Amazon has an innovative and influential company culture that many other businesses strive to replicate. As a global company with over 1.6 million workers, Amazon focuses on employee development and satisfaction.
As an Amazon employee, you have a wealth of benefits, including the opportunity to upskill or continue your education for free. Pathstream, an Career Choice Partner, provides eligible Amazon employees with certification programs to put them on the path to their dream careers.
Here are some of the best benefits of working at Amazon that you should know about.
What are the benefits of working at Amazon?
1. Competitive compensation and benefits packages
2. Opportunities for career growth and development
3. The Amazon Career Choice Program
4. Flexible work arrangements and work-life balance
5. Inclusive and diverse work environment
1. Competitive compensation and benefits packages
Amazon is proud to offer its employees a wage and benefits that reflect both their talent and worth. The average starting pay is $19 an hour, more than double the federal minimum wage. This wage is for all types of employees, including full and part-time, seasonal, and contract workers.
In addition to earning a fair wage that helps to ensure financial stability, Amazon workers can also buy stock options within Amazon and participate in company-matched 401(k) plans.
As a company with a strong commitment to health and wellness, Amazon offers its full-time employees medical, dental, and vision insurance and medical leave for both physical and mental illnesses. This medical leave is in addition to paid vacation and holiday time.
Adoptive parents can take six weeks of paid maternity leave, while birth parents can take up to 20 weeks. The Leave Share program allows six weeks of paid parental week if their partner isn’t entitled to leave time. After you return from leave, you can have eight weeks of flexible work hours through Amazon’s Ramp Back program.
Another incredible perk is that employees get a 10% discount on items sold directly by Amazon. This means you could save $100 on a $1,000 purchase!
2. Opportunities for career growth and development
One of the great things about working for Amazon is that there are several career paths to explore. Amazon has a culture of promoting from within its own talent pool, so let your manager know if you’re interested in taking your career to the next level with the company.
The Amazon Mentoring Program is available to all permanent full-time employees and provides them with opportunities to acquire new skills and network within the company. Employees can get one-on-one mentoring or in small groups to gain the necessary skills and understanding to propel forward within the company.
Amazon also hosts internal job fairs to inform current employees about available roles within the company. These job fairs allow employees to learn about new career paths available to them, as well as how to get there.
3. The Amazon Career Choice Program
The Amazon Career Choice Program is an education benefit for eligible employees to earn a number of certificates and degrees, including:
- GED
- ESL
- Associate’s degrees
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Specific certificates
As long as employees are with Amazon, the company will pay 100% of their tuition at partnering schools up to the capped amount for the year. Classes are available online, in-person, or hybrid so that you can find the schedule that works best for you.
One of Amazon’s approved partners is Pathstream, which allows Amazon employees to upskill into roles in tech, sales, and operations. Employees can take advantage of these 100% online courses to successfully work their way up through the company.
While employees can take these skills outside of Amazon, many find that the skills they earn help them work towards internal promotions. This allows employees to stay with a company they love as they continue to achieve personal and professional fulfillment.
4. Flexible work arrangements and work-life balance
One good thing to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is the realization that people need to be able to balance their work and personal lives in a way that suits them. Amazon knows this; many roles have different working arrangements to suit different work styles, personalities, and employee needs.
Some jobs are remote, others are in a fulfillment center, and some are hybrid. Since the company needs to fill a plethora of roles around the clock, that means that work needs to be done outside of the 9-to-5 timeframe. Flexible scheduling and working from anywhere allow the workflow to continue for the benefit of employees and the employer.
As mentioned earlier, Amazon truly cares about the health and well-being of its employees. Flexible scheduling and work styles allow employees to care for themselves and their families while being productive. Allowing workers to find a way to balance their work and home life leads to happier, healthier employees who are likelier to stick around for the long haul.
5. Inclusive and diverse work environment
Amazon strives to promote a workplace that’s accepting and inclusive for all. To help achieve this goal, the company currently has 13 affinity groups with more than 87,000 members that serve on them. These groups, also known as employee resource groups (ERGs), work to make sure that different groups within Amazon are seen and heard.
The company actively recruits to create a diverse environment where employees can learn from each other and develop a sense of belonging. It’s proven that a diverse workplace leads to higher levels of innovation and employee engagement. Inclusion helps the company’s brand, as customers want to be able to trust in a business that cares for all, not just some. Amazon knows that actively recruiting to promote diversity and inclusion also allows you to choose from a wider range of candidates and find the best talent for the company.
Harnessing the power of Amazon’s education benefits to propel your career
Working at Amazon earns you more than a paycheck. It gives you the opportunity to work in a diverse and innovative culture that genuinely believes in the well-being and power of its employees. As an employee, you can take your career and education to the next level with benefits like the Amazon Career Choice Program and its partners, like Pathstream.
Whether you’re already an employee or just considering working for Amazon, taking advantage of Pathstream’s courses to jumpstart your career is one benefit you won’t want to miss out on. So if you’re ready, reach out now to discover how to get on the path to your dream career through Amazon and Pathstream!
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