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In September, Amazon implemented a return-to-office (RTO) requirement that mandates corporate staff to resume working from their offices by January 2. However, a month has passed since this directive, and many employees still have not returned, as the company struggles to provide adequate workspace for its substantial workforce of 350,000.
A recent report from The Wall Street Journal indicates that Amazon has delayed the RTO timeline for employees at numerous U.S. locations, including prominent cities such as New York, Houston, and Atlanta, primarily due to space constraints. Many employees assigned to these offices are continuing to work remotely while awaiting further guidance regarding their return to full-time office work.
Particularly affected is the San Francisco Bay Area, where Amazon operates 18 offices yet is short on workspace for at least 800 employees. In response to this shortage, an internal group recently proposed the establishment of a new office in the region. This proposal has reportedly gained traction, drawing signatures from nearly 600 employees in support.
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A spokesperson from Amazon stated that “the overwhelming majority” of corporate employees already have designated desks, emphasizing that only a “relatively small number” of their “hundreds of offices” are not fully equipped for in-person operations.
Even in spaces with available desks, logistical challenges related to the RTO policy have emerged. For instance, Jeff Ferris, a principal technologist at Amazon Web Services Cloud, shared his experience on X last month when he faced parking difficulties at his office garage. He tweeted, “2,000 people, 900 parking spaces,” highlighting the imbalance between the number of employees and available parking options.
Some employees who have returned to the office are finding themselves isolated from their teammates, as many of their colleagues are still working remotely. This reality raises questions about the effectiveness of in-person collaboration, which was one of the key points emphasized by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy when he announced the RTO policy. Jassy suggested that in-person work would facilitate a stronger cultural connection, enhance collaboration, and support learning among teams.
During a leaked all-hands meeting in November, Jassy reiterated that the RTO mandate aims to “strengthen our culture” and boost teamwork. Since May 2023, Amazon employees have been required to work at least three days in the office per week. Other major firms, such as Salesforce and Walmart, similarly enforce five-day in-person work requirements. Recently, Amazon also experienced layoffs in its communications and sustainability sectors.
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