In a recent all-hands meeting, Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman defended the company's new policy requiring employees to work in the office five days a week. He stated that nine out of ten employees he's spoken with support the policy, which takes effect in January, according to a report by Reuters. 

Garman made it clear that those who are unhappy with the mandatory return-to-office policy are free to leave the company. He emphasized the importance of in-person collaboration for innovation and productivity.

The new policy has faced significant backlash from employees who prefer remote or hybrid work arrangements. Some employees who have resisted the three-day in-office policy have reportedly been forced to resign or have been locked out of company systems.

While many tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft have adopted more flexible in-office policies, Amazon has taken a stricter stance on returning to the office. Despite the opposition, Garman expressed his excitement about the change and the potential benefits it will bring to the company.

The backlash against the office mandate is particularly striking, especially given Amazon's history of promoting a flexible work environment. For the past 15 months, the company has operated on a hybrid model, allowing employees to work both remotely and in the office.

However, many employees have expressed scepticism about CEO Andy Jassy's justification for the mandate, which emphasises the benefits of in-person collaboration and culture-building. They argue that the company's culture is already well-established and that remote work hasn’t hindered innovation or productivity.

In a blog post, Andy announced plans to streamline Amazon's organisational structure by reducing the ratio of managers to individual contributors. This shift aims to flatten the hierarchy, cut down on bureaucracy, and empower employees to make decisions that are closer to customer needs.