AWS Australia has been endorsed by its employees and Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for 2024. The certification is based on the credibility, respect and fairness employees receive from leaders and also pride and a sense of belonging to an organisation.
Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and leadership behaviours and has established benchmarks for working conditions around the world by surveying millions of employees globally for the past 30 years.
"The Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that Amazon Web Services stands out as a great place to work, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."
The Trust Index Survey completed by 800 AWS employees required them to respond to 60 statements and two open-ended questions to measure individual employee experiences in a high-trust company culture. The survey results reflect the level of trust in an organisation and the consistency of the employee experience, including how often employee can count on clear and honest leadership, fair treatment and employee recognition.
Employee-centric Culture
"We are striving to be Earth’s best employer. To do this, we’re not just building a great workplace, we're also building a community where everyone can be themselves, do their best work, while also having fun. Across the nation, our teams are bringing diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences to drive customer and partner success. They're not just colleagues; they're friends, mentors, and collaborators who support each other every step of the way inside and outside of the office. It's this sense of camaraderie and unity that fuels our success and makes AWS Australia a truly special place to work," said Rianne van Veldhuizen, Managing Director, AWS Australia and New Zealand.
These thoughts are echoed by Peter Ristic, Head of APJ Startup Cloud Sales Centre at AWS, who has spent time building his career at AWS Australia. “My AWS journey began in 2012 in Sydney. I was surrounded by some of the most talented people, working on some of the most exciting solutions I have seen in my career. 12 years later, that has not changed, I have seen first-hand, how our technology, people and culture have been able to transform and benefit others. I truly believe that our Leadership Principles, people, and solutions, are core to this and the north star keeping me focused on always seeking to help even more,” said Peter.
Commitment to Professional Growth
AWS is committed to empowering our employees and fostering a workplace culture where everyone can thrive, succeed, and make a positive impact on our customers and communities. Whether it's through skills training, career development programs, volunteering, or opportunities to work on cutting-edge projects, we're dedicated to helping our employees reach their full potential.
AWS’s commitment to the professional growth of our diverse employees is exemplified by Naomi Teng, Generative AI Specialist at AWS.
“Joining AWS Australia in my final year of law school over 4.5 years ago was one of my best career choices. It has allowed me to explore transformative innovations like generative AI and learn from the greatest minds globally. At AWS, there are no limits for early career professionals—only opportunities fueled by imagination and creativity. My experience shows that young professionals have a seat at the table, supported by data, passion, and the ability to deliver. We all have the chance to succeed and grow at AWS,” said Naomi.
AWS staff have access to a wide array of training and development programs tailored to meet the needs of our diverse workforce. These include technical training to enhance job-specific skills, leadership development programs to prepare future leaders, and soft skills training that helps all employees navigate and thrive within our corporate environment. We also encourage and give our employees opportunities to move internally and experience new roles within Amazon through our mobility program.
Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
AWS is dedicated to building a workforce that mirrors the diversity of our global community, fostering an environment where individuals from all backgrounds feel they belong and can thrive. We understand the importance of diverse perspectives in driving innovation and are committed to enhancing representation across all levels of our company.
The Great Place To Work certification for AWS comes just after the Australian Workplace Equity Index (AWEI) officially recognised Amazon Australia as one of the best and most inclusive employers of LGBTQ+ people by awarding the company Gold Employer status at a recent gala dinner in Sydney.
The AWEI is the definitive national benchmark on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and to have been recognised with gold status just two years after receiving bronze was further recognition that Amazon Australia is committed to being the best workplace in Australia.
Community Impact and Volunteerism
From packing 18,000 relief items to be stored and shipped to areas affected by natural disasters, to cooking about 2,100 gourmet meals with OzHarvest, and making over 10,000 sandwiches to support hungry kids with Eat Up, Amazon employees in Australia hosted over 70 volunteering initiatives during Amazon’s Global Month of Volunteering.
“Our employees are not just the backbone of AWS Australia—they're also driving positive change in our communities and making a real impact on our customers. From volunteering their time to support local charities to using their skills to develop innovative solutions for our customers, our team members are making a difference every day,” said Sandra Teh, Chief Culture Evangelist for APJC & EMEA at AWS.
AWS is a place where our employees’ contributions drive our success and shape our culture every day. We are still in early days of cloud adoption and we can’t wait to see what our employees will build tomorrow.
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