The pandemic has caused a seismic shift in the way businesses operate. Many companies have had to resort to remote working arrangements, and Amazon is no exception. As the world’s largest e-commerce company, Amazon has had to pivot its operations and find ways to stay competitive while continuing to serve its customers. In an unprecedented move, Amazon recently announced that it will be selecting one U.S. city as its second headquarters (HQ2). The company’s decision to choose a designated HQ2 could have far reaching implications for the future of work—including how Amazon will utilize non-traditional workforces such as gig economy workers and freelancers. In this blog post, we’ll discuss Amazon’s plans for non-traditional workforces, how it’s likely to impact cities across the United States, and what other tech giants like Microsoft, Apple and Google are doing in response.
Amazon announces plans to allow employees to work from home permanently
It’s official: Amazon is giving its employees the option to work from home permanently.
The e-commerce giant announced the news in a blog post Thursday, saying that “after much thought and deliberation,” it has decided to “allow employees who would like to continue working from home to do so indefinitely.”
The decision comes as a growing number of companies are reassessing their workplace policies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. With more than half of Americans now working from home at least some of the time, according to a recent Gallup poll, there’s been a shift in how people view remote work. Once seen as a perk or an occasional convenience, working from home is now widely seen as a necessity for many workers.
Amazon has been one of the most notable holdouts on embracing remote work. The company has long been known for its intense workplace culture, with grueling hours and high pressure situations. Even before the pandemic, Amazon was notoriously resistant to letting its employees work from home. In 2018, then-CEO Jeff Bezos famously said that he wanted Amazon to be “the best place to work” and that “the way you achieve that is by being together.”
But things have changed dramatically since then. The pandemic has forced Amazon (and other companies) to reevaluate their policies around remote work. And while Amazon has not yet made any announcements about changing its policies for all workers, it’s clear that the company is starting to
Bidens non-wfh policy is criticized by some
Some people are criticizing Amazon’s decision to not allow remote work for its employees. They say that this will make it difficult for parents, especially mothers, to balance work and child care. Others argue that this will lead to more traffic and pollution as people commute to work.
Amazon’s opergeekwire is a hit with employees
Since Amazon announced its new opergeekwire program, employees have been raving about it! The program allows employees to connect with each other and share tips and tricks for using Amazon’s various tools and features.
Employees say that the program has been a great way to stay connected with their colleagues, even while working from home. They also appreciate being able to ask questions and get help from others who are familiar with the Amazon ecosystem.
Overall, it seems that Amazon’s opergeekwire is a big hit with employees! If you’re an Amazon employee, be sure to check it out and see what all the fuss is about.
How Amazon’s decision will impact the future of work
It’s no secret that Amazon has been one of the most vocal opponents of the Biden administration’s plans to raise the corporate tax rate. In fact, just last week Amazon announced it would be scaling back its expansion in Seattle, citing the new tax proposal as one of the main reasons.
Now, with news that President Biden is considering an executive order that would limit non-compete clauses, Amazon is once again speaking out. This time, however, it’s in support of the proposed order.
In a statement released today, Amazon said that “we believe strongly that workers should have the freedom to move between jobs without worrying about retribution from their current or former employer.” The statement goes on to say that Amazon has never required its employees to sign non-compete agreements and that it would support any measure that would make such agreements unenforceable.
This is a significant shift from Amazon’s previous position on non-compete clauses. Just last year, the company was sued by two former employees who claimed they were prevented from taking new jobs because of non-compete clauses in their contracts. At the time, Amazon defended its use of such clauses, arguing that they were necessary to protect its intellectual property.
The change in tone from Amazon comes as the White House is reportedly considering an executive order that would ban companies from requiring workers to sign non-compete clauses as a condition of employment. The order is still under consideration and it’s not clear if
Conclusion
Amazon’s commitment to Biden’s Non-WFH initiative goes beyond the platform and into the larger tech industry. The partnership between Amazon and Biden is a step in the right direction for increasing access to remote work opportunities, providing needed support for small businesses, and creating better job prospects for people of all backgrounds. Not only does this move benefit current workers but it also sets a positive example of corporate responsibility that other companies can follow. We are hopeful that this partnership will have long-term implications on the future of remote work options worldwide.
