B1 – Intermediate
If you find yourself saying that you love your job but that it’s killing you, or that your social life is dead, then you’re probably in a toxic workplace. You might want to re-examine what is really going on at work, and why you are having these feelings towards your employment.
Read the article below to know what a toxic workplace looks like and how you can deal with stressful situations at the office.
According to a recent article, Amazon’s work environment is toxic. To start, employees complain about pressure, stress, and job insecurity. They work past midnight, receive complaints if too slow to respond to emails, argue during meetings, and betray colleagues.
More than one hundred former employees gave information for the article. They told stories about grown men crying after meetings. And each month, the employees with the lowest performance ratings are fired.
The result is an extremely competitive environment. It has been called “rank and yank,” which means employees are ranked and the least productive members are fired. Such a system creates distrust, and goes against all of the ideas of good management practices. After all, if colleagues are likely to stab you in the back, no one values teamwork or knowledge sharing.
Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, quickly responded to the article. He explained that the environment at his company is friendly but intense. People work hard, and he couldn’t recognize the toxic environment in the article. In fact, it would be hard for any tech company to survive with these kinds of policies. He wrapped up his response by stating that these management practices are untrue and unacceptable.
Source: headsupenglish.com
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
29 replies on “A Toxic Workplace”
1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
I don’t know. However, it could be true, since companies often confuse productivity with spending many hours sitting in front of the computer and I think that is a mistake. Someone who is truly productive does not have to spend too many hours in front of a computer and the fact that someone spends many hours in front of a computer does not mean that they are a better worker.
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
People might stay in a toxic workplace due to financial constraints, limited job alternatives, fear of unemployment, perceived career opportunities, loyalty, denial, temporary optimism, emotional ties, or a lack of awareness about alternative job markets. However, doing so is generally not conducive to well-being and career satisfaction.
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
I would like to work at a company like Amazon if there was a positive environment but I wouldn’t work again in any toxic workplace. I think that to work in a toxic workplace affects negatively to your personal life and to your welfare
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
The best place I’ve ever worked is where I’m currently working. I like working here because there is a positive atmosphere, they give you the opportunity to continue learning and everyone is always willing to help. Furthermore, it allows me to work in the world of data and continue learning about it and I love that.
My working life is not very long yet because I am young, but I could say that the worst place I have ever worked was my previous job. They had a very different culture than Verne, there was a negative and toxic environment and they confused productivity with spending many many hours in front of the computer. All of this led me to decide to change to my actual job.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
I think that some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity could be, for example:
• Clearly communicate expectations and set achievable goals.
• Provide training and development opportunities.
• Foster open communication and regular feedback.
• Recognize and reward performance.
• Empower employees to make decisions.
• Ensure they have the right tools and resources.
• Encourage team building and a positive culture.
• Support work-life balance and wellness programs.
• Offer flexible schedules and career growth opportunities.
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I attached the answer of homeworks:
1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
I think thet this article is true. As in all things, there is true things and false. But i know people that worked in Amazon and the envireoment is not really good. Despite the company do things to motivate the employed.
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
For the money, Amazon pay a good salary normally. Then the people want work. Also i think Amazon is the employ for stay bit time during the people studing, look for the other employ…
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
I would like work in this company only for learn new procedures because Amazon normally have new devices of market.
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
The best place that I worked is my now work because the enviroment is good and I like the diary job. And the worst place i think that was in the last job because i was alone in the departament but I could not mentioned more things.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
The first is the salary, is the better form of motivated the employed, after the enviroment with the relation with the team. If the employed are motivated, the employed are more productivited.
Regards.
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1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
I don’t really know, but I think it is perfectly possible because sometimes companies confuse productivity with stress or pressure
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
In my opinion, nobody would really want to work in such an environment, but the money is necessary and I think many people would be willing to work there despite knowing that
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
A priori yes, by the company that is, but if it detected such an environment would surely give up as soon as possible. I had a situation like this when I was younger, and I don’t think I’d hold on to it for long now.
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
I have worked in many good places, but also in bad places. At the worst ones, it was always the managers’ fault. Maybe they had a lot of pressure that they couldn’t manage and passed it on to people. However, in my opinion, one of the responsibilities of managers is to protect their teams.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
that employees always have agreed goals and are not short of work. Apart from being empowered to motivate them.
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1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
I really don’t know but if more than one hundred of former employees have explained the same complaints, it must be a bit true. Perhaps it will be a mix of truth and perceptions.
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
If the article were true, nobody would want to work in such work environment because it would be unbearable.
