Amazon's Tel Aviv employees still await full return to office
Amazon's Tel Aviv employees still await full return to office
Tel Aviv joins a list of over 40 Amazon locations facing RTO postponements due to space constraints.
Amazon employees in Tel Aviv remain on a reduced return-to-office schedule, continuing to work only three days a week due to insufficient office space. The situation, reported by Business Insider, highlights ongoing challenges in implementing Amazon's global five-day return-to-office (RTO) policy.
Originally, Amazon mandated that employees worldwide resume full-time, in-office work starting January 2, citing benefits like improved collaboration and team cohesion. However, internal communications viewed by Business Insider reveal that the company’s real-estate constraints have delayed the policy in over 40 locations, including Tel Aviv, Santa Clara, Austin, and Beijing. Employees in these offices have been told they can maintain a hybrid schedule until adequate workspaces are ready, with some delays expected to last until May.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy had defended the RTO policy in a company-wide memo, stating that the shift was intended to “further strengthen” Amazon's culture. Yet, logistical hurdles have slowed its implementation, particularly in fast-growing tech hubs like Tel Aviv, where space limitations appear to be a persistent issue.
An Amazon spokesperson, responding to the Business Insider report, emphasized that the delays affect only a small fraction of the company’s global workforce. "As of this past Monday, the overwhelming majority of our employees have dedicated workspaces and have returned to the office full time," the spokesperson said, while acknowledging that some offices are not yet fully equipped to accommodate the five-day schedule. "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. It's incorrect and misleading to suggest that we aren't ready for the vast majority of our teammates to be back in the office full-time."
The situation in Tel Aviv underscores broader tensions surrounding Amazon’s RTO push, which has faced resistance from employees worldwide. While the company remains committed to its full-time office strategy, the delays highlight the challenges of scaling operations across its extensive global footprint.
