Amazon Overhauls Virtual Hiring to Add 175,000 Pandemic Workers
Amazon rapidly transitions to virtual hiring and onboarding to staff up during the pandemic, but the massive expansion brings significant safety controversies and worker unrest.
Amazon experiences an unprecedented surge in demand during the early months of the pandemic, prompting the company to hire 175,000 new workers in just two months. To accomplish this massive staffing effort, the e-commerce giant completely overhauls its recruitment process by fast-tracking a virtual hiring and onboarding system that was originally at least two years away from deployment.
Executives describe the transition as an intense, all-hands-on-deck scramble under extraordinary conditions, while new hires report feeling disoriented during their first few weeks on the job. The sudden shift away from in-person interactions creates unique challenges for training and integrating such a massive influx of employees into Amazon's warehouse and logistics operations.
The rapid expansion sparks significant controversy regarding worker safety, as at least eight warehouse employees die from covid-19 and others allege negligent working conditions. These safety concerns lead to employee walkouts, online organizing, the firing of involved workers, and an ongoing lawsuit claiming Amazon creates a facade of compliance while putting employees and their families at risk.