Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said at an all-hands meeting on Tuesday that the plan to require employees to be in-office five days per week is not meant to force attrition or satisfy city leaders, as many employees have suggested.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is pushing back on claims that his return-to-office mandate was a “backdoor layoff.” In a transcript of an all-hands staff meeting seen by Reuters and CNBC, Jassy said the move “is very much about our culture and strengthening our culture.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy denied speculation that the recently announced RTO mandate was made to further reduce headcount or appease city officials.

CEO Andy Jassy tried to reassure unhappy workers that ending remote work is not an attempt at a “backdoor layoff.”

You know, this was not a cost play for us. This is very much about our culture and strengthening our culture,” CEO Jassy said.