Business
Amazon Workers Hold Walkout In Seattle Over Objections To Return-To-Work Policy
People watch from inside Amazon's Seattle headquarters as Amazon workers last year protested return to office requirements, among other issues. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

Amazon is going back to the office full-time. The rest of tech is not.

The “world’s largest startup” isn’t acting like one

In January, Amazon employees will have to go back to the office full time.

In order to “better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other and our culture to deliver the absolute best for customers and the business, we’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of COVID,” CEO Andy Jassy said in a blog post Monday.

That puts the company, long known for its hard-driving and even abusive-seeming work culture, at odds with the rest of the tech industry.

In fact, rather than return to the office, tech companies have been getting more flexible in where people work, according to data from Flex Index, which surveys more than 9,000 firms on their office policies.

In 2024, the majority of tech firms (56%) let employees decide where they’d like to work. Another 23% are fully remote, while 18% are structured-hybrid, meaning employees are required to come in on some days. Only 3% of tech companies require their employees to be in the office full time, representing a decline from 2023.

When Amazon moved to three days in-office last year, the change was met with worker protests, and it’s likely we’ll see more this time. (It also will no doubt cause some workers to leave, which might just be another way for Amazon to cut costs.)

“In the immediate term, Amazon will see a lot of employee pushback and frustration. Employees that don't want to comply will immediately start looking for other opportunities,” Rob Sadow, CEO and co-founder of Flex Index, told Sherwood. “The job market in tech is tepid, but there are a lot of tech companies with more flexible postures who will jump at the opportunity to take talent from Amazon.”

He added, “All else being equal, the average employee will choose to go to a company that offers more flexibility. So Amazon may have to pay more vs. a competitor for the same talent, and will be confined in their hiring to people who live within a reasonable geographic radius of their offices.”

Other tech companies could decide to emulate Amazon, or scoop up the employees the new policies drive away.

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Starbucks issues apology after viral “Bearista” cup meltdown

Holiday cheer turned into chaos this week for Starbucks after the coffee giant’s new “Bearista” holiday cup sent fans into a frenzy. 

Dropped alongside its 2025 holiday menu, the $30 beanie-wearing glass bear tumbler sparked long lines, sellouts, and even in-store scuffles before Starbucks stepped in with an apology.

“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” the company said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to our coffeehouses than almost any other item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”

Within hours of launch, frustrated fans flooded Starbucks’ social media pages and even store hotlines. Some customers waited in line before dawn and others said their stores received only a handful of cups. In one Houston location, the craze even turned physical, with police reportedly called to break up a brawl. Meanwhile, the cup is already reselling on sites like eBay, with listings topping $600.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” Starbucks said. While in-store customers may be upset, investors seem happy about the viral hit, as the stock has risen over 3% on Friday.

If you’re still hoping for a Bearista at market price, that may not be on order: the chain didn’t disclose how many cups were made or whether a restock is planned.

business

Target tells workers to smile, wave, and greet shoppers if they come within 10 feet of them

Target just rolled out a new rule for store employees: smile, make eye contact, and greet or wave when a shopper comes within 10 feet — and if they get closer, within four feet, ask whether they need help or how their day is going, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Dubbed the 10-4 program internally, the rule mirrors rival Walmarts own 10-foot policy, formalizing behavior Target had previously only encouraged.

business

Monster surges on energy drink buzz, while Celsius sinks on distribution concerns

Shares of Monster Beverage climbed 5% after the bell on Thursday, and held most of those gains into early trading on Friday, following strong Q3 results.

The energy drink giant topped market expectations, with quarterly sales up 17% year over year to $2.2 billion and adjusted net profits growing 41% to $524.5 million — 11% ahead of Wall Street’s estimates. In the report, Monster highlighted its zero-sugar line and new product launches, with a stack of novel flavors already released this year, as bright spots.

During a call with analysts, Chief Executive Hilton Schlosberg said that the global energy drink category “remains healthy with robust growth,” The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that demand for more affordable caffeinated drinks is rising as coffee has become “really expensive.”

Meanwhile, rival beverage business Celsius saw shares fall as much as 23% on its Q3 results yesterday — despite beating expectations, with revenue jumping 173% — largely due to concerns about a change in the company’s distribution channel, as its newly acquired Alani Nu brand joins the PepsiCo distribution network.

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