Forcing employees to quit, however, might be exactly what Amazon wants, according to J. P. Gownder, a vice president analyst with Forrester Research. “There is a chance that Amazon is hoping to induce a level of voluntary attrition with this move in lieu of layoffs. Unfortunately, the best talent often has choices, and most don’t want to work in an office five days a week,” Gownder said.
In his memo, Jassy also outlined a plan to reduce managers, saying that “will remove layers and flatten organizations more than they are today. If we do this work well, it will increase our teammates’ ability to move fast, clarify and invigorate their sense of ownership,” he wrote.
Amazon’s mandate puts the company in the minority, according to recent research. Among employees with jobs that can be done remotely, 43% work hybrid, 22% work fully remote, and 35% work in the office full time.