Amazon’s recent decision to require employees to return to the office five days a week has sparked outrage and frustration among its workforce. One of those affected is Laura, a working mother who has been with Amazon for over four years. Laura was working from home when she learned about the new mandate from a news article, not from her employer.
“At first, I didn’t quite believe it,” she tells Fortune. “I really, really would have liked a personal communication from my manager, but that didn’t happen for a couple of days.”
The Impact of Amazon’s Decision
Upon hearing the news, Laura expressed her shock, disappointment, and ultimately her decision to leave the company. “My months of struggling to make three days a week are over, and I know that my time at Amazon has to end,” she says.
She’s not alone in this sentiment. A handful of Amazon employees have told Fortune that they’re so frustrated with Amazon’s war on remote work that they’re officially on the job hunt. Two reported learning about the new mandate from the media, rather than their managers.
The Five-Day Mandate: A “Negotiation Game”?
Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, has repeatedly warned remote workers that it’s “not going to work out” for them at the company. However, some employees have been ignoring the guidelines up until now.
One such employee is Ben, who lives three hours away from an Amazon office and was hired virtually with the promise to work remotely. “I decided not to make life choices as Amazon can fire me at will anyway, and I do not want to make long-term life changes because some manager decided I should start going to the office,” Ben comments.
A Thinly Veiled Headcount Reduction?
While Amazon’s changes are positioned as a better way to work, disgruntled employees are adamant that it’s a thinly veiled headcount reduction. “It’s a rob Peter to pay Paul situation of short-term gains from voluntary layoffs in exchange for losing top talent and reducing productivity for years to come,” says Jared, a Gen X program manager at Amazon.
Jared is just one of many employees who have already begun seeking new employment opportunities. “One of my co-workers put in his notice on Monday. I expect others to follow,” he says.
Indeed, rumors of a stricter return-to-office policy were enough to inspire Ben to quit—he took “voluntary termination” two months ago and has now started his own firm.
In Europe, Lisa, a marketing leader, has also decided to leave Amazon after four years. “I don’t want to work for a business that clearly has so little respect for me,” she says.
In conclusion, while Amazon’s new mandate may have been designed to bring employees back to the office, it seems to be driving them away instead. As employees seek more flexible work arrangements, companies that fail to adapt may find themselves losing top talent.
Interviewee names have been changed for anonymity.
