Amazon Eyes Return To Office For Most Workers Later This Year

SEATTLE — Amazon plans to return to an "office-centric culture" in the wake of the pandemic, welcoming more employees back to its U.S. offices as vaccines become more widely available in the summer and fall.

In a blog post Wednesday, the tech giant provided more insight into its June 3 goal to resume more in-person work after more than a year of most employees working remotely. Amazon's approach differs from some of its Puget Sound neighbors, which plan to embrace a more hybrid work model into the future.

REI is among the most notable Washington companies taking a different route, abandoning plans for a sprawling new headquarters in Bellevue in favor of a decentralized satellite office model that allows employees to continue alternate working methods. Redmond-based Microsoft began welcoming some of its workers back to Seattle-area offices earlier in the week but highlights continued flexibility in its plans for the foreseeable future.

Amazon is Washington's largest employer, with an estimated 80,000 employees statewide, including 60,000 in the Seattle area. Major expansion plans are also underway in Bellevue, where the tech giant will increase its presence by 25,000 employees over the next few years.

On Wednesday, the company says in-office work will be its baseline around the globe, enabling workers to "invent, collaborate, and learn together most effectively."

Amazon writes:

"The timelines for returning to the office will vary by country, depending on the infection and vaccination rates, and we expect our return to the office to be gradual. In many parts of Asia, our employees are already back in the office. In the U.S., as vaccines become broadly available in the next few months, we expect more people will start coming into the office through the summer, with most back in the office by early fall. In some countries in Europe, we expect in-person working to take longer given recent setbacks."

Amazon's decision to prioritize office work is likely to be welcome news for bars, restaurants and other businesses around the region that rely on its massive workforce for a sizeable chunk of business. In 2019, Geekwire reported Amazon was on track to surpass 13 million square feet in office space in Seattle alone. By 2025, Amazon will add a few million more in Bellevue.

The company estimates 10 percent of its corporate workers are already working from offices and it plans to reopen restaurants, cafes and shops inside its buildings soon. Health and safety precautions remain intact.

"As always, we maintain strong safety protocols, such as temperature screenings upon entry, physical distancing guidelines, face covering requirements, office occupancy limits, and enhanced cleaning in all offices. As we transition back to the office, please continue to follow health authority and local government guidelines."

Read the full announcement on the Amazon blog.