📈 Amazon Tightens Office Attendance Rules
Amazon is monitoring the hours corporate employees spend in the office. This is to stop employees from skirting the return-to-office (RTO) policy. Teams across Amazon, including retail and cloud-computing units, must stay 2-6 hours per visit. This policy aims to curb "coffee badging," where employees check in briefly to meet attendance requirements. Amazon began requiring office attendance three times a week last year but didn't specify minimum hours per visit until now.
🗣️ Employee Pushback on New Rules
Amazon employees have strongly opposed the RTO policy since its announcement last year. Around 30,000 employees signed an internal petition against it. Some employees have even been forced to relocate closer to their teams. Amazon's CEO, Andy Jassy, warned non-compliant employees to leave the company. Margaret Callahan, an Amazon spokesperson, said the new rule aims to improve energy, connection, and collaboration in the office.
😠 Frustration Among Employees
Many employees are frustrated with the new policy. They complain it's too strict and unclear. Some questioned if eating lunch for two hours would count as a workday. Others wondered how Amazon tracks these hours and if it's legal. Employees also pointed out that they might find ways to bypass this rule, similar to how they've handled past policies. Some even compared the situation to high school, feeling treated like students.
🏢 Wider Trend in RTO Policies
Amazon is not alone in enforcing strict RTO policies. A survey by WFH Research in July found that managers are getting tougher on these policies. In February 2024, 23% of respondents said noncompliant employees faced termination, up from 11% in 2022. Even with these strict measures, some Amazon employees have found ways to bypass the new rules. One employee managed to badge in at a Whole Foods back room, registering it as office attendance.
Do you think Amazon's new policy will be effective?
