USA 
United Kingdom
Amazon has informed some staff the enforcement of its return-to-office policy may be delayed due to insufficient office capacity.
According to a Business Insider report, Amazon’s real estate team notified employees after discovering certain locations do not have enough space for all staff to return full-time.
Notifications sent to staff indicated that some employees may have their office return postponed by several months.
Business Insider reported that full-time in-office returns for a group of employees will now begin "as late as May."
Amazon delays return-to-office for some staff
Employees based in Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, and New York offices are those to have been affected by the delays.
A spokesperson for Amazon told Business Insider that buildings will be ready for the majority of Amazon employees by the planned date of January 2.
However, the latest guidance issued to workers affected by delays appears to conflict with previous documentation about the RTO plan.
In September, when Amazon’s five-days-a-week in-office mandate was announced, employees were told that delays should not stop them from returning to the office at the beginning of January 2025.
Navigating Global Workforce Management: A Guide for Businesses Expanding Globally
Expanding your business internationally is more accessible than ever, but managing a global workforce presents unique challenges. Our guide helps you choose the right provider, avoid common mistakes, and identify essential features for scaling your business across the globe.
This guide covers:
Choosing the Right Provider: Key factors like scalability, compliance, and cost-effectiveness.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls: How to prevent frequent selection errors.
Critical Features: Must-haves like international payroll, compliance, and benefits support.
Compliance & Risk Tips: Ensuring your provider handles local laws and regulations.
Scalable Solutions: How the right provider supports long-term growth.
Download your free guide to start your global expansion today!
"For the vast majority of employees, assigned workspaces will be available by January 2, 2025," it said. "If your assigned workspace isn't ready by January 2, we still expect everyone to begin fully working from the office by that date."
Amazon also encountered real estate capacity difficulties in 2023, when it asked employees to return to the office at least three days a week.
The introduction of that new policy was penciled in for May 2023, but documentation titled "Building Readiness Dates” listed the expected dates Amazon's office locations were expected to be “ready,” with many offices in New York, Texas, and California all delayed to September.
"Our goal is to ensure our offices provide a welcoming experience for our employees,” a spokesperson said at the time.
Delays in readiness latest hurdle for Amazon’s RTO plans
In September, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy informed all corporate staff they must start working from the office five days per week from January.
In a company-wide memo, Jassy stated his expectation that the changes would “strengthen our culture and teams.”
He continued: “We want to operate like the world’s biggest start-up. That means having a passion for constantly inventing for customers, strong urgency (for most big opportunities, it’s a race!), high ownership, fast decision-making, scrappiness and frugality, deeply-connected collaboration (you need to be joined at the hip with your teammates when inventing and solving hard problems), and a shared commitment to each other.”
Employees must comply with the order unless they are subject to “extenuating circumstances” or have been granted an exception by a small number of executives who oversee Amazon’s different units.
The latest delays to the introduction of the policy for some employees is another hurdle for Amazon to cross after months of pushback from some workers – including open letters and surveys – who argue the mandate infringes scales back flexible working and is an attempt to clamp down on employee behavior.
HR VP offers advice on return-to-office mandates
Adam Hickman PhD, VP of Organisational and Employee Development at Partners Federal Credit Union, a sponsor of the Walt Disney Company, recently told HR Grapevine that businesses enforcing an RTO mandate must acknowledge how employees' lives have evolved significantly in recent years, with remote work becoming a key part of their routines.
“Leading with empathy requires understanding these changes and supporting employees where they are—not where you assume they should be,” he explained. “Mandating schedules, enforcing a rigid return-to-office policy, or disguising a forced approach will only push your top talent toward the recruiters already waiting in their inbox… Instead, offer customizable schedules that allow employees to balance their professional and personal lives effectively. Highlight the value of intentional office days, not sheer volume.”
However, recognizing that some businesses view calling back to the office full-time, Hickman offered some advice to employers looking to emulate Amazon.
“Employees are more likely to support a return-to-office policy if they understand its purpose,” he said. “Share clear, compelling reasons, avoiding vague mandates.”
The HR VP also highlighted the need for any business enacting an RTO mandate to create engaging office spaces.
“Think collaborative workspaces, quiet zones for focused tasks, and areas designed for spontaneous creativity,” he suggested, alongside considering amenities that promote physical and mental health like “fitness centers, relaxation rooms, or outdoor meeting areas” and taking into account ED&I requirements or accommodations for those with disabilities.
“[And] ensure seamless technology integration between in-office and remote teams. Frustrating tech gaps can make remote work seem like the easier option,” he added.
