USA 
United Kingdom
Amazon is asking its corporate workforce to detail concrete achievements as part of this year’s annual review process, representing a marked shift toward tangible outcomes in performance discussions.
The process, known internally as "Forte", now asks employees to submit three to five accomplishments that demonstrate impact, according to Business Insider.
Accomplishments at the center of performance
Under the new directive, employees must provide “specific examples” of what they delivered, as well as planned actions to continue their growth at the company. Internal materials describe accomplishments as “specific projects, goals, initiatives, or process improvements that show the impact of your work.” Employees are also advised, “Consider situations where you took risks or innovated, even if it didn't lead to the results you hoped for.”
It is the first time Forte has formalized individual accomplishments as its core focus, according to people with knowledge of the process, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal matters.
Past self-assessments under Forte featured broader reflections on personal strengths and style rather than structured output. Previous prompts have included references to “super powers,” areas of interest, and questions such as, “When you're at your best, how do you contribute?” An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.
Forte remains a key influencer of pay and progression, with managers weighing peer feedback, alignment with leadership principles, and job-specific competencies to determine an “Overall Value” rating that informs annual compensation decisions.
Leadership seeks discipline and cultural alignment
The adjustments reflect a wider cultural drive under CEO Andy Jassy. Over the past year, the company instituted a full return-to-office requirement, reduced management layers, and reworked compensation and performance systems to more clearly reward the highest performers.
The shift fits into a larger industry trend in which major tech employers have demanded clearer output from knowledge workers. Some trends began taking shape in 2022, when Elon Musk required weekly accomplishment reporting at Twitter. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pursued what he called a "year of intensity", and Google introduced stricter expectations of its workforce.
Pilots influenced the broader rollout
The change was not entirely sudden. Teams in areas such as advertising and the IMDb video unit piloted a similar Forte question prior to the wider rollout. During that period, advertising chief Paul Kotas told employees that sharing precise accomplishments “helps facilitate a more productive” conversation with managers.
With the expanded use of accomplishment reporting, Amazon is signaling that future evaluation, pay, and career progression will hinge specifically on documented contributions, rather than subjective assessments of capability or potential.
