Colette O'Neill’s Post

#WFH - While the noise about working from home is excessive - currently from Amazon, the honesty about performance is lacking. Consider the current AMZN stock price - up $66 YTD - all those hybrid/remote folks aren't a risk. 17 years ago... in 2007 I created a program called 'Telework 5/30' - "Five Steps in 30 Days for Effective Remote Work", which was promoted at a busy #SHRM conference in Chicago at the famed Drake Hotel. This program demonstrated the empirical value of remote work as it related to family and community wellbeing, and much more. Later, based on the financial upside of remote work, Greg Scholl and I pitched this program as a revenue positive solution to federal audiences in DC and it was later adopted by parts of Comcast. I love what Colette O'Neill has written - she's right! Amazon is "pulling the plug" on their employees - not a good look. Her message highlights how top-down decisions can affect a company's brand and impact employee morale along with customer perception. It's been said a good leader can lead from anywhere, and yet countless articles flood the social media landscape implying that remote work is a risk, a fad, or otherwise unsustainable. The truth is remote work has increased opportunities for marginalized groups across the spectrum and is not only for so-called "knowledge workers" and it is not a risk to organizational cohesion when implemented effectively. Most alarming from the Amazon narrative is the relationship it defines between employer and employee. It moves Amazon from a team dynamic to a hostage situation. Those who can afford to resign, will. Those who can't will stay, reluctantly, which will hurt longterm performance. What's my point? Talented people solve dynamic business challenges from offices and kitchen tables alike. When we honestly focus on outcomes and performance, we discover that brilliant people are capable of amazing work, no matter where they sit. Today I enjoy a hybrid working model that amplifies my skills, and creates numerous collaborative opportunities using readily available technology at the same time. For more on this topic, I invite you to learn from The Families and Work Institute. They have immense amounts of data on the impact of working models on families and communities and have been studying this topic since the 70s. I just want you to know, in my experience, regardless of where you work, your tangible contributions are having an impact, and I want to celebrate the fact that great work should be recognized, whether it's achieved from a cubicle or a condo. After all, it's almost 2025! We are living in the future, so it's okay to act like it.

Amazon's return-to-office mandate raises questions about the future of work in tech. The e-commerce giant now requires employees to be in the office five days a week, marking a significant shift from their previous hybrid model. This decision seems at odds with the industry's trend towards flexibility and remote work. It's particularly striking given Amazon's technological prowess and global workforce. One might expect a company at the forefront of innovation to embrace more progressive work policies. The move prompts several considerations: 1. Productivity: Does physical presence truly boost output, especially in roles that don't require hands-on collaboration? 2. Employee satisfaction: How will this affect morale and retention, particularly for those who've adapted to remote work? 3. Talent acquisition: Will this limit Amazon's ability to attract top talent who prioritise flexibility? 4. Environmental impact: Increased commuting contradicts corporate sustainability goals. 5. Diversity and inclusion: This policy may disproportionately affect certain groups, such as parents or those with disabilities. 6. Real estate: Is this driven by a need to justify expensive office spaces? While in-person collaboration can be valuable, a blanket policy seems shortsighted. The tech industry thrives on adaptability and innovation - shouldn't this extend to work arrangements? As other tech giants watch closely, Amazon's decision could shape the industry's approach to work. Will we see a domino effect, or will companies who maintain flexibility gain a competitive edge? What do you think? Is this a step backwards or a necessary reset? https://lnkd.in/e5JNqyPN #WorkplaceFlexibility #TechIndustry #FutureOfWork