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
If work environment were as former employees say where collegues betray each other I wouldn’t work at a company like Amazon.
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
I haven’t worked at another place I have worked always at the same Company, is truth that the company has changed during that time, even its name, but in my opinion there alway was a good work environment.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
I think some ideas are to motivate workers with meetings where chiefs explain company objectives, learning courses to grow up in the company, incentive for performance.
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1. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘strike’?
When I hear the work strike I think that something is not going good in a company, work sector or country.
2. Do you think salaries should be based on performance or seniority?
I think salaries should be based in a mix on performance and seniority, but performance should have more weight than seniority.
3. Are there a lot of labor strikes and unions your country?
Nowadays there are not a lot of labor strikes but there are a lot of unions in my country.
4. What are the changes necessary in your current labor system/policies?
I think that in my country instead of labor policies are more necessary fiscal policies to help people and companies to establish a grow up.
5. In your country, is the minimum wage enough to live by?
In may country the minimum wage enough to live by is about €1200 in a small town, but it would be very difficult, and in a big city it would be impossible.
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When I hear the work strike I think that something is not going good in a company, work sector or country.
-> When I hear the work strike, I think that something is not going good in a company, work sector, or country.
Nowadays there are not a lot of labor strikes but there are a lot of unions in my country.
-> Nowadays, there are not a lot of labor strikes, but there are a lot of unions in my country.
In may country the minimum wage enough to live by is about €1200 in a small town, but it would be very difficult, and in a big city it would be impossible.
-> In my country, the minimum wage enough to live by is about €1200 in a small town, but it would be very difficult
,and in a big city, it would be impossible.Keep doing your writing practice to progress more.
1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
Could be. I think that if people say it it’s true, although it may just be between some colleagues.
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
Someone would want to work in an environment like that because Amazon is a very important company and this could be important to them.
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
Yes, I would want to work at a company like Amazon but with a good work environment.
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
The best job is muy current job because I tele-work and I can start/finish working when I want.
I haven’t work bad jobs but they have never been as good as the current one.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
It can be good to allow flexible work hours.
It is very good that you continue to practice your writing. Keep being consistent.
Thank you for sharing your own experiences through writing.
1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
After reading the article I think most of the information written on it must be true. There are more than one hundred employees who agree on it.
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
It is difficult to find any advantage on working in such a place like this one. I guess the salary must compensate for the stress, pressure…
From my point of view it wouldn´t worth it.
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
I would´t want to work such a place like this. A company that treats their employees in that way it isn´t a good option to work at.
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
The best place is where I´m currently working. It is a French Company very respectful with their employees, with a lot of values where you feel appreciated.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
I think it´s a good point having a good working environment as well as being able to reconcile worktime with their personal and family time.
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I think many companies work like this (history from Amazon). The high competitiveness and the need to give results, lead to it
If the article were true, because money is necessary and to be able to live
If it is true, wouldn’t to work, but I understand the owners for the need to earn money by giving a job that you can accept or not.
The best place where I have worked was my company and my current company that i work for tehm and as a bad place to work, I cannot identify any. Fortunately, I have always been able to decide for myself whether to continue or not.
Make the company feel that they are an important part and have a good atmosphere.
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After reading the article, I have become surprised because I thought that Amazon was recently recognized as the company that most cares about the employers, even more than Google. The truth is that I don’t know what to think, because such a large, famous company cannot be so unfair with workers, as word would soon spread, and it would be known.
However, if that were true, it’s possible that workers would continue working there because Amazon is one of the first biggest online sales companies: the salary must be high, and CV must look more attractive with these kinds of experiences.
Personally, I couldn’t work in a toxic work, whatever the company: I’m so sensitive, so I need to have harmony in the environment to feel comfortable and secure. There are many things that I cannot overlook or simply ignore.
In fact, although my short professional experience, I feel that the best company I’ve ever worked in is the one I’m actually working, Kenos Technology, because there is no day that I don’t want to go to work: there is a good relationship with my colleagues, and my heads are very kind as they treat the employer with respect and equality, taking care of us. In contrast, the worst company I have worked in was a supermarket in which I was a salesclerk and stocker: there was too much pressure and our heads forced us to work extra hours, without compensation.
With my short experience, I guess that the best way to increase the productivity of a company is pretending employers to feel good in there, considering them as humans before workers, and facilitating, above all, the conciliation of their personal and family life with their work life.
