Amazon is making bold moves to bring back urgency and accountability after years of rapid expansion:
Corporate employees are now required in-office five days a week to reignite spontaneous collaboration.
Layers of management are being sliced, raising the worker-to-manager ratio by 15% and accelerating decision-making.
Performance reviews now formally include Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles—only 5% will earn the top “role model” score.
Phone stipends are being cut back unless employees accurately report how much usage was work-related.
A “bureaucracy mailbox” invites teams to highlight and eliminate pointless processes—375 have been cut so far.
Culture Is the New Currency
This isn’t just policy — it’s a cultural reset. Amazon’s recalibration may feel strict, but it's all about reviving the scrappy brilliance that fueled its rise—and making sure it sticks.
