Amazon calls back Employees to come Office Five days a week from Jan 25

E-commerce giant Amazon is requesting its corporate staff to return to the office for five days a week starting in January. CEO Andy Jassy wrote in a memo on September 16 and declared this. In his memo, Mr Jassy wrote that he expects the employees to adhere to the new policy beginning January 2, 2025.

According to the media report, prior to this change, Amazon employees were required to be in the office three days a week mandatorily.

Andy Jassy wrote, "When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant."

Towards the staff she told, "We've observed that it's easier for our teammates to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture; collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective; teaching and learning from one another are more seamless; and, teams tend to be better connected to one another."

He also added, Before the pandemic, it was not a given that folks could work remotely two days a week, and that will also be true moving forward - our expectation is that people will be in the office outside of extenuating circumstances.”

Amazon's announcement aligns with a trend of companies tightening remote work policies. While Amazon is the first major tech firm to require a full week in the office, companies like SAP, AT&T, and Dell have also reduced flexible work options. Some employees have responded with protests, threats, or resignations.

Tech companies, once champions of remote work during the pandemic, are now bringing employees back, at least part-time. Even Zoom, a symbol of remote work, has called staff back. Non-tech firms like Disney, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America have also rolled back their remote work policies.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that the company's new policy will mirror pre-pandemic practices. While exceptions will be made for situations like a sick child, emergencies, or isolation needs, employees will no longer be permitted to work from home two days a week without a valid reason unless they receive explicit approval from their supervisor for remote work.