An Amazon job listing for an operations manager role in Hyderabad has sparked a discussion on social media after highlighting a requirement that employees must “stand/walk for up to 12 hours during shifts”, reviving wider concerns about working conditions across the company’s global operations.
The listing, posted on Naukri.com, outlines a role in Amazon’s Rapid Asset Deployment (RAD) centre — a unit handling warehousing, IT builds, fulfilment, repairs and logistics.
The job description includes physical requirements uncommon for managerial roles, including:
- Standing or walking for up to 12 hours
- Lifting up to 49 pounds (~22 kg)
- Frequent bending, squatting and reaching
The role also mandates night shifts, weekend availability and strict productivity targets. The qualifications listed on the site noted that the employee must “work a flexible schedule/shift/work area, including weekends, nights, and/or holidays.”
While such conditions are typical in warehouse operations, expecting employees to be on their feet for up to 12 hours a day, everyday, triggered outrage.
A Reddit user who shared the listing wrote: “What does Amazon think of us Indians? Donkeys? I’m so shocked… this is f***ed up on so many levels.”
Online debate: ‘Not just India’
Responding to the job listing, some Reddit users argued that the problem is global rather than India-specific.
“Amazon is bad in all countries… they have strict restrictions even to use restrooms,” one Reddit user claimed. A few others normalised the requirement by comparing it to service roles: “This is like store cashiers who stand all day,” a commentor noted.
One Reddit user shared a personal anecdote: “I went to a high-end restaurant… the receptionist was continuously standing. There was no chair for her… I was genuinely concerned.” Another comment pointed to systemic issues: “The disguised unemployment problem in India needs to be resolved quickly.”
Facilities Amazon offers to delivery partners
Announcing its measures to ramp up heat protection for delivery workers in India, Amazon had said in April that it is expanding Project Ashray — its network of air-conditioned rest stops across major cities from 100 to 250 — which serves more than 1.5 lakh delivery partners every month. The mobile units offer amenities such as: air-conditioned seating, clean drinking water, electrolytes, Wi-Fi, and mobile charging points and the facilities are free to delivery partners of other companies as well.
Speaking to Moneycontrol, an Amazon spokesperson had said, “We actively monitor weather conditions and take necessary actions, including adjusting workflows, providing additional breaks, or temporarily pausing operations when needed.”
The company said it also uses heat-index monitoring systems to track temperature and humidity, while moderating delivery loads and issuing app-based break reminders for delivery partners.
But the tech giant has been facing scrutiny over its labour practices worldwide.
Echoes of global criticism
Earlier this month, Amazon workers protested in New York ahead of the Jeff Bezos-sponsored Meta Gala to emphasize that they have the power to tell their own stories, and that it is their labour that makes Amazon.
Samari Jomar Mercado, a Puerto Rican model and Amazon warehouse employee told The Guardian that her work at Amazon was “very manual, a heavy lift, and by the end of the day, very painful”.
In November 2025, workers in over 30 countries staged coordinated Black Friday protests, demanding safer workplaces, better wages and protection from extreme productivity pressure.
Reports cited concerns over unsafe heat conditions in warehouses, high injury rates, and relentless productivity targets. A survey of Amazon workers in India last year found that three-quarters said they or a colleague required medical attention due to heat exposure, highlighting safety concerns in operational environments, The Independent reported.
Investigations flag safety and injury risks
A US Senate-led investigation found Amazon warehouse workers were nearly twice as likely to be injured compared to workers in similar facilities, linking injuries to speed-driven productivity targets.
The report also said Amazon’s “speed and productivity requirements” forced workers into repetitive, unsafe movements, increasing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, Forbes reported.