Amazon is pulling the plug on its remote work policy and reinstating a full-time office presence, reverting to pre-COVID operational norms.
CEO Andy Jassy shared the news on Monday, letting employees know to prepare to return to the office full-time starting on Jan. 2, 2025, as the world’s largest online retailer works to strengthen its culture and teams.
In a memo to employees, Jassy stated, “When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant.” He asserted that the last 15 months of hybrid work have only strengthened this belief, noting that “collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective” when teams are physically present.
According to Fox Business, Amazon shifted from a remote work model to a mandatory three-day-in-office policy in May of last year.
The retail giant’s CEO reflected on the pre-pandemic work culture in his memo, explaining, “Before the pandemic, not everybody was in the office five days a week. If you or your child were sick, if you had some sort of house emergency, if you were on the road seeing customers or partners, if you needed a day or two to finish coding in a more isolated environment, people worked remotely. This was understood, and will be moving forward as well.”
However, he made it clear that the new policy will require employees to be in the office except in specific cases, stating, “Our expectation is that people will be in the office outside of extenuating circumstances or if you already have a Remote Work Exception approved through your s-team leader.”
The memo also revealed plans to reintroduce the previous practice of assigned desk arrangements in the U.S. headquarters and other locations. Jassy acknowledged that the shift back to a full-time office setup might be challenging for some employees and require adjustments, saying the January 2025 return is to help promote an effortless change.
“I continue to believe that we are all here because we want to make a difference in customers’ lives, invent on their behalf, and move quickly to solve their problems,” he concluded. “I’m optimistic that these changes will better help us accomplish these goals while strengthening our culture and the effectiveness of our teams.”
Jassy has been with Amazon since 1997, initially joining as a marketing manager and later founding Amazon Web Services (AWS). He was appointed CEO in July 2021, succeeding founder Jeff Bezos.
