Amazon CEO Andy Jassy issued a notice mandating workers to return to the office five days a week. The mandate caused an outcry among employees, particularly those who joined the company during the Covid-19 pandemic. Amid the raging debate about RTO policy, a former Amazon engineer revealed to Fox Business his growing anxiety, which ultimately drove him to quit the job.
Ex-Amazon employee reveals why he quit after RTO mandate
Daniel, who did not disclose his last name, told the outlet that he faced growing anxiety over Amazon's RTO mandate. He quit the tech giant and joined a fully remote job in July, shortly before Amazon issued a notice requiring employees to come to the office five days a week. While a job at Amazon felt like a “big break” to him, relocating wasn't something he was prepared to do.
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Some of his colleagues relocated, but many were willing to quit in favour of a fully remote opportunity. Daniel told the outlet that Amazon's in-office push has “really given other companies more leverage when negotiating with Amazon employees because they can use… remote work as a benefit.” This comes as Jassy bumped up Amazon's in-office policy to five days a week, in sharp contrast to its previous three-day RTO.
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{{/usCountry}}“I joined during the era where they were allowing a lot of remote work. So, my understanding when I joined was that I was joining as a remote worker,” Daniel said, adding, “Once they made the initial return to office announcement, I found out that I was actually technically assigned to an office, but none of my team or extended team was at that office.”
Daniel went on to highlight the enormous stress that had mounted on him after Amazon's in-office push. “I didn't even realize how much anxiety I had about it until I left,” he said. “I imagine that all of my colleagues who have chosen not to relocate are feeling the same type of anxiety that I had,” the ex-Amazon employee added.