In recent years, companies around the world have developed a new work culture. The opportunity to work from home or even from exotic locations such as Bali or the Canary Islands seemed like the dream of many employees. But Amazon has now decided to end this freedom for its employees. The workation option has been removed - another step towards a complete office presence. But what does this mean for the labor market and for employees' rights?

Back to the office: Amazon focuses on presence culture

2025 is the year in which Amazon calls its employees back to the office almost completely. After several years of flexible working models, in which home office and remote working were particularly popular with younger employees, there is now to be a strict return to the office routine. But what feels like a step backwards for many has a clear background: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy believes that the best results can only be achieved through direct collaboration in the office. A model that the tech giant has found to be less efficient in recent years.

Workation: The dream of work and vacation ends

However, the company has not only tightened the home office regulations, but has also abolished the so-called workation. Employees who previously had the opportunity to spend up to 20 working days a year abroad - for example in European countries or even in the USA and Australia - now have to forego this freedom. This decision has been met with mixed reactions: Many young employees who saw workation as an advantage now feel that their flexibility is being restricted.

Why workation can be problematic at all

However, workation was not only controversial from a personal perspective. Legal experts and employment lawyers see a number of legal hurdles in practice. Data protection, tax issues and problems with monitoring working hours were common concerns. In many countries, especially in Europe, there are no clear legal regulations for such working models, which leads to uncertainty. Employers like Amazon are therefore opting to minimize the effort and rely on traditional office work instead.

What does this mean for the labor market?

Amazon's decision could not only challenge the expectations of its employees, but also set an example for the entire labor market. In Germany and many other countries, working from home has long been standard practice - even large companies offer it. But with the return to a stricter office routine, Amazon could open a new chapter in terms of workplace culture. And the question arises: will this development also lead other companies to grant their employees less freedom?

Flexibility or a step backwards? Keeping an eye on Amazon's decision

Well, from a legal perspective, Amazon's move is certainly not without calculation. While home office and workation remain gray areas of employment law, the return to office presence is perhaps seen as a pragmatic decision. But let's be honest: is it really the right way to force employees so much into their work locations? Flexibility and trust should carry more weight in a modern working world. Who knows, maybe Amazon will be the company that finally gets the hang of establishing a new bureaucracy of the future. But for many employees, this feels more like a step backwards. And that can't be the future of work.