Employee backlash intensifies as Uber tightens office rules

Uber is facing growing discontent from its workforce following a series of policy changes that tighten return-to-office requirements and reduce employee perks, CNBC reported.

As per the CNBC report, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told employees at an all-hands meeting last week that the company would require them to come into the office three days a week starting June, up from the previous two-day mandate. At the same time, Uber raised the eligibility threshold for its paid month-long sabbatical from five years to eight.

The abrupt policy shift sparked a wave of frustration across internal channels, with employees flooding Uber’s internal Slido forum with pointed questions and critical comments. One highly rated employee post questioned the logic of denying sabbaticals after five years, especially amid growing burnout. Another suggested the changes were designed to push people to quit, a claim Khosrowshahi denied.

“If you’re here for a sabbatical and this change causes you to change your mind, it is what it is,” Khosrowshahi told staff during the April 29 meeting, per CNBC. “We recognize some of these changes are going to be unpopular with folks. This is a risk we decided to take.”

The move highlights the broader power struggle unfolding in Silicon Valley, as tech companies seek to reassert control after years of pandemic-driven flexibility. According to CNBC, Google recently told some remote workers they’d need to return to offices if they wanted to avoid potential layoffs.

At Uber, employees have challenged both the policy and the company’s readiness to implement it. Concerns about inadequate office infrastructure were repeatedly raised, with one employee noting how difficult it is to find seating even on designated anchor days. Uber plans to expand its office footprint by 7,00,000 square feet across its San Francisco and Seattle campuses, but retrofitting won't be complete until 2026.

The backlash wasn’t limited to policy alone. Some employee remarks during the company-wide broadcast were deemed “unprofessional and disrespectful", prompting Chief People Officer Nikki Krishnamurthy to issue a follow-up memo promising accountability. “Through good times and bad, we are open with each other,” she wrote. “Yet when we see behavior like this, it makes it harder to continue being open in the same way.”