Amazon’s full RTO is off to a bumpy start. Some staff complain of a lack of space and theft. And they’re still on video chats.

author: by abderrazzak fahim

Starting this month, the majority of Amazon’s corporate workforce transitioned back to a five-day office schedule.
Some employees have raised concerns regarding logistical challenges, including insufficient desk availability, overcrowded parking lots, and incidents of office theft.
On the other hand, many have expressed appreciation for the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues in person, emphasizing the unique value of face-to-face interactions. As one employee stated, “These connections simply cannot be replicated online.

Amazon’s implementation of its five-day return-to-office (RTO) policy has encountered several challenges.

Employees who spoke with Business Insider shared that the policy, introduced at the start of the year, has led to issues such as overcrowded parking lots, limited desk and meeting room availability, and reports of desk theft.

While some employees have welcomed the opportunity for increased face-to-face collaboration, others noted that much of their work still occurs through video calls and virtual meetings, limiting the perceived benefits of being in the office.

Business Insider interviewed seven current Amazon employees who also provided screenshots of Slack discussions and other internal communications.

One employee expressed their frustration in a Slack message, stating: “Please go back to RTO3 or allow employees the option to WFH if they have the proper setup and are high performers.” The comment received support from colleagues, with at least 22 emoji reactions highlighting shared sentiment.

Change is hard

Amazon employs a total of 1.5 million workers, including approximately 350,000 corporate staff. While complaints about the full return-to-office (RTO) policy have been voiced, they represent only a small fraction of the company’s workforce.

Some of the dissatisfaction may stem from the significant lifestyle shift. Many employees, having adapted to remote work during the pandemic, are now adjusting to the new reality of a full-time office schedule.

Peter Cappelli, director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources, explained to Business Insider that mandating a return to the office could foster resentment among employees. He noted that such transitions are often “painful” and that management missteps can exacerbate the challenges. However, he also emphasized that workers may have limited options, as fewer companies now offer remote work opportunities, making quitting less feasible for many.

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Some Amazon employees are RTO-happy

Not all Amazon employees are dissatisfied with the full return-to-office (RTO) policy.

When asked for positive examples, Amazon’s press office shared feedback from two employees who praised the transition.

Rena Palumbo, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) employee, highlighted the importance of reestablishing in-person connections with colleagues, noting that it has rekindled her excitement about collaboration.

Cash Ashley, another AWS employee, emphasized that face-to-face interactions are vital for building work relationships and fostering mentorship opportunities. He also shared that the RTO policy helps create a clearer separation between work and home life, which improves his work-life balance. “You just can’t recreate these connections online,” Ashley remarked.

In an email to Business Insider, an Amazon spokesperson stated that the company is committed to making the transition as seamless as possible. “While we’ve heard ideas for improvement from a relatively small number of employees and are working to address those, these anonymous anecdotes don’t reflect the sentiment we’re hearing from most of our teammates,” the spokesperson said. “What we’re seeing is great energy across our offices, and we’re excited by the innovation, collaboration, and connection that we’ve seen already with our teams working in person together.”

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has previously emphasized that the RTO policy is designed to enhance team collaboration and “further strengthen” the company’s culture. Similarly, AWS CEO Matt Garman shared in October that nine out of 10 employees he spoke with expressed enthusiasm about the change.

Lack of desks and meeting rooms

Most of Amazon’s corporate employees began adhering to the five-day office-return mandate earlier this month, but the transition has exposed logistical shortcomings that suggest the company may not have been fully prepared.

According to employees who spoke with Business Insider, some workers have struggled to find adequate workspace, resorting to setting up in cafeterias or hallways due to a shortage of desks. Others reported a lack of chairs in offices and meeting rooms, adding to the challenges of the new policy.

A scarcity of meeting rooms has also been a recurring issue. One employee noted that some colleagues, accustomed to the privacy of working from home, now unofficially use meeting or phone rooms for personal conversations to avoid being overheard. This practice has created bottlenecks for meeting spaces, forcing some managers to hold sensitive discussions in open areas, where conversations can be overheard by others in the office.

