Doing well by doing good

When Laura Malniece joined Amazon in 2014, working on a temporary contract at a fulfilment centre in Peterborough, she had, by her own admission, “no real vision” for her future career. Today, she’s still at Amazon, but in a much more senior role, working as an area manager in transport operation management. What made the difference was a series of courses and programmes that Amazon encouraged her to join – and paid for.

Laura was eligible for Amazon’s “Career Choice” programme, an education benefit that supports employees to build their skills for career development – at Amazon itself or elsewhere. Employees are entitled to up to 100% of tuition fees, to the value of £3,000 a year, every year for nationally recognised courses*.

“I always thought I’d end up doing something repetitive and boring as a job,” Laura says. “Amazon opened my eyes to the world of data and training and sparked something in me that I’ve been using to progress ever since.”

The Career Choice benefit is part of a broader package of benefits available at Amazon – and reflects a significant investment in employee wellbeing at the company in recent years. since 2021, the company has promised to strive to be “Earth’s best employer” and has introduced a series of initiatives since then. That has included benefits for UK employees ranging from help with fertility support to access to babysitters and petsitters, as well as a comprehensive package of flexible work contracts.

Amazon’s introduction of term-time working has proved particularly popular. Staff can take 10 weeks of time off each year, comprising both paid and unpaid leave, without affecting their entitlement to other benefits they receive. This enables them to take time out during the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays. So, when the kids are on a break, they are too.

A growing number of employers now recognise the importance of boosting employee wellbeing. Research published recently by the CIPD, the human resources professional body, found the proportion of organisations with a stand-alone wellbeing strategy rose from 44% in 2020 to 57% in 2025. Almost three-quarters of respondents said employee wellbeing was now on the agenda of senior leaders.

In part, that reflects leaders’ understanding of their ethical and social responsibilities. But a growing body of research suggests focusing on employee wellbeing also makes good business sense. A recent study conducted by the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, based on data from almost 1,800 companies, found businesses with stronger levels of employee wellbeing were more profitable and earned superior returns on investment. They also outperformed on the stock market.

Happier workers tend to get more done, the University of Oxford researchers concluded, citing “strongly positive and mutually reinforcing links between wellbeing and productivity”. They added: “Wellbeing can also promote performance by improving relationships and expanding social capabilities.”

Such findings resonate with Amazon, which points to the importance of making it possible for staff to do the best job they can. When the company increased the flexible working options they offer, UK Country Manager John Boumphrey explained they would “provide even more choice for current and future employees, enabling them to better manage their home and work commitments ... term-time working is another great example of how we are using feedback from our people to support them with their childcare needs, giving families more time together.”

Employers failing to take note of such research risk being left out. A major study just published by the consultancy McKinsey suggests that worldwide, improving employee health and wellbeing could generate up to $11.7 trillion (£8.5 trillion) of extra economic value each year. Three-quarters of those gains would come from improved productivity and reduced ‘presenteeism’, where staff feel they have to come to work despite feeling burned out or ill.

The bottom line? As Amazon has discovered, it’s possible to do well by doing good – employers ready to support their workforce and improve wellbeing can reap a range of valuable business benefits.

*Eligibility conditions about type and duration of employment apply