During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies across the globe, including Amazon, introduced work-from-home policies for their employees.
However, this trend is coming to an end, with many businesses now asking staff to return to the office either daily or on specific days.
Amazon has joined this shift, as CEO Andy Jassy announced in a memo dated September 16 that corporate employees will need to work from the office five days a week starting from January 2, 2025.
Shift to Office Work
Currently, Amazon employees are required to be in the office for three days each week.
In the memo, Jassy explained that being physically present in the office offers several benefits, such as enhanced collaboration, easier experimentation, and better opportunities for learning from one another.
He acknowledged that the work-from-home arrangements were necessary during the pandemic but emphasized that the time has come for employees to return to the office full-time.
Industry-Wide Shift and Employee Resistance
Amazon is not the only company reducing work-from-home options. Other major companies in the U.S., such as SAP, AT&T, and Dell, have also rolled back remote work policies.
Tech companies, which were quick to adopt work-from-home during the pandemic, are now transitioning back to in-office work.
Even Zoom, a popular tool during the pandemic, has begun requiring its employees to occasionally return to the office.
However, not all employees are on board with these changes. Some are resisting the shift by resigning, as they prefer the flexibility of working from home.
Despite the protests, companies like Disney, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America have ended remote work practices altogether.
Amazon’s new policy will follow a similar approach, allowing employees to work from home only in emergency situations, but not on a regular basis without valid reasons.
