Amazon's Return to Office Mandate

We spoke to HR Magazine about Amazon's policy which will block promotions for those who don't work in the office at least 3 times a week. 

This blanket policy risks being an ineffective and unfair approach. While some roles likely benefit from in-office time, there are many jobs today that can be done successfully remotely. Blocking promotions for remote workers categorically could result in losing top talent. It could also exclude talented people like working parents or those with other caregiving responsibilities, who need flexibility in when and where they work. Mandating set office days prevents many people from being able to participate fully in the workforce. 

It may be wiser to evaluate employee performance and productivity objectively, not based on time in an office seat. Some great workers thrive remotely. Promotions should reward ability and results. 

And such a rigid policy could discourage innovation. The future of work will involve more flexibility. Forward-thinking companies should motivate talent in more creative ways than mandating set office days. 

In short, this seems an outdated policy that could alienate Amazon's best assets - their workers. There may be better ways to build connection and culture while still leveraging remote work's upsides. Promotions should reflect merit, not location. 

Read the article here.