- Via an email, Amazon has recently warned its employees about how extreme workloads can them feel suicidal.
- A former employee shared that workers having public breakdowns are quite regular in the company.
According to a 2020 study, the extreme workload is closely associated with greater suicide risk and other mental health issues among employees.
Via an email, the renowned e-commerce company Amazon has recently warned its employees about how increased workloads can make them extremely vulnerable and drive them towards suicide. It has also recommended the employees not take out their grudges on colleagues or encourage any violent behavior within the work environment. With this sudden leaked email, Amazon seems quite well aware of the work pressure its employees experience during any special sales like Prime Day, as mentioned in the INDIA TODAY.
During the Prime Day sales, employees working as delivery agents or those who work at the Amazon offices experience immense work pressure due to the increased amount of orders. Apart from this, Amazon offers its Prime subscribers one-day delivery that keeps the logistics team always on their toes. Employees even work day and night, and sometimes do overtime shifts without taking any leaves which eventually takes a huge toll on their mental health.
In the email, Amazon mentioned that such special sales come with a busy schedule for the entire team and it is normal for the employees to feel stressed and overwhelmed during that time. “And while most of us never pose a risk to others, some people can act out in a way that causes concern. This could be due to many factors in their lives, not just what they experience at work. Regardless of the cause, workplace violence is never the answer,” the email stated.
The email further requested the employees to give importance to their mental health first. It asked employees to seek help from their managers, HR business partners, or a mental health professional if they experience stress, depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts due to work pressures.
An employee of Amazon has shared this email on the condition of anonymity. He shared that he has been working with the company for the past four years but never received such an email. Another former employee of Amazon has shared that public breakdowns of employees are quite common in the company. However, the company’s spokesperson has refused to comment on the email-related issue but stated that the company provides support and resources for its employees who experience stress in their personal lives or at work.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that every workplace should provide its employees with a positive work environment and also encourage them to maintain a proper work-life balance to prevent work-related mental health issues.