Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced on Monday (September 16) that the company will resume its pre-pandemic work policy, requiring employees to work in the office five days a week starting next year.
In a memo shared on the Amazon website, Jassy stated that after several months of consideration, the company’s leadership has decided to reinstate the pre-pandemic requirement for employees to work in the office on all working days to provide the best service for customers and businesses.
Jassy wrote in the memo, “As we look back over the past five years, we still believe the advantages of working together in the office are significant.”
“Over the past 15 months, we have returned to the office for at least three days a week, which has reinforced our belief in the benefits of doing so,” added Jassy.
Similar to many companies, Amazon adopted remote work during the pandemic and saw significant profits during this period due to the surge in online shopping.
In February 2023, as the pandemic waned, Amazon required all employees to return to the office three days a week, which sparked protests from some employees.
In Monday’s memo, Jassy stated that the company will consider employees’ specific circumstances when making changes to work requirements.
“If you or your child is sick, if you have an urgent matter at home, if you are meeting with clients or partners, if you need a day or two in a more secluded environment to do coding work, then remote work is possible,” Jassy said, emphasizing that even before the pandemic, not everyone had to work in the office five days a week.
The CEO announced, “Our expectation is that, except for justifiable circumstances (as mentioned earlier), or unless your team leader has approved your remote work exception, everyone should work in the office.”
Jassy also mentioned that the policy will take effect on January 2, 2025, and specific arrangements regarding work facilities will be announced once finalized.