This week, Amazon employees, who usually express their concerns on internal platforms or anonymously, decided to take their grievances public. A viral LinkedIn post struck a chord with many within the company.
The post, authored by Stephanie Ramos, a former Amazon employee, voiced her dissatisfaction with the company’s increasing bureaucracy. Ramos explained, “Instead of the fast-paced, exciting environment I remembered, I found myself in a place weighed down by endless meetings and unproductive middle management,” citing these issues as reasons for her departure after just three months of being rehired.
Amazon Employees Air Frustrations
Since Ramos shared her thoughts earlier this week, her message has accumulated over 100,000 views and sparked discussions with more than 200 comments. Among those commenting, around 20 are current Amazon employees from various departments, with many echoing similar frustrations.
Critiques were leveled at Andy Jassy’s leadership, Amazon’s CEO since succeeding founder Jeff Bezos three years ago. Todd Leonhardt, identified as a software developer at Amazon Web Services (AWS), noted, “Bezos had a vision and boldness — he held real, live all-hands meetings where tough questions were addressed.”
Another employee, Laura Barry, who has been with Amazon for almost 20 years, likened the company’s current state to a traditional bank and expressed frustration with the new policy mandating employees be in the office five days a week. She humorously speculated, “Next, we’ll probably have a dress code after the five-day policy kicks in,” adding, “Better cover those tattoos!”
While employee complaints are not uncommon, this week’s surge of public criticism on LinkedIn was unusual for Amazon.
In response, Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan did not directly address the complaints but highlighted Amazon’s position as second on LinkedIn’s 2023 Top Companies list, emphasizing factors like employee growth and advancement.
Under Jassy’s leadership, Amazon has implemented layoffs and cost-cutting measures that have pleased investors but alienated some staff. Jassy acknowledged internal challenges in a September memo when announcing the five-day office return, suggesting that reducing management layers would help rejuvenate Amazon’s core culture.
Despite resistance to the return-to-office policy, much of the dissent was previously limited to anonymous platforms like Blind, where employees can express opinions without revealing their identities.
Ramos, who had worked at Amazon for six years as a logistics project manager before being laid off in 2023, returned to the company earlier this year but ultimately resigned. She expressed that while the office return policy wasn’t an issue for her, the change in company culture influenced her decision to leave.
Initially apprehensive about sharing her thoughts publicly, Ramos found validation in the support she received from colleagues. “I realized I’m not the only one who feels this way,” she remarked.
