Amazon has announced that starting in January, employees will be required to return to the office five days a week, ending its current hybrid work model.
The decision was outlined in a memo from CEO Andy Jassy, who said the change would help improve collaboration and innovation among staff.
“We’ve decided to return to being in the office the way we were before Covid,” Jassy stated, adding that he believes in-person work better supports connection and teamwork.
Amazon had previously allowed staff to work remotely for up to two days a week, but Jassy, a known skeptic of remote work, has been pushing for a full return to the office.
This decision has sparked tension within the company, especially after staff at its Seattle headquarters protested the reduced remote work allowance last year.
The organizer of that protest was later dismissed, leading to accusations of unfair treatment.
Jassy, who took over as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, expressed concerns that flexible work arrangements were diluting Amazon’s strong corporate culture.
To address internal frustrations, he has also introduced a “bureaucracy mailbox” where employees can raise concerns about excessive rules.
While Amazon is moving towards a full-time office model, it said exceptions would still be made in certain circumstances, such as caring for a sick child or dealing with home emergencies.
However, Jassy made it clear that the expectation is for staff to be in the office unless special permission is granted.
Amazon’s shift contrasts with the UK government’s stance on flexible working.
The government is pushing for flexible work to become a default right from day one of employment as part of upcoming legislation, arguing that remote work can improve productivity and broaden recruitment opportunities.
Despite Amazon’s decision, some experts, like Stanford University’s Professor Nicholas Bloom, believe this is not a sign of a widespread return to full office attendance.
He noted that while some companies are requiring in-person work, many others are continuing to expand remote work policies.
