Amazon’s Return to Office: Outdated and Out of Touch

Amazon’s recent decision to mandate a full-time return to the office for employees has sparked a lot of criticism, with many viewing it as outdated thinking. In this Guardian article, Professor Cary Cooper, who coined the term "presenteeism," called such policies "dinosaur thinking." I couldn’t agree more.

The pandemic showed us that remote and hybrid work can be just as—if not more—productive than traditional office settings. Employees gained more autonomy, reduced commuting stress, and achieved better work-life balance. Amazon’s insistence on a five-day return to the office ignores these benefits, reflecting a lack of trust in its workforce. The same goes for Tesla and some other entities (usually with large real estates!)

Forcing employees back into the office doesn’t guarantee productivity. In fact, it can lead to "presenteeism," where employees are physically present but not fully engaged, and often just onZoom calls they could do as well from home, or anywhere else. Amazon’s decision could backfire by pushing talent toward companies that offer the flexibility today’s workers value.

At Hyperion Executive Search, we’ve seen first-hand the success of flexible and hybrid working environments. Companies that trust their employees to manage their time and deliver results foster better innovation and stronger morale. Amazon’s policy, on the other hand, feels like a step backward—an outdated approach that fails to recognize the benefits of modern, hybrid work models.

In today’s competitive landscape, flexibility is key to attracting and retaining talent. Companies that insist on rigid, office-based work are not only out of touch—they’re at risk of becoming irrelevant, or at least having to over-compensate to hire less motivated and engaged employees.

What do you think?