Amazon

The hard-working culture meant all co-workers were hard workers and generally good people.

Amazon doesn't care about its leadership principles unless you're above entry-level. While you are entry-level, the only leadership principle that actually matters is "deliver results," and the only "results" they care about is how much code you produce.

I was told in no uncertain terms that working over 40 hours a week was how to get promoted, and that I needed to get promoted or be put on a performance improvement plan. You can easily Google how those plans go and what they actually mean.

So, I left.

Don't obfuscate the truth to your employees. Transparency is better than saving face. Be upfront that you are required to let go a certain amount of your workers each year. Or don't require that. Keep people around who are improving your team.