Arcieri, K. (2022). Amazon faces recruitment, retention challenges as labor competition grows. S&P Global. Web.
The article highlights the need for Amazon to attract and retain skilled workers in the face of increasing competition, wage inflation, and labor backlash. It discusses concerns about Amazon’s corporate culture and compensation practices, with claims that the company prioritizes turnover over retention. Recent efforts by Amazon to improve pay and benefits are mentioned.
The article also addresses broader hiring challenges in the US and the impact of pandemic-related changes in job preferences. Former employees share their experiences of overwhelming workloads and burnout. The article acknowledges the rise of unionization efforts among Amazon employees and the changing landscape of job preferences.
Kantor, J., Weise, K., & Ashford, G. (2021). The Amazon that customers don’t see. The New York Times. Web.
This extensive investigative New York Times article examines issues with Amazon’s treatment of its large hourly workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through detailed interviews with nearly 200 current and former Amazon employees, including warehouse workers, managers, and executives, the journalists comprehensively reveal problems with communication, inconsistent leave policies, productivity monitoring, and inadequate HR support that negatively impacted warehouse workers. The purpose was to uncover the significant flaws in Amazon’s employment model that contradicted their public pandemic responses.
The implications suggest that Amazon needs to reassess its relationship with and support the hundreds of thousands of hourly workers who are crucial to its operations and business success. Further research could examine if Amazon has made any substantive changes to address these issues since the article’s publication. This article provides a revealing overview of the failures in Amazon’s employment system during an unprecedented time.
Main, K. (2022). Amazon’s new employee benefit is oddly genius. Inc. Web.
Main discusses Amazon’s Career Choice program, an expanded employee benefits program designed to support and retain entry-level staff. The article highlights three lessons that other businesses can learn from Amazon’s approach. Firstly, it emphasizes the importance of acknowledging employees’ aspirations beyond their current roles. By recognizing and supporting their career goals, businesses can increase employee satisfaction.
Secondly, the article suggests that businesses should acknowledge that every role has a lifecycle and allow employees to transition if their interests lie elsewhere. Lastly, offering employees a stepping stone in the right direction, even if it does not align with their ultimate career goals, can provide valuable skills and experiences that can ultimately benefit them. The article concludes that treating entry-level staff well, valuing them beyond their job functions, and providing growth opportunities are key to keeping them satisfied.
Paul, A. (2022). Amazon’s employee retention is not prime, according to leaked data. Popular Science. Web.
This article discusses leaked documents that shed light on Amazon’s employee retention challenges and the significant financial costs associated with high attrition rates. The leaked data reveals that Amazon loses approximately $8 billion annually due to employee turnover. The documents classify former employees as either “regretted attrition” (those who chose to leave voluntarily) or “unregretted attrition” (those who were laid off or fired). The regretted attrition rate ranges between 69% and 81% across all staff levels, and only one in three new hires stayed with the company longer than 90 days in the previous year.
The article highlights that previous investigations from reputable sources, such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, have also highlighted Amazon’s high turnover rates. The findings suggest that Amazon’s work culture requires significant internal reevaluation to address the retention challenges and maintain its economic dominance.
Rehman, S., Ullah, A., Naseem, K., Elahi, A. R., & Erum, H. (2022). Talent acquisition and technology: A step towards sustainable development. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. Web.
This empirical study examined the factors influencing the adoption of social media recruiting technology (SMART) and its impact on talent acquisition outcomes. The researchers proposed and tested a model integrating UTAUT2 to understand the drivers of SMART adoption and its impact on cost, time, and recruiting quality. Data collected via questionnaires from HR managers at 589 Pakistani organizations were analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Results showed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, habit, and price value all positively predicted intention to adopt SMART, which in turn positively predicted the use of SMART. The use of SMART improved recruiting cost, time, and quality. This validates an extension of UTAUT2 for talent acquisition and provides insights into leveraging social media and technology for sustainable recruiting. Limitations include the use of a Pakistani sample and self-report data.
Sainato, M. (2022). Amazon could run out of workers in US in two years, internal memo suggests. The Guardian. Web.
The article discusses leaked internal memos from Amazon, revealing the company’s high employee turnover and the potential risk of depleting its labor pool in the US by 2024. Amazon’s turnover rate is significantly higher than the industry average, raising concerns about job security and employee burnout. Issues related to productivity quotas, attendance policies, and injury rates contribute to the high turnover.
The company’s founder, Jeff Bezos, has acknowledged the need to improve employee conditions. With low unemployment rates, Amazon needs help to fill all the required positions. The implications for future research include further examination of Amazon’s working conditions and labor practices, as well as exploration of potential solutions to enhance employee retention and well-being. However, an Amazon spokesperson disputes the accuracy of the leaked memos, stating that the company continues to hire in various regions.
Segal, E. (2022). Amazon responds to release of leaked documents showing 150% annual employee turnover. Forbes. Web.
The article discusses leaked confidential Amazon documents showing a high rate of employee attrition (150% annually). The leaked materials highlight Amazon’s challenges in retaining employees and its potential financial implications. The company responded, stating that the documents were unverified drafts and did not represent the actual situation.
Business experts and HR consultants suggest that Amazon needs to address its work culture, establish effective HR policies, value its employees, and foster a positive work environment to improve employee retention. The article emphasizes the importance of being transparent and proactive in addressing leaked information to prevent misleading perceptions. Amazon’s recent initiatives to increase hourly wages and provide additional benefits are also mentioned. Overall, the article provides valuable insights into employee turnover and crisis management for businesses.
Stone, B. (2022). Burnt out Amazon employees are embracing the great resignation. Bloomberg. Web.
Amazon is facing a “Great Resignation” as its employee attrition reaches crisis levels. The company’s unique compensation structure and cultural challenges, including the relentless pace and lack of flexibility during the pandemic, contribute to the high turnover rate. A senior program manager, Sarah Schnierer, expressed her disappointment with Amazon’s support for working mothers, citing HR policies that she believes lead to burnout.
Amazon’s new CEO, Andy Jassy, is attempting to address some grievances, but employees feel meaningful changes have not yet been implemented. The company’s turnover is affecting financial performance, with a record number of vice presidents departing. To retain employees and improve its corporate culture, Amazon must address its compensation structure, improve work-life balance, and foster a more empathetic environment. The company is expected to report earnings for the fourth quarter on February 3rd.
Tupper, H., & Ellis, S. (2022). It’s time to reimagine employee retention. Harvard Business Review. Web.
The authors address the pressing issue of employee turnover, which is expected to be 50-75% higher than previous rates due to the pandemic. Managers face the challenge of reskilling and recruiting to fill vacant roles, leading to a cycle of constant talent search. The primary reason for employees leaving is a lack of career progression.
Although managers want to retain top talent, they often prioritize individual performance metrics over employees’ career development. To address this conflict, the authors propose three solutions: shifting career conversations from promotion to progression, fostering a culture that supports career experiments, and evaluating managers on their support for people’s potential throughout the organization. Reimagining retention will enable employees to explore internal opportunities, leading to a more engaged and loyal workforce.