Amazon is facing pushback from employees after announcing a mandatory five-day-per-week in-office policy set to take effect in January 2024. AWS CEO Matt Garman addressed the controversy at an internal meeting, defending the decision and suggesting that those who cannot adapt may want to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Garman, according to a transcript reviewed by Reuters, said that nine out of ten workers he spoke with supported the move, stressing the importance of in-person collaboration to fuel innovation and align with Amazon’s leadership principles.
The new policy represents a big shift from the current three-day in-office requirement, which some employees have criticised for wasting time on commuting without clear benefits. Garman, however, argued that the existing system failed to foster meaningful collaboration, as staff were often in the office on different days. He stated that essential principles like "disagree and commit," which encourages open debate followed by united effort on projects, are challenging to implement through remote communication tools.
Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the world after Walmart, has taken a firmer stance on returning to the office compared to tech peers like Google, Meta, and Microsoft, which have adopted more flexible hybrid models. Some Amazon employees who did not comply with the earlier three-day policy were reportedly told they were "voluntarily resigning" and locked out of company systems. Despite the internal unrest, Garman said he was excited about the change, pointing to the company's need for an environment where employees work closely together to achieve Amazon's ambitious goals.
CEO Andy Jassy had previously hinted at the necessity of increasing office presence to enhance collaboration, creativity, and connection, saying that working remotely was insufficient for Amazon's long-term goals.
(Inputs from Reuters)
_20241023133904_original_image_2.webp)
_20241022160334_original_image_24.webp)
