Amazon CEO Urges Workers to Return to Office at Least Three Days a Week
In a recent meeting, Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, expressed his frustration with employees who were not adhering to the company’s policy of working in the office at least three days a week. Jassy stated that it is crucial for employees to “disagree and commit” and emphasized that those who cannot do so may not thrive at Amazon.
The tech giant had previously allowed individual teams to decide whether they would work remotely or in the office. However, starting in May, Amazon instructed its employees to return to the office three times a week. Jassy explained that this decision was made to foster a better company culture and facilitate more effective collaboration and learning opportunities.
This announcement comes amidst Amazon’s plans to lay off a total of 27,000 employees, including the additional 9,000 roles recently announced. In response to the return-to-office mandate, nearly 30,000 Amazon staff signed an internal petition expressing their opposition.
In May, Amazon employees participated in a worldwide walkout organized by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice and a remote work advocacy group. The protest aimed to draw attention to the company’s slow progress on climate goals and its insistence on returning to the office.
Furthermore, some Amazon workers in the US reported being tracked and penalized for not spending enough time in the company’s offices. An email sent to employees revealed that they were not meeting the expectation of joining their colleagues in the office at least three days a week.
Amazon’s decision aligns with similar moves by Apple and X, who have also been pushing for employees to return to the office. Apple has even threatened punitive action against staff who do not comply, while X’s CEO, Elon Musk, has ordered all employees to work in the office unless they have a specific exemption.
The Guardian reached out to Amazon for comment on this matter.