More major companies have ordered their workers to return to the office in another sign that the Covid-era work-from-home (WFH) trend is coming to an end.
Tech giant Amazon and Australian gaming company Tabcorp are the latest corporations to issue mandates directing workers to return to the office five days a week.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has sent a memo to workers insisting that corporate staff will be required to return to the office permanently starting in January.
Meanwhile, Tabcorp emailed its employees to say its “default position” was for office-based staff to return to their workstations five days a week.
“What this means is that all team members who work in the office must work in the office, with their team, every day of the work week,” Tabcorp’s internal memo reads.
In his message to staff, Mr Jassy said Amazon leaders had “decided that we would return to being in the office as we were before COVID hit”.
“We understand that some of our teammates may have organized their personal lives in such a way that returning to the office consistently five days a week will require some adjustments,” Jassy wrote.
“To help ensure a smooth transition, we will activate this new expectation on January 2, 2025.”
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has sent a memo to workers insisting that corporate staff will be required to return to the office permanently starting in January.
Both organizations stressed that there would still be some flexibility for employees to work days away from the office.
“Before the pandemic, not everyone was in the office five days a week, every week,” Jassy wrote.
Tabcorp also insisted that it has “been a flexible workplace for a long time and that is not changing.”
‘Sometimes you may need to work flexibly, for example starting or finishing work at different times or working remotely for a day. You should discuss and agree these requirements with your manager.’
Previously, Tabcorp offered its employees a hybrid three-day in-office system.
The move by Amazon and Tabcorp follows the New South Wales government’s recent edict requiring public servants to return to the office full-time.
Premier Chris Minns’ announcement sparked an immediate backlash from public sector workers and unions, many of whom argued that a work-from-home culture was now “embedded” within the public service.
Tabcorp emailed employees to say its “default position” was for office-based staff to return to workstations five days a week.
Similarly, Commonwealth Bank faced internal opposition when it ordered its workers to return to the office at least 50 per cent of the time from July 2023, with the Financial Sector Union suggesting some employees would look elsewhere for work because of the change.
“Hundreds of our members at CBA have contacted the union to complain that the bank was overriding labour agreements that had worked well for the bank and its staff,” FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said at the time.
‘Our members have expressed serious concerns about the significant impact this change would have on them, including on their work-life balance, their mental health and wellbeing and their caring responsibilities.’
Tabcorp has been contacted for comment.