Amazon Web Services CEO Defends Five-Day Office Mandate

At a recent all-hands meeting, Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman addressed employees regarding the company’s upcoming five-day in-office requirement. Speaking at Amazon’s second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, Garman made it clear that those uncomfortable with the new policy were welcome to seek employment elsewhere. He stressed that in-person collaboration is essential to driving Amazon’s innovation and maintaining its workplace culture.

Garman acknowledged that some employees may prefer remote work but emphasized that Amazon sees a collaborative office environment as crucial. He conveyed that while remote work might suit certain individuals, the company believes the office setting is vital for its long-term success.

Amazon’s new mandate, set to take effect on January 2, replaces the previous policy, which required corporate employees to work in the office three days a week. Although the decision has sparked a significant backlash—evidenced by around 37,000 employees joining an internal Slack channel to protest the policy—Garman noted that many employees are enthusiastic about the change. He also mentioned that there could be occasional flexibility with manager approval.

The company has justified the move by citing the importance of in-office work to remain competitive with tech giants like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google, particularly in the race to advance generative AI technologies.

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