Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, has announced that the company is ending its hybrid work model and requiring employees to return to the office full time starting in January 2025. Jassy believes that being together in the office is essential for inventing, collaborating, and delivering the best for customers and the business. While the three-day-a-week policy implemented in 2023 reinforced the benefits of being in the office, Amazon is now escalating to a five-days-a-week policy.
The move to return to the office aligns with Jassy’s vision of Amazon operating like a startup, with a focus on constant innovation, urgency, ownership, fast decision-making, collaboration, and commitment. Additionally, Jassy has announced plans to reduce bureaucracy within the company by increasing the ratio of individual contributors to managers by 15% by the end of Q1 2025, potentially hinting at future layoffs.
Amazon’s decision to return to the office full time follows a trend among major U.S. firms, such as Boeing, JP Morgan Chase, and UPS, shifting towards a five-days-a-week office policy. Despite this, data from FlexIndex shows that a majority of U.S. firms still offer hybrid work arrangements. This change marks a significant shift in Amazon’s workplace culture, with the company aiming to foster innovation, collaboration, and a strong sense of connection among employees.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
