Retail

Amazon reportedly freezes hiring for the corporate wing of its global retail business

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Amazon seattle headquarters
A shot of Amazon's Seattle headquarters.  David Ryder/Getty Images

Amazon has initiated a corporate hiring freeze for its retail segment, according to a New York Times report. The freeze will last until the end of 2022.

"Amazon continues to have a significant number of open roles available across the company," Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser said in a statement to Insider. "We have many different businesses at various stages of evolution, and we expect to keep adjusting our hiring strategies in each of these businesses at various junctures."

According to The New York Times' Karen Weise, the freeze will last until the end of 2022, and affect all corporate positions in the company's stores business, with a few exceptions such as "field positions." 

The Times obtained internal documents indicating that the online giant will proceed with interviews that are scheduled prior to the cutoff date of Oct. 15. 

When it comes to large companies shaking up their hiring strategies, Amazon is not alone. Walmart recently announced that it will hire fewer store workers this holiday season, compared with other years. Many companies have struggled with the "Great Regret" after recruiting too many employees earlier in the pandemic. Some, such as Tesla, 7-Eleven, and TikTok, have gone on to initiate layoffs and hiring freezes in order to course-correct. 

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Áine Cain was a senior reporter for Business Insider, covering Walmart, Target, Costco, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Ikea.She wrote about the changing nature of the retail business, the labor issues affecting retail employees, and the trends that consumers should know about. Occasionally, she delved into crime, multi-level marketing schemes, and weird history.Cain previously wrote about careers and business strategy for Business Insider.