Amazon has reinstated a full-time office work requirement for its corporate workers worldwide, signalling a substantial departure from its prior hybrid model. This adjustment affects approximately 8,000 Amazon corporate employees in Canada and has sparked dissatisfaction among them.
Employees are now obliged to work in the office five days a week, up from the two-day remote work schedule announced in 2023.
The decision, announced by CEO Andy Jassy in September, represents a return to pre-pandemic working conditions. Amazon underlined that in-office collaboration promotes innovation and builds corporate culture. However, many employees are suspicious, claiming a lack of evidence to back up these assertions. Critics contend that Amazon, a data-driven corporation, has not presented evidence that full-time office employment leads to better cooperation or performance.
Employee unhappiness was clear in a letter signed by 524 Amazon employees and delivered to Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services. The letter voiced dissatisfaction with the mandate’s “non-data-driven” justification and emphasised the advantages of remote work, such as higher productivity and employee satisfaction.
Amazon’s action is consistent with similar moves by other corporations. Dell recently compelled its sales personnel to return to the office full-time, while AT&T phased out hybrid work at the beginning of the year.
Despite Amazon’s stance, many employees believe that hybrid work is the future. For some, the strict regulation may even prompt job choices. As the discussion over workplace flexibility continues, Amazon has the problem of reconciling employee pleasure with operational objectives.
