‘Make A Choice’: Uber CEO Warns Employees Who Want Full-Time Work From Home
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When asked about those hired under remote-friendly terms, the Uber CEO says they would “have to make a choice”, adding, “people who work at Uber, they have lots of opportunities”.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi defended the mandate, calling it “a great policy” that offers “the right mix of giving your employees flexibility but also getting them to the office for those all-important teamwork tasks”.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has sent a clear message to employees resisting a return to the office: those unwilling to follow the company’s revised in-office policy will “have to make a choice”. The firm stance follows growing internal unrest over Uber’s decision to toughen its return-to-office (RTO) rules.
According to Fortune, Khosrowshahi is backing the move to require more in-office presence, a change that has triggered employee dissatisfaction and sparked heated discussions on internal forums. Staff have reportedly raised concerns about burnout and practical issues like limited desk space.
Tensions came to a head during a recent all-hands meeting, where employees directed a series of critical questions at Khosrowshahi. As per an audio recording reviewed by CNBC, the CEO dismissed the complaints, responding, “it is what it is,” and acknowledging, “We recognise some of these changes are going to be unpopular with folks. This is a risk we decided to take.”
Speaking to CNBC after Uber’s Q1 earnings call, Khosrowshahi defended the mandate, calling it “a great policy” that offers “the right mix of giving your employees flexibility but also getting them to the office for those all-important teamwork tasks”. When asked about those hired under remote-friendly terms, he said they would “have to make a choice”, and added, “people who work at Uber, they have lots of opportunities everywhere”.
He emphasised the company’s expectation that employees “work hard”, and importantly, “work hard together” in the office.
Policy Changes Kick in This June
Starting June, Uber will raise its in-office attendance requirement from two to three days a week. At the same time, the eligibility threshold for the company’s month-long paid sabbatical benefit will increase from five years to eight. Some employees previously granted fully remote status are now being asked to report to the office under the new guidelines.
Leadership Responds to Internal Criticism
Following the contentious town hall, Uber’s Chief People Officer Nikki Krishnamurthy circulated a memo to staff criticising the tone of the discussion. She said some employee remarks during the meeting were “unprofessional and disrespectful”, and had crossed the line of acceptable internal communication.
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