Amazon

You get to work a couple miles from the beach. That is it. No free lunch, no annual bonus, and a 401k you will only see when you have finally finished your third year. You never even have time to go to the beach at all.

Amazon Alexa hires engineers fast, work you like a horse, and then when you eventually get burnt out—and believe me when I say you will—you will either leave for one of the other Silicon Valley companies (in which Amazon does not vest your stocks, 401k, or relocation package) or you will get fired from the organization for "underperforming."

I have seen engineers just out of Ivy League schools get fired. I have seen young adults who just bought a home close to the office get fired. I have seen fathers of multiple children get fired.

Amazon creates a toxic culture where you are just trying your best to outperform the weakest link on your team. Because you don't want to be the weakest, you either keep pushing or you get burnt out and go elsewhere. I have seen women crying at their desks from the stress they are put under due to micromanagement, living in shared housing to afford Bay Area cost of living.

There are daily stand-up meetings where you have to announce to the team all the things you are working on, and they vote on how much your workload is truly worth. It's just another way for management to give you more work without you fighting back.

Company holidays and team-building events are minimal. Amazon is really great at being frugal and cheap with its employees.

The break room is filled with junk food that you will get hooked on the first month and then won't ever eat because you know it's bad for you.

Not a friendly environment. When you get hired, you will be in an exciting, ambitious, enthusiastic mood that will give you the motivation to work hard. But a year into it, you will see how many people leave and how many people are asked to leave. Amazon doesn't mind because they get the most value from you for the least amount of money. This is what the Alexa organization is all about.

I worked an entire year and did not get a salary increase, none. Not even adjusted for inflation. It's really demoralizing, and I am at a point where others and I are studying to interview with Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple.

Talk to your team about promotions before they get burnt out and are right about to leave.

Too often, I see people get promoted and then leave for another company two weeks later because you didn't offer it until they told you they got an offer from another company.

Pay your valued employees more. If that is too difficult, at least have catered food for lunch.

For the cost of like $10 a person in the office, people will give way more back during their lunch break at their desk or after they had lunch. If that is too expensive, at least have healthier options in the kitchen.

Please show this to executive management to get more funding for this organization. Alexa is a long-term goal; don't take small-gain shortcuts.

Please show this to Rob Williams.