Uber on the spot over new return to office mandate and employee benefits reevaluation

Uber is facing internal unrest after announcing a stricter return-to-office (RTO) mandate and reevaluating one of its long-standing employee benefits. Starting in June, corporate staff will be required to work from an office three days per week, up from two. In addition, the company is raising the eligibility threshold for its month-long paid sabbatical program from five years to eight.

Some employees who had previously been approved for permanent remote work have also been asked to return in person, sparking frustration and confusion among staff.

CEO defends the move

CEO Dara Khosrowshahi defended the policy shift during a post-earnings interview with CNBC, saying the company believes in balancing flexibility with in-person collaboration.

“We think it's a great policy and it's the right mix of giving your employees flexibility but also getting them to the office for those all-important teamwork tasks,” he said. “We want people in the office, we want them working hard.”

When asked about workers who were hired under remote work arrangements, Khosrowshahi didn’t mince words: “They've got to make their own choice. Do they want to come to the office, or is working remotely really important for them?”

Internal dissent and a heated all-hands meeting

Employee reaction to the changes has been largely negative. In internal forums, workers have cited burnout, commuting challenges, and office space shortages. Tensions boiled over during a recent all-hands meeting, where staff members openly questioned the return-to-office policy and changes to benefits.

Khosrowshahi acknowledged the unpopularity of the move but stood firm. “This is a risk we decided to take,” he said. When confronted with more criticism, he added: “It is what it is.”

Following the contentious meeting, Uber’s Chief People Officer, Nikki Krishnamurthy, sent a company-wide memo stating that some of the comments made during the session were “unprofessional and disrespectful” and had crossed acceptable boundaries.

Tech industry’s broader return-to-office push

Uber is not alone in its stance. Tech giants across the board are intensifying their return-to-office mandates. Google recently ordered remote workers living within 50 miles of an office to return three days a week or face potential job loss. Amazon went even further, asking employees to come in five days a week.