Amazon’s headquarters is virtually empty on March 10, 2020 in downtown Seattle, Washington. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Amazon recommended all employees in its Seattle office work from home, leaving almost much of the city center.
John Moore | Getty Images
Amazon said Wednesday it will examine how it conducts employee performance reviews, a process that has faced accusations of racial bias as part of its 2021 diversity, equity and inclusion goals.
In a note sent to employees and posted on the company’s website, Amazon’s head of human resources Beth Galetti said the company will look for “statistically significant demographic differences” in performance ratings conducted in the first quarter of ‘this year to identify any problems and take action when necessary. Amazon will also conduct a similar assessment of its wear rates and “low-performance stocks” to identify any gaps.
Along these lines, Galetti said Amazon expects to keep employees at statistically similar rates across the demographic as part of its goals for this year.
The decision comes as Amazon faces increasing control over its hiring and promotion practices. Recode reported in February that Black Amazon employees are promoted less frequently and endure tougher assessments than their non-black colleagues, citing interviews and internal data.
Also in March, a senior manager at Amazon Web Services sued Amazon for allegedly discriminating against black and female employees in their corporate offices. Charlotte Newman also claimed that Amazon paid her less than similarly skilled white co-workers. Newman said he endured sexual and racial harassment by his co-workers and supervisors, including notification that he appeared “like a gorilla,” according to the complaint.
An Amazon spokesman said the company investigated the claims and fired Newman’s harasser. Amazon also issued additional training requirements for those in Newman’s reporting line, the spokesman said.
“We do not tolerate any kind of discrimination or harassment,” the spokesman said. “We are currently investigating the new allegations included in the lawsuit.”
Galetti said Amazon will work to further diversify its leadership this year. The company aims to double the number of black employees in leadership roles and hire 30% more black and female employees in “L4-L7” roles, ranging from entry level to managerial positions. higher in the US this year.
“It’s going to take time and a constant focus to get where we want to be,” Galetti said, adding that members of CEO Jeff Bezos ’S-Team, a group of more than a dozen executives from all areas of the Amazon’s business, have been meeting fortnightly since June last year to “examine our progress toward achieving these goals.”
Galetti said Amazon achieved several diversity goals set in 2020, including doubling the representation of black directors and vice presidents in the company.
Last year, women accounted for 22.8% of Amazon’s top leaders in the U.S., while black employees only accounted for 3.8% of their top leaders in the U.S., according to the latest workforce data of Amazon.