Amazon RTO 5 days a week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This seems totally unnecessary and done solely for political reasons.

Political? Why does it matter politically?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This seems totally unnecessary and done solely for political reasons.

Doubt politics have anything to do with it. Its most certainly about reducing headcount.

[Anonymous]

If it is a stealth layoff, which seems to be so obvious to some, then why nobody attempts to file class action lawsuit and demand severance plus punitive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it is a stealth layoff, which seems to be so obvious to some, then why nobody attempts to file class action lawsuit and demand severance plus punitive?

Because those “stealth laid off” are going to voluntarily quit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More than one of my friends are in software engineering management roles over there. They have been complaining about productivity issues related to people not being in person for a while now. Real product development that is of any quality isn’t done completely siloed. Sole exceptions for things like Linux kernel development, where distributed teams of people who are highly interested get the work done, and they are all afraid of Linus calling them out anyways.

My husband complains that it’s because half the people are idiots. Doesn’t have much to do with RTO.

However, it is going to affect the good people who were hired remote, then told they had to come in 3 days a week and are doing crazy commutes from hours away and now will either have to move or lose their jobs.

We had to get an apartment and spend a lot of money so he can go in 3 days a week or drive 2 days each way 3 days a week. He’s been looking for something else for over a year and a half now but at his level it’s not easy. Now maybe we just sell our house except the COL is crazy higher in Arlington.

If your husband is senior level at Amazon, you can afford a house in Arlington

[Anonymous]

At least they are giving a few months warning. It gives people time to get their ducks in a row

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About time, not just for Amazon, but the entire country. RTO has taken a ridiculous amount of time to implement, and finally employers are turning the screw.

Agree. It’s so valuable for me to spend 2 hours commuting to sit in a conference room on teams calls with people in other cities.

You do know you can move.

You spend a lot to move to buy/sell your house and if you have kids in activiites, it makes it very to uproot them. Amazon is going to lose more good people. Though getting rid of some of the managers makes sense as they are very top heavy with lots of layers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More than one of my friends are in software engineering management roles over there. They have been complaining about productivity issues related to people not being in person for a while now. Real product development that is of any quality isn’t done completely siloed. Sole exceptions for things like Linux kernel development, where distributed teams of people who are highly interested get the work done, and they are all afraid of Linus calling them out anyways.

My husband complains that it’s because half the people are idiots. Doesn’t have much to do with RTO.

However, it is going to affect the good people who were hired remote, then told they had to come in 3 days a week and are doing crazy commutes from hours away and now will either have to move or lose their jobs.

We had to get an apartment and spend a lot of money so he can go in 3 days a week or drive 2 days each way 3 days a week. He’s been looking for something else for over a year and a half now but at his level it’s not easy. Now maybe we just sell our house except the COL is crazy higher in Arlington.

If your husband is senior level at Amazon, you can afford a house in Arlington

Most people aren't senior level. Most are L4/5/6. Different poster but we could not afford to move to Arlington. My spouse will commute and work less hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume that coming in will still mostly mean badging in for coffee and going home?

They track it outside of badging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On call weeks just got harder...up 5 times last night? No matter, up and out of bed, get dressed and head in.

Exactly. My spouse gets calls all hours. And, a lot of his team works in Seattle or internationally and its expected they flex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i think the thing that grates people here and grates boomers ('grinds their gears') is people have a choice now. These engineers are in HIGH demand and they can beyond easily tell amazon to go f itself and go elsewhere and they will bc half of them are socially awkward introverts who do not need to be schlepping on a commute to travel to sit next to other socially awkward introverts coding in silence except for during sprints.
they just want attrition.

Have you talked to other people who were laid off from tech firms. I know of a handful of people all laid off 6-14 months ago and none of them have jobs. None! They all have excellent resumes (except one who is applying for senior roles and should be applying middle manager) and connections but so many people are out from other tech firms, companies have their pick and don’t have to pay top dollar for you anymore.

The folks with security clearances and actual tech skills will be fine. They may lose salary but can get a job. Its the managers who have no actual skill to do the work that will struggle. But, for those who have been there years, they'll get good severence if they get laid off so being out of work for 6+ months wouldn't be terrible. We'd be just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About time, not just for Amazon, but the entire country. RTO has taken a ridiculous amount of time to implement, and finally employers are turning the screw.

Agree. It’s so valuable for me to spend 2 hours commuting to sit in a conference room on teams calls with people in other cities.

My spouse will just be working less with the commute or calls to the west coast will have to be phone while driving. They have one day a week now and sit next to each other virtually on team calls.

Please don't do calls while driving. It is distracted driving, even hands-free. Block off the commute time.

Sorry RTO fans, but we were willing to accommodate many timezones WFO but now with RTO you have a very narrow window for meetings each day. Just won't get as much done. Sadness.

What other choice does he have? At Amazon people just scheudule things even if you block off the time. Seattle wants meetings in the PM, so that's' commute time. Yea, it sucks. You have to get it done or you get Pip or focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The truth is that star performers in tech have options, that’s how top companies are retaining talent.

Sure, everyone can’t be a star performer or be in top 10%, so it blows for those folks. Amazon has always been a company that believes in tremendous micromanaging, that is one of the core beliefs of Jeff Bezos.

But make no mistake, they will lose on top of the line talent.

They are struggling to get top talent now. They laid off a lot and many have left. Its sad as depending on your manager it can be a good place to work but its hard to survive there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More than one of my friends are in software engineering management roles over there. They have been complaining about productivity issues related to people not being in person for a while now. Real product development that is of any quality isn’t done completely siloed. Sole exceptions for things like Linux kernel development, where distributed teams of people who are highly interested get the work done, and they are all afraid of Linus calling them out anyways.

My husband complains that it’s because half the people are idiots. Doesn’t have much to do with RTO.

However, it is going to affect the good people who were hired remote, then told they had to come in 3 days a week and are doing crazy commutes from hours away and now will either have to move or lose their jobs.

We had to get an apartment and spend a lot of money so he can go in 3 days a week or drive 2 days each way 3 days a week. He’s been looking for something else for over a year and a half now but at his level it’s not easy. Now maybe we just sell our house except the COL is crazy higher in Arlington.

L
If your husband is senior level at Amazon, you can afford a house in Arlington

L6. We have a child who just graduated and aging parents who won’t move. House is worth 700,000-750,000. We bought it a long time ago for a lot less but have also made a lot of improvements so it’s not paid off. Comparable houses in the Arlington area at like 1.5-2 million. We considered and looked but were disappointed with the quality of life difference.

[Anonymous]

I read about the Amazon RTO order and think it’s great. It’s high time the federal government got this done too.