut down its offices in Dakota Dunes and Chicago, Downers Grove, Illinois, which is currently home to a number of the company’s corporate employees in its beef, pork, and prepared foods unit.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that around 1,000 employees are employed in the said office locations. The company asked the workers if they would like to relocate as it is moving its headquarters in early 2023.

Tyson Foods set a Nov. 14 deadline for workers to decide if they would move to Springdale, Arkansas or not. The food company said the office closures are part of its plan to bring all of its corporate employees into one place. It said that this will make it easier for them to collaborate and make decisions quickly.

Now, it was reported that around three-quarters of the 500 employees stationed in the South Dakota office told Tyson they do not want to move and this means, they decided to leave. In Chicago’s office, less than 10% agreed to relocate which means over 90% of the firm’s employees declined to relocate.

As per Fox Business, Tyson Foods has around 120,000 employees across the country and 114,000 of them are stationed at the company’s production plants. Many of the key managers made the decision to make their exit than relocate.

"I am confident the plan we have in place ensures business continuity and positions us for long-term success," Donnie King, Tyson Foods’ chief executive officer, said in a statement. "We knew there would be a variety of responses when we announced the consolidation of our corporate locations."