Amazon's return-to-office policy may lead to mass employee exodus
A fresh survey from job review site Blind, has found that 73% of Amazon employees are thinking about quitting the company. This comes hot on the heels of CEO Andy Jassy's announcement about a five-day in-office work week, set to kick off in January 2025. The survey, which garnered responses from 2,585 verified Amazon professionals, was conducted just a day after Jassy sent out his return-to-office (RTO) memo.
Majority of Amazon employees unhappy with new policy
The survey results show that a lot of Amazon's corporate staff aren't happy with the new policy. Many are on the lookout for new job options, or they know colleagues who are doing just that. What's more, over a third of those surveyed said they know someone at Amazon who has already quit because of this policy change.
'Rage applying' trend emerges among Amazon employees
Fortune's own digging backs up what Blind found—there's a clear "rage applying" trend among Amazon workers. These employees aren't just casually browsing job listings; they're in the thick of it, interviewing for gigs that offer a bit more flexibility. "Rage applying" is when folks shoot off job applications because they're fed up with their current jobs.
Amazon's policy sparks fear among tech workers
According to Blind, over 90% of Amazon's workforce isn't too thrilled about the new in-office policy. This has sparked some serious speculation and worry that other tech giants might jump on the bandwagon. Employees from big names like Block, Google, and AT&T have voiced their concerns on Blind about the possible end of remote work in the tech world.
Dell follows Amazon's lead, mandates 5-day in-office work
After Amazon's announcement, computer giant Dell has also told its sales team to come to the office five days a week. That's a jump from their earlier three-day requirement. But, guess what? Research shows that companies like Amazon and Dell, pushing for strict in-office rules, are more like the odd ones out these days.
Most companies are becoming more flexible
Unlike Amazon and Dell, which are pretty set in their ways, a lot of businesses are embracing remote work. A recent study by Flex Index, looking at the office needs of over 9,000 companies, reveals that only one in three have stuck to their strict five-day office attendance since last January. The cool part? Now, 37% of employers are rolling out hybrid work models, a jump from just 20% at the beginning of 2023.
Tech industry CEOs are backtracking on RTO mandates
Separate research shows that tech CEOs have been rolling back their return-to-office rules over the past year. Right now, just 3% of tech firms need their employees to be in the office full-time, which is a big drop from 8% last year.
