September 2024

A U.K. bank is warning the world to watch out for AI voice cloning scams. The bank said in a press release that it’s dealing with hundreds of cases and the hoaxes could affect anyone with a social media account.

According to new data from Starling Bank, 28% of UK adults say they have already been targeted by an AI voice cloning scam at least once in the past year. The same data revealed that nearly half of UK adults (46%) have never heard of an AI voice-cloning scam and are unaware of the danger.

Related: How to Outsmart AI-Powered Phishing Scams

“People regularly post content online, which has recordings of their voice, without ever imagining it’s making them more vulnerable to fraudsters,” said Lisa Grahame, chief information security officer at Starling Bank, in the press release.

The scam, powered by artificial intelligence, needs merely a snippet (only three or so seconds) of audio to convincingly duplicate a person’s speech patterns. Considering many of us post much more than that on a daily basis, the scam could affect the population en mass, per CNN.

Once cloned, criminals cold-call victim’s loved ones to fraudulently solicit funds.

Related: Andy Cohen Lost ‘A Lot of Money’ to a Highly Sophisticated Scam — Here’s How to Avoid Becoming a Victim Yourself

In response to the growing menace, Starling Bank recommends adopting a verification system among relatives and friends using a unique safe phrase that you only share with loved ones out loud — not by text or email.

“We hope that through campaigns such as this, we can arm the public with the information they need to keep themselves safe,” Grahame added. “Simply having a safe phrase in place with trusted friends and family — which you never share digitally — is a quick and easy way to ensure you can verify who is on the other end of the phone.”

Days after proposing to settle a data breach lawsuit for $30 million, 18-year-old genetic testing company 23andMe now faces another public hurdle: Seven independent directors of its board resigned on Tuesday through a pointed letter addressed to CEO Anne Wojcicki, who is now the only remaining member of the board.

The resigning directors, among whom were YouTube CEO Neal Mohan and Sequoia VC Roelof Botha, called out Wojcicki for not submitting a “fully financed, fully diligenced, actionable proposal” to take the company private over the past five months. They wrote that their strategic direction for 23andMe was different from Wojcicki’s.

“Because of that difference and because of your concentrated voting power, we believe that it is in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders that we resign from the Board rather than have a protracted and distracting difference of view with you as to the direction of the Company,” they stated.

Related: 23andMe DNA Technology Helps Family Find Kidnapped Daughter After 51 Years

Wojcicki, who co-founded the company in 2006, controls 49% of 23andMe votes. In July, she submitted a proposal to buy all the shares she didn’t already own at $0.40 per share and take the company private. A special committee created by the company rejected her proposal, stating that it wasn’t in the best interests of shareholders.

^{Anne Wojcicki. Credit: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

Wojcicki told employees in a memo on Tuesday that she was “surprised and disappointed” by the resignations and would immediately begin finding replacement directors. She stated that “taking 23andMe private will be the best opportunity for long-term success.”

23andMe, which was valued at $6 billion in 2021 shortly after going public, is now a penny stock worth 34 cents per share at the time of writing. The company has until November 4 to bring its stock price up to at least $1 per share or risk being delisted.

23andMe has faced a number of public setbacks, including a data breach in October that impacted nearly 7 million accounts and appeared to target people with Chinese or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. Customers filed a class action lawsuit in January and 23andMe proposed a $30 million settlement earlier this month.

23andMe’s core product is a $99 ancestry kit that requires a customer to submit their spit in exchange for genetic insights. A $199 kit advertises health predisposition reports. The company is also developing drugs in-house and testing them.

Related: 23andMe Hackers Selling Stolen User Data, Including DNA Profiles of ‘Celebrities,’ on Dark Web

As government regulations and industry standards become increasingly stringent, many firms — particularly professional services firms — are under pressure to ensure they are operating in a compliant and legal manner. Failure to adhere to these regulations and requirements can have serious consequences for the company, including hefty fines, negative public perception, legal action and business disruption.

Historically, compliance and risk management were a manual process where teams meticulously tracked, updated and verified compliance metrics and standards. Unfortunately, the margin for human error is enormous and could leave the company open to significant risk. The solution lies in workflow automation systems. By leveraging automated systems to track, monitor and complete regulatory and compliance tasks, companies can improve their ability to remain in line with the current standards.

Related: Smart Entrepreneurs Use Automation to Become More Efficient. Here Are 6 Ways to Adopt It.

1. Process standardization

Manual processes are one of the leading causes of regulatory and industry compliance failure. This is especially true for companies that have numerous employees performing different tasks in slightly different ways. Implementing an automated workflow process enforces consistency and uniformity by standardizing processes across the organization. With each task being performed within the bounds of the workflow systems, the company has more control over team members who may cut corners or deviate from the complaint process.

2. Reduction of human error

In many cases, compliance and regulatory violations aren’t intentional or malicious. Even the most diligent employees can make mistakes from time to time. Unfortunately, when it comes to compliance, even small, innocent errors can come with outsized consequences including large fines or legal action. Automation can reduce the risk of human error by taking over routine and repetitive tasks, like data entry, that are prone to manual mistakes.

3. Regulatory updates and alerts

Regulatory requirements are constantly changing. Nearly two-thirds of business owners admit that they struggle with keeping up with compliance regulations. It can be challenging to track and implement these changes, leaving the organization out of compliance. Industry-specific workflow automation systems can be programmed to automatically integrate regulatory updates as they become available. For example, tax accountant firms typically use software that updates to the latest forms available from the IRS.

These tools can also provide real-time monitoring of potential compliance issues and provide system alerts. This allows for compliance issues to be addressed before they snowball into a major problem, ultimately avoiding a fine or other consequence.

Related: 3 Ways Businesses Are Staying Ahead of Regulatory Changes in 2024

4. Audit protection

Highly regulated businesses are often required to maintain a robust repository of important documents such as permits, financial records, employment contracts, regulatory filings and other legal agreements. The mismanagement of these important documents can lead to serious consequences if they are lost or inaccessible during an audit.

Automated workflow systems can streamline document management by organizing, storying and archiving all necessary documents in a systematic way. The best part is that digital documents can be backed up and aren’t at risk of permanent loss in the event of a flood or fire.

5. Compliance reporting

In many cases, companies are required to submit or publish documentation to regulatory agencies or to the public. This can be a very time-consuming process. In addition to storing important documents, automated workflow tools can also leverage system data to help generate these reports instead of completing them manually. This can reduce the risk of inaccurate or incomplete reports being filed with regulatory agencies.

6. Data security compliance

One of the fastest-growing areas of compliance is data security, especially with the advancement of tools such as artificial intelligence. Numerous governments and agencies across the globe have developed standards and requirements around how sensitive and private information should be stored and handled, particularly regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. Manual processes and human handling can expose data to unauthorized access or breaches, leading to compliance violations.

Most automated workflow platforms come equipped with the latest built-in security features such as encryption, user authentication and access controls to help safeguard sensitive data and comply with data protection regulations.

Related: The 5-Step Guide to Navigating Legal and Regulatory Changes in Business

Workflow automation systems are transforming the way businesses manage risk and compliance. The downside is that governments and regulators understand the power of these systems, which may encourage additional complex regulations in the future. It’s critical for organizations to start implementing these systems so they can remain ahead of this curve. As regulations continue to evolve, leveraging automation will be the key to protecting your business against any regulatory or compliance risks.

I worked at Hootsuite when the social media management leader launched its first paid certification program, and I’m lucky to have witnessed the development of such industry-leading customer education. But I know that revenue was not the main goal going in.

At the time, the courses were intended to support lead generation and customer success initiatives, but as course uptake grew, the company realized the true potential in its courseware, and today, Hootsuite’s Academy is a bonafide revenue generation center.

For many companies, however, customer education isn’t working as hard as it could for the bottom line. While the success stats are undeniable — 90% of companies have experienced positive benefits from investing in customer education — the reality is that companies today need tangible ROI that goes beyond positively correlated metrics like increased customer satisfaction and lifetime value. They need another revenue stream.

Hootsuite and others like Hubspot and LinkedIn have paved the way for customer education programs with a full-funnel impact. And if your company hasn’t jumped on board in leveraging customer education as a revenue driver, now is the time. Here’s why and how to get there.

