Amazon is directing a significant portion of its corporate workforce to relocate to major hubs such as Seattle, Arlington, and Washington, DC, according to a Bloomberg report. The move comes as many industries, including tech, continue to grapple with layoffs, potentially compounding stress for employees now facing the prospect of uprooting their lives.

According to the report, impacted employees have a 30-day window to decide whether to accept the relocation offer. Those agreeing to the move will have 60 days to initiate the relocation process. Otherwise, they will be expected to resign.

An insider cited by Bloomberg revealed that the updated policy affects thousands across multiple departments, with mid-level employees particularly hesitant due to family commitments and the careers of spouses or partners. “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, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach and there hasn’t been a change in our approach as a company,” an Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg.

Workforce Strategy Aligns With AI Expansion

Amazon’s relocation initiative coincides with a broader strategic transformation under CEO Andy Jassy, who recently outlined long-term plans to reshape the company’s workforce and operations. In an internal memo, Jassy noted that corporate staffing levels are expected to decline over the next several years, as the company integrates advanced technologies like generative AI across its divisions.

Jassy highlighted the significance of AI in Amazon’s ongoing evolution. He said, “Technologies like Generative AI are rare; they come about once in a lifetime, and completely change what’s possible for customers and businesses. So, we are investing quite expansively, and the progress we are making is evident. You can see it in what we’re rolling out in Alexa+, our next generation Alexa personal assistant that’s meaningfully smarter, more capable, and is the first personal assistant that can take significant actions for customers on top of providing intelligent answers to virtually any question.”

Organisation Restructuring

As Amazon leans deeper into AI, its policies on workforce structure and location are being recalibrated, indicating a shift toward centralization and technological efficiency. The relocation mandate reflects a renewed focus on in-person collaboration within strategic locations as the company positions itself for the next phase of growth.