In all-hands meeting, Amazon CEO says RTO mandate not a 'backdoor layoff'

Core Points - Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy clarified that the company's return-to-office (RTO) policy is not a strategy for layoffs but aims to strengthen company culture [1][4][3] - The RTO policy requires most corporate employees to return to the office five days a week starting in January, which has faced significant employee pushback [4][5] - Jassy emphasized the importance of physical presence for fostering innovation and collaboration, especially in the rapidly changing tech landscape [6][7] Company Culture and Management - Jassy stated that the RTO policy is about optimizing for culture and collaboration rather than cost-cutting [4][6] - Amazon plans to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by Q1 2025 to reduce bureaucracy created during the pandemic [7][8] - The company has introduced a "Bureaucracy Mailbox" for employees to report unnecessary processes, with over 500 emails received and actions taken on more than 150 suggestions [8][9] Employee Sentiment - While 90% of employees Jassy spoke with were excited about the RTO change, over 500 employees signed a petition against it [5][4] - Jassy acknowledged the adjustment required for employees and the need for better communication and understanding of the company's culture [3][6]