Amazon (AMZN, Financial) is mandating a return to office policy, requiring employees to be in the office five days a week. This decision has faced resistance from employees who argue that remote work is equally productive and avoids the time wasted on commuting. The move is part of a broader trend among U.S. tech companies withdrawing remote work policies established during the pandemic.
AWS CEO Matt Garman emphasized during a meeting that employees unwilling to comply with the new office mandate should consider resigning. The policy, announced last month, is to be fully effective by January 2 of the next year. Previously, Amazon employees were required to be in the office at least three days a week. Garman highlighted the importance of collaboration and innovation fostered by an in-office environment, aiming to keep pace with competitors like Google and OpenAI.
This shift aims to move past the pandemic-era remote work setup and better position Amazon in the AI sector. However, a segment of employees remains opposed, asserting that remote or hybrid working is just as efficient, and there is no substantial data supporting the benefits of being physically present in an office.
Approximately 37,000 employees have joined an internal Slack channel expressing their dissatisfaction with the return-to-office policy, according to a CNBC source. Garman, however, mentioned that about 90% of the workforce is excited about the transition, acknowledging some degree of flexibility in specific cases.
Amazon, the world's second-largest private employer after Walmart, adopts a stricter return-to-office stance compared to tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft, which have instituted two to three-day in-office policies.
