Amazon recently made news when The New York Times did an exposé on the second-largest private employer in the U.S. and one of the most valuable companies in the world. An HR system built on “buggy” technology coupled with apparent disregard for employee experience led to a series of payroll issues for the workers at the retail giant. Amazon underpaid, terminated and mishandled “new parents, patients dealing with medical crises and other vulnerable workers on leave.”
This comes at a time when employers in the U.S. are dealing with what is being termed as “The Great Resignation” and are, therefore, working hard to come up with empathetic strategies to make their workers feel valued and to maintain their sense of belonging at work. However, that can be a tough challenge when something as basic as handling of pay and benefits is not taken seriously.
The New York Times’ report shows that such a crisis could plague any company that does not give its employees and its technology the focus they need. And, that businesses need to strengthen their commitment to their employees and ensure that such basics as finance and HR technologies are on point.
To that effect, the right HR technology system or systems for managing people data effectively can enable HR teams and business leaders alike to be more aligned with their employees. Additionally, conducting appropriate due diligence on the front end of a purchase will ensure the chosen technology vendor(s) can meet the company’s current needs and keep the ball rolling.