Related: Want Loyal Customers? Teach Them Something New — Here’s How Customer Education Programs Elevate Your Business

Full funnel impact is the way forward

Ever since the pandemic, customer churn has hit record levels, putting pressure on marketing and customer success teams to double down on their efforts to attract, engage and retain customers. With businesses feeling the financial squeeze of the economic downturn, many have sought out new revenue channels in addition to reducing costs.

Marketing and customer service teams are a goldmine here, with their wealth of knowledge and data about the customer — from their understanding of the purchase journey to the challenges customers experience once they’re onboarded. Customer success and marketing teams can leverage the knowledge base and support assets they’ve already created and work together to package their assets into tangible offerings that customers will pay for. They can shift the customer experience to self-serve learning and reposition themselves to generate revenue, alleviate demands on their time and empower customers to reach their goals more independently.

At my current workplace, we’ve seen immense value in getting customers onboarded and activated as quickly as possible using self-serve courseware. However, this strategy isn’t only for SaaS companies. I’ve seen it in clients from a wide range of industries – from broad-based public education programs to highly specialized training. One thing I’ve noticed across the board? Creating full-funnel impact is only possible through the collaboration of disparate business units and a unified business plan.

Related: 4 Ways Brands Can Educate Their Customers and Win Hearts

Start with a strategy

Unless you’re an educational institution, you’ll quickly discover that offering courses and certifications is different than making software or selling widgets. Treating it as a unique business will help you get the resources you’ll require to succeed. That includes marketing support and integration within your overall product strategy.

As tempting as it may be to slap together existing content and put a price tag on it, the reality is that you will need a plan that anticipates and facilitates growth. Carefully consider what your customers will pay for and what you need to offer everyone. That might involve creating tiers of paid access that match engagement levels, such as paid certification for standard customers and one-on-one coaching for your top performers.

I recommend looking at least a year or two ahead at potential growth and what’s required to support it. For example, once your courses are launched and established, you may want the ability to develop a private community where students can collaborate and share what they have learned.

Part of Hootsuite’s success came from choosing a platform that allowed it to leverage the power of its growing subscriber base. Selecting tools that can grow with you will enable you to add new features when you’re ready and avoid the hassle of having to migrate your content to a more robust platform, just as it’s gaining traction.

Related: Your Startup’s Most Important Investment Is Customer Education

Leverage technology and augment it with creativity

If creating the kind of value people will pay for feels daunting, technology can help here, too. Generative AI tools make lighter work of transforming existing assets into courseware, and the delivery platform you choose may have built-in prompts and features to turn your vision into reality with minimal effort. Case in point: we’ve succeeded in taking video edits down from six hours to just one using AI – an impressive efficiency boost!

Keep in mind, too, that you don’t necessarily need to produce dozens of high-quality videos. Consider how to leverage what you’ve got, then fill the gaps with new content that clearly addresses your customers’ pain points. And don’t be afraid to get creative. Sure, there are playbooks on how to develop courseware, but you can always go your own way.

If you need inspiration, take a look at what others are doing — especially worthy rivals in other sectors. One of my favorites is Cricut Access, a paid account for Cricut crafters that offers resources, support and project ideas. The company caters to consumers, which is not my company’s target audience, but I find it’s always a source of good food for thought.

Finally, don’t be afraid to try things — even if they might not work. After all, the best way to learn is by experimenting. And learning right alongside your customers may be the most authentic way to accelerate both their productivity and revenue — and yours.

As the co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, one of the world’s largest restaurant companies with a portfolio including franchises like KFC and Pizza Hut, David Novak drove tangible results.

In the 17 years he was CEO, from 1999 to 2016, Novak helped scale the company to eight times its original size, from a market capitalization of $4 billion to $32 billion. However, Novak credits the numbers to a more qualitative than quantitative aspect of leadership — creating the right work culture.

In a conversation with Masters of Scale host Jeff Berman that aired earlier this month, Novak explained how he steered Yum! Brands from the beginning.

“I made my number one priority to really create a powerful culture where everyone counts,” Novak said. “That became job number one for me as a CEO, because if I can create that right work environment, people will innovate and people will go further.”

Novak explained that early on, he tried to learn from companies that were winning or consistently delivered good results. He went out and visited companies including Walmart, Home Depot, and General Electric.

“We met with them,” Novak said. “Then we came back and we codified what’s really driving the success of these companies that allow them to get to great results year after year.”

