Amazon corporate employees are planning to revolt through a “soft resignation” after CEO Andy Jassy announced that everyone must return to the office five days a week.
On Monday, Jassy, 56, whom Jeff Bezos named as his successor in July 2021, issued a statement to all staff and said they will be asked to work in the office “like we did before COVID hit.”
Angry workers reacted quickly to the new policy change, with some agreeing to a “soft resignation,” which means slowly weaning themselves off their duties before moving on to a new job.
“I’ve been at Amazon for three years. I’ll probably quit and find a new job. Screw Jassy!” posted one frustrated employee on January 2016
“Let people work from home, there is no need for stocks to be above $200 all the time.”
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, 56, announced on Monday that employees are expected to come into the office five days a week starting in January. (pictured: Jassy at the Amazon Prime Video premiere in 2022)
Angry workers reacted quickly to the new policy change, with some agreeing to “soft quits” or part ways with their duties before moving on to a new job. (Pictured: Amazon’s corporate office building in Sunnyvale, California)
Beginning Jan. 2, 2025, corporate employees will be expected to come into the office for a typical workweek “outside of extenuating circumstances” or if they previously have an “approved remote work exception” through their supervisors, Jassy said.
“Before the pandemic, it wasn’t a given that people would be able to work remotely two days a week, and that will be true going forward as well — our expectation is that people will be in the office outside of extenuating circumstances,” wrote Jassy, who joined the $1.94 trillion company in 1997.
The CEO explained that the new change will “better prepare” employees to “invent, collaborate and be connected” with each other to provide the best service to customers and the business as a whole.
“We want to operate like the largest startup in the world,” Jassy said.
‘That means having a passion for constantly inventing for customers, a strong urgency (for most great opportunities, it’s a race!), a high sense of responsibility, quick decision-making, swagger and frugality, deeply connected collaboration (you need to be united with your teammates when inventing and solving difficult problems), and a shared commitment to each other.’
Jassy said all employees will be required to work in the office “as we did before COVID hit.”
A number of disgruntled employees suggested the new policy is designed to drive out workers.
“What better way to cut jobs than to force everyone back into the office and watch people quit en masse,” wrote one.
Another said: “It’s a sweatshop company and culture! I hope their workers just quit.”
One commentator said: “You know, I think everyone should go back to the office,” said the man, sitting on a sofa on his yacht floating in the Mediterranean.
“Everyone cheers, big business has figured out a way to do layoffs without calling them that and without having to deal with legal or financial consequences,” wrote another.
Meanwhile, others told angry employees to suck it up and head to the office.
“Stop complaining. If you don’t like it, find another job. Accept it like the rest of us,” said one.
“Lucky you all. My poor ass went back to the office in October 2020. At least I got the summer…” wrote another.
He referred to the fact that the company has already benefited over the past 15 months after employees were told they had to be in the office three days a week.
Last August, Jassy said that company workers who defied his directive to return to the office a minimum of three days a week should leave the company entirely.
He referred to the fact that the company has already benefited over the past 15 months after employees were told they had to be in the office three days a week.
During a recording of a “fishbowl” type meeting, obtained by InsiderHe expressed frustration that employees did not take his return-to-office policy seriously, telling those who refused to come in for the three-day minimum: “It’s probably not going to work for you.”
“It’s time to disagree and compromise,” Jassy said during the call, noting that he believed it was no longer possible for the entire team to work remotely while others chose not to.
In his latest message, Jassy also said that Amazon plans to reduce the number of managers at the company to “remove layers and flatten organizations.”
‘We are therefore asking each S-Team organization to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by the end of Q1 2025.
“Having fewer managers will remove layers and flatten organizations further than they are today,” he explained.
Jassy concluded his announcement by saying he is “optimistic” about the new changes that “will help us better achieve these goals while strengthening our culture and the effectiveness of our teams.”
Asked about employees threatening to “softly resign” over the new work-from-home policy, Amazon told DailyMail.com to refer to Jassy’s original announcement and did not comment on employee reactions.
