Insider is looking into Amazon's workplace as part of a massive effort to unionize it.Some employees feel that the complex performance-review system at the e-commerce and cloud giant is unfair.After Insider reporting, Amazon is investigating claims of bias against women in its Prime division.Check out more stories from Insider's business page.Amazon is America's second largest employer, and it continues to grow fast. It provides income and benefits for well over 1,000,000 people. It's also been a source to jobs and convenience during the pandemic.Amazon's operations are under intense scrutiny due to this level of influence. This has led to a national unionization effort. This article will tell you everything you need about working at Amazon.Amazon's method of reducing its workforceAmazon's cloud unit, headed by Andy Jassy (the outgoing CEO), has developed a large network of cloud security partners. However, they also often work with Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud competitors. Reuters/Richard BrianInsider investigates Amazon's system of improving or firing employees who are underperformers. Managers can label employees as "failing" and they will be placed on a Focus coaching program. They are then moved to a program called "Pivot" and finally to an internal company jury, which decides their fate.Some former and current employees have criticized the system. They claim it unfairly favors them and encourages managers to give poor reviews to great staff. Amazon claims that it provides managers with tools to assist employees in their career advancement and improvement. This includes support for employees who do not meet expectations or may need additional coaching. A spokesperson for the company said that employees who feel they are not being given a fair evaluation of their performance have many options.Amazon has set a goal of getting rid of at least a certain amount of employees every year. This is known as unregretted Attrition. Insider heard from some managers that they feel so pressure to reach the target, they hire people they plan to fire within one year.Continue readingThere have been allegations of bias against the companyKyodo News via Getty ImagesAmazon has been the subject of a number of lawsuits alleging racial and gender bias. Five former and current female employees filed a lawsuit against Amazon in May alleging "abusive mistreatment" by predominantly white male managers.Charlotte Newman, Black Amazon's manager filed suit in February alleging harassment and gender discrimination. Insider reported that a prominent female engineer called for the company's attention last year to address what she described as a harassment culture.Amazon spokesperson stated that the company investigated the claims and found no evidence to back them up. The company does not tolerate harassment or discrimination.Continue readingAmazon warehouses are awash with workersRobotic Amazon warehouses make use of robots to move shelves of products around the warehouse floor. Above is a photograph taken in an Amazon warehouse in Britain. Isobel Asher Hamilton/InsiderIt employs hundreds of thousands of people in fulfillment centers, which offer competitive pay and benefits compared to other retail-industry jobs. The work is hard and some employees don't stay for long. There are increasing efforts to unionize this blue-collar workforce.Amazon warehouses can be partially automated. Robots move around the shop floor picking up pallets of merchandise. They then bring them to employees who choose the right items and package them for shipping. To support holiday shopping season surges, Amazon hires thousands more temporary workers every year.Amazon's pandemic has seen an unusual spike in online orders. This caused an unprecedented hiring spree, but also created tension among workers worried about getting into warehouses that could spread this virus. These problems came to an end earlier in the year when workers at a Bessemer fulfillment center, Alabama, voted to form a union. However, the effort was unsuccessful. There is a larger union push gaining momentum.Jeff Bezos, who was the CEO of Amazon, wrote his last shareholder letter earlier this year. He defended Amazon's working conditions but stated that the company had to do "a better job for its employees."Continue readingAmazon's delivery network is dependent on thousands of driversSmith Collection/Gado/Getty ImagesThe company is a partner with UPS, FedEx and the US Postal Service. However, it also owns a large fleet of in-house delivery trucks. The vans are driven by employees, contract workers, and third-party courier service providers.Amazon is well-known for placing time limits on drivers. They track how often they stop and how fast they drive. The company allows drivers to take breaks for a 30-minute lunch break and two 15-minute breaks, but they say they can't or won't.An American lawmaker posted earlier this year that Amazon workers must pee in bottles. Although the company denied it, multiple drivers confirmed that this was part of their job. Later, Amazon apologized. They said that drivers often have difficulty finding toilets due to traffic congestion and driving on rural roads. They also added that this problem was exacerbated by the closed public bathrooms during pandemic.Continue readingHow to get a job with AmazonJob seekers gathered to apply for "Amazon Jobs Day" at Fall River, Massachusetts' fulfillment center in August 2017. Brian Snyder/ReutersAmazon is a significant employer and is expanding rapidly. The company offers a variety of jobs, including technical and blue-collar positions. This is in contrast to other Big Tech competitors. The company's recruitment methods include massive job fairs and tough one-on-one interviews.It is ranked among the top employers for technical students. According to a survey that was published last year by Amazon, Amazon ranked 10th among engineering students. It beat IBM and Intel, but fell behind SpaceX and Tesla.Continue reading
