A critical expose of Amazon's workplace dynamics by The New York Times sparked debate across social media on Monday.
The Times' piece, which ran over the weekend, painted an unflattering portrait of working conditions at the online retailer, highlighting harsh management practices and a "bruising" workplace. Anecdotes from former employees punctuate an almost "Hunger Games"-style corporate culture where "Amazonians" were penalized for personal crises, including cancer and miscarriages.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos responded to the report in an email to employees stating: "The article doesn't describe the Amazon I know or the caring Amazonians I work with every day. ... More broadly, I don't think any company adopting the approach portrayed could survive, much less thrive, in today's highly competitive tech hiring market."
Responses on social media were varied, with some questioning the validity of the newspaper's report, others chastising workers for being "too soft." Most debated whether they would continue shopping on Amazon.com after the revelations.
Here's a quick rundown of what's happening on Twitter:
This can't be right
Business as usual
To shop or not to shop?
Amazon and The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment.