[Real Beat] Amazon Faces Backlash Over Office Return... "We Want Choice in Our Workplace"

Petition Prepared for Opening 'Jaetaek Ongho' Slack Channel
Apple Submitted Petition Last Year Demanding 3-Day Workweek

Editor's Note[Jjinbit] is a shortened form of 'Jung Hyunjin's Business Trend' and 'Real Business Trend,' a segment that showcases trends in changes in work.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jung Hyunjin] Employees of Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce company, have pushed back against CEO Andy Jassy's demand to return to the office three days a week, demanding "the right to choose where to work." Some employees have expressed their intention to leave if the return-to-office policy is enforced, indicating that conflicts over remote work in big tech companies are expected to continue following Apple.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

◆ 14,000 Join Slack Channel Advocating Remote Work

According to CNBC and Business Insider on the 21st (local time), a Slack channel titled 'Remote Advocacy' was created on the 17th within Amazon's internal messenger. The channel description states, "Created to advocate for remote work within Amazon, seeking data, anecdotes, and articles related to the benefits of remote work," and "Let's prove that good work does not require face-to-face interaction."

On the first day of its creation, 5,000 employees joined the channel, and by this day, less than a week later, more than 14,000 Amazon employees had joined. Business Insider reported that about 80% of employees who joined Slack responded in an impromptu survey that they would leave if the company pushed for a return to the office.

The reason this channel was created is that CEO Jassy announced that starting in May, employees must come to the office at least three days a week. After COVID-19, Amazon had allowed managers to decide the frequency of employee office attendance, but this move signals a return to company-wide management of attendance. CEO Jassy said, "This was decided at a senior executive meeting earlier this week," adding, "We believe that employees learning from and collaborating with each other helps company culture and enhances employee capabilities."

Amazon has been cutting costs, including laying off 18,000 employees in January, the largest in the industry. This is due to continued poor performance amid concerns about a post-pandemic recession and soaring inflation. Amazon's net profit in Q3 last year fell 9% year-over-year and decreased nearly 20% in Q4. The halt of remote work and the demand to return to the office are understood in this context.

However, employees who joined the Slack channel argue that CEO Jassy's announcement was sudden and lacked justification. They pointed out that even other senior Amazon officials were not informed in advance about the announcement made on the 17th. It was also reported that some employees have adapted to remote work environments and live far from the office, making commuting a concern.

◆ Petition in Preparation... 93% of Amazon Employees Say Remote Work Helps Concentration

Amazon employees are reportedly preparing a petition to submit to CEO Jassy and the company. According to drafts confirmed by foreign media, the petition states, "We Amazonians demand the right to choose where to work, including remote work." The petition lists six reasons opposing the return to the office: ▲ Remote work increases productivity ▲ Employees want the right to choose their workplace ▲ Remote work helps attract top talent ▲ Remote work saves money for Amazon and Amazonians ▲ Remote work promotes work-life balance ▲ Office work affects parents and people with disabilities.

The petition emphasizes that in a survey conducted within Amazon last year, 56% of employees preferred meeting about once a month, and 31% preferred coming to the office one or two days a week. Additionally, 93% of respondents said remote work helps them concentrate on their tasks, surpassing the 68% who said they concentrate better in the office.

Previously, Apple employees also submitted a petition last August opposing the company's demand to come to the office three days a week. The petition stated, "We have shown that work is possible over the past two years," and requested to be allowed to discuss and decide work arrangements with their direct supervisors. They argued that remote work is actually inefficient and that fixing the number of office days reduces flexibility.

Meanwhile, recently, U.S. companies have been eliminating or reducing full remote work and increasing office attendance days. This year, Disney and Starbucks have required four days a week in the office, while Google and Apple have been requiring three days a week in the office since April and September last year, respectively.