E-commerce giant Amazon is ending its hybrid work policy and will require workers to return to the office for five days a week. The change was communicated to the company’s staff via a memo sent by CEO Andy Jassy.
As part of its return-to-work strategy following the pandemic, Amazon adopted a hybrid work solution in early 2023 that required corporate staff to be in the office three days a week. This decision received significant pushback and even resulted in a walkout.
Now, the company has decided to return to a pre-pandemic corporate setting, believing the move will increase efficiency and productivity. Additionally, it intends to slash the number of managers in order to simplify its corporate structure.
The new policy will come into effect starting January 2, 2025.
“When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant,” Jassy said in a memo. “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.”
According to Jassy, some workers will still have the ability to work remotely. However, the exceptions will be given only to those dealing with emergency situations or ones that get special approval from team leaders.