Amazon CEO confirms back-to-office policy to better serve customers

Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy has input a new back-to-office policy in order to better "serve and invent on behalf of customers".

Over the course of the pandemic, the Amazon team was able to observe various working models, with some teams working exclusively from home, some in the office full-time together, and some in a hybrid working model.

According to Amazon, observations during the period included:

• It’s easier to learn, model, practice, and strengthen the culture when employees are in the office and it’s especially true for new people.
• Collaborating and inventing are easier and more effective when in person. The energy and riffing on one another’s ideas happen more freely. Invention is often sloppy. It wanders and meanders and marinates.
• Learning from one another is easier in person. Even though people can use the instant message function, people don’t do it frequently. 
• Teams tend to be better connected to one another when they see each other in person more frequently.

In an email sent to staff, the CEO informed them that the above factors led executives to conclude that working from the office would benefit the company and its customers. Those working from home will be sent back to the office for at least three days per week. 

Amazon plans to implement these change by 1 May 2023.

Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, wrote: "I’m very optimistic about the positive impact this will have in how we serve and invent on behalf of customers, as well as on the growth and success of our employees."

This follows the announcement that Amazon is planning to cut more than 18,000 jobs worldwide in its largest ever layoffs programme.