In 2023, the WHO declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency. Sixteen months later, many workers are still working from home. Amazon has decided it is time to end this policy. The company told its employees they must return to a five-day week from January 2025. Amazon's CEO told staff that: "We've decided that we're going to return to being in the office the way we were before Covid." He said being with other staff would help people collaborate, brainstorm, and invent. He said teaching and learning from one another is "more seamless" in the office. Some employees are unhappy with the return-to-office rule.

Staff have a history of telling Amazon about their concerns. In February 2023, Amazon asked its employees to be in the office for three days a week. Workers at the company's headquarters protested. They also complained about job cuts after Amazon cut 27,000 jobs globally. Another complaint was about Amazon's contribution to climate change. Workers think commuting to work will "accelerate the climate crisis". The CEO created a "bureaucracy mailbox" for staff to complain about company rules.