Hallmark Layoffs 2020: 400 Jobs Cut Amid ‘Transformation Plans’

Hallmark Cards has announced that it will reduce its workforce by 400 workers as it undergoes what it is calling “transformation plans.”

Hallmark Cards, which operates the Hallmark and Crayola brands, said it will reduce the size of its global workforce for its greeting card, retail, and corporate support operations. The retailer announced the layoffs to employees this week, saying they would be taking “voluntary and involuntary actions.” Hallmark Cards employees about 30,000 workers globally.

Hallmark said that impacted employees will be notified in the coming days and be offered severance packages and transition assistance. Laid-off employees will also be able to apply for new positions within the company, Hallmark said.

“These changes, while not easy, will enable us to invest in new growth strategies that will ultimately help us realize our future vision,” Mike Perry, president and CEO, Hallmark Cards said in a statement.

“The products and content we create make a positive difference in the world. To be able to help others, and to build an enduring business, we must change. Our efforts will be ongoing and by transforming the way we work, the way we go to market, and the way we serve our customers, we will be enabling our business to thrive and fulfill the promise of our brand.”

Hallmark Cards, which is a privately-owned company, said it saw positive performance in 2019 across its operations, including comparable-store growth and solid revenue gains at Crayola.

The company cited the changing retail and consumer environment as well as competitiveness in the market for reasons to undergo a company wide transformation, with Perry saying, “As we open 2020, we have a clear line of sight to the transformational work that needs to be accomplished and these efforts will lead us on a path that will enable us to realize the longer-term vision and mission we have for our business.”