In a bold stance on its evolving office policy, Amazon has told employees that they are free to leave if they are not willing to follow the upcoming five-day-per-week office order. Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman emphasized 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 is set to take effect in January 2024, saying that nine out of ten employees he spoke to are supportive of the change. “If there are people who don’t do well in that environment and don’t want to, that’s OK — there are other companies around,” Garman said, adding that his statement was not meant to be harsh but rather encouraging. . Collaborative work environment. He emphasized that Amazon’s innovative edge thrives on personal interactions, a dynamic that, according to him, remote work cannot easily replicate.

However, this policy change has caused discontent among a portion of Amazon’s workforce, many of whom argue that traveling is a waste of time, and studies do not confirm the benefits of office-based work. For months, Amazon has been implementing a three-day office policy, but CEO Andy Jassy recently announced it was changing to five days, saying it would increase collaboration and innovation.

Some employees who protested the three-day requirement were told they were “voluntarily resigning” and were subsequently locked out of the company’s system. Amazon’s firm stance on returning to office work stands in contrast to other tech giants like Google, Meta and Microsoft, which have maintained more flexible two- or three-day hybrid policies.

However, Garman is optimistic about the upcoming changes. “I’m really excited about it,” he said, acknowledging that not all employees share his enthusiasm. He explained that under the existing three-day system, productivity was limited as employees often came to the office on different days, hindering collaboration.

Additionally, Garman underlined the importance of Amazon’s leadership principles, saying that it is challenging to fully embrace these values ​​in a remote work setting. He highlighted the “disagree and commit” principle, where employees are encouraged to express their concerns but then align with company goals. That culture doesn’t translate well to virtual communication platforms like Amazon’s Chime, he said, adding, “I don’t know if you guys have tried disagreeing via a Chime call — it’s very hard. “