Walmart has reportedly cut 1,000 jobs as the company restructures operations and increases its focus on technology and digital growth.

According to Reuters, the retailer is simplifying its organisational structure under chief executive John Furner as it competes more aggressively with rivals including Amazon, Costco and Aldi.

In a memo to staff, Walmart’s head of global technology Suresh Kumar and head of global AI acceleration Daniel Danker said: “We’ve ⁠made ‌changes to simplify how the ⁠work is organized, make ownership clearer, and better align roles to the work and skills we need going forward.”

The company has spent the past year shifting from separate systems for Walmart US, Sam’s Club and international operations to a unified platform.

Reports from The Wall Street Journal said some affected employees have been asked to relocate to offices in Bentonville or Northern California.

Walmart employs around 2.1 million people globally and remains the largest private employer in the United States.

The retailer is due to release its latest quarterly earnings results on May 21.