Amazon’s RTO mandate likely to boomerang, other companies ‘should not follow suit’ – Computerworld

Amazon’s planned move to five days a week flies in the face of a positive employee experience, according to Gownder. “Consistently, studies show that hybrid [work] drives higher levels of employee productivity,” Gownder said. “Offices have their own distractions, plus onerous commutes. Employees do best at individual level work when they can customize their environments and schedules.

Employee experience, Gownder pointed out, is a central driver of productivity, employee retention, and business results. “And when employees feel valued, have purpose, possess a degree of autonomy, and feel trusted, they perform better,” he said.

“Offices, by comparison, are great for collaborative exercises that involve brainstorming, team bonding, and certain types of decision-making,” he said. “However, these collaborations can usually be accomplished in a couple of days per week.”