Related: The Side Hustle She Started in a High School Locker Room Hit Multimillion-Dollar Revenue — and Taylor Swift Is a Fan: ‘Invest in Yourself’

Novak, who oversaw 1.5 million employees globally, began emphasizing recognition and encoding it into Yum!’s culture. In previous interviews, he talked about how he would use recognition to motivate employees. In one case, at KFC, Novak gave away rubber chickens and $100 as an award for a job well done.

Today, Yum!’s culture remains one of recognition and collaboration, per its public-facing culture page.

In 1948, diamond company De Beers launched a marketing campaign with the slogan “A diamond is forever.” Fifty years later, the company created another campaign justifying the price of diamonds with the slogan, “Isn’t two months’ salary a small price to pay for something that lasts forever?”

Now, De Beers is aggressively cutting prices to bring sales up, and you can buy a diamond-making device for $200,000 on Alibaba.

It’s a sign that diamond production is democratizing, reports Ars Technica.

In the past five years, lab-grown gem sales have burgeoned and made the price of mined stones less appealing, according to diamond expert Paul Zimnisky. The lab-grown diamond market was $13 billion last year and is expected to reach about $22 billion by 2031.

Ankur Daga, CEO of the fine jewelry company Angara, estimated that half of all engagement rings sold this year will have lab-grown stones, a significant jump from 2% in 2018.

“The diamond industry is in trouble,” Daga told CNBC in June.

As of press time, natural 1-carat diamonds cost around $4,000 while lab-grown diamonds of the same weight go for around $620.

How a lab-grown diamond machine works

The 44-ton device uses high-pressure high temperature (HPHT) technology to take a diamond seed, or a tiny diamond particle that starts the whole process, and transform it into a lab-grown diamond. Alibaba focuses more on business-to-business products, so the machine they have for sale would likely be bought and used by a company with specialized knowledge.

Related: She Started a Business With $2,000 of Personal Savings — Then Grew It to More Than $100 Million Revenue

Lab-grown diamonds are up to 90% less expensive than natural diamonds and look exactly the same to the human eye. They can only be told apart with special equipment in a professional gemological lab.

They also don’t carry the same environmental and social concerns as naturally found diamonds, which have to be mined in unsafe conditions.

Even with this kind of growth, and machines like the one sold through Alibaba, Zimnisky says that naturally-found diamonds will still have a place in the future.

“Human desire for rare and valuable objects runs pretty deep within us,” Zimnisky told NPR. “I don’t think that’s going to, all of a sudden, change.”

Related: This Family-Owned Manhattan Jewelry Shop Struggled to Rebuild After 9/11. Today, 2 Sisters Who Run the 46-Year-Old Business Reveal What It Takes to Persevere.

I have spent 37 years as a founder, CEO, investor, advisor, board member and leader, and I’ve seen my share of soaring successes and crushing failures. My entrepreneurial journey has been punctuated by significant challenges, including the Great Recession, where I lost everything. These experiences have taught me the importance of antifragile optimism, a mindset that allows us to survive adversity and thrive in it.

Strategic foresight and authentic leadership are essential, but they must be complemented by a willingness to engage with the darker, less understood parts of ourselves — what Carl Jung famously termed the “shadow.”

Related: How to Empower Yourself to Unlock Your Full Potential

The shadow concept

Carl Jung introduced the concept of the “shadow,” which represents the unconscious and often repressed aspects of our personality — those traits, behaviors and emotions that we push into the background because they don’t align with our self-image. Jung described the shadow as an unconscious snag, an unseen force that can hold us back or weigh us down.

As Jung once said, “A man who is possessed by his shadow is always standing in his own light and falling into his own traps.”

These hidden parts of ourselves can subtly influence our decision-making, leadership style and overall business success. Left unchecked, the shadow can be a formidable barrier to growth, but when confronted and integrated, it can become a powerful ally.

Personal discovery of the shadow

My journey into understanding the shadow began during a recent leadership course led by John Wineland. The concept of shadow work was new to me, but I realized that my shadow had been unconsciously influencing many of my decisions, limiting my potential as a leader and entrepreneur.

This was a revelation — recognizing that the very fears and insecurities I had long buried were impacting my ability to lead effectively. One particular manifestation of this shadow was the fear of financial instability — a fear that reared its head during the current IPO slowdown over the past two years.

