BREAKING NEWSAmazon and TAB ditch WFH in major blow for thousands of workers

More major companies have ordered workers back to the office in another sign the Covid-era work-from-home (WFH) trend is coming to an end.

Tech giant Amazon and Aussie gaming outfit Tabcorp are the latest corporates to issue mandates telling workers to return to the office five days a week.

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy sent a note to workers insisting corporate staff will need to be back be in the office permanently from January.

Meanwhile, Tabcorp emailed employees to say its default position was for office-based members to return to workstations five days a week.

What this means is that all office-based team members should work in the office, with their team, every day of the working week, the internal Tabcorp memo reads. 

In his message to staff, Mr Jassy said Amazon leadership had decided that were going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of COVID.

We understand that some of our teammates may have set up their personal lives in such a way that returning to the office consistently five days per week will require some adjustments, Mr Jassy wrote.

To help ensure a smooth transition, were going to make this new expectation active on January 2, 2025.

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy sent a note to workers insisting corporate staff will need to be back be in the office permanently from January

Both organisations stressed that there would still be some flexibility for employees to work days out of the office.

Before the pandemic, not everybody was in the office five days a week, every week, Mr Jassy wrote.

Tabcorp also insisted that it had long been a flexible workplace and that doesnt change.

At times you may need to work flexibly, for example starting or finishing work at different times, or working remotely for a day - you should discuss and agree these requirements with your manager.

Tabcorp previously supported a hybrid three-days-in-the-office arrangement for employees. 

The move by Amazon and Tabcorp follows the recent edict of the NSW government for public servants to return to the office full-time. 

The announcement by Premier Chris Minns sparked an instant backlash from workers and public sector unions, many of whom argued a culture of WFH was now embedded within the public service.

Tabcorp emailed employees to say its default position was for office-based members to return to workstations five days a week

Similarly, the Commonwealth Bank faced internal opposition when it ordered its workers back to the office at least 50 per cent of the time from July 2023, with the Finance Sector Union suggesting some staff would seek jobs elsewhere because of the change. 

Hundreds of our members at CBA have contacted the union complaining the bank was overturning working arrangements that have worked well for the bank and its staff, FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano said at the time. 

Our members have raised serious concerns about the significant impact this change would have on them, including on their work/life balance, mental health and well-being and caring responsibilities.

Tabcorp has been approached for comment. 

Agents letting commercial office space and retailers in major cities have grappled with a decline in trade as favourable WFH policies continued after the enforced lockdowns of the Covid period.

In Melbourne, mayoral candidate Arron Wood recently revealed that if successful at the October election, he would ditch WFH and force 1,700 City of Melbourne council workers back into the office to try and revitalise the city.

The drastic measure is part of his wider plan to revitalise Melbournes economy by getting more people to come into the city safely and on time.