Demoralized, stressed out, and struggling to take care of family members.
Energized, efficient, and connected to their coworkers.
We contacted more than 70 employees to understand how the mandate was going 10 weeks into its rollout.
Some requested anonymity citing fear of retaliation, and BI verified their employment.
Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.
I was irritated when I found out aboutfive-day RTO it feels like they’re changing the rules.
Collaboration wasn’t a problem, or at least not one that RTO would resolve.
It would be better if leadership organized intentional team-building activities, but I haven’t seen that.
I’ve got two kids a fourth grader and a kindergartner.
I find myself having to push more of that toward my spouse, who works from home.
Five-day RTO has impacted how I think about my future at Amazon.
She now leads global AI and privacy compliance in the workplace.
In a written interview, she shared her experience with RTO5.
My commute is around one hour door-to-door.
Amazon increased our monthly public transportation subsidy and has partnered with local restaurants to provide on-site lunch options.
These are connections you just can’t make virtually.
The days feel a bit longer, but I’m reading more books during my commute.
If we’re all virtual, it’s harder to know what other teams are doing.
He spent three years at the company before leaving in January.
Although his office’sRTO5 plans were delayeduntil May, the mandate played a role in his decision to leave.
Imoved to New Yorkfrom Atlanta for this job.
I thought Amazon could be a company I stayed at forever.
I’m a lot more productive at home, where I’m not being interrupted by spontaneous social interactions.
When three-day RTO was announced, it felt like the vision I had for my long-term future was dying.
I knew that wasn’t my optimum lifestyle.
My wife would text me pictures of our son, and I felt like I was missing so much.
I quit at the end of January to pursue freelance work.
I love working from home and don’t regret leaving Amazon.
It made me interested in applying to Amazon again.
It’s really hard to connect with people when you’re able to’t see them.
For me, RTO has been great.
What makes Amazon so great is that they’re willing to be misunderstood.
She worked remotely for several years before the RTO mandate.
That’s not the Amazon that I’ve known and loved for so long.
But I loved it so much that I’ve stayed for five more years.
I’ve grown up here; it changed my life positively in so many ways.
He joined the company last year and works out of itsSeattle headquarters.
and they can help you right away.
When you’re virtual, it can take much longer to get past a simple problem.
RTO3 had been the perfect balance.
On weekends, I used to hang out with friends or go on a hike.
Matt Garmantouted that nine out of 10 people were excited to go to the office.
I have no clue where he got that statistic because it doesn’t feel that way at all.
I really do enjoy my job, but RTO5 has absolutely influenced how I see my future here.
Amazon made him available for an interview.
When I heard the RTO5 announcement, I was excited.
I was really itching to get back to having in-person interactions and strong doses of our in-person office culture.
Amazon does a really good job hiring bright, intelligent folks, so I assume they have good judgment.
That camaraderie is difficult to get in a hybrid environment.
RTO5 has also added more structure to my life.
I have to make an effort to carve out time for my personal life, like hobbies.
Before I knew it, my hobbies had taken the backseat.
My commute to the office is about 30 to 45 minutes each way.
For those of us from LA, the commute is just in our DNA.
I empathize with people in different situations who struggle with RTO5 and hope that they can work through it.
His office’s RTO5 timeline has been delayed because of office capacity issues.
You might end up on a different floor from the rest of your team.
I once had to search the entire building for a desk.
I feel my productivity is getting worse toward the end of the day.
There’s a big cultural difference in whatmakes an employer attractive in Europe.
I feel like some people might shy away who otherwise would’ve been a great fit for the company.
I’ve found myself questioning the culture that I was taught to love and appreciate about Amazon.
Everyone is trying to do the best within the realms that we can.
He joined the company in 2017 and worked there for seven years and eight months before leaving in January.
In August 2022, my wife had a traumatic brain injury and was hospitalized for several months.
When RTO3 was announced, I was very concerned.
For me, the issue was less about returning to office and more about the possibility of arelocation mandate.
When the RTO5 announcement dropped, I knew I had to find another job.
I started posting on LinkedIn to drum up some engagement, broaden my connection, and leverage connections.
In late November, a recruiter reached out about a project management role, and I got the job.
I put my two-week notice in the second week of January.
My new job is the best of all worlds.
I think most of the arguments about collaboration and productivity in relation to RTO are disingenuous.
There is a wealth of data thatsupports flexibility and the hybrid approach.
He lives in Washington, DC, and has been with the company for just over four years.
Amazon made him available for an interview.
I was a remote COVID hire.
I started going into the office before we even had to.
I’m just a talkative person, and I think a lot of people in the office know me.
It’s been easier to really feel like a connected community.
But I’m not a robot; it’s not always amazing.
There are some life routines I’ve had to shift, like waking up much earlier now.
But I’m an optimistic, positive person.
Everybody deserves community I think it’s so powerful.
He has worked remotely for over 10 years.
I never would’ve accepted this job if there was any possibility of it not being virtual.
My commute takes well over two hours each way and involves driving, taking public transportation, and walking.
I’ve been more irritable and my wife and I have had more tension in our relationship.
I applied for an exception, but my request was rejected.
But I’ve still had to go in several times.
I need to maintain this status quo until later this year when my next stock vests.
If nothing is resolved by then, I might have to call it a day.
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