![[Global] Amazon orders staff to return to the office five days a week](http://globalpayrollassociation.com/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Seattle-Wa-Usa-February---410435110_1200x.jpg?v=1726849248)
Amazon will demand that employees return to the office five days a week as the online retail giant ends its hybrid work policy, BBC News reports.
The change will come into force in January 2025, according to a memo to staff from Amazon's chief executive Andy Jassy.
"We’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of Covid," Mr Jassy wrote, adding that it would help staff be "better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other".
Mr Jassy has reportedly been a long-term sceptic about remote work, however, before this move Amazon staff were allowed to work from home two days a week.
Amazon's push to bring corporate staff back to the office has caused tension within the firm which employs more than 1.5 million people globally in full-time and part-time roles.
In 2023, staff at its Seattle headquarters staged a protest in the wake of Amazon tightening the full remote work allowance put in place during the pandemic.
The company subsequently fired the the protest’s organiser, leading to claims of unfair retaliation which have been been taken up with labour officials.
In his memo, Mr Jassy reportedly expressed worry that Amazon - priding itself on preserving start-up levels of intensity while growing to become a tech giant - was seeing its corporate culture diluted by flexible work and too many bureaucratic layers.
Commenting on the decision, Justina Raskauskiene - Human Resources Team Lead at e-commerce marketing platform Omnisend - said, “Only time will tell if Amazon’s decision to bring all corporate employees back for full-time office work will do more harm than good for the company. Taking away the opportunity for people to work remotely can harm a company's chances of attracting the best talent in the job market. The choice of future candidates will be limited to people working in certain cities that have Amazon offices.
“Also, working remotely saves commuting time, meaning going back to the office could be a deal breaker for some of the current Amazon employees. This is especially the case for employees with childcare commitments who may choose to vote with their feet to find another remote position.
“Lastly, many people notice that individual tasks often get done faster at home than they would be done in the office. Some people can become less productive when they return to the office.
“However, on the positive side, some companies notice that in-person communication is much more efficient, leading to quicker decision-making. Many problems can be solved simply by meeting a colleague in the office kitchen and discussing all the questions in person.
“Team productivity and cohesion, in my view, are also stronger when working on-site. There is a smaller chance of misunderstandings, which are common when you are only discussing subjects online.
“In addition, non-remote work helps organisations more easily nurture company culture. For example, as someone working in human resources, I find training much more effective than doing so remotely, because it is easier to ensure that employees are not distracted.”
Source: BBC News
(Quotes via original reporting)
Justine Raskauskiene quote via Omnisend
Amazon will demand that employees return to the office five days a week as the online retail giant ends its hybrid work policy, BBC News reports.
The change will come into force in January 2025, according to a memo to staff from Amazon's chief executive Andy Jassy.
"We’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of Covid," Mr Jassy wrote, adding that it would help staff be "better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other".
Mr Jassy has reportedly been a long-term sceptic about remote work, however, before this move Amazon staff were allowed to work from home two days a week.
Amazon's push to bring corporate staff back to the office has caused tension within the firm which employs more than 1.5 million people globally in full-time and part-time roles.
In 2023, staff at its Seattle headquarters staged a protest in the wake of Amazon tightening the full remote work allowance put in place during the pandemic.
The company subsequently fired the the protest’s organiser, leading to claims of unfair retaliation which have been been taken up with labour officials.
In his memo, Mr Jassy reportedly expressed worry that Amazon - priding itself on preserving start-up levels of intensity while growing to become a tech giant - was seeing its corporate culture diluted by flexible work and too many bureaucratic layers.
Commenting on the decision, Justina Raskauskiene - Human Resources Team Lead at e-commerce marketing platform Omnisend - said, “Only time will tell if Amazon’s decision to bring all corporate employees back for full-time office work will do more harm than good for the company. Taking away the opportunity for people to work remotely can harm a company's chances of attracting the best talent in the job market. The choice of future candidates will be limited to people working in certain cities that have Amazon offices.
“Also, working remotely saves commuting time, meaning going back to the office could be a deal breaker for some of the current Amazon employees. This is especially the case for employees with childcare commitments who may choose to vote with their feet to find another remote position.
“Lastly, many people notice that individual tasks often get done faster at home than they would be done in the office. Some people can become less productive when they return to the office.
“However, on the positive side, some companies notice that in-person communication is much more efficient, leading to quicker decision-making. Many problems can be solved simply by meeting a colleague in the office kitchen and discussing all the questions in person.
“Team productivity and cohesion, in my view, are also stronger when working on-site. There is a smaller chance of misunderstandings, which are common when you are only discussing subjects online.
“In addition, non-remote work helps organisations more easily nurture company culture. For example, as someone working in human resources, I find training much more effective than doing so remotely, because it is easier to ensure that employees are not distracted.”
Source: BBC News
(Quotes via original reporting)
Justine Raskauskiene quote via Omnisend