Amazon Implements New Policy Linking Promotions to Return-to-Office Mandate
Amazon has updated its promotions policy, stating that employees must comply with the company’s return-to-office mandate in order to be eligible for promotions. The revised policy requires workers to be present in the office for at least three working days each week, and those who fail to do so would need approval from a vice president to be considered for a promotion. This development follows Amazon’s recent directive to managers to discuss office-based working expectations with non-compliant employees, with potential consequences including termination.
An Amazon spokesperson emphasized the importance of compliance with guidelines and policies for employees being considered for promotion. They stated, “Promotions are one of the many ways we support employees’ growth and development, and there are a variety of factors we consider when determining an employee’s readiness for the next level.”
This move by Amazon reflects a divergence between the company’s expectations and the desires of its workforce. After laying off approximately 27,000 employees at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, Amazon requested that its office-based workers reduce their remote and hybrid working hours, despite many employees having been sent home during the peak of the pandemic.
Earlier this year, a petition opposing the revised requirement garnered signatures from 30,000 Amazon workers, and a small group staged a walkout to protest this policy and the company’s environmental practices. However, Amazon clarified that only a fraction of those who committed to the walkout actually participated.
In addition to adhering to company policies, employees must consistently demonstrate high-level performance, and their roles should be able to grow alongside them after promotion.
While Amazon’s stance may seem stringent, it is part of a larger trend among companies cracking down on remote working. Google, Apple, and Roblox are among the other companies implementing measures to discourage non-compliance with return-to-office mandates.
Rob Munoz, an Amazon spokesperson, highlighted that promotions are a means of supporting employees’ growth and development, and various factors are taken into account when assessing an employee’s readiness for advancement. Munoz emphasized that like any company, Amazon expects employees being considered for promotion to adhere to company guidelines and policies.
Amazon also emphasizes that it has established a remote work exception process.
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