'I'm unproductive, this is not the real solution': Internet reacts as Amazon, Wipro and others call employees back to office

The Covid-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we work, with remote work quickly becoming the new normal. Employees across the globe adapted to working from home, enjoying newfound flexibility and a better work-life balance. And for a long time, we all thought that this was the new world and going to the office every day would be a thing of the past.

However, as pandemic restrictions eased, many companies began rolling back these remote policies, pushing employees to return to the office. Tech giant Amazon recently ended remote work for its employees and told them to come to office five days a week, just like how it used to be before the pandemic. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, in a blog post, said that working from offices has its benefits and therefore all employees will have to start coming to work the entire week. He added that even though they will permit work from home in case of emergencies (taking care of your sick kid, running emergency errands etc), remote work will no longer be the norm.

Companies are calling employees back to offices

Amazon isn’t the only company that has implemented the RTO (return to office) mandate. Companies like Wipro, TCS, X (earlier called Twitter) and Infosys also require employees to be there in office for at least three days a week. While X boss Elon Musk had once asked those seeking work from home to “get off of their moral high horse,” Infosys CEO N. R. Narayana Murthy had made headlines for saying that workers in India should work 70 hours per week.

In wake of Amazon’s recent RTO mandate, many young professionals are reacting strongly on the internet. While some feel that the RTO mandate will hamper their productivity, others feel that it is simply unnecessary. And then there are also some people who think that this is a good decision. Let us take a look at how people are reacting on being called back to offices.

How are people reacting?

Social media sites like Reddit, X, and LinkedIn are full of reactions on the RTO mandate. Many employees feel that this will increase their cost and time spent on commute.

Amazon’s recent decision to bring its employees back to offices has not sat well with many, especially those accustomed to the hybrid work model. On LinkedIn, Samrat Bhardwaj, who has previously interned with Amazon India, questioned the rationale behind the shift, asking whether the company truly considered employee well-being or was more focused on its own benefits.

He also voiced concerns over the increased cost in case employees think of moving closer to tech hubs. He also added that if people start living at a distance from tech parks, rent will be lower, but you'll be wasting a lot of time to and fro from the office every day.

On the other hand, Erin Mantz, a former Meta and Amazon employee, pointed out the stark difference between previous work norms and the flexibility of today's workforce in a LinkedIn post.

“Gen Xers, for decades, used to have to go in every day... no working from home, no midday walks or being home for the dishwasher repairman,” she said, reflecting on how work-life balance has evolved.

She concluded that the shift back to in-office work might not align with modern expectations, suggesting that today’s workforce has experienced a better way of working.

“Working in the parking lot isn’t a bad idea”

People aren’t just concerned about the increased cost and wastage of time in commute. Some also pointed out the irony of commuting to the office only to continue working in their cars due to a lack of proper space and resources.

One Reddit user said, “Genuinely had no idea how bad RTO would be until it hit. I'm as unproductive as ever and half my work is done in the parking lot at this point for these exact reasons. Going back to the office isn't the end of the world, but when there's zero space or even disability accommodation for the employees? Unacceptable, especially considering the ones who usually enforce the arrangements all have their own private offices with the best gear their department offers.”

Another user, Oracle-2050, quipped that working from their car was a makeshift solution, noting, "At least I can attend Teams meetings and make phone calls."

The absurdity of the situation was highlighted by yet another commenter who sarcastically remarked, “Only in clown world would a worker drive to the office in order to do work in their car.”

Another user pointed out that the decision-makers pushing these mandates “all have their own private offices with the best gear their department offers,” leaving regular employees to struggle in far less conducive work environments.

The “Fake work” problem

Annie Dean, who earlier used to work as Director of Remote Work at Facebook, took a critical stance on LinkedIn, highlighting that return-to-office mandates don’t address the core problem which is “Fake work.”

This term, popularised by Airbnb’s Brian Chesky, refers to tasks that feel like work but don’t actually create value for the business.

Dean explained in her post that employees are drowning in endless meetings and messages, which detract from productivity. She argued that instead of mandating office attendance, companies like Amazon should focus on “pioneering new, more efficient modes of work.”

This argument has resonated with many on X as well, where employees have expressed frustration over the return-to-office mandates being viewed as a quick fix. One Twitter/X user remarked that "commuting to do the same virtual meetings in person isn’t solving anything," while others echoed that the core problem lies in work structures, not location.

Here are some other reactions on X:

A quiet layoff strategy?

Yet another take on the RTO mandate comes from Jennifer DeLorenzo, a former senior recruiter at Pinterest. She suggested that the move feels like a “quiet layoff strategy.”

According to her, by mandating full-time office attendance, companies may be hoping for a wave of resignations without having to deal with the negative press of formal layoffs. “This tactic allows them to reduce headcount while avoiding the negative optics of layoffs,” DeLorenzo wrote on LinkedIn, adding that it may backfire as hiring becomes challenging again when the economy shifts.

Many others seemed to agree with her view. On Reddit too, there are many people talking about how companies might be carrying out soft layoffs by implementing an RTO mandate.

Her comments tapped into a broader conversation on how companies may be using return-to-office mandates to indirectly reduce their workforce. Other social media users pointed out similar trends across industries, where companies tighten office attendance policies to nudge employees toward leaving voluntarily.

Some mixed reactions too

While the return-to-office mandates are frustrating for many, not all reactions are negative. Some employees, particularly newer hires, see value in the traditional office setting.

Bhardwaj, for example, also noted that going to the office is beneficial for freshers who want to learn. “I do believe that going to the office makes you learn a lot as freshers,” he wrote in his post, suggesting that for those early in their careers, the in-person experience might be crucial for growth and networking.

Some users on X too seemed to be in support of this mandate.

Here’s a look:

This duality reflects the ongoing debate around the future of work. On one hand, companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta are focusing on building stronger in-office teams, believing that physical presence fosters better collaboration, innovation, and mentoring. On the other hand, employees, especially those who experienced the benefits of remote work during the pandemic, are pushing back against these mandates, valuing the flexibility and improved work-life balance that working from home provides.

As companies continue to adjust their RTO policies, the tension between employee expectations and corporate strategies is likely to persist. However, one thing is clear — the future of work is still being negotiated, and both sides are making their voices heard across the internet.