Amazon is implementing stricter expense policies by requiring employees to report what portion of their company-issued phone usage is work-related. The move affects the $50 monthly mobile reimbursement, which will now be adjusted according to personal use.
The change is part of CEO Andy Jassy’s ongoing “hardcore culture reset”, reshaping workplace policies since he succeeded Jeff Bezos. According to a Business Insider investigation, Amazon Web Services staff are now expected to break down phone usage between personal and professional activities, with reimbursements reduced proportionally for non-work use.
The policy reflects Amazon’s broader push for frugality. Employees are also required to justify business trips by outlining expected returns and to itemise meal expenses rather than claiming them under flat allowances. Jassy has emphasized that teams should treat company funds as if they were their own, reinforcing cost discipline across operations.
While peers like Meta, Google, and Microsoft have raised performance expectations, Amazon has gone further by directly linking reimbursements to reported usage.
The policy has sparked unease among staff, with some describing it as micromanagement rather than efficiency. For many employees, company phones were considered a standard employment tool rather than a benefit to be rationed.
Despite the backlash, Amazon defends the move, stressing that frugality remains a core principle of its culture. By monitoring expenses closely, the company aims to enhance accountability amid a cautious economic environment.
Get it on Play Store