In a bold stance on its evolving office policy, Amazon has told employees that they are free to leave if they are unwilling to comply with the upcoming five-day-per-week office mandate. Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), emphasised the new rule during an all-hands meeting, making it clear that those who prefer remote work should consider finding employment elsewhere.
According to Reuters, Garman addressed concerns about the policy, which will come into effect in January 2024, stating that nine out of ten employees he spoke with are supportive of the shift. “If there are people who just don’t work well in that environment and don’t want to, that’s okay—there are other companies around,” Garman said, adding that his statement was not meant to be harsh but rather to foster a collaborative work environment. He stressed that Amazon’s innovative edge thrives on in-person interactions, a dynamic that, according to him, remote work simply cannot replicate.
This policy change, however, has sparked discontent among a portion of Amazon’s workforce, many of whom argue that commuting is a waste of time, and studies do not substantiate the benefits of office-based work. For months, Amazon has been enforcing a three-day in-office policy, but CEO Andy Jassy recently announced the transition to five days, stating it would enhance collaboration and innovation.
Some employees who resisted the three-day requirement have been told they were “voluntarily resigning” and were subsequently locked out of the company’s systems. Amazon’s firm stance on returning to office work contrasts with other tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft, which have maintained more flexible two- or three-day hybrid policies.
Garman, however, remains optimistic about the upcoming changes. “I’m actually quite excited about this,” he said, acknowledging that not all employees share his enthusiasm. He pointed out that under the current three-day system, productivity was limited, as employees often came to the office on different days, hindering collaboration.
Moreover, Garman underscored the importance of Amazon’s leadership principles, stating that these values are challenging to fully embrace in a remote work setting. He highlighted the “disagree and commit” principle, where employees are encouraged to voice their concerns but then align with company goals. He noted that this culture doesn’t translate well to virtual communication platforms like Amazon’s Chime, saying, “I don’t know if you guys have tried to disagree via a Chime call—it’s very hard.”