Full parking and shuttles

Some Amazon employees have voiced frustrations on Slack about parking difficulties under the new return-to-office (RTO) policy. According to multiple Slack messages reviewed by Business Insider, some employees reported being turned away from company parking lots due to a lack of available spaces. While some drove back home, others resorted to finding street parking nearby.

In Amazon’s Nashville office, one employee mentioned that the wait time for obtaining a company parking pass was backed up for months. However, another staffer noted that the company had offered free commuter passes, which they described as “incredibly generous.”

The influx of employees returning to the office has also caused longer commutes. One employee shared that some colleagues were joining morning work meetings from the road, highlighting the impact of increased traffic on punctuality and productivity.

Signs of strain

With Amazon’s workforce spread across more than 100 global locations, implementing the full return-to-office (RTO) mandate has proven to be a complex and lengthy process.

According to Business Insider, Amazon delayed the full RTO for dozens of locations due to office-capacity challenges, with some delays extending into May. Subsidiaries such as One Medical and Twitch have also either postponed their RTO plans or received exemptions from the five-day office policy.

Frustrations about the transition have surfaced among employees. One worker wrote on the company’s Slack: “Our upper ‘leadership’ has botched this so hard along with so many other things. Makes one wonder what other poor decisions will impact the company in the coming year.”

In response, an Amazon spokesperson stated that the company was well-prepared for the majority of employees to return. “As of early January, the overwhelming majority of our employees have dedicated workspaces and have returned to the office full time,” the spokesperson said. “Of the hundreds of offices we have all around the world, there are only a relatively small number that are not quite ready to welcome everyone back a full five days a week.”

Office thefts

The initial weeks of Amazon’s return-to-office (RTO) policy revealed issues with basic office etiquette in some locations, as reported by Business Insider.

At Amazon’s Toronto office, multiple employees shared on Slack that personal belongings had been repeatedly stolen from desks. One employee reported that a keyboard and mouse left on their assigned desk had disappeared, while another advised colleagues to keep their possessions secured.

“Despite being adults that are well-paid, it’s shameful that we can’t trust each other with leaving personal belongings unattended,” one worker wrote on Slack, reflecting the frustration among staff.

When asked about these incidents, an Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.

An office 'survival guide' and daily shower reminders

On Blind, the anonymous message board for corporate employees, Amazon staff shared a humorous yet practical “essential survival guide” for colleagues navigating the return-to-office (RTO) policy. Titled “Operation: Don’t Be The Office Menace,” the guide offered a mix of lighthearted and pointed advice for maintaining professionalism and courtesy in the workplace.

One tip emphasized personal hygiene:
“Deploy personal hygiene protocols BEFORE leaving your launch pad (home). Yes, that means actually using the shower you’ve been avoiding since WFH began.”

Another reminder encouraged maintaining cleanliness in shared spaces:
“The bathroom stall is not a ‘serverless’ environment. Flush after use — it’s called ‘garbage collection’ for a reason.”

Footwear also made the list, with a clear directive to avoid casual missteps:
“Footwear is not optional. This isn’t a beach sprint retrospective — keep those toes contained in their proper containers (shoes).”

The guide’s mix of wit and practicality highlights the adjustments employees are making as they reacclimate to office life.

'Very little team discussion'

The return-to-office (RTO) mandate has remained a divisive topic at Amazon, sparking significant opposition over the past few years. Tens of thousands of employees signed internal petitions to protest the policy, and internal Slack channels have been flooded with questions and concerns. CEO Andy Jassy has had to address the issue repeatedly during company-wide meetings to justify the decision.

Despite these efforts, some employees continue to question the rationale behind the RTO mandate. Several staff members told Business Insider that the policy has had minimal impact on their work routines or productivity.

Much of their work still involves video calls with customers or colleagues located elsewhere, reducing the value of being in the office. Employees noted that many teammates are based in other office locations, limiting the potential for face-to-face collaboration.

“Very little team discussion while here,” one employee shared on Slack, reflecting a broader sentiment among staff.