Amazon has built itself a reputation for being a meat grinder, where bright-eyed employees go to be burned out, only to be replaced by another. Even their interview process reflects this sad state of affairs.
That reputation wasn't built overnight, and it won't change overnight, despite what one out-of-touch billionaire says.
Speaking of their interview process, I am occasionally contacted by Amazon recruiters. I always ask them to explain negative reports of their work culture from various sources. I include links. Now I can use a NY Times article!
The recruiter response is, invariably, that the article that I read did not really say what it said, or that the things that I thought were bad are actually good. None of my questions about workplace specifics ever get answered. One of these is always "Do you expect salaried employees to work more than 40 hours per week?"
Seems like that would be an easy one to answer, right? Just say either "no", or "yes" and a specific number. They have never answered directly; it has been equivocating all the way.
So I'm not surprised at all that Bezos would simply deny what is actually happening on his watch, as reported by current and former employees, far below the C-level ranks. As they say, the first obstacle to fixing your problem is admitting you have one.
Their reputation is legendary. Then I met someone that was was hired remotely but for some reason has to fly to Seattle about 1/3 of the year. To each his own, but I prefer to raise my kids instead of showing up for vacations.
It makes it very easy to ignore their phone calls.
That reputation wasn't built overnight, and it won't change overnight, despite what one out-of-touch billionaire says.