Employees at Amazon are expressing significant discontent over the company’s decision to mandate a return to the office five days a week starting January. This sentiment was captured in a survey conducted by Blind, a platform for anonymous discussions among tech workers.
An overwhelming 91% of the 2,585 Amazon employees surveyed by Blind indicated dissatisfaction with the newly announced office return policy, which was detailed in a memo from CEO Andy Jassy last week.
One participant voiced their frustration, stating, “The blanket return-to-office policy is absurd, especially for those of us who were hired to work remotely and live far from any office. I have family and kids here, so relocating isn’t an option for me. Even if I weren’t in that situation, there’s a high chance of being laid off in six months, so why take that risk?”
Since June 2023, Amazon’s office policy has required staff to be on-site at least three days a week. However, aiming to conclude the hybrid working model adopted during the pandemic, Jassy emphasized last week his belief that “the benefits of being together in the office are substantial” and asserted that it is time for everyone to return on a full-time basis.
In his memo, Jassy noted, “Our observations show that it’s easier for teams to learn, model, practice, and reinforce our culture when together. Collaboration, brainstorming, and innovation are more effective in person; teaching and learning from each other are more fluid; and team cohesion improves.” He added that the previous 15 months of at least three days a week in the office have only strengthened this view.
Jassy assured employees that the company would support a “smooth transition” for those who might need to make personal adjustments to accommodate the full-time return. However, it remains uncertain how flexible the company will be regarding individual circumstances.
Amazon is not alone among tech giants in revising its workplace policies during the pandemic. Other major companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Meta have similarly shifted their approaches, currently mandating in-office attendance at least two or three days each week. It will be interesting to see if any of these firms follow Amazon’s lead and require their employees to be in the office five days a week.