Latest news with #employees
Entrepreneur
an hour ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Amazon Tells Employees to Relocate to Main Hubs or Resign
Amazon says the move to bring teams together will make them more "effective." Amazon is giving some employees a choice: relocate or resign. Bloomberg reports that Amazon is ordering thousands of workers on several U.S. teams to move to main hubs in Seattle, Washington, Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Amazon has 1.56 million full-time and part-time employees spread across its global business, including 350,000 corporate workers. The effort to get some employees to relocate has been taking place "for more than a year now," as "some teams have been working to bring their teammates closer together to help them be as effective as possible," an Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg. Related: 'Not a Cost Play': Amazon CEO Clarifies Why Employees Have to Come Back to the Office One Amazon employee shared in the company's internal messaging platform, in messages viewed by Bloomberg, that their manager gave them 30 days to decide whether to relocate or resign. They had 60 days after that to begin the relocation process or to leave the company — and if they chose the latter, they would not receive severance pay. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images The mandate means that some workers will have to move across the country. Instead of rolling out the requirement through mass emails, Amazon is informing employees that they must relocate through one-on-one meetings and town halls. Amazon workers already face uncertainty about their jobs being replaced in the next few years by AI. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sent a memo to staff earlier this week that he expects Amazon's workforce to decrease "in the next few years" as AI automates tasks, prompting concerns from employees about possible layoffs in the coming years. Amazon is currently using AI in its warehouses to improve delivery speed and has given its customer service chatbot AI capabilities. Related: Amazon Cloud CEO Predicts a Future Where Most Software Engineers Don't Code — and AI Does It Instead Amazon is spending heavily on AI, and plans to keep investing in the technology. In a quarterly earnings call in February, the company disclosed that it plans to spend about $105 billion in capital expenditure this year, with most spending going towards AI. Earlier this year, Amazon began requiring employees to work in the office five days a week, leading some to look for other jobs with remote work options. Amazon has laid off more than 27,000 employees since 2022 to cut costs.
Fast Company
2 hours ago
- Health
- Fast Company
What is ‘office chair butt'? TikTok's viral term for a real health problem
Rather than the Sunday scaries or toxic bosses, employees have unlocked a new workplace fear: office chair butt. While not a new concern, the term has resurfaced on TikTok to describe how sitting for long stretches affects the look of your behind—what medical professionals call atrophy of your gluteal muscle group. 'A lack of conditioning in your gluteus maximus and surrounding tissue leads to weakness, making it build up fat tissue and appear flatter or saggy,' occupational therapist Michael Milicia told the Cleveland Clinic. And it's not just an aesthetic issue. Other symptoms of 'office chair butt' can include poor posture, lower back pain, and limited mobility over time. There's a reason researchers have dubbed sitting 'the new smoking,' linking chronic sitting to serious health problems including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, and anxiety. Now, the term has gone viral on TikTok. And they're not taking it sitting down. 'I refuse to be a victim,' posted one TikTok user, showing the routine of squats, lunges, and standing leg lifts she performs at her desk. 'I don't think you're in danger,' one person commented. 'No office chair butt for us,' another user posted, leading her coworkers through a series of exercises. The video quickly inspired others: 'Just saw this while at work and immediately put my desk to standing,' read one comment. Since most workplaces don't come with a fully equipped gym, employees have gotten creative. Some use the office escalator as a makeshift StairMaster. One video shows an employee swapping out traditional weights for a water cooler while performing Bulgarian split squats. 'Me every 30 minutes when I find out what office chair butt is,' another TikTok user wrote, running up and down stairs and doing laps around a conference room. If you're reading this: Give me 10 squats. Stat.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Heineken loses operational control of facilities in Congo's war-hit east
(Reuters) -Heineken has lost operational control and withdrawn its staff from its facilities in conflict-affected areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dutch brewer said on Friday. The beverages giant said in March that its operations in three eastern cities would remain suspended until it was safe to reopen, after some of its breweries were hit and its depots raided during fighting between the army and rebels. But on Friday, the beer maker said the situation had deteriorated further, and that armed personnel had taken control of its facilities in Bukavu and Goma - eastern Congo's two biggest cities, now under rebel control - and nearby areas. "The conditions required to operate responsibly and safely are no longer present and as of 12th June 2025, we have lost operational control," it said in a statement. Heineken's Congo unit, Bralima, still operates in other parts of the country not affected by the conflict, the company said, adding that it would continue assessing the evolving situation. The group owns four breweries in Congo, producing Heineken beer as well as other popular brands like Primus and Amstel. The Bukavu facilities employed around 1,000 people both directly and indirectly, it had said previously. "Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of our employees," its Friday statement said. "We have withdrawn all remaining staff from these sites and we have continued to support them financially." Nearly 14% of Heineken's total revenues come from its businesses in the Middle East and Africa, where Congo, with its population of over 100 million, is a large market. Its operations in the cities of Goma, Bukavu and Uvira had together previously accounted for roughly a third of Heineken's business in Congo. Fighting in eastern Congo escalated this year as the M23 rebel group staged a rapid advance that raised fears of a wider conflict. Congo says Rwanda is supporting M23 by sending troops and arms. Rwanda has long denied helping M23. The two countries and the United States said on Wednesday that their technical teams initialed a draft peace agreement that is expected to be signed next week.
