This past August, the New York Times wrote a scathing article that took an in-depth look at retail giant Amazon’s company culture.

The detailed account painted an ugly picture of the company’s treatment of its employees and questionable HR practices.

One former employee recalled that nearly every person he worked with, he saw cry at their desk.

Others like Dina Vaccari said she once didn’t sleep for four days straight, and even used her own money to pay a freelancer in India to do data entry for her, just so she could get more work done.

Former developer and manager David Loftesness said that he appreciated Amazon’s customer centric focus, but couldn’t handle the hostile language that was used in company meetings.

Several others cited an appreciation for the company’s innovation, but found it upsetting to be put in situations where they were competing with colleagues. Specifically, employees pointed out that Amazon’s Anytime Feedback tool, where colleagues can submit feedback about each other while remaining anonymous except to their Manager, had created discord and insecurity more than positive feedback.

Last week, and nearly a year after the New York Times article, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is still firing back defending Amazon in the company’s annual letter to shareholders.

In the opening, Bezos reminds readers that Amazon now has become the fastest company ever to reach $100 billion.

The question then becomes, has amazon’s hostile environment been necessary for its rapid growth? Is the dubious treatment of employees justified in the wake of innovation and extraordinary success? Personal sacrifice might be okay for those with the desire to do great work and be part of the “bigger picture”.

In the same letter, Bezos explains that corporate culture tends to be, for better or worse “enduring, stable, hard to change. They can be a source of advantage or disadvantage…Someone energized by competitive zeal may select and be happy in one culture, while someone who loves to pioneer and invent may choose another”.

This particularly could be true. Critics of the NYT article have pointed out that other giants like Apple, Facebook, and Google have faced the same “cult-like” allegations as Amazon. The truth is that many “Amazonians” have cited the feeling that they aren’t just doing a job, but rather they are working to build something that is larger than themselves. As a result, the so called “dystopian and soulless” environment that the NYT described at Amazon may be of less importance.

Bezos continued to defend Amazon by describing that while others, notably the NYT, have been quick to condemn the company for its practices, Amazon has never claimed that their approach is the right one, “just that it’s ours”, he explained

Where do you draw the line?

Whether or not you agree with Amazon’s approach to company culture, a recent study found that over ¾ of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying somewhere. As a result, having a positive reputation is key for attracting, but also retaining the top talent.

Need help projecting a positive image or becoming an employer of choice? We’ve got you covered! Download TPD’s Employer Branding tool below.