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Amazon puts pressure on workers who aren’t meeting in-office demands

By Nithya Bose in Amazon News, posted August 11, 2023

Amazon is taking measures to monitor and penalize its US employees who are not adhering to in-office work expectations.

The move was revealed in an email sent to staff this week.

It signifies a notable departure from the work-from-home trend that gained traction during the pandemic.

Some employees were told they weren't meeting Amazon's requirement to come in for at least three days a week.

Amazon targeted staff who had spent fewer than three days a week in the office for five or more of the past eight weeks.

Another communication from Amazon clarified some staff received the email by mistake.

It urged them to engage with human resources to resolve any confusion.

This policy shift aligns with other tech giants' attempts to encourage a return to the office.

In March, Apple warned employees of potential repercussions if they didn't resume in-office work part-time.

As of May 2022, a Morning Consult study reported 48 percent of tech workers worked remotely.

This is compared to 22 percent before the pandemic.

The majority of tech workers, comprising 85 percent, were working either in a hybrid or fully remote capacity.

This shift is in contrast the past when giants Google, Meta, and Apple invested heavily in expansive campuses.

This was to keep employees on-site with amenities like catered meals, laundry facilities, and fitness centers.

Workers are reluctant to return to the office

However, it has become obvious workers are now reluctant to revert to this model.

The Morning Consult survey revealed three out of five tech workers were not interested in returning to full-time office work.

Companies promoting such returns have faced pushback, exemplified by Amazon workers staging a walkout in June against the return-to-office policies.

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Amazon's recent email sparked employee discontent, with one worker questioning whether it was intended to intimidate.

Workers' rights groups say forcing employees to return to the office could bolster labor movements.

Ryan Gerety, Director of the Athena Coalition, a progressive advocacy group, said: “Across its business lines, Amazon imposes a rigid and punitive system of management in an attempt to control and silence workers.”

“Amazon’s actions will only fuel the efforts of workers who continue organizing for a voice in the workplace.”

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