Arabian Business
4 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Amazon to invest $233mn this year in India to expand operations
Amazon will invest nearly US$233 million in India this year to expand its operations, enhancing its infrastructure, technology and delivery capabilities. A portion of the investment will also be allocated towards employee well-being and benefits. The investment aims to support network expansion and upgrades for faster and more reliable deliveries through new tools and technology. For employees, Amazon is starting several initiatives, including creating air-conditioned rest areas for delivery workers, providing financial education, offering scholarships for associates' children, and ensuring healthcare assistance for truck drivers. This new investment builds on Amazon's existing investments in creating an operations network that helps the company deliver to all serviceable postal codes across India. Abhinav Singh, VP-Operations, Amazon India and Australia, commented: 'For over a decade now in India, we have been focused on building the best-in-class logistics infrastructure – designed to deliver with safety, speed, scale, and reliability for our customers across the country. These latest investments reflect our commitment to continually expand and upgrade our operations across our fulfilment, sortation, and delivery network. 'By strengthening our infrastructure capabilities, enhancing processing capacity, and implementing state-of-the-art technology, we're positioning Amazon to better serve customers throughout India while supporting our employees, associates and partners who are the heart of it all.' Amazon India will continue to enhance on-road safety by using the latest technologies to alert delivery associates and partners about unsafe speeds and encourage rest breaks. The company is investing in tools that measure route complexity and ensure equitable distribution of delivery routes, while allowing adequate time for each delivery. Amazon is also streamlining driver onboarding processes and enhancing the Driver app for better earnings transparency and benefit information. Delivery workflows are being simplified by making the app more self-guided, improving navigation for unstructured addresses, and reducing cognitive load with photo and video-based item verification. A new 'Helmet Adherence Application' has been introduced, which will protect delivery associates and partners by verifying proper helmet use before trips begin.
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
4 Topics to Bring Up in Your Mid-Year Review
4 Things To Discuss In Your Mid-Year Review Mid-year performance review season is coming up, and yes, it can feel a little nerve-wracking. But it's also a great chance to take stock, refocus, and revitalize your goals for the rest of the year. Whether you're a manager leading the conversation or an employee prepping for your one-on-one, knowing what to focus on can help things go a lot more smoothly. Here are four key things to bring to the table in your mid-year review. A performance review is the perfect opportunity to sell yourself and talk about the successes you've had over the past six months. Your manager probably doesn't see everything you do day to day, so this is your chance to shine a light on the goals you've achieved, the projects you've completed, and the kudos you've received from clients or teammates. Come prepared with examples. Bring a quick rundown of completed goals and projects. Mention any positive feedback you've gotten from coworkers. Even a short Slack message or email saying 'great work' can go a long way. Save them or take a screenshot. These little shoutouts speak volumes. Your victories can also be linked to the overall objectives of your team or organization. Make sure people can see how your project contributed to a bigger goal, improved a critical metric, or fixed a workflow problem. It proves you're not only doing great work, but work that matters. If you've been working on a particular skill, describe the progress you've made. This is a good opportunity to reflect on your professional development and share what you've learned since your last performance evaluation. You can also talk about where you want to improve. Avoid sounding like you've already got everything figured out. Instead, show that you're aware of the areas you're still working on. This doesn't take away from your successes and shows maturity, self-awareness, and a real desire to grow. If you've struggled with a specific task or skill, share what you took away from the experience. Talk about the steps you're taking to improve. For example, maybe you had trouble managing your time under tight deadlines. You could ask for clearer expectations, try a new scheduling system, or even take a time management class. The point is, it's not a flaw—it's part of the process. Your boss may come into the meeting prepared to tell you about their plans, but they might also ask you to steer the conversation and share your priorities. That's why it's important to have a few well-defined professional objectives in mind before you go in, whether it's to lead a project, advance in your career, or become an expert in a particular field. Where do you see yourself in three, six, nine, or twelve months? Start by making some SMART goals. Then, ask your manager if those goals align with theirs. Aligning your objectives with both personal and company goals isn't just a good idea: Gartner research shows it can boost performance by up to 22%. And if you want those goals to stick, write them down and share them. A study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor, found that a whopping 76% of participants who documented their goals, made plans to achieve them, and kept a friend updated on their progress actually succeeded. After setting a general direction, it's time to get more specific. Do you want an increase? Make the request. Are you considering a new role? Say it. Just make sure you have a clear reason to support what you're asking for. Plus, now is a good time to bring up any issues you've been having with your role, such as feeling stuck, confused, or frustrated; just make sure to frame it as a suggestion for improvement rather than a complaint. Mid-year reviews are one of the best times to both give and receive feedback. In an ideal world, your manager would naturally acknowledge your efforts and achievements. But if that doesn't happen (or if you want more targeted input), it's totally okay to open up the conversation yourself. Asking for feedback not only helps you grow in your current role, but it can also strengthen your position for future opportunities. At the same time, feedback isn't a one-way street. A healthy, productive work environment depends on employees feeling empowered to share feedback with their managers, too. In fact, a study by Salesforce revealed that people are 4.6 times more likely to give their best when they know their voice matters. Before you give your manager feedback, make sure you're well-prepared. Take some time to think about your goals in providing feedback and why you feel compelled to do so. Whatever your goal—better communication, conflict resolution, or praising your manager for a job well done—be clear. You could say something like, 'I've noticed X happening on the team, and I think we could try Y to improve how we work.' Once you're clear on your message, back it up with specifics. That context helps your feedback land. For example, if you've felt a gap in communication, be ready to share moments where that led to confusion or setbacks. From there, work together to figure out how you can support each other moving forward. If the subject seems particularly delicate, time-consuming, or private, you can suggest a separate discussion. Bonus tip: Be honest without giving the impression that you're leaving; this will help avoid misunderstandings. Stay focused on your current role and what you want to accomplish, even if your long-term goals take you in a different direction. To get the most out of your mid-year review, it's important to put in the time to prepare. With the right attitude and focus, the conversation will leave you feeling better, more aligned, and ready for what's next. You've got this!
