[mjt0229]

That quote addresses a separate (but very real) question. Issues of diversity in hiring and promotion are really important, and clearly affect lots of companies. I agree that Amazon should release those numbers, and I would not be surprised if Amazon would come up lacking here. But to single Amazon out based on this anecdote is unfair.

[rm_-rf_slash]

Fair? There is no fair in reputation. You either have a good one or you don't, and it's always easier to lose it. It takes hard work to earn back what you've lost in the eyes of society, and if you're not willing to go the extra disrance for it, then you don't deserve it.

Amazon has gone significant lengths for me as a customer. The fact they aren't addressing this issue with the same intensity should be telling.

[saranagati]

this whole nyt article has turned into a fucking witch hunt. what exactly is amazon NOT doing to address these issues? why should it be any business of yours on how they address the issues since you aren't involved (proverbial you, maybe you do work there)? the way things are going it makes absolutely no sense for amazon to post anything about the situation because whatever is said will be torn to shreds and people will demand more information.

what exactly would you expect them to do to address the situation? I dont see people who currently work at amazon complaining. some say thats because they're scared to which could be true or maybe it's just that the people who are giving these stories happened to have a lot of things fall into place at just the wrong time to make it seem malicious. no one in these stories post about what they did to demonstrate that they were performing well or not, only that other things were happening in their life then they got bad performance reviews. you know what? thats actually a common thing, major life events happen and your work performance starts to become poor. why not ask how long a company should continue paying an employee who's performing poorly? it's something that I have never seen an answer to by anyone or any company. on top of that what if someone had been doing poorly for a good amount of time, then just before review time comes up when they're going to get a bad review, they announce that they are pregnant or sick. what should a company do then?

as I said in the beginning, this whole thing has turned into a witch hunt and nobody cares to ask any of the questions that matter and allow any one or company to build off of.

[manish_gill]

Lets see about this incoherent stream of consciousness ranting...

1. why should it be any business of yours on how they address the issues since you aren't involved (proverbial you, maybe you do work there)?

Because even in a capitalism based society, there ought to be boundaries set up to prevent abuse of workers - directly or indirectly. You can't treat people like cattle.

2. the way things are going it makes absolutely no sense for amazon to post anything about the situation because whatever is said will be torn to shreds and people will demand more information.

False. If Amazon made a genuine effort and owned up to their past mistakes, revamped a few policies and company culture, instead of making meaningless PR-speak statements, that would genuinely change people's minds.

3. I dont see people who currently work at amazon complaining

Lol

4. or maybe it's just that the people who are giving these stories happened to have a lot of things fall into place at just the wrong time to make it seem malicious.

Would be true if it happened to one or two people. But it seems like a pattern with Amazon. Hard to blame "bad luck". There is a positive correlation.

5. o one in these stories post about what they did to demonstrate that they were performing well or not

Because they were busy being sick with cancer.

6. why not ask how long a company should continue paying an employee who's performing poorly?

So the next time you have a bad day at work, maybe your boss will be completely justified in firing you.

7. what if someone had been doing poorly for a good amount of time, then just before review time comes up when they're going to get a bad review, they announce that they are pregnant or sick.

Doubt this will be as common a scenario as you think, but lets assume it is. Lets even grant you that the company is justified in firing that employee. Does that make the cut-throat backstabbing, review anonymously, email on weekends and midnight, survive or die Darwinian culture at Amazon ok?

8. this whole thing has turned into a witch hunt

Wrong. Amazon is not a person. Nobody is demanding Bezos' head on a pike. It's about highlighting a cultural problem within an organization from which you'd certainly expect better.

9. Nobody cares to ask any of the questions that matter and allow any one or company to build off of.

Well, enlighten us.

[saranagati]

1. I agree however there hasn't been any analysis done on the situation of these claims. for example how long after this lady returned was she put on a PIP? what were the terms of her PIP, as in what did she need to improve? did an insurance glitch happen to other people in the company or was it just her?

2. what policies have actually been violated? again no analysis has been done (publicly) for any of the existing claims. if amazon does an analysis and finds that things were done according to policy and that policy is not out of the ordinary from other companies, they would have to divulge personal information about these employees which should not and I'm sure wont happen. maybe the ceo of the company can instead make a broad public statement that this should not happen and that if it does happen to report it to him personally?

4. in the scope of how many people who currently or have ever worked at amazon, this is effectively one or two people.

5. they were too busy being sick to report why they got a bad performance review and what they did to improve it?

6. what? I said that no one has said what they feel is acceptable and no one has reported how long they were performing poorly. of course one day is reduculous, but is 6 months?

7. now you're following along with all the rhetoric. as others have reported, the anonymous reviews are usually used to provide good feedback and help people get promoted. emails on weekends and midnight are just a random anecdote from the nyt article that didnt go into much detail. cut-throat backstabbing? that's the first ive really heard of this. survive or die? is that not true for every company out there?

8. just because it's a company doesnt mean it can't be a witch hunt. additionally if you read the comments many people are demanding bezos' head on a pike. regarding the culture, what about the people who do enjoy and thrive in that kind of culture?

[GFK_of_xmaspast]

As an Amazon shareholder I have a right to be concerned about how they treat my employees.

[saranagati]

yeah that's a very valid point. shareholders (and potential) of a publicly traded company should be aware of concerns like this and I retract my points about whether people should be judging on this (though I doubt most people commenting do it in that light).