Uber, a tech corporation representing Silicon Valley, announced on the 8th that it will increase office attendance from 2 to 3 days a week and reduce the benefit of paid vacation to one month.
Immediately after this decision, tech personnel, who preferred the flexible work arrangements that became common during the pandemic, reacted strongly.
Foreign media outlets such as Wired and Reuters reported that Uber's decision added fuel to the 'work environment war' sweeping across Silicon Valley, predicting that the repercussions would spread throughout the entire tech industry.
Within Uber, tensions between tech personnel and management are escalating.
A staff member, who requested anonymity, said in an interview with the New York Post, "This is an unilateral notice and a disregard for employees." Criticism that the management is "unprofessional and disrespectful" poured into the internal communication app at Uber regarding this decision and the communication method.
According to CNBC, Dara Khosrowshahi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uber, displayed a firm attitude during a full staff meeting discussing the changes to employee benefits, telling staff opposing the new policy, "It is the risk we chose to take" and that it was "already decided (It is what it is)."
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, "The conflicts occurring at Uber are a microcosm of the Return-to-Office (RTO) dilemma faced by the entire Silicon Valley, not just an issue of one corporation."
Tech corporations that expanded remote work after the pandemic have aggressively tightened office return policies since last year.
Amazon mandated office work 5 days a week starting in January this year. Google and Meta require employees to come to the office 3 days a week. Apple has also mandated attendance on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
According to ITPro, a media outlet specializing in IT, 74% of corporate human resources (HR) personnel identified mandatory office returns (RTO) as a major point of conflict with employees.
According to research cited by The Washington Post from the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan, Microsoft, Apple, and SpaceX saw a sharp increase in the departure of experienced senior employees after issuing office return orders.
As a result, the strict RTO policies of tech corporations have drawn criticism as a form of quiet firing, which essentially leads to employee layoffs.
Khosrowshahi, Uber's CEO, also responded in a CNBC interview, saying, "The economy and hiring market remain strong, and Uber employees have many opportunities anywhere," conveying a message of 'if you don't like it, leave.'
Uber's announcement on the 7th regarding its first-quarter performance fell short of market expectations. Uber is not directly affected by President Donald Trump's tariff policies. However, if the intensification of the tariff war constricts the U.S. economy, consumers may reduce their spending on ride-hailing and delivery services. The emergence of competitive corporations crossing industry boundaries, like Tesla's 'robotaxi,' also poses a significant threat to Uber.
CNBC stated, "Uber is fully committed to cost efficiency and productivity increases in order to secure sustainable profitability."
There is also a perspective that the strengthened RTO movement is part of a management 'normalization' strategy aimed at tightening post-pandemic corporate operations and enhancing management control.
Gartner, a global IT advisory firm, predicted that by 2026, 70% of major corporations will adopt office attendance of 3 days or more as a basic work form, stating that a return to office-centric work will become the trend.