Analyzing Amazon's Employee Treatment: A 2018 Business Ethics Case

This case study delves into the allegations against Amazon in 2018 regarding the harsh treatment of its employees, including claims of excessive working hours and unsafe warehouse conditions. It highlights accusations of treating workers like "robots," leading to incidents requiring medical assistance. Amazon's response included apologies and assertions of prioritizing employee safety, providing amenities like water coolers, and offering flexibility for sick leave. The company defended its commitment to a safe, respectful, and well-compensated work environment, emphasizing its dedication to employee dignity and innovative safety policies. While not introducing new policies, Amazon addressed specific allegations, maintaining its stance on ethical employee treatment. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

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2018
AMAZON
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Amazon has been in news from a long time in the mid of year 2018. The root cause of being in such
news, which was a bad news, was the way Amazon has been treating its employees. Amazon has been
blamed for treating their customers very harshly and also has been accused for making them work for
about 55 hours per week. The workers have accused that Amazon makes them work like “robots” and
there have been several cases and times when the police and ambulances have been called upon by the
people working their because of people getting electric shocks, them being falling unconscious and
issues regarding pregnant women arising (Butler, 2018). It was recorded that the work related issues,
where the ambulance had to be called, was highest in the Amazon warehouse in comparison to any
other warehouse (Ghosh, 2018).
To all the accusations and issues which were raised against the major e-retail company, the answer of
him had been very simple. The organization has apologized for such incidents taking place and has put
forward its case by laying the following points.
 Amazon’s head stated that they do not keep tap on the washroom breaks of the people.
 They also said that they were sorry about the rise in the incidents and the accidents taking place
with the people in their warehouses and they would be taking care of such incidents in the
future.
 Amazon also said that they were the organization which was on the top list of the safety of their
employees and they were proud of it. They also said that many people, who are employees of
Amazon, have made many policies and innovative procedures so that they remain on the top
(Demers, 2016).
 The organization also stated that they will be forming new policies and amending other things
so that no problem of such arises in the future and that all the employees remain satisfied.
 The company also mentioned that they had provided water coolers at optimum distances and
floors, which were accessible by everyone, so that the drinking water is available to everyone.
 Amazon also said that it no longer put on the employees penalties for taking leaves when being
sick.
Hence, Amazon has said that the blames which have been alleged by the people over him were not that
true. Amazon’s head said that they have provided a safe and trusted environment to their employees;
Amazon also worked on providing a positive atmosphere for their employees from their first day of
joining. They provide security for the work their employees provide and were focused on providing a
competitive pay and reimbursement to their employees. It also put forward the plea that Amazon
believed in respecting the dignity of their customers and respected the people who worked in their
warehouses (Amazon, 2018).
Hence, above mentioned was the grounds which Amazon held and these were their replies during the
time when objections were raised against them. Amazon, since, hasn’t come up with any other policies
but has come up with answers for all the allegations which were raised against them by employees.

Bibliography
Amazon. (2018, November 14). Business Ethic Cases. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from
Businessblogspot.com: http://businessethicscases.blogspot.com/2014/11/amazoncom-employee-
treatment-and.html
Butler, S. (2018). Amazon accused of treating UK warehouse staff like robots. The Guardian Journals , 4.
Demers, J. (2016). Amazon's Allegedly Harsh Work Culture . Entrepreneur Journals , 4.
Ghosh, S. (2018). Peeing in trash cans, constant surveillance, and asthma attacks on the job: Amazon
workers tell us their warehouse horror stories. Buisness Insiders , 3.