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Most of the facts described on the article could be true, working on a company which is famous by his efficiency and good behavior to the clients has to be very hard because as an employee you are supposed to fulfill this kind of minima whose can charge you with a lot of pressure. As currently I am capable to choose, I would not like to work in a place like that, but some people are not able to choose their dreaming works and the lack of money is a situation that none wants. Maybe working for this kind of companies allows you to get good experience in order to be able to be hired in a better company or, at least, another one where you will be more confortable.
Speaking about me, I am very fortunate due to I have not had bad experiences in any place where I have worked at. I hope it will keep going on the future!
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1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
I Don’t know, I have not data for able to opinion, but I think that if the CEO he answers so quickly is that is that there is something
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
Amazon as a company she have lot of prestige but the future employees they not know how is the company really for inside so they look at the prestige of the company
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
If is with an environment positive of work of course, that yes but if is with says the article no, first and more important is my life
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
I was working an company spaniesh of informatic during 21 years and we were as an family but for the crisis in Spain the company closed.
The worse place where I was working was an company of services with a boss very rude and an coworkers toxics but luckily i only stayed 1 year
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
The most important is one environment of work friendly, have one boss that know create a good work environment, have time for the family with work schedules for it y of course an competitive salary
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1. Do you think the negative article about Amazon is true?
In my opinion, the article is true in part. Here in Madrid, we have 2 distribution centres for Amazon. People who work there have been interviewed for TV some times, and always talk good about the company. I think, the problems should be at the top positions, where project managers and marketing people work. The documentary showed the company as an example for young people to have a stable job in which be able to promote and grow.
2. If the article were true, why would anyone want to work in such an environment?
None wants to work in such a stressful environment where your work is worthless, and there are no team spirit neither good relationships between colleagues and bosses.
3. Would you want to work at a company like Amazon? Why/not?
Amazon is a huge company with thousands or millions of employees all over the world. In the past, I worked for a big pharma company and it had advantages and disadvantages. I had many social benefits and options to promote or work in other countries/cities. However, sometimes I was just a number for them, and your opinion did not count.
4. What is the best place you have ever worked at? How about the worst place? Why?
The best place is where I’m working now. It is a non profit organization that manages research projects in the field of healthcare and biotechnology. The worst place was a research lab where I did my PhD because of a terrible boss and a bad colleague.
5. What are some ideas and practices to maximize employee productivity?
I think having a good environment is crucial. Also, your direct boss is an accessible and reasonable person with who you can share ideas and not only obey orders. A good worktime compatible with private life is also important.
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None wants to work in such a stressful environment where your work is worthless
,and there are no team spirit neither good relationships between colleagues and bosses.Keep at it!
The enviroment described in the article is usual in consultancies. In that kind of companies the differentiating element are the employees. Therefore it’s only wanted very ambicious and hard-working people. However the success of Amazon is based in a useful and widely known sales web platform. It doesn’t seem that very ambicious people are requeried for that job…
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Before giving my opinion about the veracity of this article I have done some research on the internet about the employees’ comments. It appears that the main complain of the employees is the temporarity of the job contracts. Besides, they have to work under pressure and some activities such as going to the bathroom are monitored. This company is transmitting lack of confidence in their workers and this situation will eventually provoke on them anxiety and uneasiness.
On the other hand, the workers consider that the salary is good enough. It can be compensate with the environment in which they work. On other ocassions, they are not capable to find other better job so they need to stay at the same company/work.
From my point of view, money is not the most important goal in a company. I give more value other things as working in a good environment without too much stress. Any person spends the most of the day along with workmates and if you have to deal with a troublesome person your life can become a hell.
The worst place I was working in was in a small company which the manager treated all the employees like his slaves. He thought that he had the right to require anything to the workers just because he was the BOSS.
The best place I was working in was in a big american company. The treatment with the workers were excellent and it was forbidden to lose the respect to any person.
I agree with the company monitoring the work of their employees to check the productivity and provide them with bonus but it is also important that the company gives some freedom to the workers. It would be a good idea for the workers to be more efficient.
Impressive job on the research! Excellent work on expressing your thoughts.
It can be compensate with the environment in which they work.
> This can compensate for the alleged toxic environment in which they work.
Any person spends
themost of the dayalongwith workmates and if you have to deal with a troublesome person your life can becomeahell.> Everyone spends most of their day with their workmates and if you have to deal with a troublesome person, your life can become hell.
Keep going!
I think that competition between employees makes this kind of atmosphere.
People like to work for a top Company tp imprive their cv
I would have the experience, but will not put up with this kind of behaviour
The best place I have worked at was PWC Madrid
The worst place ever worked at was PWC Alicante
I think that working at home by objectives and not to stay at the office until 20,00 pm shall be the best solution in order to end with toxic atmosphere at your Company.