Amazon is taking a bold approach to bring employees back to the office by requiring some staff members to relocate to a central hub to be with their teams. Employees who are unwilling or unable to comply with this requirement are being forced to find work elsewhere, resulting in some employees choosing to quit altogether. CNBC recently spoke with several employees who expressed their concerns about the new relocation policy. One employee in Texas, who was initially hired for a remote role, stated that managers had assured their team that nothing would change despite the return-to-office mandate. However, in July, the team was informed that they would have to choose between working out of Seattle, New York, Austin, Texas, or Arlington, Virginia. The employee, who does not live near any of these cities, decided to leave Amazon and secure another position due to uncertainty about job security and potential increased living costs associated with the relocation.
Amazon spokesperson Rob Munoz confirmed the relocation policy and stated that it affects only a small percentage of the company’s workforce. The company provides relocation benefits to employees asked to move, and hub locations vary by team. Munoz emphasized that Amazon communicates directly with affected teams and individuals to ensure they receive accurate information relevant to their situations.
This relocation requirement is causing tensions between Amazon and some of its corporate employees, as many employees moved away from their in-person office locations during the Covid pandemic. Amazon began requiring employees to work out of physical offices at least three days a week in May, a departure from its previous policy that left it up to individual managers to decide. CEO Andy Jassy has highlighted the benefits of in-person work, citing stronger company culture and collaboration among employees.
Along with the relocation policy, Amazon is also cutting costs in various areas, such as ending a perk that allows employees to get one free drink at in-office coffee shops and reducing parking reimbursements. Some employees have received notices regarding their compliance with the return-to-office mandate, leading to frustration and confusion. Amazon has acknowledged these concerns and encouraged employees to discuss their situations with their managers.
For employees affected by the relocation policy, Amazon is requesting that they move to a designated hub location, which could be Seattle, Arlington, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or another main office. Some employees view this new requirement as a stark reversal from Amazon’s approach during the pandemic when the company expanded its recruiting efforts outside of Seattle and Silicon Valley. The relocation requirement is seen as disruptive to employees’ personal lives, especially when it involves moving out of state and making significant changes to housing and schools for their families.
Amazon has informed employees individually about the relocation policy but has not provided official communication to the broader workforce. Managers have been notifying employees that they will soon be expected to work from a main hub location, giving employees the option to relocate, find another internal job, or resign. Some employees have a limited timeframe of 30 to 60 days to make a decision.
While transferring to a new role within the company is an option, Amazon’s pause on corporate hiring has resulted in fewer job openings. Some employees have expressed difficulty finding relevant positions in their current offices. Quitting is a tough decision, particularly during a time when many companies are reducing headcount due to economic uncertainty.
This crackdown at Amazon has led to some employees bending the rules, considering using a family member’s address near an Amazon office or relocating temporarily to buy themselves time to find another job. Ultimately, employees who have been asked to relocate feel that this requirement, along with Amazon’s push to get people back into the office, makes working at the company less enjoyable.
Overall, Amazon’s efforts to bring employees back to the office and enforce a relocation policy are causing tension among employees who have adjusted to remote work during the pandemic. The company’s decision to require in-person work raises questions about job security, job satisfaction, and the changing dynamics of remote and office-based work in the post-pandemic era.
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