In September 2024, the Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sent a message to all company employees announcing that they would be returning to the office (RTO) full time by January 2 of this year. Employees were not pleased. A survey conducted in November found that nearly half of Amazon employees said they had already applied for new jobs, while 68 percent reported that they were “somewhat or very likely to leave the company within the next year.” 

As many HR teams focus on their own RTO strategies, the dissatisfaction with Amazon is a stark reminder that they must transition in a way that fully supports employees and acknowledges all the ways their expectations have shifted in recent years. Beyond giving employees significant latitude as they adjust to the office again, HR teams must ensure that workplace policies and benefits account for a major change in employee attitudes and priorities: the demand for flexibility. It’s vital to recognize that one-size-fits-all benefits are a relic of the past — the most successful HR teams will provide flexible benefits that meet employees’ unique needs and priorities.