Highlights
- Amazon is asking some corporate workers to relocate as part of its return-to-office policy.
- The policy mandates workers to be in the office three days a week.
- The relocations represent an escalation of the company’s efforts to get workers back to the office.
- Amazon will provide “relocations benefits” to workers asked to move and consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
- Business Insider reports employees refusing to relocate are given options of finding a new job internally or leaving the company through a “voluntary resignation.”
- The company has cut 27,000 jobs in the past few months.
Amazon, the tech giant, is taking significant steps to get its corporate workers back to the office. As part of its return-to-office plan, the company is asking certain employees to relocate to main offices located in larger cities. The policy mandates workers to be physically present in the office for three days a week.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the ongoing relocations, but specific details on the number of employees affected were not disclosed. Brad Glasser, the company’s spokesperson, stated that Amazon will provide “relocations benefits” to workers required to move and consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
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“We’ve noticed increased energy, collaboration, and connections since we started working together in the office at least three days per week,” Glasser said in a prepared statement. “Feedback from employees and surrounding businesses has been positive.”
Amazon introduced the three-day-a-week office policy in February, and it went into effect in May. The decision sparked protests outside the company’s headquarters in Seattle as hundreds of corporate workers voiced their concerns.
The company’s CEO, Andy Jassy, explained that the decision to bring workers back to the office was based on observations during the pandemic. Amazon’s senior leadership team analyzed staff performance and communicated with leaders at other companies. They found that in-person work led to increased employee engagement and improved collaboration.
According to internal messages cited by Business Insider, employees who decline to relocate near their team’s main offices are faced with the choice of finding another internal position or opting for “voluntary resignation.”
As part of cost-cutting measures, Amazon has eliminated 27,000 jobs over the past few months.
Conclusion
Amazon’s shift towards in-office work and relocations reflects its commitment to fostering better collaboration and productivity among its corporate workforce. The company is closely monitoring the impact of its return-to-office policy while acknowledging the importance of accommodating individual circumstances.
