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Uber is ramping up its return-to-office expectations while scaling back key benefits, sparking employee unrest and a blunt response from leadership.
Staff were informed on April 28 that starting June, employees will be required to work from the office three days a week, up from two. In addition, eligibility for the company’s month-long paid sabbatical has been revised upward from five years of service to eight. The sabbatical change, which affects previously approved requests, has become a flashpoint for dissatisfaction across the workforce.
CEO Dara Khosrowshahi addressed concerns during a combative all-hands meeting on April 29, acknowledging the controversy but defending the business rationale behind the decisions. “We recognize some of these changes are going to be unpopular with folks,” he said. “This is a risk we decided to take.” For employees unhappy with the new terms, he added, “it is what it is.”
Pushback intensifies over remote work shift
The shift in policy comes amid broader tensions in the tech sector over hybrid working. According to staff feedback posted to Uber’s internal forum, many expressed frustration with the abrupt changes, particularly given existing burnout concerns and logistical complaints about overcrowded office space.
One top-rated employee question asked: “How is five years of service not a tenured employee? Especially when burnout is rampant in the org.” Others queried whether the new policies were a veiled attempt to shed some staff. Khosrowshahi denied this, stating: “It has nothing to do in terms of a need to drive attrition or layoffs… the business is operating really, really well.”
Uber maintains that the in-person mandate is aimed at boosting collaboration, innovation and culture. “Our business also exists in the real world,” said Chief People Officer Nikki Krishnamurthy in a follow-up memo, echoing the rationale for the three-day requirement. Uber had previously set Tuesdays and Thursdays as “anchor days” for office attendance.
During the meeting staff raised concerns about limited meeting rooms and inadequate desks. prompting Krishnamurthy to acknowledge the issue, and reveal that Uber is adding 700,000 square feet of office space across San Francisco and Seattle, with new cafeterias and meeting rooms in development through 2026.
HR leadership warns on internal conduct
While defending the changes, Krishnamurthy also criticised the tone of some internal responses. In a memo viewed by CNBC, she described several staff comments during the meeting as “unprofessional and disrespectful,” warning that Uber would follow up with the individuals concerned.
“The job of leadership is to do what’s in the best interest of our customers and shareholders,” the company said in a statement. Khosrowshahi added that employees should prioritise learning and impact over perks. “Good isn’t good enough - we have to be great.”
