Decoding Amazon’s HR dilemma

Sonal Desai

MUMBAI, INDIA: Could Amazon which is normally is in news for its business strategy and case studies about turn-around-time (TAT) strategies, have avoided bad press?

The e-commerce giant recent got a jolt when the New York Times printed a 5,000 word story on Amazon’s hard-hitting management style.

While the commentators quickly took to the social media to dissect the HR dilemma, Richard Cowley, Founder, Workammo, a global HR company, feels considering the fact that there is a lot of greyness in the general employment scenario, there is no profound Yes or No to the question.

“However, considering business strategy of e-commerce companies to provide goods at low cost and the same day or next business day delivery, thereby creating a Wow experience for the customers, it is natural for them to be business outcome focused. Therefore, if you look at any e-commerce company, they are penning aggressive branding and marketing strategies to survive in the competitive field,” he opines.

Asserting that Amazon has set unique benchmarks globally, Cowley says each e-commerce company has unique feedback system, and Amazon is no exception. “The underlining questions to be asked are whether the managers are asking the right kind of questions? Is the team in sync with the overall goals of the organization? Is everybody on the same page where it comes to processes and structures?”

Amazon would pass the test with flying colours in this case, since Amazon does not believe in siloed functions. “The underline KPI for each organization is customer delight and therefore, the unit has to follow the uniform policies. Incase of Amazon, there are people who will not hesitate to give their left hand to be associated with the brand, bearing in mind they will also have to follow the policies.”

In the report mentioned, asks Cowley, was anyone abused? When I nod my head in the negative, he gestures, “In that case, if they were unhappy, why did they not quit?”

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