09-25-2024
Starting in January 2025, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy expects all employees to come into the office five days a week. In his memo to employees, Jassy asserts the company sees significant benefits to having everyone in the office, including improved functioning within teams and strengthening its corporate culture. Amazon last adjusted employees' office schedules in February 2023, directing employees to come in three days a week. Jassy offers some flexibility for "extenuating" circumstances, like a sick child, house emergency, client meetings, or quiet to finish coding.
Unsurprisingly, some staff members expressed anger at the new policy, calling it "very depressing and de-motivating." Maybe this response is part of the plan? Dror Poleg, an economic historian, suggested that Amazon intended to drive some employees to leave the company—it is the easiest way to "fire" them. Some experts predict that working mothers and diverse candidates will see the most significant impact from the policy change. White men without primary caregiving responsibilities are the most likely workers who can and prefer to work full-time.
Axios reported the new policy signals that employers have regained leverage over employees. The labor market is weaker. So even though workers do not want to go into the office more frequently, their opinions may not matter to employers. Most academics and consultants do not believe that the U.S. is headed back to having most workers back in the office full-time because the number of hybrid work environments has remained steady since early 2023.