Amazon Web Services CEO advised workers to quit if they don't want to go back to a five-day work week at the office

Matthew Garman, the CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), has endorsed the company's new policy regarding a five-day office workweek. He emphasized that employees who disagree with this decision can look for jobs elsewhere.

The new Amazon policy, set to take effect in January, requires employees to work in the office five days a week. This decision has sparked debate among the company's workforce. Garman stated that nine out of ten employees he spoke with support the new policy.

During an AWS employee meeting, Garman highlighted the significance of in-person presence for fostering innovation and collaboration.

“When we want to create exciting products, I haven't seen a way to do that without being physically present,” he said.

Many Amazon employees criticize the new policy. They argue that the extra commuting time is wasted, and the advantages of working in an office are not supported by independent data. Some employees who did not comply with the previous requirement to work in the office three days a week were informed of a 'voluntary resignation' and had their access to corporate systems blocked.

Unlike other tech giants such as Google, Meta, and Microsoft, which maintain a policy of two to three days of office work, Amazon takes a firmer stance on bringing employees back.

Garman explained that three days of office work is insufficient for achieving the company's goals. He stressed the importance of personal interaction for grasping Amazon's leadership principles.

“You can't learn them just by reading them on a website; you have to experience them daily,” Garman stated.

Recently, over 700 employees of Ubisoft France participated in a three-day strike due to a dispute over remote work and compensation.

Source: Reuters