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced today that the company would be returning to 5 days a week in the office at the start of 2025: "we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of COVID" Jassy's memo explains that the move is to strengthen collaboration and culture-building and that there will be flexibility for extenuating circumstances, but that the baseline expectation is Amazon employees will work in the office 5 days a week. I think it's no surprise that this move comes after ~2 years of softness in the tech job market. As the balance of power has shifted back from employees to employers, employers have grown unwilling to acquiesce to worker preferences for remote/hybrid work arrangements. Flexible work arrangements should be thought of as a benefit. And benefits are always on the negotiating table just like salary or vacation days, so when the market shifts, employers are more willing to flex their power, especially for a benefit like remote work that is difficult to quantify monetarily. https://lnkd.in/ehTzc_2U #rto #remote #remotework

Amazon are playing a risky game here... Amazon's recent mandate requiring corporate employees to return to the office five days a week feels like a giant leap backward. 🚶♂️🚶♀️ For many, especially those with families, this decision disrupts the balance between work and life that remote work has afforded. Think about the increased commute, childcare costs, and general stress of the office environment. The flexibility that many have grown accustomed to is suddenly stripped away. But let's question the narrative: Does working in an office actually boost productivity and collaboration? 🧐 Amazon thrived during the pandemic with remote work. Perhaps this is more about control than real efficiency. Additionally, Amazon is flattening its corporate structure, hinting at financial pressures and potential job losses. This combination of structural changes and rigid office policies seems more driven by cost-cutting than improving employee well-being. What broader impacts could this decision have? 🚀 Will other companies follow suit, leading to a setback in workplace flexibility? Employees who cherish remote work might start looking elsewhere, potentially causing a significant turnover. In a world where technology facilitates seamless remote work, such a policy seems outdated. It’s crucial for companies to evolve and prioritize the needs and well-being of their employees. What are your thoughts on this move by Amazon? How does your company handle remote work? #RemoteWork #WorkLifeBalance #EmployeeWellBeing #Amazon #CorporatePolicy #FutureOfWork #Productivity #Leadership

🏢 Amazon’s Bold Move: Back to the Office Full-Time Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, has called for employees to return to the office five days a week. As companies navigate the post-pandemic workplace, this decision signals a strong push toward in-office collaboration. While some employees may welcome the change, others may find it challenging, especially after years of remote work flexibility. For HR leaders, this raises key questions: How do we balance company goals with employee expectations? What does this mean for the future of work? #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #RemoteWork #HRLeadership https://lnkd.in/ekNVuAKM

Amazon’s New RTO Policy: A Shift Back to Full Office Days?? Starting January 2025, Amazon will require corporate employees to return to the office five days a week. CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the need for in-person collaboration to foster innovation and problem-solving, similar to other evolving hybrid work strategies. However, many employees work in distributed teams, raising questions about the value of commuting when teammates aren’t even local. Additionally, Amazon plans to cut managerial roles by 15%, reflecting a push for efficiency and focusing on individual contributors. In my view, while face-to-face collaboration is important, this raises ongoing questions about flexibility vs. visibility in today’s workplace. Are we pushing too hard towards traditional office models at the expense of work-life balance? Amazon may seek to better utilize its office spaces, but the pandemic proved white-collar work can thrive remotely. Are we sacrificing flexibility for tradition? This also brings up a larger question: Is this truly the path to becoming the "Earth's Best Employer," as stated by former CEO Jeff Bezos in 2021? How do we ensure employees remain engaged and productive, whether in the office or remotely? Let’s discuss the future of work! Article: https://lnkd.in/eD5wFu6b #HybridWork #FutureOfWork #RemoteWork #Leadership #AgileLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessTransformation

Amazon is making a move to return-to-office 5 days a week. We often hear from CEOs that a loose approach to hybrid is creating friction for onboarding, agility, efficiency, and growth. Is a 5-day RTO the only way to address these challenges? We don't think so and have seen our purpose-driven framework, Balanced Hybrid®, help companies of all sizes find their middle ground and embrace the right level of structure for improved results, happier employees, a competitive hiring advantage, and long-term CRE cost savings. If you are interested in learning more about Balanced Hybrid® and whether it's a fit for your organization, reach out to me on LinkedIn or use the link below to set up a call. https://lnkd.in/eWUUnsy8 #BalancedHybrid #hybridwork #employeeexperience #employeeengagement #futureofwork

Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy announced a week or so ago that beginning in January, Amazon employees would be expected to work five days a week in the office.  The return to pre-pandemic norms saddens me. Ann Kowal Smith, in this Forbes article, states, "This is a far cry from the pandemic-promised “new normal”–a clean sheet of paper to design and build the winning workplace of the future. We imagined a place where productivity and flexibility worked hand in glove, where employees could learn, grow and collaborate in innovative new ways–together.” This was also my hope as a human-centered leader.  We missed an opportunity to build a better workplace with stronger connections and increased productivity by learning new techniques and creating new norms. Amazon's rush back to the old working method will not be the only one.  Jassy uses culture, collaboration, inventing, learning, and connecting as just some of the reasons for this return.  My questions for Amazon and Jassy Are - How were you measuring these behaviors before the pandemic and during WFH and hybrid working?  • How are you going to measure them beginning in January?  * Starting in January, How will you measure the impact of in-office work on culture, collaboration, inventing, learning, and connecting? • What will tell you that working in an office is better than working in a hybrid or remote setting? So many companies have used similar reasons for RTO, but I have not seen one state how they measured it previously or will measure it going forward. Measurement and data are the critical pieces that are missing from this conversation.  #WorkParadigm #Flexibility https://lnkd.in/eT3R7FWd

Here is how to put the "return to full-time in the office" argument to bed once and for all… They will say “our team just aren’t as efficient when working remote” To which you reply “the biggest killer of efficiency in the workplace is the inability to attract and retain quality staff” I run Space32 but am also remain chairman of recruitment business Pod Talent. 3 months ago, Pod ran 2 near identical searches for the same role. One was hybrid, the other was full time in the office. The hybrid role was filled with a quality candidate within the first 4 weeks. The other remains vacant today. If you are mandating 5 days in the office, you won’t attract the quality of staff you would get working hybrid. That puts more pressure on existing team members covering vacant roles or, even worse, constantly onboarding sub-standard new team members, because that’s all you can get. Amazon staff are “seriously dissatisfied” by the decision. I predict the Amazon move will either be reversed or become a case study of failure for other businesses to learn from. #hybridworking #futureofwork #remoteworking https://lnkd.in/eXijmEk8

🚨 How do you feel about the Amazon shifts? 🚨 As you read the five points below, I have my reactions and parentheses. In a bold move, Amazon is shifting its return-to-office strategy. Starting January 2, 2025, corporate employees will be expected to work five days a week in the office. Here are the key takeaways: 1️⃣ New Office Policy: Employees will need to be in the office full-time, with exceptions only for extenuating circumstances or pre-approved remote work exceptions. (Could be a lot of exceptions) 2️⃣ Strengthening Culture: Amazon believes being together in the office will boost collaboration, learning, and innovation, reinforcing its unique culture. (I truly believe interacting in person is very valuable) 3️⃣ Flattening the Structure: Amazon is reducing layers of management by increasing the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by Q1 2025. The goal? Faster decisions and less bureaucracy. (Easy to assume that every manager will have 20 employees, but they could've had a lot of managers with just one employee) 4️⃣ Cutting Bureaucracy: A "bureaucracy mailbox" has been introduced to identify and eliminate unnecessary processes, helping teams stay nimble and efficient. (The "bureaucracy mailbox" seems like a bureaucratic solution) 5️⃣ Transition Support: To help employees adapt, Amazon will provide time until the new policy takes effect in January, and assigned desks will return in key locations. (seems reasonable) As Amazon looks to operate "like the world’s largest startup," these changes make me question if these decisions were data driven or philosophical. Personally I get more work done where . . . .I get work done (sometimes the office, sometimes not). I like having the agency to choose and honestly a very important factor in my employment. #Amazon #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #Leadership https://lnkd.in/gQayWb-a