For example, Amazon runs a program called Connections, which sends out small questionnairesto employees: Does your work provide you with opportunities to learn new things? Does your team always put the customer first? How often does bureaucracy get in the way of your ability to deliver results?
To improve that feedback, Amazon tries out interventions like training managers to interact better with their subordinates. Originally, the company brought on a team of psychologists, other scientists and product managers, but before long, it became apparent that they weren't well suited to achieving what Amazon was ultimately after: Better performance. Economists, by contrast, were able to analyze which interventions led to higher worker productivity.
"The psychologists had a really hard time at Amazon, because they weren't trained in what economists are trained in, which is how this relates to profitability," said one former Amazon economist who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "Amazon is a very data-driven place, and if you can't prove that your program is beneficial to customers, you're at risk of having your program defunded."
