Summary
Amazon’s rollout of its return-to-office (RTO) mandate, requiring employees to be in offices five days a week starting January 2024, has sparked backlash due to logistical failures and poor communication.
While some employees are granted delays due to insufficient office space in cities like Phoenix, Austin, and New York, frustration has grown over unclear planning and crowded conditions.
Critics say this highlights leadership’s mismanagement, risks talent loss, and worsens morale, with many employees considering leaving.
Amazon’s approach mirrors broader dissatisfaction seen with RTO mandates across the tech sector.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is a surefire sign they are circling the drain, but I would agree the RTO mandates are vanity decisions. If not the vanity angle it screams that the leadership does not trust their employees or they don’t want to invest in the architecture required to make WFH feasible.
Realistically the mandates are due to tax breaks that the company gets for having a certain number of seats filled each day since these employees have a chance at fueling the local economy by eating out or getting gas.
Either way it is a bad look.