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Several current and former employees have indicated that the company’s strict return-to-office policy, set to take effect on January 2, 2025, seems more focused on encouraging voluntary resignations than on promoting innovation and teamwork.
The term “silent firing” describes a situation where management deliberately creates adverse working conditions to motivate an employee to leave voluntarily. This may involve tactics such as postponing promotions and excluding the individual from team interactions.
The company has instituted a compulsory return-to-office directive, which at least two former employees allege is intended to nudge them toward resignation rather than facing termination with severance benefits.
This approach could lead to cost savings for Amazon, as it would not be obligated to provide severance packages to those who opt to resign. Since 2022, Amazon has been executing a series of layoffs, offering affected employees a severance package that includes a separation payment, transitional health benefits, and job placement assistance. By adopting a more subtle method for employee separations, the company can enhance efficiency, saving both time and resources.
Robert Lacis, who dedicated almost five years to Amazon, mentioned that he was originally hired as a “virtual employee.” However, after the company revealed its return-to-office plan, he was given the option to either move to Seattle for in-person work or resign from his role.
“February 17, 2023, was the defining moment when things began to change .This was the day that Andy Jassy announced Amazon’s return-to-office (RTO) plans. Being hired as a virtual employee, I thought I was exempt. Things went south in the summer of 2023. Sure, I didn’t have to RTO, but I was told I had to move to Seattle or ‘voluntarily resign.’ Having made important life decisions to move to Lake Oswego, Oregon, for the benefit of my family, moving to Seattle did not align at all,” says his post.
According to various sources, Amazon is implementing its layoffs in several stages. One employee reported that the first stage involved a workforce reduction of 30,000 personnel. The next stage introduced a policy requiring employees to return to the office, with a mandate to work two to three days a week from a location near their home. The third stage, referred to as “return to team,” necessitated that employees be physically present in the office where their respective teams operate. The fourth stage included restrictions on participation in key meetings, while the fifth stage closely resembled a ‘death of remote’ policy, compelling employees to work from the office associated with their team.
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