I work for AWS since 2014 and I am in a building that arguably has highest density compared to other Amazon buildings. I have not seen a single instance of what the author describes, on tens of floors except that during peak times one may have to go to the next floor to find an empty stall. Specifically --
1. I have not seen anyone take laptops to the stalls
2. No conversations in the bathroom, at most a Hi when washing your hands or a 'excuse me' at the door. Definitely no cross-talk across stalls.
3. No one is using bathrooms as a meeting place or a place for long conversations.
Since last year, there are also unisex bathrooms on each floor. While I am here, might as well dispel some other myths. Occasional WFH is the norm, not an exception. I haven't seen people work long hours as a norm. Most people come in between 9-10:30 and leave between 5-6:30pm. Some come in earlier and some later. Almost everyone I know is driven by their own passion for their work, customer obsession, immense learning opportunity, do things that have never been done before, increasing stock value and increase in their own market value, to name a few.
Since last year, there are also unisex bathrooms on each floor. While I am here, might as well dispel some other myths. Occasional WFH is the norm, not an exception. I haven't seen people work long hours as a norm. Most people come in between 9-10:30 and leave between 5-6:30pm. Some come in earlier and some later. Almost everyone I know is driven by their own passion for their work, customer obsession, immense learning opportunity, do things that have never been done before, increasing stock value and increase in their own market value, to name a few.