Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made a plea – and a demand – for working in the office on Monday.
In a message made public, Jassy said that Amazon's more than 1.5 million employees will have to return to the office five days a week starting January 2. Amazon is also reintroducing desk work in offices that had this structure even before the pandemic.
Jassy positioned the move as a better way of working and a return to pre-Covid life.
Jassy also said that situations that require remote work, such as illness, an emergency or being on the road, are still acceptable.
However, these examples of remote work are the exception to the new rule, not the rule.
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Since February 2023, Amazon employees have been back in the office at least three days a week. A report published by Bamboo HR in July showed that one in four managers secretly hoped employees would quit due to stricter return-to-office policies.
Under the new policy, working from home two days a week will no longer be possible. The office culture will be restored to what it was before the pandemic to strengthen the work culture and achieve better results, Jassy explained.
Related: Dell reportedly asked remote workers to return to the office or forgo the chance for a promotion
Amazon joins companies like Salesforce and Walmart that have implemented stricter return-to-work policies.
