- Amazon had announced a full-time RTO mandate by January 2025
- But the company is not yet ready for the arrival of desk workers.
- Some workers worry that RTOs are designed to keep them away
Amazon’s return to office (RTO) policy has apparently been paused because the company does not have enough office space in some locations.
New reports of Bloomberg and Business Insider Information They say a lack of office space at several of the e-commerce giant’s US locations has led to the temporary pause.
The news, already a controversial move that sparked widespread worker dissatisfaction, follows CEO Andy Jassy’s announcement in September that workers would move from their previous three-day office work policy to a full-time mandate. , which left a bitter taste in the mouths of many.
Amazon RTO not working
The measure would require workers to be in the office five days a week starting January 2, 2025, but weeks before the policy takes effect, and with the office closed over Christmas and New Year’s, the company has not provided sufficient office space.
Jassy hoped that bringing people back to the office would allow for better collaboration, cohesion and social benefits. The policy is more like pre-pandemic work setups, with assigned desks, than the more flexible measures that have followed in the post-pandemic world of hybrid work.
Due to capacity limitations at offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, New York and Phoenix, some staff have been told they may not need to work full-time for another four months.
The company said GeekWire that most of its offices would meet the Jan. 2 target, but acknowledged that some locations could face delays.
Employees who previously worked remotely, or a combination of both, have previously expressed concerns that returning to the office full-time would make things more difficult for them. Many would have to relocate or change their lifestyles to accommodate, and some believe RTO mandates are being implemented across tech giants, including Amazon, to get workers to quit.
The news that the company has not prepared enough office space certainly reflects that sentiment, but this could simply be a coincidence. TechRadar Pro We raised that idea with Amazon, but didn’t receive an immediate response.
