Amazon Encourages Managers to Fire Employees Who Don’t Return to Office
Amazon.com Inc has recently implemented a strict return-to-office policy, urging managers to take action against employees who do not come into the office at least three days a week, according to Business Insider.
This new policy puts middle managers at Amazon in a difficult position. They are faced with the choice of firing employees who may be doing a good job from home and are hard to replace, or risking their own futures if they do not increase attendance rates. However, this approach by Amazon is seen as a mistake.
The past three years have shown that physical presence is not necessary for good work. While attendance at US offices has not significantly increased over the past year, tension has risen due to the return-to-work mandates, as reported by a recent Gartner survey that found increased inter-team conflict.
There is still ongoing debate about the productivity of remote workers. According to a recent survey led by Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom, 86% of workers claim they are equally or more productive at home, while only 14% believe they are less productive. However, many human resource managers and senior leaders have a different perspective. In a survey conducted by McKinsey and LeanIn.org, 83% of remote employees said working from home made them more efficient and productive, but only 52% of HR leaders agreed. This difference in opinion highlights the belief among senior leaders that employees perform better in person, even if the employees themselves do not realize it.
Academic research has yielded varying conclusions on remote productivity, making it difficult to determine who is right and who is wrong. Ultimately, individuals know how they work best. When employees have some control over where and how they work, their performance tends to improve. It is important to respect employees’ preferences and not force them into working arrangements they resist.
The focus should shift from obsessing over returning to the office to returning to effective management. Regular one-on-one meetings, weekly team meetings, and systems for tracking employee output can be implemented without relying solely on face-to-face interactions. Managers need to adapt their supervisory skills to effectively manage employees, whether they are remote or in person.
Amazon’s approach to the return-to-office policy will only make middle managers’ jobs harder and fail to convince employees that they are more productive in the office. It is crucial for companies to prioritize effective management practices rather than fixating on office attendance rates.
Source: Live Mint