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AMAZON workers are adjusting their schedules as the work-life balance post-Covid will see a major shift in the new year.
Amazon’s CEO told employees the company is “going to return to being in the office.”
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In a memo to staff on September 16, CEO Andy Jassy explained returning to work will be best for everyone to “be connected enough to each other.”
He is expecting Amazon employees to be in the office the way they were before the pandemic.
Jassy cited it’s easier for “teammates to learn, model, practice, and strengthen” the culture when people are able to collaborate and brainstorm.”
The CEO admitted that not every employee was in the office five days a week before the pandemic. He was aware that there were circumstances in which people needed to stay home to work because of a family circumstance or the need to code in a “more isolated environment.”
He stressed that before the pandemic, it was not a given that people would do a hybrid schedule and, now, the expectation will be for people to be full-time in the office in 2025.
Jassy wrote, “Keeping your culture strong is not a birthright. You have to work at it all the time.”
WORKING WOES
The U.S. Sun spoke with Mark LaScola, workplace strategy expert and founder of On the Mark.
LaScola explained how the adjustment will “be on everyone’s part.”
“Flexibility is becoming a very important part of a benefit of a job,” said LaScola.
LaScola explained it’s unrealistic to lose the hybrid work model altogether – a standard that’s going to be difficult to break for any employers.
“Holding on to talent is important,” LaScola said. “It puts Amazon in the dilemma. If the economy turns for whatever reason and unemployment goes up, then people are willing to sacrifice more to have a job, but I think in this economy it’ll be a challenge for Amazon.”
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OFFICE OBLIGATION
A recent return-to-office survey by resumebuilder.com found that 87% of companies will return in-person by 2025.
Companies who took part in the survey said the return-to-office improves, productivity, culture, and revenue.
“Keeping your culture strong is not a birthright. You have to work at it all the time.”
Andy Jassy
“The landscape remains in flux as companies continue to navigate the best strategies for attracting and retaining talent,” said Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at resumebuilder.com.
There’s been a decline in fully-remote operations post-pandemic, and some offices are moving toward more in-office days.
“Despite numerous studies on workplace productivity, there remains no definitive proof that in-office work leads to higher productivity, said Haller.
“A significant factor pushing companies to bring employees back is the cost of unused office space. Additionally, some managers lack the training or experience to effectively lead remote teams and instead fall back on traditional management methods they’ve long relied on.”
Meanwhile, at Helios, Preston Taylor, head of people, feels the hybrid model helps to grow business.
“This model unlocks brilliant cost-effective talent around the country and the globe that they could never have hired in past, in an office only setting; and human capital still remains the biggest or one of the biggest expenses to most companies.”
Taylor said his company has embraced hybrid working and acknowledges that employees may not be working a traditional nine-to-five day.
“If you have a team based in four different time zones you might have to take a meeting earlier or later then you did pre-pandemic. Employers need to realize that employees value not having to commute over an hour every day, vs having a company paid for lunch, and that will go a long way towards their bottom line.”
The U.S. Sun offers extensive Amazon coverage, such as how the retail giant continues to innovate with the launch of a new product line to rival Walmart.
Amazon is also offering a Dyson Dupe that’s 70% cheaper.
