Amazon.com Inc. is directing select corporate employees to relocate to central office hubs—including Seattle, Arlington, and Washington, D.C.—as part of a broader push to consolidate teams and improve operational efficiency. The move is creating unease among staff already grappling with ongoing restructuring and the looming impact of artificial intelligence on job security.
Multiple employees familiar with the policy say the company is quietly informing affected workers through individual meetings and internal town halls, avoiding a formal company-wide announcement. In several cases, the relocation request involves cross-country moves, prompting concern among mid-level professionals with family and long-standing ties to their current communities.
Sources indicate the mandate affects thousands across various departments, raising questions about the company’s long-term workforce strategy. Some workers, particularly those with children or spouses in established careers, are expressing reluctance to uproot their lives given Amazon’s recent cost-cutting measures.
An Amazon spokesperson, responding to inquiries about the policy, said: “For more than a year now, some teams have been working to bring their teammates closer together to help them be as effective as possible. However, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and there hasn’t been a change in our approach as a company.”
Internally, employees have taken to Slack channels to share details and concerns about the policy. Documents reviewed by Bloomberg reveal that some workers were given a 30-day window to decide on relocation, followed by 60 days to either move or resign. In those cases, employees who opt out of relocation reportedly won’t be eligible for severance.
The company maintains that it offers support on a case-by-case basis. “We hear from the majority of our teammates that they love the energy from being located together,” the spokesperson added. “Whenever someone chooses to or is asked to relocate, we work with them to offer support based on their individual circumstances.”
The shift comes after Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s earlier return-to-office directive, which required employees to work on-site five days a week but allowed flexibility in choosing from satellite offices in cities like New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Austin. That flexibility is now being curtailed for some teams, particularly those hired during the pandemic under remote work agreements.
Jassy has also been vocal about the long-term implications of artificial intelligence on Amazon’s workforce. In comments made Tuesday, he acknowledged that AI is expected to handle a growing range of tasks, ultimately reducing the need for some roles. The statement triggered a wave of concern on internal message boards, compounding anxieties over recent job cuts.
In 2022, Amazon undertook the largest layoffs in its corporate history, cutting 27,000 positions. Several smaller, department-specific reductions have followed since.
Analysts suggest that encouraging voluntary resignations through relocation demands may serve as a cost-saving alternative to formal layoffs, allowing Amazon to trim headcount without incurring severance obligations.
As the tech giant continues to reshape its corporate structure, the latest relocation policy reflects the evolving nature of work at Amazon—and the growing pressure on employees to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
