The New York Times recently published a glaring exposé focused on Amazon’s company culture. Long hours, lack of sleep, interpersonal pressure and other factors were spotlighted in the story. Perspectives of current and past employees were combined into a hodge-bodge analysis of what it’s like inside the walls of Amazon’s offices, reaffirming that in order to innovate in the modern world, it takes a lot of time and unwavering dedication.
The article sparked a firestorm of debate not only around Amazon’s practices, but other organizations, as well. The timing of the article’s release was interesting, to say the least: It was published a few weeks after Netflix, Adobe and other companies announced new family leave plans to improve work-life balance.
But will these anecdotes from Amazon employees damage the brand? The RTP editorial team shares their thoughts below:
Debbie Hauss, Editor-in-Chief: Whenever a story of this level comes out about a business mammoth, it attracts a lot of attention and elicits many questions. The fact that it came out in a major national newspaper further enforces the significance of the arguably debatable facts. Does it surprise me that this type of activity might be going on at Amazon? No, not at all. Do I think some of the information may be exaggerated? Certainly. Nevertheless, I don’t think it will have a large-scale impact on Amazon’s core business. I haven’t cancelled my Prime account and I don’t expect a lot of other people to start shopping elsewhere. But if some of the facts of the story are true, I’m glad they have been brought out into the open and hopefully it will turn around some of the inappropriate activity within Amazon’s internal cocoon.
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Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor: It seems like this is a great “chicken or the egg” case. Meaning, there can be a lot of debate around what came first: The internal Amazon corporate culture or consumers’ demand for products faster. Undoubtedly, heightened customer expectations push Amazon (and other companies) to innovate faster. This creates a lot of pressure internally, and some employees just can handle the long hours and emotional and (sometimes) physical stress that comes with it. Many talented workers had no qualms about clocking in long hours at Amazon, but I can’t help but wonder how sustainable that is in the long term? Is Amazon just creating a culture of churn and burn? These are important questions not only for Amazon but all companies, and I’m hoping this article kicks off the conversation.
Rob Fee, Managing Editor: I always take disgruntled ex-employee stories with a grain of salt because they tend to be one sided. That said, I’m not surprised to hear that Amazon’s corporate culture led to high stress levels. It could be the price you have to pay to be an innovator. Innovation takes hard work and a driven staff willing to put in extra hours. Innovation is not a 9-5 job. I don’t see this story stopping customers from shopping on Amazon’s site or buying its products, but I suppose it could impact the company’s ability to attract talent. However, Amazon’s reputation of an innovator will always attract driven employees who expect tight deadlines and high stress levels.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: While the issue has been brought out to the forefront, I can’t see consumers deciding that their own personal shopping convenience comes after the sentiments of random Amazon employees. People are still likely going to shop at Amazon for the purchases they want online. As far as the company culture goes, obviously if any labor laws are being blatantly broken, or employees are being mistreated on a personal level, there is reason for concern that would warrant a change. However, you don’t get to the position Amazon reached in the first place without a fast working pace. If certain employees are uncomfortable with that style, then I see no reason why they couldn’t take their talents to a company that fits their needs better.
Brian Anderson, Associate Editor: I don’t believe that this type of coverage will have a major impact on Amazon primarily due to the holistic view The New York Times aimed to provide of the topic. While there were some commenters that were treated unfairly, there were also individuals who said they weren’t. One comment said, “America needs more companies like Amazon that demand more from employees and rewards them accordingly.” This type of mentality highlights that this kind of company culture can have a positive impact on innovation and leadership. There are two sides to the story; and I feel as though both sides have valid arguments.
What are your thoughts on the New York Times article and Amazon’s internal practices overall? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