For many entrepreneurs, financial concerns are a constant companion. Studies from Harvard Business School indicate that 25% of entrepreneurs face significant financial loss multiple times throughout their careers. This fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if it’s not addressed head-on, affecting our decision-making processes in ways we might not even be aware of.

The entrepreneur’s shadow: A double-edged sword

Entrepreneurs are often driven by a mix of confidence, ambition and vision. However, these strengths can also have a dark side — a shadow that, if not acknowledged, can lead to significant challenges.

Overconfidence, for example, can be both a strength and a weakness. Confidence in one’s ideas and abilities is crucial for any entrepreneur; it drives us to take risks and push boundaries. However, overconfidence can lead to underestimating risks and overextending resources, often resulting in strategic missteps that could have been avoided with a more measured approach.

Similarly, fear of failure can lead to caution and careful planning, which are essential in business. However, an overwhelming fear of failure can prevent us from taking necessary risks or exploring new opportunities. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), serial entrepreneurs often face multiple failures before they achieve lasting success, underscoring the importance of resilience and risk-taking.

Another common shadow is poor work-life balance. A strong work ethic and dedication are vital to building a successful business, yet neglecting personal well-being and relationships can lead to burnout and diminished effectiveness, both personally and professionally.

Related: Why Self-Reflection and Self-Awareness Are Vital Skills for Any Entrepreneur

Harnessing the shadow for business growth

The shadow is not something to be feared or ignored but rather a part of ourselves that can be harnessed for growth. The first step is becoming aware of our shadow, which requires honest self-reflection and asking tough questions: “What am I avoiding? What am I overcompensating for?”

This process requires vulnerability, something many leaders shy away from, but which is crucial for personal growth. Seeking feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors or coaches is also essential. They can offer insights into our blind spots — those aspects of ourselves we might not see clearly but that others do.

Once we identify our shadow traits, we can begin to work with them. This might involve setting boundaries, taking calculated risks or delegating tasks more effectively. Shadow integration is an ongoing process, requiring patience and consistent effort.

By bringing the shadow into the light, we can use it as a source of innovation and new ideas. Embracing vulnerability, for example, can help build trust and authenticity within a team. Understanding and managing overconfidence can lead to more measured decision-making, balancing ambition with a realistic assessment of risks.

Recognizing the importance of personal well-being allows us to create a more sustainable approach to entrepreneurship — one that includes personal happiness and health as integral parts of our success.

Antifragile mindset and recovery

An antifragile mindset may be the most critical trait in successful entrepreneurship.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that many entrepreneurs start new ventures even after facing significant failures. This cycle of failure and recovery is a common thread in most entrepreneurs’ lives.

Financial setbacks are not only common; they often happen multiple times in an entrepreneur’s career. The key is to learn from these failures, adapt to new circumstances and continue pushing forward. My journey after the Great Recession is a testament to this process — by doing the work on myself and integrating my shadow, I’ve emerged healthier and more effective as a CEO. This transformation has enhanced not only my performance in business but also in all areas of my life.

Related: Embracing Antifragility — How to Leverage Uncertainty, Volatility and Stress for Unprecedented Growth and Innovation

The shadow is a powerful framework for achieving both business success and personal fulfillment. Confronting and integrating our shadows unlocks hidden strengths and deepens our leadership capabilities.

As an integrated CEO, I believe that bringing the best version of ourselves to our business and stakeholders is not just beneficial — it’s essential. Identifying and facing my shadows has deepened me as a man and as a leader.

By treating the shadow as an ally, I’ve been able to utilize it in ways that enhance my effectiveness as both a CEO and an entrepreneur. I encourage all entrepreneurs to embrace their shadows as allies in their pursuit of greatness. The shadow plays a crucial role in both personal and professional development, contributing to a more resilient, innovative and ultimately successful business approach.

McDonald’s is extending its $5 Meal Deal promotion, launched last summer, to cater to budget-conscious customers. Originally billed as a limited-time response to provide relief to inflation-strapped consumers, the promotion has gained traction with consumers demanding value from fast-food brands. The $5 Meal Deal includes a McDouble or McChicken, small fries, four-piece Chicken McNuggets and a small drink.

Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.

The move aligns with a broader trend in the industry, where major fast-food chains have battled for customers with affordable meal deals since McDonald’s launched its promotion in June. Competitors, including Burger King, Taco Bell and Wendy’s, have also introduced value-based promotions to retain customer loyalty amid rising food costs, inflation concerns — and even customer outcry.

In an open letter to customers last May, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, addressed widespread reports — primarily spread via social media — that menu prices had increased more than 100% in the past five years. The letter also rebuked claims that the chain raised prices above standard inflationary rates.

Related: Don’t Have Time to Start a Business? This Doctor, Lawyer and Now Part-Time Franchisee Would Disagree.

“Inflationary pressures have affected all sectors of the economy, including ours,” Erlinger wrote. “That’s why prices for many of our menu items have risen less than the rate of inflation — and remain well within the range of other quick service restaurants.”

While these deals will bring some form of relief to inflation-strapped consumers, FinanceBuzz, a financial news and information website, recently analyzed value meals at major fast-food restaurants to determine how much consumers can save by buying value meals versus purchasing the items individually, finding that McDonald’s was among the top in value.

Related: The Critical First 100 Days of Onboarding — What You’re Likely Overlooking That Could Make or Break Your New Hire

With inflation still a stubborn reality for many consumers, McDonald’s aims to continue attracting price-sensitive customers while keeping its menu appealing and accessible. The $5 Meal Deal promotional extension could further boost traffic to its locations and help drive sales during an economically uncertain time.

Related: Find Out Which Brands Have Ranked on the Franchise 500 for Longest, Earning a Spot In our New ‘Hall of Fame’

Read More: CNBC

Reuters reported Friday that genetics testing company 23andMe has agreed to pay a $30 million settlement after a hack exposed 6.9 million customers’ personal information to the dark web. The company will also pay for three years of security monitoring for affected customers.

The class action lawsuit alleged that 23andMe failed to alert customers with Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese ancestry that their personal data was posted for sale and that they may have been specially targeted in the April 2023 breach.

Related: 23andMe Hackers Selling Stolen User Data, Including DNA Profiles of ‘Celebrities,’ on Dark Web

23andMe said the settlement was “fair, adequate, and reasonable” in a court filing, per Reuters.

In a Dec. 2023 blog post addressing the hack, the company said the attack started in April 2023 and lasted about five months. At the time, 23andMe had around 14.1 million customers in its system. The company said the hack affected at least half of the database.

Who is eligible to claim money?

According to court documents, affected users can claim anywhere from $100 up to $10,000 for the most “extraordinary” cases. If the settlement gets final approval, instructions will be provided on how to file for reimbursement.

Customers in Alaska, California, Illinois, and Oregon are subject to “genetic privacy laws with statutory damages provisions” and can only claim $100, per PCMag.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made a case — and a mandate — for in-office work on Monday.

In a publicly available message, Jassy said that Amazon’s 1.5 million-plus employees must return to the office five days per week starting January 2. Amazon is also bringing back desk assignments to the offices that had that structure pre-pandemic.

Jassy positioned the move as a better way to work and a return to life before Covid.

“We’ve observed that it’s easier for our teammates to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture; collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective; teaching and learning from one another are more seamless; and, teams tend to be better connected to one another,” Jassy stated.

^{Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images}

Jassy also said that situations that require remote work like sickness, an emergency, or being on the road are still acceptable.

However, these examples of remote work are the exception to the new rule, not the norm.

Related: Here’s How Much Money U.S. Employees Will Sacrifice to Avoid Returning to the Office, According to a New Study

Amazon employees have been back in the office at least three days per week as of February 2023. A July report from Bamboo HR showed that one in four executives secretly hoped employees would quit over stricter return-to-office policies.

“Strengthening our culture remains a top priority for the s-team [senior leadership team] and me. And, I think about it all the time,” he wrote. “We want to operate like the world’s largest startup.”

Under the new policy, working from home two days per week is no more. The office culture is returning to how it was before the pandemic, to strengthen work culture and drive better results, Jassy explained.

Related: Dell Reportedly Told Remote Employees to Come Back to the Office or Forgo the Chance to Be Promoted

Amazon joins companies like Salesforce and Walmart that have implemented stricter return-to-work policies.