Amazon Told Its Staff They Must Come To Office Five Days A Week, But Its Primary Healthcare Subsidiary Workers Reportedly Have It Easier

Amazon.com Inc. AMZN has introduced a new return-to-office mandate for its corporate staff, requiring them to be in the office five days a week starting in January. However, its subsidiary One Medical has been given a different directive.

What Happened: One Medical informed its employees earlier in September that they must start coming into the office three times a week beginning in October. This timeline allows over a year for employees to adjust and relocate if necessary, reported Business Insider on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Most One Medical employees will need to be based in one of four “hub” cities: Seattle, Austin, San Francisco, or Boston. Currently, nearly 40% of One Medical employees work outside these locations, one source noted.

While One Medical’s new policy is a significant shift, it is less stringent than Amazon’s RTO mandate. On Monday, CEO Andy Jassy announced that Amazon’s corporate employees must work in an office five days a week starting in January.

This announcement has faced criticism from many Amazon employees in internal communications, according to the report.

One Medical employees have been allowed to work remotely full-time since Amazon acquired the company for $3.9 billion last year. CEO Trent Green had even promoted remote work as a major benefit during layoffs and reorganization earlier this year.

Despite the more lenient approach at One Medical, the new 3-day rule is still causing uncertainty and frustration among its employees. Amazon has been closely integrating with One Medical, implementing its HR and benefits policies and scrutinizing financial performance to control losses.

People at Amazon have also expressed frustration with One Medical’s slower adaptation to Amazon’s fast-paced work environment and rigid culture. Conversely, One Medical staff feel that Amazon is disrupting a previously well-performing and fast-growing business, according to the report.

Amazon and One Medical did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment.

See Also: Apple Shares Slide In Monday Premarket: What’s Souring Sentiment?

Why It Matters: The new RTO mandates at Amazon and One Medical come amid a broader trend of companies reevaluating remote work policies. In September, Amazon announced plans to cut management layers and end work-from-home arrangements, aiming to streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy.

CEO Jassy emphasized the need for employees to return to the office to address inefficiencies and improve productivity.

This shift is part of a larger debate about the future of work. Earlier this year, BlackRock‘s Rick Rieder acknowledged that remote work has boosted labor market participation and economic growth, particularly among prime-age female workers.

However, not everyone agrees. NYU Stern School of Business Professor Suzy Welch Professor Suzy Welch warned that a remote work lifestyle might hinder career advancement for younger generations, potentially limiting their chances of reaching executive positions.

Other companies are also taking a hard stance on RTO. In January, Bank of America warned employees of potential disciplinary action if they failed to comply with office attendance policies, highlighting the growing tension between corporate mandates and employee preferences.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote