Former Amazon Employees Shocked by Resignation Recommendation: “I Feel Like I’m Waiting for Execution
On September 5, 15 drivers who deliver packages for Internet shopping giant Amazon Japan Inc. in Nagasaki formed a labor union. The union demanded improvements in overwork and daily wages, which are among the lowest in Japan, and is the second such case in Japan following Yokosuka City. Restrictions on COVID-19 crisis outings have led to increased consumption through mail-order sales. Amazon.com’s profits also surged. Not only Amazon delivery workers, but also full-time employees were under unreasonable pressure as the company pursued profits and further efficiency. What exactly is the “feeling of waiting for execution,” as one former employee who agreed to be interviewed put it?
One day, out of the blue, I received a headhunter’s letter.
Amazon.com has become a common noun throughout the world today. The company’s product lineup alone is quite extensive, but it also has a wealth of highly qualified personnel to lead the global company, which is vying for the top spot, to further growth.
One such person was Shiro Oe (pseudonym, in his 40s).
I would like you to meet with an Amazon recruiter and have an interview.
One day, he suddenly received a letter from the company where he worked. It was a headhunting letter from Amazon, addressed to Mr. Oe from a recruitment agent.
Of course, Amazon is the world’s largest mail-order company. I myself was interested.
Oe was hired immediately, and his working conditions at Amazon were much better than those at his previous job.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t anxious about changing jobs.
The headquarters of Amazon Japan (Meguro-ku, Tokyo), where he was to join the company, was filled with people who had received international education, had worked for global companies such as Google, Twitter, and Facebook, or were proud of their backgrounds in establishing businesses overseas.
I wondered if I would be able to compete on an equal footing with these people, and behind that was a feeling of fear that I might not be able to live up to their expectations.
However, with his natural ambition, Mr. Oe rather saw the opportunity to work with such a large number of talented people as a “learning opportunity,” and “I have been using the knowledge I have absorbed from the people around me as my own flesh and blood.
However, there was one thing that bothered him.
He said that his bosses, whom he respected and admired, often told him, “Amazon is not a company where you can stay for a lifetime. I have to quit someday.
Why?
