Amazon Gets Tough On In-office Attendance, Threatening Termination And Risking Employee Backlash

Amazon has updated its office attendance guidelines, empowering managers to take disciplinary action, including termination, against employees who do not adhere to the company's in-office policy.

What Happened: Under the new guidelines, Amazon expects employees to be physically present in the office for at least three days a week. Those failing to meet this requirement could face severe consequences.

Should the infraction occur, the manager is expected to have a private conversation with the non-compliant employee, according to the policy.

If the non-compliance persists, subsequent conversations and disciplinary measures, potentially leading to termination, may ensue, Insider reported.

The company's guidelines state, "If the employee does not demonstrate immediate and sustained attendance after the first conversation, managers should conduct a follow-up discussion within a reasonable time frame (depending on the employee situation, ~1-2 weeks). This conversation will 1) reinforce that return to office 3+ days a week is a requirement of their job, and 2) explain that continued non-compliance without a legitimate reason may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of your employment."

Also Read: Amazon's Pre-Layoff Payroll Peek-a-Boo: The Massive Salaries Of Engineers, Data Scientists, Managers And Others

The move by Amazon has reportedly not been well-received by a significant number of employees. An internal petition opposing the in-office mandate garnered signatures from over 30,000 staff members.

The discontent stems from the fact that many were hired as fully remote workers during the pandemic, and now view the guidelines as a drastic shift in policy.

Rob Munoz, a spokesperson for Amazon, told Insider that most of the company's workers are now more frequently attending the office, resulting in an increased collaboration, connection and energy. He further noted that exceptions to this policy would be considered individually.

Furthermore, Amazon's guidelines equip managers with talking points to underscore the advantages of in-office work, such as fostering collaboration, understanding Amazon's distinct culture and personal development.

Now Read: Amazon Listed A Strange Job Opening, Leading To Speculations About The Company's Real Intentions

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Shutterstock